Daughter's Birthday Present

So...my daughter will be three years old in just a couple weeks. I can't believe how fast the time goes...seems like just yesterday...

Anyhow, to mark the big occasion, and to celebrate the fact that a couple days after her birthday she comes to live with dad full time, I decided to make this birthday mean something special to her.

One of my jobs at the pet shop is to collect hatchling cockatiels from the aviary, and we hand raise them. We had a clutch of 4 hatch about a month or 2 ago. I don;t remember exactly when, but I know they are within 2 weeks of being weaned from the formula we feed them. So I brought one home tonight after work.

My daughter has no idea. She went back to mom's house early this morning before I went to work, and has not yet seen this. I told her she could have one for her birthday, a couple weeks ago, and even let her choose one and name it...but it stayed at the shop...and she has no idea when she walks through my front door in a couple more days...SweetPea will be there waiting for her. He will still be hand fed at home for another couple of weeks, along with his veggies, seed, pellets, and fruit, but he is home.

So here is SweetPea. Thanks for sharing!

Awweeeee I love them when they're that young, especially when they're little boys because of the color change their faces go through!
That is so sweet of you, and yay for your daughter coming to live with you full time now.
You're such a good daddy.

:-offtopic I have 17 cockatiels :sidestep:

Here are a couple more of him and I bonding...

The day after my daughter chose him and named him, I seperated him out, and put him in his new cage, with a bunch of new toys...and started paying "special attention" to him. So he is already quite tame and well bonded with me. I figure 5 days at my house without my daughter will give him plenty of time to settle in, and then he can deal with my daughter in a more calm manner...instead of so many big changes all at once...and then a loud 3 yr old to boot.

Anyhow...thanks for looking...again...

[edit--I'm not positive he is a boy, just yet. If his scallops disappear and his cheeks darken up, I can be pretty sure. But I only assume he is a boy because he whistles and chirrups quite a bit...ALOT...and I know males 'tiels are more apt to whistle and mimic than are the females...]

Well when females do it, and yeah of course some do at this age, it honestly sounds more pathetic. Like they're trying reallllly hard but they're just not getting it quite right yet. Besides that seems to be a lot of yellow creep for a female so if the bars drop off its a 100% go weee baby birdies.

Also...How you doing

HAHA...thanks for that last bit...I needed the ego boost...but I am WAY too old for you.,..and jaded...and cynical...

That is so sweet of you!! What a great present for your little girl. I am sure she will be just tickled pink about it. Love those shots of you bonding with him too. Such a lucky kid - not only does her dad have snakes, but she gets her own bird too!!

PS - if you ever need someone to commiserate about being old, jaded and cynical - give me a shout - I can relate. :grin01:

He sat on my shoulder for a good hour, preening my facial hair and neckline, and softly chirruping in my ear.

I only have a minimal amount of experience with birds, but I have already read 2 great books on their general care, taming, and training, and working at the shop, I know I always have people I really trust to help me if I have questions.

I'm pretty excited. I can't wait to see my daughter interact more closely with him. It's tough to bond in a pet shop with 50 other birds vieing for attention...

Very cute! I like tiels, but I wouldn't want one. But I like them when someone else has them! Your daughter is going to be so happy!! I love his name.

Nanci

Awww he looks so wobbly! LOL

And I like his name, although hes not long and green like my sweetpea!

sweet bird : )

Nice name, reminds me of my second best snake here (Damien being my first )

That's a great gift and the surprise factor just makes it even better. They're great birds. She's a lucky kid and congrats on getting her full time! :cheers:

Don't have alot of experience, but I'd agree he looks like a boy at this point from the pics.

Aww, pretty little 'tiel. Your daughter will love her present.

Next year she needs one of these (from me of course) :grin01: :
http://www.texastailfeathers.com/birds.htm#bourkes

He's so cute ! I love birds. I have a budgie and a conure. The conure has an awesome personality (being part of the parrot family). He'll lay on his back to get my attention, or when he wants to play. He often climbs up to my shoulder, then decides he wants to play, he'll roll over onto his back, and keep on rolling all the way down my chest, it's really funny. He looks so embarrassed by it all, but he keeps doing it! Good thing I can catch.
I think you'll really come to love you little tiel, he looks very sweet

:wavey: OH... and congrats on having your little girl coming to live with you!! :cheers:

awwwwww. she will love the present. i have a tiel and 5 parrots. tiels are not so bad but never get parrots if you like watching TV. when ever i turn the TV on the parrots decide it is time to have a screaming match. looks a cute Lil birdy and love the name!!! :grin01:

tyflier said:

HAHA...thanks for that last bit...I needed the ego boost...but I am WAY too old for you.,..and jaded...and cynical...

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Well I'm glad I could give you a little boost.

Psst you're only 3 years older than my boyfriend now *shifty eyes*

Corny Noob said:

Also...How you doing

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HAHA that's what I was thinking, too.

LOVE the little guy, though! I have two very curious cats, so having a bird in the house is pretty much out of the question.

I look forward to seeing pictures of the lil'one with her new pet!

Savvy19 said:

HAHA that's what I was thinking, too.

LOVE the little guy, though! I have two very curious cats, so having a bird in the house is pretty much out of the question.

I look forward to seeing pictures of the lil'one with her new pet!

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I will definitely post pictures of my daughter with her new friend. She's a bit of a camera hog, anyhow...she loves having her picture taken...

And if you 21 year old girls keep flirting with me...I might just re-gain some of my OWN 21 year old confidence back!!

As an aside...how come 21 year old chicks on the internet think I'm cute, but I get no love in my home town??? I'm gonna move...

Aw, that is so cute! I miss having a little cockatiel. They have a better singing voice than my green cheek. Haha.

You have to teach your daughters cockatiel the Addams Family theme song.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=D72FrsW5OPU

And I know I'm only 19, but I'm going to be like the other girls..You have gorgeous blue eyes! Too cute.

tyflier said:

I will definitely post pictures of my daughter with her new friend. She's a bit of a camera hog, anyhow...she loves having her picture taken...

And if you 21 year old girls keep flirting with me...I might just re-gain some of my OWN 21 year old confidence back!!

As an aside...how come 21 year old chicks on the internet think I'm cute, but I get no love in my home town??? I'm gonna move...

Click to expand...

It's the blue eyes. Those are take me now kind of eyes.
...Oh my :sidestep: