# Quick update on my pigeons...



## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hiya Folks, 

I will try to make this as brief as possible and for the few that are interested but, my pigeons (all 3) are doing very well.

Ricky recovered very nicely from her respiratory illness that she acquired awhile back. I put her on a 10 day course of tetracycline and that worked very well. Now that I'm more familiar with the signs and symptoms, I am more vigilant when it comes to respiratory problems and have a better "insight" of what I'm doing there. Oddly, Ricky has stopped laying eggs altogether and for the time being. For those of you who don't remember or didn't know, Ricky is a a hand raised pigeon that was thought to be male for nearly 3 years. Only after approaching 3 years of age did she start to lay eggs. She laid eggs for several months continuously, then all of a sudden completely stopped. I'm still not totally convinced that she/he is not some anomaly or hermaphrodite pigeon because there is no rhyme nor reason for any of this.

Lucy and Eggbert are still enjoying their "honeymoon" on their side of the room, and quite happy together now that they are completely settled. Lucy lays eggs that you can set your watch by. She and Eggbert have formed a strong pair bond and are very determined to raise young, even though I replace their eggs.

All in all, my pigeons are doing very well and I'm pleased with the way things are going. I've still not found a mate for Ricky or have I made a real effort to look for one. One day perhaps but in the meantime, I give her lots of love and affection. I just question her sex and sexuality and she/he has quieted down nicely over the months of separation from his/her sister.


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

Brad,

I'm really glad to hear how well your birds are doing. If I recall they are runts. One day there will be a mate for Ricky. That was really an unusual thing to lay eggs for several months and then quit again. 

Would love to see pics of your birds.

Margaret


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Hi Brad,

It's very good to hear that Eggbert, Lucy, and Ricky are all doing so well.

Thanks for the update.

Linda


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Hi Margaret...

Brad has posted pictures of his Runts before and hope he will do so again. THEY ARE ALL GORGEOUS!! I became a Runt fan because of his birds!!

SO GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU BRAD!! AND WHAT WONDERFUL NEWS!!

PLEASE GIVE THOSE BEAUTIES, HUGS and SCRITCHES FROM ME!!

    

Love,
Shi

P.S. Squeaks is back in daddy mode, happily keeping his egg warm!


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Hey Brad, 

Thanks for the update, I'm so surprised to hear about Ricky being a girl, and laying eggs. Amazing!
Sorry to hear about the respiratory infections, glad you took care of it though. 

Eggbert and Lucy sound happy, all your birds do. I'm so pleased.  

Any pictures would be welcome, they all sound so cute.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi Brad

Glad to hear the great update, especially about Ricky's respiratory problem going away.. You know we really, really would love to see some new pictures.  

Mary, nice to see you posting. Have you returned to Canada?


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Thanks for your replies; Margaret, Linda, Shi, Maggie and Mary. Mary, where have you been!?!?! I see that your location now says "Durham region"...did you move out my way?

Anyways, yes things are going well for my 3 pigeons right now and I am feeling good about that. I did forget to mention as well that since Lucy laid those deformed eggs awhile back, they have been just fine and perfectly normal since. Another strange thing that happened but seems to have worked itself out.

Mary yes...it's a very peculiar thing that Ricky turned out to be a female or so it seems after all this time. I didn't know if you were aware of this finding or not but I was completely bowled over when this happened!

I still do get the impression that Ricky is a "he-she" or is somehow an oddity concerning her sex. She is and always has been a very aggressive bird, larger than her sister and very "male" like in most respects. Eggbert still hates her and still tries to viciously attack her through the wall divider all the time. You really wouldn't think he would behave this way if it were another female and after all this time.

Thanks for reading the update everyone and I will try to post some current pictures soon.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

I thought I'd better posts photos now and before I let it slide for months again. I didn't really feel that it was important to anyone, or that new pictures would be sought after so much. 

Anyway, here are several that I just took only moments ago. They really are pretty dull and nothing much happening in them but they are current at least. The one picture shows the snow outside and it's a blizzard out right now.

The others just show the birds, just doing what they always do and which is pretty normal and uneventful.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)




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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

the last three...




























That's it for now folks, I did take a couple of short video clips as well and will post them later on.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

So pretty!! It's obvious that they could care less about the snow!! Look pretty snug........


