it actually worked

[bookworm0550]

i kept reading about how you can handle the babies while the parents feed and the babies will be just fine and tame. didn't really believe it, had my doubts, but heck, w/ school and a job, i didn't have time to hand feed. so, when evie and pan had babies, i had no choice but to go that route. boy, it really works! so far, so good. apollo and orion are so sweet and not scared of me or my hands. i can handle them the way i can handle joey, which is awesome. i'm not their mom or dad so they don't follow me around, but they are learning to step up. they are very comfortable w/ being held, sitting on your fingers, just about everything i could hope for.

didn't really know where to post this.

i'll upload some recent photos later. they are out and flying around already. apollo more than orion. orion still a bit unsure of flying and tends to be the one in the nestbox when everyone is out. it's very cute watching mom and dad being very protective about their babies when the babies are out. they go where the babies go, attack any birds that are too close or me when i get too close.

since i am keeping them, will the parents continue to be nice to their kids, even in adulthood? like, will they still know they're a family? kind of a dumb question, but i've never heard of anyone keeping a family together. i'm really hoping orion and apollo are the same sex too. it would make my life a lot easier though it's my luck, so we'll see.

[CompassionAk]

I kept Zeus and he gets along ok with his Dad (Boo)most the time,but his mom(Annie) wants nothing to do with him. I try to keep Zeus away from Annie just because I don't want him getting any ideas lol. Right now Zeus is pretty content to spend most his time keeping himself busy or hanging with me and doesn't really spend too much time with the other birds which is fine by me.

Zeus has become the dominant bird in the flock which kinda makes me sad because that used to be Boo's role and sometimes I wonder if it upsets Boo to be lower on the totem pole. I don't see the tight family bond that they had when the babies were young at all,but for the most part everyone gets along ok and respects each others territory.