Sunday, January 1, 2012

Trying to feed Squirt!

I really had to laugh yesterday.  Even though I know I have to give Squirt's aviary cage a good hose out, and give her a shower in the process, I just decided that for that moment that a replacement of new seed and her special powdered honey mixture, would suffice.  As I started to remove her water dish so that I could fill it with fresh water, Strap decided to take a very strong interest in everything I was doing.  He followed me into the house while I filled her water dish and placed it on the table outside close to her aviary.  He then followed me inside again to see me get her food containers from their storage area, and almost blocking me, wanted to sniff them, and looked at me enquiringly.  I told him that Squirt needed attention too and not just him, but his nose was beginning to get out of joint---I could almost see the jealousy or very severe curiosity at what I was doing for Squirt. 

In the end I had emptied the old seed and filled her dish with new fresh and more appetising seed, into which I had also put almond flakes as a treat, and then refilled her other dish with her 'special' honey mixture which she loves so much, and had Strap underfoot the whole time.  Each movement I made, was stopped by him as he insisted at looking into each dish, and then at my face as if asking: "Why is she so special all of a sudden!  I'm the one who plays ball with you, and licks you whenever I get the opportunity, and smiles at you all the time!  You don't feed this stuff to me!"

I tried not to laugh at him, but told him to just be patient.  I just kept working on Squirts food, then started placing the bowls back into her aviary. When she saw the new seed and the honey mixture dishes, both sprinkled with the slivered almonds, she looked at me almost with a smile on her beak  and yelled out "Hello!" in the funny Monty Python accent which means that she is very happy.

As she was exploring her fresh food dishes, I started to go back into the house, looking at Strap's confused face, which had a bit of sadness and 'woe is me' attitude spreading across it!

I smiled and went inside to his treats drawer, and got a couple of treats.  I went back outside and asked him what he was fretting about. He saw the treats in my hand and obediently sat immediately.  I laughed and let him sniff them, and decide which one he wanted first.  He couldn't decide, then took the smacko, grinning, but spat it out straight away and looked straight at my face. 

"Strappy--what's wrong this time?"

He just kept sittting there, looking at me, and not at the other treat, but I knew what he was thinking...'Why decide now? If I can have both, I can eat them when I'm good and ready...' So laughing, I rubbed his ears and gave him the bone biscuit, and he spat it out too.  I looked at him, and shook my head, and went back into the house.  He stood, looking at me as I did so, then layed down with his treats, between his paws, and started to enjoy!

They are so much fun to watch.  Each day brings a new personality trait our way.....

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