the story continues...

rattyfied wrote:

Fancyfeathers wrote:

Matilda wrote:

Yes they are both quite beautiful. They are so smart.

You can try lentils and droed peas for a little snack too...maybe even chopped raw peanuts...yum.

I also add barley to that combination.

i tried them with peas a while ago, but they threw them to one side in protest!
they will eat flax seed
my plan is to introduce grains i buy for the rats

* i guess being urban pijies i will have to wean them off junk food

** the bread is my own special recipe - organic wholegrain with sunflower and flax seeds
so that's a good start

* :That\\\'s so f You're probably right.

** That sounds good.

Yes it sounds yummy.

rattyfied wrote:

the bread is my own special recipe - organic wholegrain with sunflower and flax seeds

One you might be willing to share with us?
It sounds sooo good. :Yes:

Fancyfeathers wrote:

rattyfied wrote:

the bread is my own special recipe - organic wholegrain with sunflower and flax seeds

One you might be willing to share with us?
It sounds sooo good. :Yes:

it's "special" cos it's in my head...i don't weigh it - just tip the ingredients in the bread-maker
next time i'll try to measure them and i'll put the recipe on the recipes thread

now for an update...

yesterday morning Apollo ate from my hand
if he's anywhere near he flies down and will come right up to me
this "training" has taken just a week!
but of course he remembers me from when he nested here last year

today i have started mixing flaked maize and peas from the rat food with the bits of bread
he targets the bread first :Rolling eyes: but will eat the other stuff too


a-n-d.....i caught him on video yesterday afternoon



the reason he walks off is because he can hear the blue chequer girl has landed on the roof nearby
... she's hoping to grab a snack too
he goes and tells her off

I love the video, rattyfied. We so appreciate you sharing it with us. :Yes:
Are your taking the video and feeding the pij?
There have only been a couple of our backyard buddies that have eaten out of my hand, and it's without a doubt an honor.

rattyfied wrote:

Fancyfeathers wrote:

rattyfied wrote:

the bread is my own special recipe - organic wholegrain with sunflower and flax seeds

One you might be willing to share with us?
It sounds sooo good. :Yes:

* it's "special" cos it's in my head...i don't weigh it - just tip the ingredients in the bread-maker

* Sometimes the recipes in our head are the best ones.

Fancyfeathers wrote:

I love the video, rattyfied. We so appreciate you sharing it with us. :Yes:
Are your taking the video and feeding the pij?
There have only been a couple of our backyard buddies that have eaten out of my hand, and it's without a doubt an honor.

yes - one hand for the food, the other to hold my little camera :Yes:

...what an adorable pigeon. I love the video.
Ya got them eating out of your hand.

rattyfied wrote:

Fancyfeathers wrote:

I love the video, rattyfied. We so appreciate you sharing it with us. :Yes:
Are your taking the video and feeding the pij?
There have only been a couple of our backyard buddies that have eaten out of my hand, and it's without a doubt an honor.

yes - one hand for the food, the other to hold my little camera :Yes:

spent a lovely afternoon "with" the balcony pijies yesterday
i left the front door open so i could hear any cooing and flapping of wings
...which also meant i could go out causing less of a disturbance

Apollo and New-Missus stopped by several times
there were a few onlookers and i managed to grab some photos of Sora (the boy who hatched on our balcony)
and his girlfriend - sadly she has lost her tail, but it gave me an idea for her name "Manx"

here she is, a few days ago she had just one tail-feather left but you can see here they're growing back


and some pics of the 2 of them cleaning up the tiny crumbs that the older pijies leave






Apollo was calling this morning so i went out and found him & New-Missus waiting for me/breakfast
when i returned from work i popped out with the food tub, Apollo swooped in from over the far roof
he ate happily from my hand - i could feel the feathers of his crop brushing my fingers
a few minutes later N-M turned up so i was treated to a dance & song as he greeted her

AHH...so sweet. I'm glad they have you to look out for them.

