# Storm



## moonchild

We were able to bribe Mr. Storm with millet and get him out for a bit earlier. He does not like to step up yet, but is ok being on hands and arms once he's out.

He's in rough shape (bald spot from being plucked by his cage mate, dull, ratty feathers, and looks thin). Hope to see many improvements in him in the coming weeks.
















































Is it just me or are his feet weird, too?


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## enigma731

His feet look fine to me, but I can't see them very well in the pics. What looks weird to you?

I actually don't think he looks that bad, considering what you know about his history. His feathers will shine up and grow back, and then he'll be even more handsome than he already is.


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## MeanneyFids

hes adorable, he just looks pigeon toed--nothing to worry about if he is, it could just be the way he is standing.


he sure is handsome


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## moonchild

They seem to turn inward a bit to me, and it feels different when he stands on me than when my other tiels do. Like he grips harder and the angle of the pressure is different. I dunno, maybe I'm imagining things. And yeah, I don't think there's anything seriously wrong with him. Nothing a little TLC won't fix.


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## enigma731

I think grip is somewhat individualized. As long as he doesn't have trouble getting around, I wouldn't worry.


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## moonchild

Considering what I do know about his history is _not much_, I'm wondering what I _don't_ know. I was told he was a one-year-old female, and obviously at least half of that is false. He has no band so I have no way of verifying the first part. The lady I got him from was vague when I asked where she got him, and I figured it was pointless to press the matter. He's mine and I'm going to spoil him now, so it really doesn't matter. But I do wonder.

And yeah, I am not worried about his feet, just thought they looked a little funny. But it just adds to his charm.


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## enigma731

Yeah, I'm pretty much in the same boat with Roo. But what I do know is that she's happy and spoiled now, and any remaining ill effects from her history are far outweighed by the good things in her life. So I think you have a good attitude about it.


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## Korvia

Despite being plucked, he sure is a handsome boy.
Before you know you'll end up with a house full of boys lol, if you need some girls I have plenty lol.(all but 2 are girls)
Does he sing at all? nosier then juju and moon?


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## moonchild

I think he likes to sing! But he's cranky and stressed now so he has only done it a little bit. I like his singing, it sounds different from my other two. A lot more melodic. Looking forward to Happy Storm so I can hear more of it. So far he certainly screams more than Juju and Moon, and makes these adorable little angry noises. They're like..growl-screams or something. He thinks he's intimidating but all it does is make me go, "awww."
I didn't plan on having all boys but that's how it worked out! If all three end up getting along I'd like to keep it at that number, but should it become necessary to adopt #4 I wouldn't rule out a female.


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## meaggiedear

Agreed. He will be an adorable full headed ball of fluff before you know it. 

Feet look normal to me.


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## moonchild

Here's another shot of the feet:










Maybe they are normal and I'm just crazy.

While we're at it, a few more shots from earlier:




























Man he's cute!


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## lperry82

Aww he is very cute


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## Bailey's Mum

Aw bless him. 
He'll soon pick up with some TLC and when he realises he's onto a good thing 

I'm looking forward to seeing his progress.

Great name by the way.


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## JaimeS

He is super adorable! Watch out, before you know it you'll have nine like me!


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## meaggiedear

JaimeS said:


> He is super adorable! Watch out, before you know it you'll have nine like me!


haha. i think she'll be in a lot of trouble with that. she's already got budgies too.


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## moonchild

Noooo I don't want nine tiels lol. Two was good, three is good, four MAY be good.


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## Rizq

echolalia said:


> Noooo I don't want nine tiels lol. Two was good, three is good, four MAY be good.


They are like potato chips, you know


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## nikol witch

He is really beautiful....well done


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## nikol witch

Take also a whiteface pearl and then you shall have all the basic whiteface mutations hahahhahaha


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## lethalfire

=)) Now she's getting ideas! I can see her on the hunt for a pearl whiteface as we speak.


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## moonchild

Haha, a pearl WF would be my choice for a female tiel. But I'm not actively looking I swear.


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## Oni

Aww he's gorgeous  Take good care of him xxx I know you will


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## stevechurch2222

Storm looks terrific,he will get those feathers back before you know it.My wife and I maybe adding a third cockatiel in January named Snowflake,another male white face around a year old.


