Jul 11, '07 1:05 PM
for loretta's contacts
Day two of Budgie nurturing coming to a close and happy to report we have both survived the first 24 hours together. Last night I dutifully turned off her light, turned off her radio, wished her good night and covered her with her cloth. And not another tweet was heard from her until this morning when I reversed the ritual. Bleary eyed and craving coffee I meandered past her covered cage this morning, plodded into my kitchen and flicked the switch on the kettle. Apprehensively I turned to face her cage, gingerly lifting one corner of her cloth I nervously peeked along her perch, searching her out. I don't quite know what I was expecting but what I found was Abbie, wide awake and ready to rock with a cheery chirp. So I greeted her warmly, folded her cloth, switched on her radio and sat and talked to her as my coffee steamed on the table, too hot to sip. Actually, and surprisingly, it was a very pleasant start to the day. She chirps and cheeps and squawks along to the music, she flaps and flutters and just generally struts her stuff, yep, this morning at least she seemed quite a happy chirpy little guest. And in appreciation of her warm, spontaneous greeting off I went in search of budgie toys. Abbie came with her mirror which, as any lady does, she consults frequently and at length, but I thought maybe she would like a few more belongings in her cage. After all, it seems this feather plucking thing is a sign of budgie stress, and what better way to de-stress than a little retail therapy. Now of course Abbie couldn't actually come with me on the retail therapy expedition but, she is the happy recipient of all the spoils. She is now the proud owner of a bonny yellow ladder complete with multi coloured beads and twirly bits festooned along the top rung. I think the idea is the baubles at the top are supposed to be the incentive to climb the ladder!! She also has a brand new yellow swing with a bright shiny bell hung underneath and more multicoloured beads and swirly bits across the top. I do hope Abbie likes her new toys. I chose them with care. I chose both of them because they are yellow, well she is yellow so I thought the colours would harmonize and miss-matched colours are just so intensively stressful! Anything that helps to de-stress a feather plucking bird is a step in the right direction. All of this careful consideration re colour co-ordinating Abbies habitat actually brought me to a serious dilemma, I found myself wondering if birds (budgies in particular) see in colour or black and white. I realized I have no idea. I searched my mind for any scrap of memory relating to 'seeing in colour', the only thing I came up with was some very vague and distant knowledge of things called 'rods and cones'. I just seemed to recall that these 'rods and cones' are responsible for 'colour seeing'. At least that's what this vague, half remembered piece off knowledge is telling me, and it's doubtful even that is correct. Suddenly Abbies ability to see in colour (or not) seems very important, if she can then I must continue to colour co-ordinate her ensemble of belongings and if she can't, well I am going to have to radically rethink.
If she only sees in black and white; all of these multi coloured toys and belongings I have bought are just going to be graduated shades of Grey, very boring, dull and not at all exciting. If Abbie only sees in black and white I think I must find her as many objects that ARE black OR white as possible, because black and white will give her the greatest contrast and thus be far more exciting and entertaining for her than lots of monochrome graduating Grey's. Therefore my heartfelt plea for today is...... DO BUDGIES SEE IN COLOUR???
Tags: 360 import, budgie, birds
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