A month back, we got a pair of Lutina lovebirds and lovingly named them “Sweety” and “Tweety.” Sweety seems to be a female to us and is gentler than Tweety most of the times. The decision to bring birds home was very impromptu. The kids and hubby really wanted a dog, but I was dead against it. My real concern was that I was just adjusting to a life without a baby and did not wish to go over the entire routine with a puppy. Another reason is where to leave the dog when we go away on trips or vacations. And, the most important reason, it really, really hurts when a dog dies. I just did not wish to put myself through that again. It will hurt with the other pets too, I guess.
So, the more manageable options seemed to be getting an aquarium or a rabbit. We were researching aquariums when we saw this pair of lovebirds. We brought them home! Then, we began googling and understanding their requirements, food habits etc. That is actually a wrong way. For those of you, who want to get birds, please check first, which ones are suitable for you and then get them.
So, we hang Sweety and Tweety in their cage in our large sitout. They are quite content chirping merrily. We bring them inside the house and prop them on our bookcase during nights so that mosquitoes won’t bite them outside. They are such quiet birds; it is amazing!
Gurdev gave them a bath, the very first week we got them home. They did not seem to like that much; they did not even know how to fluff their feathers properly. :). Also, Gurdev releases them out of the cage hoping that we would get more acquainted that way. But, they are a little scared of him and don’t seem ready to eat out of his hands just yet. Each one of us has a different bond with them. Gautam was very naughty and even now at times, he hassles them by driving his toy cars atop their cage. His shrill voice used to frighten them. But, now they are getting used to it. And, we are teaching him that they will not be his friends, which seems to be working too. Otherwise, they would leave their perch and go as far away as possible when they sensed that Gautam was coming near :).
With me, they are mostly not scared. I am harmless to them. I just speak to them sweetly, clean their trays, refill their food and water and haven’t tried handling them this far. It is cute to see Sweety and Tweety responding to their names by bringing their neck out and looking at you. They make different chirping sounds. There is one sound, which almost sounds like a laugh. Then, there is an alarmed chirp when they spot a squirrel or something or when Gautam troubles them (we always come to know). They also have this chirp when they are calling you. They call me early morning when I wake up. It is a call to put their cage outside :). I tell them, “Yeah, I am coming.” Sometimes, they sing. And, Gurdev plays these videos of other birds singing, and they just go nuts, chirping their hearts out :).
Each one of us spends our own time chatting with them. Gautam rushes after school to go and meet them. He is the one most concerned to bring them inside the house as soon as it is evening. Siddharth is in general nice to them. He also mostly stays out of their way, sometimes chatting with them.
I have tried feeding them fruits like banana, guava, apple, but they don’t seem to like to experiment. They just eat the bird food, they gave us at the pet shop. Most of which, they promptly drop, and drink loads of water. They are just almost 6 months old and really adorable.
It is actually a lot of fun just observing how they behave with each other. They cuddle each other’s necks. They will groom each other’s feathers. Gautam also says that they seem to kiss each other :). He means that they are sort of hugging each other, which they do. Sometimes, they quarrel too. I wonder, what they talk to each other, and what they think of us! It always intrigues me to want to find out what goes on in their brains behind their brilliant red eyes.
They are cute and already a part of our family! I was wrong, one gets really attached to birds too! I am!
Rachna says 
Leave a reply to Rachna Cancel reply