Blueberry is in a cage!

Yesterday I took out the cage that Marilyn gave me and got it set up for Blueberry. At first I only had a snuggle hut in a corner and a paper towel and tissue nest in another corner with a little food and a couple toys inside the cage. When I first put Blueberry inside the cage, I set him on the nest. He quickly did not like it and tried to get to the door as fast as he could. I noticed he couldn't grasp the bars that are on the bottom of the cage because of his feet. I still do his exercises to hope to uncurl his feet bus so far no luck. I let him out and he was chirping so loud and fast and wanted me to cuddle him. So I tried putting paper towels on top of the floor to see if that would help. I then put Blueberry back inside the cage and he sat for a minute befire running to the door to let him out. It was a little better for him to walk on. Finally I decided to lay a piece of paper on top of the floor and then add a layer of the apsen shavings on top. I then arranged everything inside the cage so it looked like his current home. This went much better when I put him back inside the cage. His cage is right in front of my garden window in the kitchen. Right now I have a towel covering half the back of the cage because he was frantically trying to get out the back of the cage yesterday. I'll take it off when he is more use to his cage. That evening when it was bed time, I put him in the boys closet in his old home so he can have peace and quiet.

This morning after he ate, he is pecking and eating seed a little more, and played for about an hour I put him inside the cage, and at this moment he is doing much better. He is really exploring and eating out of the little pan of seeds and grit I put in the cage. He keeps looking up wanting to fly onto the perch that is way up high. I have a couple of small perches coming in the mail which I will put low hoping to encourage him to use them and hope his feet will uncurl.

So far today...........................

So far today Blueberry has been very quiet entertaining himself in his little home. The last few days he's been noisy wanting constant attention. I got to thinking this morning that maybe he didn't like the location of his home. So this morning I put his little home back up on the table and left the light on. That really seemed to help. It seems like he likes to be up high. He probably feels safe. I am so amazed that Blueberry knows when its bed time. He stays cuddled up in his little nest all night long. I like the idea of keeping this container for his bed time.

I might start getting his cage set up and see how he likes it. I am going to be right there in case he starts to panic. I still need to get a little tabel to put in front of my garden window in the kitchen and place Blueberries cage on it. I think he'll like the view.

I'm off to feed Blueberry as his chirping is getting louder and more frantic.

Blueberry is flying!

Lately Blueberry has been practicing his flying skills. He has picked on the flying all by himself. Its instinct. This morning he flew quite a long way in the house and landed successfully. Before I was able to get him, he flew again only not so far. I actually didn't see where he flew and was calling his name. I found him the dog toy basket looking not too happy. He was happy to see me pick him up and cuddle him.

Yesterday he was really enjoying his sandbox play time. He is able to fly out of it so if someone is not right there next to it, we have to keep a screen cover on top. He is eating the sand and pecking at the seeds I have put inside his sandbox. He was really interested in the seeds all day. Whenever I took him out to play either in the sandbox or just on a towel on the floor, I have seed available for him. I am so happy to see him pecking at the seeds and putting them in his mouth. He is still wanting his formula which we now feed Blueberry with an eyedropper, the syringe just wasn't fast enough for him. There is hope he will someday be feeding by himself.

Blueberry has a sandbox!

Blueberry likes to fluff his feathers on a towel like the Sparrows do in the dirt of our driveway, so I went and bought a Rubbermaid container and some play sand to make Blueberry a sandbox. I added some rough rocks I just got when we went to the shores of Lake Superior that Blueberry can climb on and also a few toys. When I first put him in the sandbox, he didn't like it one bit! He wanted out! After a while he started to explore and eat some of the sand. Blueberry has been practicing his flying skills lately and actually made it to the rim of the container. I think it is going to take some time for Blueberry to get use to the feel of sand.

I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever be able to wean Blueberry off his formula. I know he is still very young and still dependent on us. I put some of the bird seed I bought him in his little container, or should I say living quarters, and also where he plays. Blueberry pecks at the seed so maybe thats a start. I read somwhere on the internet that he should be completly eating on his own by the time he is 5 to 6 weeks old. I sure hope it goes that way for Blueberry because the boys will be going back to school soon and David sure isn't going to feed a bird from an eye dropper.

I still can't believe the changes in little Blueberry in such a short time. I'm sure glad I am taking pictures of him every day.

I can hear him chirping right now. Its his "Feed me!" chirp. I am trying not to run and feed him every time he chirps. Its so hard. I am hoping he can find ways to occupy himself in his living quarters.

I still can't believe the changes in little Blueberry in such a short amount of time. I'm sure glad I'm taking pictures every day.

2 Weeks Old!

Blueberry is now 2 weeks old! I am so glad! There has been so many changes and all of them good. The first week of Blueberries life was a little rough and so full of worry. I still worry but not as much. Blueberry is now hopping around, wiggling his tail and fluttering and flapping his wings. This morning he spent about 5 minutes preening his feathers while I held him. I am noticing the sparrow coloring and markings on his head. It will be exciting to find out if Blueberry is a little female or a little male. I can't wait! This morning Blueberry was nibbling on a piece of toast and is starting to explore a little when its play time. He still runs and crawls into my hand for me to hold him or he will find a corner to burrow into. Blueberry is so cute! This morning when I woke him up he didn't squawk for food. That was amazing! Usually thats the first thing you hear when I look into his bucket. He did eat really good though and had fun exploring a little more.

The other day I got his first package in the mail containing some small bird food and 3 snuggle huts. Yes, I bought 3 and all the same color. I'm not sure if having different colored ones would be good. I'm not sure if he'll notice a change and not like it, so they are all the same. I like having more than one snuggle hut so when they get dirty, I can toss the dirty one in the washer and dryer and still have a fresh one for the cage.

Today when I go to work Marilyn has some things for Blueberry. Alex came home from work yesterday and said he didn't know who was more excited about Blueberry, Marilyn or me. After today I am off for 8 days. Vacation time!

Looking like a little bird.

Blueberry is really looking like a little bird. His wing feathers are getting so big and looks like they can keep his back warm. His belly and chest are getting so soft with the tiny feathers coming in. He is awake longer and can be quite noisy at times. It seems like any time one of us look at him, his mouth is open for more food. "Feed me! Feed me!" I don't believe he is really hungry just 10 minutes after feeding him. He is standing longer and stretches out his wings. I'm still wondering about his little feet. He still loves to crawl, with a little help, into my hands. I let him do a little birdie hopping in my hands. I went and purchased him some safe bird toys and food so when he goes into a container before he is ready for a cage, he won't be so bored. Sometimes I think his peeping is for attention. I feel he is learning the differences between each of our voices. I am also still teaching him to be quiet. I go "Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh be quiet" and he stops peeping. Alex thinks its freaky that he is learning things at such a young age. I'll have to teach Blueberry other things as he gets older. I know I always call my bird a "HE" not knowing whether its a female or male. Maybe its because I have 3 boys. I think its going to be fun to discover which one it is.

Another day

I am back to work after being home and caring for Blueberry the past 3 days. I feel confident the boys will do an excellent job in caring for Blueberry. I feel I don't have to worry about Blueberry as I did all last week. I am so glad he is now older. Blueberry is getting really active and standing more and more and I see his feet are starting to uncurl. I was worried his legs might have been injured during his fall when he was first hatched. I won't really know how his feet and legs will be until he is really standing and hopping around. Boy is Blueberry sounding like a Sparrow!