New additions!

I've been stalking Craigslist for almost 2 weeks, looking for the perfect pet. First decision was an easy one: no, I am NOT paying a $600 pet deposit so we can have a cat or dog. Then we had to decide what kind of pet we wanted. Rebecca wanted a bunny (too smelly!). Caiden wanted a snake (live mouse feedings?!). I decided that I'd just keep looking and whatever we found first that fit the following criteria would be the one:


1. Local. I am NOT driving more than 30 minutes unless the pet is free and comes with everything you need.  Furthermore, if I'm going to drive for it, it better be one unique animal!


2. Comes with a cage, food, toys, etc. Anything and everything you need to get started.


3. Less than $30 TOTAL cost.


Meet our new parakeets, Hannah (blue) and Trash Man (green):

They were being sold by a woman whose grandparents entered assisted living and couldn't take the birds with them. She included the cage, toys, accessories, a jar of food, and "Parakeets for Dummies".  All for $25!  Perfect. Also, she offered to drop them off so she could see their new home!  Hooray for not traveling!

This is about 5 minutes after they arrived. The kids had to sit on the proper side according to where Their Own bird was sitting. There was a bit of shuffling necessary before I could take the picture!

I tried very hard to get a good picture of them in the dark without using the flash and giving them a heart attack!

Rebecca named her bird Hannah, because that is what Rebecca's name would have been if she wasn't Rebecca.  That makes it Rebecca's favorite name other than her own.   :)


Caiden was having a hard time choosing. First he wanted to name his bird Caiden, then Alex, then Liam. For a while he was just going to go with Bird. Then when we were driving last night, he had a flash of brilliance and realized that since trash men are literally the coolest men he knows who drive trucks, smile, and talk to kids, he should give his bird the coolest name possible, hence:  Trash Man. He's so excited to have found the perfect name I just don't have the heart to talk him out of it!  One stipulation:  Caiden says his nickname is NOT Trash. He is a BIRD. He is NOT trash. We are permitted to call him Trash Man or Trash Boy. Those are the only options.  :P


I read the Parakeets for Dummies book this morning & decided to get them a cuttlebone and also a table for the cage. The book says that if they are kept on the floor, they feel like they are prey.  :o  I also checked them over while reading and they seem to be in perfect health, other than being quiet and still (but I think that's likely from the shock of 2 new homes in under a month!)  They are watching us like hawks and every so often they loosen up enough to fluff and preen, and coo a bit. The kids go nuts every time, so of course it doesn't last. :)


Next, off to goodwill where we found a $10 glass-top table in great shape!  Then to Petco, where (of course) the kids convinced me they NEEDED a welcome present for the birdies. So, they each got to pick out a less-than-$5 item to bring home.


Here they are in their new setup:

We are told that the grandmother who owned them used to take them out and play with them, let them fly around the room, sit on her shoulder and all of that. The woman who gave them to us said they are a bit skittish after being ignored for the past 2 weeks, but should be able to be trained again relatively quickly.  Hannah is about a year old, Trash Man is just over 2.  Here's hoping this all works out as planned!!!!