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Brad, no way would we ever not want to see pictures of Lucy, Eggbert and Ricky. They all look wonderful. They are big and beautiful. One of these days I'm going to run across a runt and see just how big they are.

The snow looks so pretty. Kinda wish we had some down our way.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Pigeonpal2002 said:


> **I thought I'd better posts photos now and before I let it slide for months again.*
> 
> ** *Anyway, here are several that I just took only moments ago.* They really are pretty dull and nothing much happening in them but they are current at least.
> 
> ...


* Oh how I can *relate* to that, Brad.  

** Wonderful pictures. Many thanks for sharing them.  

*** The snow is beautiful, but that's coming from one who is in the Southwest. Our weather is cool but doesn't hold a candle to what you, & many of our members, are going through.

Cindy


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

Wow they look really happy... I always wanted a pair of runts... but when ever I ask for a pair of show pigeons it is always, "WE RACE IN THIS FAMILY... NO GO GET ME THAT CRATE!"


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks for the photos, Brad. Your birds are looking good, as always!

Terry


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

They are very pretty Runts 
I'm glad to hear everyone is doing okay over there. Maybe she stopped laying because she has no mate? I have a single male Runt left. It's weird though...because he HAD a Carneau mate...but she died a few months back. Now he's in a flight cage type thing with two single W.O.E. Tumbler hens, and surprisingly he hasn't tried to warm up to them. I don't think my Runt is as big as it's supposed to be though...not much bigger than my Kings were... 
Even still, I need to find him a mate as well! Runts are awesome


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## Rooster2312 (Mar 8, 2006)

Hi Brad,

Great to hear that your three are doing well. Your photos were brilliant, beautiful birds and I am so jealous of your snowy outdoor scene...nice and festive!! We rarely get much snow here in Scotland now. Last year I think we had a couple of snowfalls that didn't lie for long. Hoping for some snow this season!

Lindi


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## Roxy (Nov 1, 2007)

They are all very beautiful. I love the name Eggbert!


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Brad, thanks for the new pictures...the birds are looking just beautiful!

Woo...I don't envy you all that snow. We've had a couple of little snow/sleet/ice storms down here but not too bad.

Linda


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## SueC (Jun 9, 2005)

Oh Brad, your birds are simply beautiful!  

Suzanna


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Brad, I very much enjoyed your update and photos--thanks so much for sharing. Your pigeons are beautiful. 

We have a homer hen, Olivia, that has odd reproductive issues. She has only laid two eggs her entire life and both were very small and misshapen. Like your Ricky, she's fairly aggressive with the other birds, though the boys like her. We raised her and there was nothing out of the ordinary about her parents or babyhood, so we assume she has a genetic defect. She laid the two eggs when she was about a year old (months apart) and has never laid another one.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Thanks everyone, glad you all like the recent pics. The snow was a nice surprise and one of our first major snows of the year. We ended up getting about a foot that day. The first few snows are always nice and beautiful, but then us "northerners" quickly grow tired of drivin' in it and shovelin' it. 



Matt D. said:


> I always wanted a pair of runts... but when ever I ask for a pair of show pigeons it is always, "WE RACE IN THIS FAMILY... NO GO GET ME THAT CRATE!"


LOL, maybe one day you'll get a pair of runts, Matt!



MaryOfExeter said:


> * Maybe she stopped laying because she has no mate?* I have a single male Runt left. It's weird though...because he HAD a Carneau mate...but she died a few months back. Now he's in a flight cage type thing with two single W.O.E. Tumbler hens, and surprisingly he hasn't tried to warm up to them. I don't think my Runt is as big as it's supposed to be though...not much bigger than my Kings were...
> Even still, I need to find him a mate as well! Runts are awesome


Hi Mary...Ricky has always been a single bird, the only "mate" she had before was her sister and they fought like the dickens once they matured so I don't think that is it. 

Sorry that you lost your Carneau. Your male runt is not really an ideal sized mate for your hen W.O.E., especially since the male is a runt and the female is the smaller bird. Mating would be a challenge to say the least! My runts are on the small side as well, but they each weigh over 950 grams. Some runts are smaller than others and it depends on the gene pool from which they came and whether or not they have been cross bred a few times.



