Hato is my youngest pet budgie and I'd like to tell you about this special little girl. There's much about Hato which makes her as special as she is - even for an experienced bird-owner as I am one. I don't think I ever had a bird acting like she does.
The first thing I had to adjust to was that Hato wouldn't be satisfied by the toys I tried to offer her. It was NEVER enough for her - she wanted something new and interesting every day - now I challenge you trying to find something new for your bird every day as she would get bored otherwise and did something stupid or mocked the others. But at some point I couldn't stop her from her..."unique" ideas.
They have that really big cage in my bedroom where they can also fly freely the whole day while I'm at home. As I check regularly on them and leave the door open a little bit I'd notice if something was wrong (and don't worry, I made sure the room is completely bird-safe).
One flaw that really big cage has it can't be put that close to the wall that there was no gap left - so Hato realized that one day and...tried really, really, really badly to squeeze herself into that gap. I saw her doing that but she wouldn't let me get her away from there. She was so persistent with her idea that squeezing into that gap was the greatest idea ever that she tried so long, wiggling with her little lags in that gap, that she made it eventually. So there she was, squeezed behind the cage and slowly falling down. I didn't dare pulling the cage as I thought she would hit the floor too hard so I let her slide her way down until I heard a "boop" which indicated she hit the ground. I crawled underneath the cage and looked at her - what I saw was a facial expression of true terror. Wasn't the best idea after all, was it now? Silly bird. She let me get her out of there and never tried since. At least she's learning.
Whilst having stupid ideas and a big craving for toys Hato also discovered her crush on Ivo. Poor Ivo wasn't too fond of having a playful chick around him so he avoided her as much as he could. But as you can already tell - Hato isn't the type to give up. She wanted that booty and she knew. So, she tried to impress him in her VERY OWN ways. First she tried dancing in front of him in every occasion she could find. She'd follow him until he couldn't fly away anymore of exhaustion and wiggled and whipped up and down, having the face of pure happiness whilst doing it. She then proceeded to do roll-overs for him. A bit like loopings one might say...I have these ropes going around on the outside of the cage and Ivo really enjoys sitting on them. So Hato took the chance and sat in front on him and just falling over, head first, and doing a roll around the rope. God knows why she thinks that would help winning Ivo over, but she was convinced. Very convinced. She'd do a roll and then look at Ivo like "Did me do good? You impressed yet? You want Hato now?" - boy, she was SO enthusiastic I couldn't stop laughing for a solid amount of time.
But not only does Hato love Ivo, Hato also loves cameras, no matter form or size. At first I did pictures of them all with my cellphone and it didn't take too long until she decided that it was hers to possess. Even though the others were more like scared of it (except Yuki. Yuki was my super-tame bird and wanted to be with me 24/7) she wanted to have it and pretty much destroy it. So to my disapproval she rather wanted to be ON the camera from now on instead of IN FRONT of it. Rest in Peace, my cellphone.
As it became more and more of a hobby I got a better camera, a Sony Bridge-Camera. Of course this one was new but by now Hato understood what I wanted when I came closer to them with a weird thing in my hand and all I'd ever get to see was Hato with her fluffy butt jumping right into my camera. Great. (Her butt is cute tho. So fluffy.) So by now you'd imagine Hato being a derpy-derp silly bird but - NOPE. Even though she behaves like a derpy-derp she manages to look so damn dignified and majestic. It's unfair. (You know when I act like a derp, I also look like one. Guess she's the only one in the family with that advantage). I'll give you an example: Can you see how magnificent she looks? You wouldn't expect her to be as stupid as she is, would you now? And of course, being fully aware of how cute and majestic she looks, she also likes to act like the queen of the flock.
Usually I'd refer to her as "Queen Hato" as she's a little diva when it comes to things she wants or likes and the fact that, naturally, no one else can have them then. Of course food is one thing. Hato loves carrots. So when I hand them some she'd mock the others until she's the only one slowly enjoying them all by herself. Selfish bird. You'd think I could just take them away from her and hand them to the others but you can't even say "Fatty Hato" as fast as she would be there again, ready to fight the battle of her life for a handful of carrots.
But not only is food one of the main aspects only available for the queen herself but also sleeping and puffy-time spots in the cage. I have two rope swings and two wood swings as well as a ladder, a pole for their claws and a normal rope to sit in front of the pet bowls. Naturally they all prefer to sit on the swings and Hato has claimed one especially as just hers. It's a solid rope-ring hanging in the middle oft he cage. Don't expect anyone else to be allowed to sit on that ring. It doesn't matter whether she actually wants to sit there at the moment or not, but when someone dares to sit there she stops doing what she does and flies there in an instant, jumping onto the back of the swing-infiltrator - claws first. Hato definitely isn't to be messed with ... But with the swings, Hato has a problem - she can't keep up with all of them being her spot. She just can't claim them all. She tried a while, but after some time she realzied it was impossible so she rather decided to stick with her favorite swing and protect that one with all of her might (which can really be a lot for such a small bird).
One could probably go on and on about her, but I've got to come to an end at some point! So I think this sums a bit of Hato's very special self up and I hope you enjoyed reading this at least a little. The last little fluffy-picture of my one and only Queen-Diva Hato has her love Ivo in the background.
Talk about Hato in Pet Talk!
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