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## Loopy Lou

Oooh you got another bird after all! I haven't been on in a couple days lol.

He'll be really handsome when his feathers grow in again, he's already cute!


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## moonchild

That's exciting Steve!

Thanks for all the comments.  Here is Storm's new cage:










Pretty modest, I know, but it'll do in a pinch. I need to figure out what I'm going to do about housing when it's time to put all three birds together.

Here is the handsome devil again.



















I think we kind of got off on the wrong foot, due to my stupidity.  He was willing to get on my hand yesterday, so I think I pushed him a little too hard to get him to do so again today. Ignored the warning signs that he wanted me to back off. He freaked out, bit me a bunch of times, and fell out of the cage. I had to pick him up off the floor, and he bit me some more. It's hands-off for a while with him, I think, until he gives me signs he is completely ready. I feel really awful about it. Luckily he accepted my peace offering.










Hope he forgives me soon.


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## bjknight93

When he does trust you or settles in a bit more, can you wrap him in a towel and feel his keel? It is really bothering me that he is always fluffed up.

Of course it could be stress or that the new environment is colder..but there is always the 'what if..' 

He really is a cute little guy.


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## moonchild

I will feel his keel within the next couple of days, whether he trusts me or not. You do have me worried now. It's true that he has been pretty fluffy since I brought him home, but it seems to me that he's just recouping from the stress of transportation and adjustment. My other two are fluffy a lot too, unless they're playing, eating or being active, so I don't tend to think much of it myself. Their default position is lazy and fluffy. But I'm not a vet, and I totally understand the concern.


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## bjknight93

Well I don't want to freak you out. After all, it CAN be the bird's norm. Like Allie is fluffed up the majority of the time, but she's not sick. But the rest of my birds only fluff when they're sleeping. So it can be concerning, but it also can be normal since different birds haved different norms.

Either way, it is always best to be proactive about health. The reason I said to use a towel is because you don't want him to associate the bad experience of being restrained with your hands...that will break the trust you've already created.


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## moonchild

I toweled all of my birds and felt their keels, just for comparison. Storm did seem like the thinnest. Unfortunately with him being really freaked out I don't see how I'll be able to get him on the scale...I'll work on it, though.

I am guessing he's thin for the same reason that he's plucked: he was being picked on by his cagemate. So far I've been giving him lots of millet in an effort to win him over, but that and seed is all he will touch. I think I'll mix Nutriberries into his seed (50%?) until he gets more interested in pellets and fresh stuff. Other than that, is there anything I can really do...?

He is not "acting" sick as far as I can tell.


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## bjknight93

Nutriberries are a good substitute for pellets and are supposed to be nutritionally complete, so 50% won't hurt him. 

One thing you can do for stress is sprinkle Brewer's Yeast on his foods. That is excellent for stress, and stress can also cause weight loss.

Also, how much out of cage time did he get before? and he is flighted? The difference in keel bone could be muscle mass if he didn't get out a lot and exercise his wings. 

And Storm looks a bit rough. The Brewer's Yeast can help his feathers, and a new diet will be beneficial. Also, some FSL or direct Sunlight will help those feathers. And baths can do wonders too, but you of course want to err on the side of caution since some birds (like my Luna and Allie) absolutely hate water.


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## moonchild

Got it. Picking up some brewer's yeast tomorrow if I can. He is not flighted...he's got one raggedy-looking flight feather on one side and that's it. But being that I know nothing about his history other than that the previous owner only had him a month, I can't say how long he's been clipped. I also don't know exactly how much out of cage time he had. The lady claimed he loved people, being out on the couch, being on shoulders and heads, etc. He certainly does not seem that way now...he's WAY less friendly than either of my other two birds were upon arrival. Who knows what he's been through, though. I will be adding FSL soon. And I do want to bathe him, as I suspect that is part of the issue, but I'll probably wait until he seems more comfortable here.


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## Nicci_

Oh my gosh. He is beautiful! His cage looks awesome as well (in my uneducated opinion). He will be a stunner once his feathers are back. I'm pretty sure Chase's feet look like that when he's perching on me, and I wasn't overly worried about his.


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## moonchild

Thanks! HIs cage is bare minimum size, and I'm not used to working with so little space so I got frustrated when trying to arrange the perches. Hopefully it's good enough for now. He seems pretty content to sit in one or two spots for the moment, at least.

Yeah, I am not actually worried about the feet. Just an observation. I still maintain that they point inwards more than my other birds' do when he perches, but even if that's the case it really doesn't seem to affect him.


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## bjknight93

He's just pigeon-toed! It's cute!


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## moonchild

Yeah, pretty much everything about the little dude is cute.


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## moonchild

Not fluffed up for once. Does he look okay?


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## Korvia

is he clipped?
He is so handsome!
That's defiantly the next mutation I want and gender x3


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## moonchild

I know, isn't he gorgeous?! Yes, he is clipped.


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## bjknight93

He's looking less stressed already!


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## Korvia

echolalia said:


> I know, isn't he gorgeous?! Yes, he is clipped.


All your boys are gorgeous.
Do Juju and moon call to him?
He looks a little chubby to me,but that just makes him even cuter!


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## moonchild

Bailey, he is still fluffed most of the time but doesn't seem overly stressed. He eats (especially when I give him millet), preens, and I even caught him playing with a toy earlier.

Korvia, yes, they are calling to him constantly. Sometimes he calls back but most often times he sings back to them. It's cute. I think he and Moon seem especially obsessed with each other. Juju still flock-calls me when I'm gone, but Moon seems more concerned with his new mysterious friend.
Storm is far from Chubby, though, I'm afraid. His keel bone felt kind of sharp to me.  That's why I'm spoiling him with millet, aside from the fact that I want to get on his good side.


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## Korvia

Does he sing any known songs or just his own?
In that case, hopefully he gets to a nice healthy weight.
Maybe it'll be storm and Moon who buddy up instead of Juju and Moon.


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## moonchild

It just sounds like a cockatiel song, something that came naturally to him. I've seen videos of other tiels singing something similar, though my other two don't seem to know how to sing nicely like that (only sound like car alarms when they're heart-wingin', lol).

I definitely have a feeling that he and Moon will buddy up. Or at the very least, Moon will be infatuated with him, since he's a total flirt.


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## Korvia

arn't all the good looking ones flirts? lol
I'd rather have car alarms then cookie right now, with him it's "whatcha doin" and Pew pew all day.
Maybe Juju will be interested once he sees Storm.


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## moonchild

Aw, but "watcha doin" is cute! I love when Moon talks. Not so sure about "pew pew" -- where did Cookie learn that?

Yeah, I guess we'll have to wait and see. It'll be interesting. Hopefully I can get Storm a little bit tamer by the time introductions are in order.


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## bjknight93

It sounds like he is settling in relatively well. Maybe once he gets to living around Moon and Juju he will eat more/better. You can also let him flutter from your hand to his cage or other area (once he gets comfortable with handling) to build muscle around his breast bone.

It may be likely that he wasn't able to eat much in his old home since he was (definitley) bullied by the other bird.

I bet he will "fatten up" as time goes by.


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## Rizq

He is so gorgeous! Makes me want a white face ... but seriously ... I have enough.


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## Korvia

echolalia said:


> Aw, but "watcha doin" is cute! I love when Moon talks. Not so sure about "pew pew" -- where did Cookie learn that?
> 
> Yeah, I guess we'll have to wait and see. It'll be interesting. Hopefully I can get Storm a little bit tamer by the time introductions are in order.


I live with two guys, who play xbox all the time, Cookie learned it from one of the games. He also has dieing sounds to accompany the pew pew sometimes.

maybe once storm settles in, he'll be more friendlier, if not the examples may help, him.


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## moonchild

bjknight93 said:


> It sounds like he is settling in relatively well. Maybe once he gets to living around Moon and Juju he will eat more/better. You can also let him flutter from your hand to his cage or other area (once he gets comfortable with handling) to build muscle around his breast bone.
> 
> It may be likely that he wasn't able to eat much in his old home since he was (definitley) bullied by the other bird.
> 
> I bet he will "fatten up" as time goes by.


Yep, I hope he will. 

Here's a short video of him singing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQO9NMA4R60&feature=youtu.be


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## Korvia

echolalia said:


> Yep, I hope he will.
> 
> Here's a short video of him singing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQO9NMA4R60&feature=youtu.be



aww too cute!


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## SunnyNShandy

Super super cute. Seems good for as long as you've had him!!


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