# Meet Pickles!



## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

As some of you know, the other day I was in the pet store and found a gorgeous little hand raised cockatiel that was the friendliest little thing I've ever seen. He was in a cage with around 10 other tiels, but all he wanted was some human attention. I went home and posed the question to my parents who pretty much said that they thought it was a BAD idea and they werent happy about it, but it was my choice. 

So, I gave it alot of thought, and realised that I just couldnt leave him there.. he was just sooooo cute and cuddley. So, introducing my third (and now final!) cockatiel- 

Pickles! 

Not sure on age or gender-(ive been calling him a 'he' though! lol) he is quite young, so at a guess I'd say between 3 and 4 months old. I *think* he is just a pied, but if anyone else can add to this please let me know. I'm not too good at mutations!

He is in the boys smaller old cage for now. As far as quarantining gones, I have had to be extremely naughty and take a big risk, as at the moment it is just not possible. I live in a 1 room flat at the back of my parents house, and they arent willing to have the bird in the house, so it needs to stay with me. I'm hoping to goodness he is a healthy bird, but its a horible risk i have had to take. Please dont lecture me, i know the importance of quarantine but sometimes things just arent posible.

Anyway, he seems very happy and healthy with great body feathers (tail ones are a bit broken from the cage he was in), and good coloured poops. 
He's currently exploring his cage and learning the ropes. He isnt so good at stepping up yet, but it shouldnt take long!

I'm just so excited! 

Meet Pickles!


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## seaofdreams (Dec 29, 2009)

Congrats on the new addition. S/he certainly is a pied and adorable. 
Could you keep Pickles outside at all? A bird from a petstore is much more at risk because of the high volume of people that come in close contact. Although when I first began keeping tiels, I was in a very similar predicament and introduced new birds without a quarantine. Fingers crossed for him to be healthy and safe


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## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

I completely understand, petstores are terrible for that sort of thing. At the moment the temperature is soaring over 40 degrees celcius for days on end. I think leaving him out in that would put alot of stress on him as such a young bird. He is in a seperate cage, on the other side of the room, but from what I know about quarantining, this just doesnt cut it. The dogs also live outside.. lol. So, i am going to have to keep a close eye on all the tiels and hope for the best. My other two are petshop birds, one of them coming from the same store, and he was healthy as can be. But i understand thats not always the case.

Fingers crossed.


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## seaofdreams (Dec 29, 2009)

My guys live in an outdoor aviary and QLD is one of the hottest parts of Australia.


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## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

I understand where you are coming from, but having the bird outside in the 40dc, with my dogs running riot around him, does not sound like the best idea. It may be fine while I can watch to make sure the dogs are behaving, but I'm afraid I would rather take a risk to not quarantine than watch my new little bird either a) die of fright, or b) be attacked by one of my dogs if for some reason they turn nasty towards him. I have placid dogs, but you never know when they will turn on something like a bird when you are not watching.

I'm sorry, I can understand that you are concerned, as am I, but trust me, I have thought of every option possible. If there was a way around this that was healthier for my little bub, I'd do it in a heartbeat.


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## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

He's definitely a pied. Does he have just one wing clipped? If so clip the other one too. They can get strains and muscle damage or worse from only having one wing clipped. It also gives them bigger problems with controlling their flight.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

I knew you would!  Pickles is absolutely adoraable, congrats!! 

When I got Freddy, I was naughty and didn't *fully* quarantine either (but he seen an Avian Vet before I got him) so don't worry, you're not the first and won't be the last even though it's a huge risk. Even taking to him an Avian Vet would be a good option to do.

Oh and, I lurve pieds.. I'm jealous!


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## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

Mythara: He does only have one wing clipped- thanks for the advice, I will do the other tomorrow! Cheeks and Chip both only had one wing clipped when i got them, but i had no idea it was an issue, so i just let it grow out like normal until they were fully flighted again. Thanks for the heads up!

Solace: Thanks for understanding.. I know its the wrong thing to do, but its pretty much the only option. I love pieds too, hence why i fell in love so quickly! I've always wanted one, and now seemed as good a time as any!