This is just so sweet.

rattyfied wrote:

spent a lovely afternoon "with" the balcony pijies yesterday
i left the front door open so i could hear any cooing and flapping of wings
...which also meant i could go out causing less of a disturbance

Apollo and New-Missus stopped by several times
there were a few onlookers and i managed to grab some photos of Sora (the boy who hatched on our balcony)
and his girlfriend - sadly she has lost her tail, but it gave me an idea for her name "Manx"

here she is, a few days ago she had just one tail-feather left but you can see here they're growing back


and some pics of the 2 of them cleaning up the tiny crumbs that the older pijies leave






Apollo was calling this morning so i went out and found him & New-Missus waiting for me/breakfast
when i returned from work i popped out with the food tub, Apollo swooped in from over the far roof
he ate happily from my hand - i could feel the feathers of his crop brushing my fingers
a few minutes later N-M turned up so i was treated to a dance & song as he greeted her

Great photos, rattyfied.
Many thanks for sharing them with us.

"now - let's get this clear...this is my balcony, for me & New-Missus only; that is our human - it brings food for me & New-Missus only" ~ Apollo

yesterday evening Apollo saw off his son, Sora, again with a warning peck
and this morning he interrupted his breakfast to chase away Sora and Manx...twice
then he returned to eat, grumbling as he walked back to me

they still haven't nested, Apollo is keen to move in here but New-Missus still isn't sure
she eats a few feet away from me, just about tolerating my presence

i managed another video - if you watch carefully you can see Apollo walk on my hand

Love the videos! Don't you just love it when they learn to trust you! The caption at the top it had me LAUGHING out loud!!!

That's really good.

as i type Apollo and New-Missus are asleep on their night-roost



but they've been around most of the day
after making a nest on our balcony weeks ago, then appearing to be building another somewhere else, they pulled apart the one on our balcony
maybe they were moving it
but Apollo was still keen on setting up home here, morning after morning he would stand outside our front door calling insistently

early yesterday i noticed that there was a neat ring of twigs and feathers where the destroyed nest had been
by mid-morning leaves had been added

so today they've been pottering about, roosting above the door and sitting on the nest in turn or together
and of course they've had time for the odd snack


here's another vid...managed to catch both of them feeding this time

I tell you, rattyfied...they are waiting for you to open the door and let them build their nest
on your favorite chair. :Yes:
I think it's very sweet that they have come to trust you so.
Keep the pictures and movies coming.

Great videos and photo, rattyfied.
Thanks for sharing them with us.
I just love it when a feral eats from a humans hand.

Apollo(left) & New-Missus


things are pretty much the same with Apollo and New-Missus

we have our routine, breakfast around 8am supper ~7pm
i call them if they aren't on the balcony already, or go out if i hear Apollo calling ( i think he's calling only New-Missus but he has probably realised that i will respond too!)

some days there is nesting activity - today for example - and there was 1 night that New-Missus stayed over the door instead of going to the night-roost

yesterday and today she took a few pieces of peanut from my hand, i think she has twigged that if she doesn't come close Apollo gets more than a fair share...so maybe i'll have them both doing that soon

an artist friend wanted some pics of pigeons in flight so i had a go, Apollo & N-M were most obliging...

I'm in a bit of a hurry, but just had to stop and comment on your pictures, rattyfied.
Those are absolutely incredible.

time for an update

New-Missus is now regularly eating from my hand, at first she would only take an odd piece then step back looking really shocked, but now she takes much more and doesn't even step back everytime Apollo does
here they are together

and New-Missus by herself


yesterday we had visitors!
i had propped open the door to let the warm morning sun into the flat whilst they had their breakfast,
leaving it open i went back inside
a few moments later Apollo wandered in, N-M following
they found a few pieces of peanut i'd dropped


then Apollo made a thorough inspection of the coats, shoe-rack and bookcases
he is so nosey!


when i moved they turned and trotted out but only waited a few seconds before walking straight back in
same thing happened today, at one point i stood in the doorway Apollo walked right up to my feet and looked me in the eye, then past me into the flat and just waited for me to let him in!

It's really cute that they came inside and checked your place out. They are quite cheeky, aren't they?!

Those are great photos. Thanks.

Henry and Co simply won't eat out of our hands. Is there a trick to it or just luck? One of his children, The Kid, would at first, but as she got older she seemed to decide it was not a good idea after all.