New Temporary Home

Our three baby Bourkes being hand fed are now able to fly...not well maybe, but they can leave the table and end up who knows where. 

They still need to be fed and still want to hide away during the day. But, their previous shelter/box was no longer safe. It was time to move them into a cage, but still give them a place to hide. The small cage I had available has small doors and the box they were in wouldn't fit.

The answer? You see it here. A Puffs tissue box turned on its side. Paper towels in the bottom are changed each time the babies are fed.  They can go in and out as they please, so they are free to roam and practice their flying as they please. They can also try to eat on their own as there are several easy-to-eat choices available.

I put tame Rosie and Flame in with them to see how they'd do. Rosie has already taught the smallest one to eat spray millet, or at least try to. When I reached into the cage this afternoon, the oldest flew onto my arm next to Rosie who always gets there first. Granted it was time to feed the babies so he was motivated, but it was a first for him and pleased me.

The two tame older birds are setting examples for the babies. Interactions between the young adults and the youngsters are cute to watch.

Be careful if you decide to do this, however. Adult breeding Bourkes might try to chase the babies away and could harm them. These two tame birds are very gentle and still very young themselves. Still, I watched them closely until I was certain they wouldn't "bully" the younger birds.