# Otway



## Fweet (Apr 9, 2012)

His beak looks so baby pink but here he is, a much calmer bird. 
He tried sunflower seeds today & made a right performance of dehulling them but nom nom, liked the taste enough to persevere. Today he's actually started investigating toys & the bell/toilet roll middle combo is a winner.


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## JaimeS (Nov 28, 2011)

Absolutely adorable. He sounds like a sweetie!


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## Fweet (Apr 9, 2012)

He's a total sweetie & is currently crashing round his cage trying to get the measure of perch distances but instead of freaking out he's clambering back up, probably because he wants that millet! He can see there's more millet at the bottom of the stalk & it's funny watching him try to work out how to get it. I love that determined look they get in their eye, head going from side to side as they WILL have it, oh yes.
Chickweed is another tasty winner, not least because he likes to throw it about with little cackles of pleasure.


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## SunnysMama (Feb 15, 2012)

Very Sweet face!!!!


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

He is adorable.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Very gorgeous tiel


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## Fweet (Apr 9, 2012)

This morning there was no panic, just a chirp of welcome! He saw the bunch of chickweed & couldn't wait to get his beak into it.
Today I should be getting him some ladders & new perches to make getting round his cage easier as I think he has a woffy foot. One toe seems to have a mind of it's own but as I've not had such a young bird before I'm not sure if it's just him 'growing into his feet' or whether he has a problem. He seems to have difficulty balancing & gripping with it but such is his determination he's not letting it get in the way of beaking that chickweed


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

The curled toe is probably from malnutrition while he was developing in the nest. This sometimes effects the last baby that hatches because he gets all the 'big-baby' food instead of the softer food the parents feed the first babies..which is more difficult for him to digest initially. You may consider getting him a playform perch as well as position his food and water in easy places for him to reach. 

That is a very cute picture of him.


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## Fweet (Apr 9, 2012)

Thanks, I knew someone on here would know what to do 
As soon as I thought there was a problem I put food & water within reach of where he'd chosen to sit & gave him a wider perch but a platform would be just the thing. Until I can get some proper ones I've made him a temporary one in the corner where he likes to roost just so's there's no toppling in the night.
Now he's more confident & _very_ interested in food he's exploring his cage more & getting to grips with his funny foot. It doesn't seem to bother him, just makes him incredibly inelegant but we'll all keep an extra eye out from now on, just in case.
Today I went out for all of ten minutes & he made such a fuss one of my kids had to take him into their room for company & he soon settled. When I got back he gave a lovely chirrup & threw some chickweed at me. Here! Have a nibble on that, it's nice!


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Sounds like he's turning into a velcro bird...lol


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## Fweet (Apr 9, 2012)

Hahaa, reckon so! Fortunately the house is rarely empty so he'll not pine for company. When we do all go out we leave the radio on & I swear the other animals can really talk when we're not listening - otherwise how could they work out how to team up to raid the fridge?
The plan is to get a bigger cage & get him a friend so we'll have no more of this Velcroing, thank you!


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## CockatielFace (Mar 25, 2012)

Hes really cute!


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## Fweet (Apr 9, 2012)

He's now a very content bird currently roosting in a dish of grated carrot & grapes. 
He's also very keen on Planet Rock on the radio which seems to have cured him of any clinginess so well done Otway! In a week he's gone from a hissing, huddled thing refusing to eat or drink to a happy perch-scuttler with a good, loud whistle. It's cage-scrubbing day tomorrow so it'll be interesting to see how he copes with being out of his cage.


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## CockatielFace (Mar 25, 2012)

Awesome!!!Cute pic.


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## Fweet (Apr 9, 2012)

Hah, that was an experience! For all his efforts to get out of his cage, once given the opportunity he sat & hissed. 
Eventually he hopped onto a hand & made his first real attempt at flying. There was crashing & flopping, panting & flapping until he sat on his cage cloth, glaring. We'd let him out in a birdy-proof room so no harm done & I think he quite enjoyed it, especially the perching on people as he made some happy fweets while marching up & down our middle son's chest. There was no screaming or panic so I'm really pleased for him.

The one thing I have learned from previous birds is after a cage clean they like things put back as they were. I once spent ages reorganising a cage thinking they'd like change only to have a serious bout of the sulks. How DARE I move a perch! Put it back as it was! Now! Ted sat with is back to everyone, huddled in a corner chuntering until the cage was put back exactly as it was, the moody moose 
Otty's had a good flap about & exercised his wings, wasn't too traumatised by the big wide world so now I think we can start regular excursions out of the cage. He's still getting tangled up with his feet but I suspect the more confident he gets overall it will become less of an issue but I'll keep an eye on it in case of problems. The kids go back to school tomorrow so there'll be more opportunity for quiet flying.
I'd done the cage before breakfast as such is his greed for fresh greens I thought he'd be keen to get back in for a feed & sure enough he saw the cage, perked his little crest & hopped straight back in. He even enjoyed a little mist with the plant sprayer so we can safely say this little bird has settled into his new life.


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## CockatielFace (Mar 25, 2012)

Cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Fweet (Apr 9, 2012)

Kids went back to school today so I thought we'd start the 'normal bird routine' of cage sorting & a morning fly.
O what a happy bird! Otty had a fantastic flap exploring the house & is now used to hopping onto my hand when he needs moving. After a good old fly & a sit on a finger he's now worn himself out & is asleep on one leg in his cage content. 
It only goes to show what outstanding little birds cockatiels are & how they respond to patience (and food!) so anyone with a new, frightened bird take heart; just over a week ago Otway was too terrified to leave his perch & now he's loving life.


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## JaimeS (Nov 28, 2011)

Aww, how cute. I love the picture with his feathers all spread out


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I'm glad he's settling in so well. I, too, love that picture with his wings and tailfeathers spread


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## Harvey (Apr 6, 2012)

Sounds like he is doing really well.


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## nkeith2 (Feb 6, 2011)

He sounds like a sweet bird and really pretty too. <3


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## Fweet (Apr 9, 2012)

He's started to explore more but some days he doesn't fancy a fly so I just close the cage & hang him back up in his normal spot & he gets on with the serious task of eating. Otway has what you could politely call a 'healthy appetite' so I threaded some millet up his new ladder which gave him the incentive to discover all his toys so now he's dingling **** out of his bells. The cardboard tubes are still a hit but he was not impressed when I tore them almost completely through as I didn't want him getting his little head stuck & hanging himself. He mumbles at them more than shreds them but no doubt the love of shredding will develop soon.
The rope perch in one corner has been replaced by a coir-covered cat toy ball which he uses as a head-scratching post but when it swings round & boffs him in the beak he pulls the best expression of birdy outrage.
He's slowly finding his feet & wings but is still gloriously inelegant, flapping & crashing his way about but with every attempt he's gaining confidence. I'm also pleased to see a lot of one-leg roosting & trying to do the bat but as one toe is woffy he usually ends up plopping onto his head; when this happens he bounces straight back up like a cat as if to say 'I meant to do that, okay? Totally _meant_ to do it. I don't look foolish at all.'


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