Rooster2312 said:


> Hi Brad,
> 
> Great to hear that your three are doing well. Your photos were brilliant, beautiful birds and I am so jealous of your snowy outdoor scene...nice and festive!! We rarely get much snow here in Scotland now. Last year I think we had a couple of snowfalls that didn't lie for long. Hoping for some snow this season!
> 
> Lindi


Thanks Lindi...I'm glad you appreciated the snowy picture so much! It's nice to have the snow around Christmas time, but then it can go away once it's over again, lol. Seriously, I don't mind it all that much though and I can handle the cold pretty well. Hope you get a touch of white for Christmas, even though it's unlikely.



Birdmom4ever said:


> Brad, I very much enjoyed your update and photos--thanks so much for sharing. Your pigeons are beautiful.
> 
> We have a homer hen, Olivia, that has odd reproductive issues. *She has only laid two eggs her entire life and both were very small and misshapen. Like your Ricky, she's fairly aggressive with the other birds, though the boys like her.* We raised her and there was nothing out of the ordinary about her parents or babyhood, so we assume she has a genetic defect. She laid the two eggs when she was about a year old (months apart) and has never laid another one.


Thanks Cathy...It's all very strange indeed with Ricky. She did lay several sets of eggs during the summer, probably 5 altogether and before she stopped completely. I only have the 3 birds so it's hard for me to judge whether or not Ricky is "aggressive towards other birds", she's only shown "fight" towards her sister and Henny (when she was around). Eggbert just can't stand her though and would/does show strong aggression towards her through the wall divider.

I do however, just take it for what it is though. Just would be nice to understand why Ricky is so different from her sister and why Eggbert hates her so much.

I took a couple of videos that day and said I would post them so here they are. Nothing overly exciting about them, just my two hand raised brats giving me what for, same as always, lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CSdJQ86S-w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAgPYT9q-Ro


Seasons' Greetings and Merry Christmas to all!


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

Brad, 

I just now got to see the pictures you posted and the videos. They are beautiful birds. I know how large runts are! You need two hands to pick up any one of those guys. They look so well cared for and contented. Lucy sure doesn't want you near those eggs, and tells you about it! LOL. Thanks for the pictures. I'm really glad the respiratory problems and eggs problems resolved for the good.

Margaret


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

AND A 

*MERRY HO HO HO TO YOU AND THOSE LOVELY RUNTS, BRAD!!*

OK, Eggbert's turn to star in his own video!

Ricky and Lucy should know that they are attacking the "hand that feeds!" THEN, again, YOU ARE intruding in their territory! Stalemate???   

Hugs and Scritches

Shi
& Squeaks (keeping me "hopping" with poop exercises 'cause he's baaaack in mate mode!)


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Margarret said:


> Brad,
> 
> I just now got to see the pictures you posted and the videos. They are beautiful birds. *I know how large runts are! You need two hands to pick up any one of those guys.* They look so well cared for and contented. Lucy sure doesn't want you near those eggs, and tells you about it! LOL. Thanks for the pictures. I'm really glad the respiratory problems and eggs problems resolved for the good.
> 
> Margaret


Thank you Margaret, and you're so right about needing "two hands" to pick runts up, lol. I approach my birds from the front with my two hands ready to "scoop" them up and this is the best hold I've found and what is most "comfortable" for them.

I do try very hard to provide a good home for my birds, and that is just how I am. I hope more than anything to give them the best "home" I can offer & one that will make them happy & comfortable. So, thanks for noticing "that" as well.




Shi...thanks for your response too and I've already been chatting with you over these issues and topics. Thanks again and can you tell me what your secret is to keeping *Squeaks* so safe and sound and problem-free for such a long time???


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*Shi...thanks for your response too and I've already been chatting with you over these issues and topics. Thanks again and can you tell me what your secret is to keeping Squeaks so safe and sound and problem-free for such a long time???*

*ATTITUDE,* Brad, pure unadulterated ATTITUDE..on Squeaks' end! Wouldn't surprise me if Squeaks would dare to take on a Runt! 

I STILL always watch tho, especially Twiggy. She deliberately likes to taunt Squeaks into chasing her. No problem there, but when SHE wants to be petted and Squeaks wants attention...AT the same time...I have to watch. I don't want her to take a swipe at him. 

