Hi Fellow Hivers, today I'd like to introduce you to Nico now Nicole our cockatiel. She came to us because a relative of ours who was was going through a tough phase in life needed someone to care for her. She was dumped on our doorstep without our consent. Nico was then a baby and needed to be hand fed, which meant that she needed constant care. Since the hubs fell in love with her she became his pet right away. This is unusual as only the boys and I are pet people at home.
Hubs fed Nico and took care of her so well that in a few weeks time she blossomed into a young lady bird, contrary to our belief that Nico was a boy. This seems to happen so often with birds, we kind of get to know their gender only after they become adults. Reluctantly we called her Nicole instead of Nico and she seems to respond well to this her new name .
Nicole loves to be out of her cage most of the time. We usually let her out when both the hubs and I are in the living room. She flies around the house like a manic when she is let out. As long as she remains in the ground floor things are under control when she comes upstairs to visit me the manic part of the day begins.
She can be very destructive if she is allowed to remain outside without supervision. She has ripped the leather and wood off some of our living room furniture and paintings. So unless either one of us are free Nicole is not allowed to be out of her cage. We take turns to let her out since she is happier outside, but there are times when she doesn't bother coming out of the cage. A woman's moods, I guess.
Nicole is sweet, she comes looking for me if she doesn't find me in the living room. However, that would mean the end of my rest, she would keep pecking at my jewellery and sometimes my skin until I get fed up and I go down into the living area.
Nicole loves playing with anything metallic and shiny, she is always on my shoulder pecking at my chain or earrings. Today I was resting on my bed when Nicole was out and she flew up to visit me. She tried to sit on my face to peck the chain and earrings and was being very naughty. I couldn't bear her annoyance so I removed my chain and gave it to play with, which she did for a few minutes. She is our golden girl. Hehe Nonetheless if she is with my husband she tries to pull off the buttons on his shirt or even his hair.
Then she decided to fly to the window and peck on the wood roses, I let her do this for a while but since these are delicate I had to ask for my husband's help in handling her. My back has been hurting a bit today.
She sat on my husbands knee as he read his news feed. Look at her trying to groom herself sitting on his knee. She was fluffing herself and cleaning her back and tail feathers one by one.
She sang for a while and began flying around. She annoys the dogs a bit at times. Spark is quite fond of her. He loves birds, he used to be great pals with our budgie, Willie. Willie died a couple of weeks ago leaving us all feeling miserable. Willie was quite old when he went away to bird paradise.
Nicole doesn't fly too well, as she has been hatched in an incubator and nurtured by humans. She hits the glass windows or furniture as she tries to land somewhere. She loves hanging on to the curtains and hiding from the dogs who get excited and start barking until we bring her down.
I honestly don't like the idea of keeping birds in cages. I have cared for a number rescued birds in cages because they could not be let out in the open to defend themselves due to some handicap or injury.
She loves walking around like a chicken if she finds us watching TV or reading something. She pretends to forage for food in the living room. She is quite cute and smart. She understands commands fairly well.
She is fun to be around with, provided you can put up with her curiosity about your jewellery, hair or buttons. She loves being caressed, she is an angel when you pet and pamper her by gently massaging her head and ears. She doesn't like being touched on her stomach for some reason.
Nicole likes going for piggy back on our doggos, but they don't like her nails piercing into their flesh. So we discourage her from doing so. We have not clipped her nails, and we are not sure if she would like us to do that to her.
Nicole refused to go back to her cage today and kept us company for most part of the day. Finally when she decided that she had had a long outing she walked into her cage by herself.
She is happy in her own way, playing with all the shiny things hanging in her cage. The little bell there is her favorite toy. This is our cute little Nicole for you. It is Nicole Monday for us a Manic Monday.
Thank you for all your support and encouragement. I truly appreciate every comment and vote that comes my way.
Wish you all a wonderful week ahead!