FEATURE
you all right?’. Over the next couple of days the claw bled a little but finally stopped completely; she would make a full recovery. As the interior of the cage was spattered with blood, I decided it needed cleaning. I took Olive to a spare room, tipped the cage onto it’s side and ushered her out. Whilst busy, I watched her out of the corner of my eye. She was clearly very nervous and although she had never been wing - clipped, was unable to fly only managing to lift herself a few centimetres from the floor. Very soon, I stepped her up onto a small perch and could feel her little body trembling as I returned her to the cage. Although in my care for only a week, I made a few small changes. Without any success, I encouraged Olive to eat some fruits and vegetables but found that she had a particular liking for Chickweed and became quite excitable when this was pegged to the bars of the cage. I replaced the offending toy with a couple of others that I deemed to be safe. To my mind, the perching opportunities within the cage were inadequate: a wooden perch placed across the feeding dishes and a fine metallic ladder reaching from the bottom of the cage to the top, at a slight angle. Olive would perch uncomfortably on the higher rungs to sleep. I replaced both with a small wooden ladder, attached horizontally near to the top of the cage, thus making a platform, and added two further perches of fresh apple wood. The watering dish, encrusted by limescale, was cleaned and replaced. All that I had
removed from the cage I kept, but hoped that they would never be used again. What a busy body I am! However, my main concern was for the bird. I had become very fond of Olive and it seemed to me that her owner had little interest in her. If I should offer to look after the bird permanently, I thought that her owner would be happy to let me do so. How wrong I was! The lady had her own reasons for wanting to keep Olive but would bear me in mind for the future, should she become too ‘decrepit’ to do so. I was left feeling very sad and disappointed. Eight months passed and I had been hoping for a change of mind but it was not to be; perhaps the lady had eventually come to appreciate her little feathered friend.
I was so enchanted with this Cockatiel that after much careful thought decided to buy one. Firstly, I contacted a local bird club but their response to my email was slow and no help was forthcoming. Finally, I chose a young, aviary bred cock bird from a reputable pet shop. I named him Robin.
Although in my care for only a week, I made a few small changes. Without any success, I encouraged Olive to eat some fruits and vegetables but found that she had a particular liking for Chickweed and became quite excitable when this was pegged to the bars of the cage.
BIRD SCENE 19
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