As mentioned before, I've only seen one Runt up close and personal and I just love 'em!

Hugs and Scritches

Shi & Squeaks


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

mr squeaks said:


> *
> 
> ATTITUDE, Brad, pure unadulterated ATTITUDE..on Squeaks' end! Wouldn't surprise me if Squeaks would dare to take on a Runt!
> 
> ...


*

I was wondering more about what your "secret" is to KEEPING & preventing any health issues with Squeaks. Squeaks is DEFINITELY a character all to himself and there is no question that he rules the roost at your apt. with the cats, lol.

I suppose it's just your good fortune and "our" bad luck that things turn out the way they do. Here you are, a "casual" pigeon pet owner, 1 male pet pigeon and he NEVER seems to run into any health issues or problems. Then there are those/us/we who have 1, 2, 3 or 100 birds that can give us quite a bit of grief at times. Just seems unfair and odd, that's all, lol. However, I'm thrilled that Squeaks has been such an "easy-to-provide for" pet....for you! *


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Pigeonpal2002 said:


> I was wondering more about what your "secret" is to KEEPING & preventing any health issues with Squeaks. Squeaks is DEFINITELY a character all to himself and there is no question that he rules the roost at your apt. with the cats, lol.
> 
> I suppose it's just your good fortune and "our" bad luck that things turn out the way they do. Here you are, a "casual" pigeon pet owner, 1 male pet pigeon and he NEVER seems to run into any health issues or problems. Then there are those/us/we who have 1, 2, 3 or 100 birds that can give us quite a bit of grief at times. Just seems unfair and odd, that's all, lol. However, I'm thrilled that Squeaks has been such an "easy-to-provide for" pet....for you!


Well, I wouldn't say that Squeaks has NEVER had any problems...a badly broken wing that had to be half amputated and then ROUND WORMS! That's enough for a poor pij to suffer at such a young age. (He was only 30 days old when I found him!) 

Now, HOPEFULLY, he _seems_ to be doing well. He eats PetCo's Paloma mix, along with occasional treats of Safflowers and Hemp seeds. I also give him a little Kaytee's Songbird mix with Ecotrition Grains & Greens variety blend (actually for Parakeets). He also likes to help himself to a few Eukanuba Indoor Cat pellets. The pellets don't seem to harm him and it's funny to watch him select just the "right" pellet and sling others around like he does his seeds! He's even been known to chase a cat away while he makes his selection FIRST! *SIGH* Oh yes, and Oyster grit...

Also, I understand that Runts are more "delicate" or can be as well as other breeds. Squeaks must have come from hardy racing homing pigeon stock. However, he's not a "love" bird like others I've read about on the site. He can be quite ornery!

Because he lives such a sheltered life, I hope he will be around for MANY years to come! Always fun to discover something new living with fur and feathers!  

BTW, don't know if this has anything to do with the "price of rice," but we don't have extremes in climate here and I do my best to see he doesn't get drafts. And, finally, he doesn't lay eggs, which can be a problem at times...

Shi


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Pigeonpal2002 said:


> Sorry that you lost your Carneau. Your male runt is not really an ideal sized mate for your hen W.O.E., especially since the male is a runt and the female is the smaller bird. Mating would be a challenge to say the least! My runts are on the small side as well, but they each weigh over 950 grams. Some runts are smaller than others and it depends on the gene pool from which they came and whether or not they have been cross bred a few times.


Well one thing is for sure, those W.O.E. hens out there will mate with anything! I feel sorry for them, they need mates of their own kind 
Even if the mating was difficult, she'd probably be inspired to lay anyways, and they could be foster parents. She's already been 'mated' to the other WOE hen..before the last WOE male died...and I'm surprised they haven't made a nest and had 4 eggs again.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Shi,...

Don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming you or attacking you because of Squeaks' excellent health record. You're obviously doing all the right things to keep him in optimum health and fitness. I wasn't referring to his amputated wing, or his past worm infection though. Those things were in the far distant past and things that either couldn't be fixed, or could very easily be treated.

I guess I just wish that "WE" were all so fortunate and that all our birds had such a great track record as Squeaks.