I cant believe how quickly he settled in.. its the complete opposite of the two boys who took over a week to warm up to the cage and surroundings. I opened Pickles box, took him out and he flew over to my bed and started nibbling the sheets! And he's been exploring his cage alllll afternoon. You should have heard cheeky and chip.. they carried on a treat- put on their best tunes and all  it was pretty funny to listen to!


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

What a gorgeous guy  I was just wondering are you going to cage him separate forever? I just thought that three tiels were an odd number and that if housed together two might gain up and pick on one. Especially if Pickles turns out to be a female, the boys might fight for who gets her.


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## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

Thanks Spike  I am just going to see how they go, and if I notice any nasty behaviour I will put him/her in the other cage for good. I dont plan on selling the other cage, so it will always be handy in case of such situation. That had crossed my mind too, so I'm just going to monitor it closely. If he really is a boy then chances are they will sort out the hierarchy themselves (provided its not nasty), but if its a girl then yes, I will have to keep a close eye on the happenings.


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## Kerry78 (May 25, 2009)

Oh Please stop moaning about how hot you are over there 

Pickles looks like he's related to Spike,
he/she is a little gorgeous Tiel so take good care


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## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

Hahaha never... if there is one thing I'm good at, its complaining about the weather! 

He is already spoilt rotten Kerry, so there's no need to worry


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## LuvMyTiels (Dec 31, 2009)

Pickles is adorable!


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## Kerry78 (May 25, 2009)

if you want a dosage of rain, sleet and snow let me 
know im quite happy to trade with you 

be intrested to findout if your tiels are M or F,
considering ive got 2 Boys and a Girl,
my boys do tend to love the girl and it does cause abit of commotion at times but it's nothing thats not sortable, just boys chasing one another, I think it's terrotial issues with sandy as he's always been the one thats came out of the cage wherea's Teallie just a couch potato lol 

3 does work for some of us anyway so don't let that worry you


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## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

I was actually going to ask you that question, as I was curious to hear whether yours are all housed together and how they got along with 2 boys and a girl.. just in case little Pickles is actually a girl lol. I know thats its really no indication because every bird is different, but I was just curious. If he does happen to be a she, I hope they all get along. Fingers crossed anyway. I'll just take one step at a time with them all and see how it plays out.

I would LOOOOOVE some rain thanks.. if you can send it my way I'd be eternally greatful! We have nothing here at the moment. The paddocks are all brown and dusty. You can keep your snow and sleet though!  Actually, it would be cool if it snowed here once though- we never ever ever get snow where I live, so it would be nice to see it once!


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Congratulations on your new tiel!  And I love your new signature.

I would have apprehensions too of the tiels around the dogs. I'm not sure what type of dogs, but terrier types are the worst to have around caged birds. I learned the hard way. I used to keep the young weaned birds on the back patio, thinking the dogs (rat terriers) would run off any preditors. I started finding birds with 1 leg ripped out from their bodies. I thought it was raccoons, and at the time I was having the breathing/lung issues and couldn't have birds inside. I set up the live trapped and the next day found one of the dogs in it. let him out and didn't think nothing of it. Finially I caught the dog lunging at the cage aiming for their toes wrapped on the wire as they climbed. He got ahold of the birds leg, but I got out there in time before he pulled it from the body.


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## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

Thanks about the siggie 

That sounds horrible.. I'd hate for anything like that to happen to any of mine. I'd have been the same as you though- thinking it was a cat or something rather than the pet dog. I do have a jack russell terrier, and although she has been around the birds alot before and i am 99% positive she wouldnt do anything, its the 1% of unpredictablility with any dog that worries me. I also have a golden retriever, but she doesnt concern me in the slightest. I swear she is such a goof she wouldnt even blink if one bit her on the nose. But the Jack russell I just cant be sure of, even though I love her to bits. 

We also have a cat, so we have to be careful of her too. I just think what I am doing is the best thing, even if it is a risk itself.


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