Popcorn!

[ScantyNebula]

Now I know why your username is Popcornbird ....





Look at the mess his little beak is in, and he flicked popcorn all over his back!! LOLOL! I cooked up a few plain popcorn kernels and thought I'd give them a try .. well Chip went NUTS! It was like he had never ate anything like it before and he was like ..

Eat .. Chirp .. Eat .. Squeal .. Eat .. Chirp again .. it was like he was experiencing total bliss - it was hilarious!

Ahh I had to post this .. do your tiels go crazy over popcorn too??

[popcornbird]

Oh my GOSH!!! How CUTE!!!!! Birds LOVE popcorn, and its good for them too. And, you're 50% right about my user name. Its actually Popcornbird because one of my tiels is named Popcorn, but the reason I didn't add Muffin's name to it was because she LOVES to eat popcorn, so I sometimes call her (and Popcorn) the *popcorn birds*. That's why I didn't include Muffin in my user name. Although her NAME isn't Popcorn, she's a popcorn-bird too.

You know what. I may have the answer to why your tiels are screaming after seeing the pics. Is your cage round? I've heard from many sources that round cages drive tiels insane...because there's no corner or side for them to feel secure in, and when they climb, there is no end. They just keep going round and round and round in circles. A friend of our's had two very frustrated tiels who lived in a round cage. They were ALWAYS going crazy, climbing constantly and going around and around in circles, and screaming. I told them to get them a square/rectangle cage, and when they did, there was a huge change in the birds' behavior. They didn't like the round cage.

[flamepony12]

oh yum! i'll see how baby likes it....

[ScantyNebula]

I've also read about the round cages too ... no $$ to buy any new cage at the moment, but I'd like to eventually. Their previous owners gave us their cage, so I would imagine they'd be used to the round cage. Good thought though ..

[ScantyNebula]

Random question - what kind of bedding do you use? I have newspaper at the moment, wondering what's best to use for when I go to the Pet store this weekend

Oh, also - what kind of bird treats do they like best?

[popcornbird]

I use newspaper too, and wouldn't use anything else. Most beddings are dangerous for tiels if they decide to *eat* it, and you can't exactly *see* their droppings in the litter either. You should be able to see their droppings as abnormal droppings could be a sign of illness, and you need to watch out for that. That's the main reason I prefer newspaper to litter. Its easier to handle too, but I know its hard to fold properly for round cages.

My friend's tiels had a round cage for years and they were never satisfied in it, so although they get used to it, I'm not sure they like it. Maybe you could consider getting them a new cage sometime in the future, when you're able to. I would think that could possibly be a cause of their screaming. They look very sweet from the pictures though. Have you held them at all?

[ScantyNebula]

Held them? If by hold you mean look at them, then sure! lol
Naw, they are afraid of my hands. Chip is pretty vocal .. he will mimic the sounds I make sometimes, like the sound you make to your cat with your lips. And you know the whistle that a guy does when he sees a pretty girl? He mimics that whistle too =) How cute

OMG and you know what they were doing tonight? Twice?? Oh yea. They were being very bad. I noticed some strange noises and when I looked over and saw them at the nasty, they noticed I had moved so they backed away. Evidently a new environment doesn't take a toll on that activity ... LOL .. sure they're not rabbits in disguise?

[Logan]

They must feel relaxed in their new home!!!!

I've never tried popcorn with mine. I'll have to do that!!

BTW, I use newspaper too (don't use color print, though). It's so much easier to roll it up, throw away and then replace.

Logan

[popcornbird]

Originally posted by ScantyNebula
Held them? If by hold you mean look at them, then sure! lol
Naw, they are afraid of my hands. Chip is pretty vocal .. he will mimic the sounds I make sometimes, like the sound you make to your cat with your lips. And you know the whistle that a guy does when he sees a pretty girl? He mimics that whistle too =) How cute

OMG and you know what they were doing tonight? Twice?? Oh yea. They were being very bad. I noticed some strange noises and when I looked over and saw them at the nasty, they noticed I had moved so they backed away. Evidently a new environment doesn't take a toll on that activity ... LOL .. sure they're not rabbits in disguise?

He he he!!! I guess they ARE comfortable in their new home then.

If they're mating, that's probably why they're so noisy. While my tiels are always quiet and peaceful, during the spring (which is the ONLY time they show any interest in each other), its hard to get them to shut their little beaks. I usually seperate them during the day when they're *in the mood*, because I don't want to breed them, and as long as they can't see/hear each other, they stay quiet. I usually take them out and play with them in different rooms until the *spring fever* ends. I know some birds mate all year round though, so I don't know what you can do if your birds are that way. If you seperate them, they'll probably still hear each other because you live in an apartment, and make even more noise by calling back and forth. It would probably upset them too, because they don't seem to feel secure around people at this point either.

Are you going to allow them to breed? If so, will you keep the babies, or give them away?

Chip sounds adorable! Popcorn does the wolf whistle too. I think that's something a lot of male cockatiels enjoy doing.

[dogs_4_me]

awww looks like he loves that popcorn!