I only have 3 pigeons now, used to have 4, but my difficulties and hardships along the way haven't always been pleasant and certainly not easy. Similarly, others have had awful, tragic problems happen to a bird or several "members" of their flock for no apparent reason that has left them heartbroken and dismayed.

I just wish I/us/we had the golden horseshoes wrapped around our pigeons' necks like you seem to have, that's all!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Oh, I knew you weren't attacking or blaming, Brad... 

When I read about all the rescues who REALLY have problems with the possibility of lifelong health issues, my heart just breaks! 

I wish I could have more pigeons, but I don't dare mess with the "status quo" at this point.

Instead, I go and visit Cindy's Aviary and hold Rae Charles and "talk" to all the others too. Bonzo Beautiful is such a BIG bird and so different as a Fantail to her much smaller Cappuchines, it's quite an experience to watch them interact! Malio, tho, is like David with Goliath...he will challenge him in a heartbeat! 

Of course Blueberry and Little Dove are something else too! 

Cindy's birds are a picture of health...she also watches them closely for any problems.

Brad, I also have to add that I think your Runts are getting EXCELLENT care. I know how you feel about them and they are VERY FORTUNATE to be with you! They look HEALTHY, HAPPY and are just BEAUTIFUL!! 

Hugs 

Shi


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Hi Brad,

GREAT photos of your pigeon family, and boy does it look cold outside!


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

What beautiful birds, Brad. The videos are really cute. It's good to hear you all are doing well.  

I must admit I was thinking the other day while scraping piles of poop from multiple pigeons, "Sometimes I wish I was Shi. . .with just Squeaks' poops to clean up!"


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Hi Brad! Glad your big birds are doing so well. Love the pic of Lucy and Eggbert. He has such a handsome presence!	Ricky matured into a striking bird with a sweet expression.

Wow! When Lucy comes charging out, she's really scarey!!! :O


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

maryjane said:


> What beautiful birds, Brad. The videos are really cute. It's good to hear you all are doing well.
> 
> *I must admit I was thinking the other day while scraping piles of poop from multiple pigeons, "Sometimes I wish I was Shi. . .with just Squeaks' poops to clean up*!"


ROFL MJ!! When Squeaks is in MATE mode, I have an inkling for what y'all are going through with multiple pijies!!

Daddy mode is much "less" but bigger...*sigh* 

But, boy, in mate mode, he poops ALL DAY LONG! Seems that's all I do is pick up poops...when he's "naked" that is...

Sending HUGS and SCRITCHES to - ah - ease the poop scoopin' !

Shi 
& Squeaks (who says: "fact of life: what goes IN must also PASS!")


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Hi Brad,

Was nice seeing the birds "in action".....thanks for posting the videos.

Linda


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Thanks Victor, Mary Jane, Terri and Lin again, 

Just wanted to quickly make another post to update things at my house. Nothing earth shattering going on over here but it wasn't long after I mentioned that Ricky has been "barren", that she recently laid a set of eggs.

About 4 days ago, she started to act "maternal" and I could sense it in her. I'm never sure however what is going on in those heads but a couple of days after, she laid her first egg and since about 6 months ago, I was shocked.

She laid her second egg on schedule and is currently sitting dutifully on them as nature guides her to do. I offered her lots of nesting material (something which I didn't do in the past), but she has recently found interest in. She took the straw back to her spot and arranged them pretty darn good for a single, hand raised mom!

Lucy and Eggbert are also on eggs themselves, albeit nearing the end of this cycle, so things are pretty calm all around in the pigeon room, lol

Eggbert has picked up a new behaviour which is....hunkering down and laying for *hours* on end right besides Lucy on her eggs. This seems to confuse her and she will start nervously re-collecting nesting material to bring to her nest. She gets all antsy that Eggbert is sitting so close by when it's not his time to sit. Otherwise, things are fine on their side of the room still. 

I've also recently begun trying to tame Eggbert more. I don't often interact with him physically and because he is very timid and frightened of me. However, I have been pushing his limits and petting him more and more and I do believe that he's getting more used to me. He's such a character and if I could only explain more in detail of how he responds to my touch, you'd all laugh your heads off!

No pictures today, but I couldn't be more relaxed with the way things are going or NOT going with my 3-some.


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