Crazy evening!

So I had just finished dying the front of my hair blonde and I was drying it off getting ready to put the brown on while I was sat at the bottom of the stairs in my night clothes. Then my door went and scared the life out of me. My neighbour bounded in shouting that one of my birds, possibly two had escaped and he's seem them flying around the trees and the gardens. Even going over the road and coming back again. I asked what they looked like in shock horror as I was beginning to panic that one of my babies was loose! He said they're green and red. I was like, well unless they're my kakariki Ralph I don't think it would be any of mine. I asked what he thought they were and he said they were definitely a type of parrot. I ran into the garden and at first I couldn't see anything. I mean, if they're green it's going to be a nightmare spotting them in the trees right? Well, I then heard them. My lovies were making tons of noise (no difference there) but there was also a reply! I knew I heard other lovebirds coming from somewhere. Then while we were standing looking around, the braver of the two came in really fast from the tree, over Jacks head and landed on our TV ariel! Unbelievable! We had to get them down some how, and I tend to be the brains in situations like this...

SO! I put my three lovies in a smaller cage and put it outside on top of my old rabbit hutch. I then put another cage next to it with food and water inside and left the door open. We sat in the bottom of the garden where the birds could still see us but would probably feel more comfortable coming closer to us that if we were stood next to the cage. Before we could blink they whizzed down and sat on the lovies cage talking to them. They ran around for a good hour not sussing out how to get in to the cage. I knew they'd come back even if they flew off so I approached them and turned the cage around, making getting into the door easier from if they were stood on our fence around the hawk aviaries. 20 minutes later that still hadn't worked. Sigh. So I went and got a perch and had it coming from the fence to the cage door. They climbed on it a couple of times but didn't have a clue. They also spent time hopping in and out of Chalkie's aviary while he and Bandit sat in there. A dangerous move. I wanted to move as quick as I could to make sure they didn't get eaten! So I ran in, unlocking the door as quick as humanly possible and got one up the mesh with my net. Obviously it flew off through the bars because I didn't think of that one quick enough so I told Jack to quickly put his hands up the bars when I bag the next one to prevent any escaping through the bars again. It worked! We got the first one and I immediately ran into the garage to get an old showing cage out that budgies are usually presented in. I filled it with food and water and he tucked right in. He was definitely a peach face, he looked normal except he was extremely dark and dirty. The second one had flown to a couple of houses down on top of the roof so we sat patiently and waited to see if he'd come down. He did come down a few times but he was very unsure, he didn't know what to do or how on earth to get into the cage. So I thought of another idea, one I just knew would work. I put the small show cage with his friend inside of the big cage and left the door open. I walked inside Chalkie's aviary (it was dark now) and waited where he couldn't see me. Jack was setting up the cage and he actually flew down to Jacks hands, but he couldn't grab him quick enough and he sat up on our TV ariel again. I told him to wait in the bottom. I was literally inches away from the cage but he wouldn't of seen me in the dark. He came right down and went straight into the cage. Jack ran up and shut the door as quick as possible and then we had both of them! The other one is a peach faced x masked lovebird hybrid for sure. He has a large eye ring and a dirty face where the mask would be, over his peachy face. We set up some awful plastic perches and a bowl of water, with seed mix all over the floor so they could get stuffed. And of course a millet spray

Today I sprayed them down 3 times to try and get the dirt off them and almost all of it has gone except their tails are a little messy still. I think whoever had them had actually let them go. They're extremely underweight, very dark in colouring (yet they're definitely normal). I think they haven't been out for too long, but whoever had them was not looking after them. I think the dark colouration is due to an awful diet they could of been on and they could possibly have not seen much light to be honest. I'm just about to order them some new perches and things online. If somebody puts up LOST ads for their birds then I will return them but I'm not going to show them off much because I know I'll get a large amount of people just after some free birds. The birds have absolutely no ID on them either. It really is a shame. And to see them flying outside was absolutely fantastic and amazing. I nearly cried. It was so beautiful! I also treated them for any fleas, mites etc so hopefully that will be okay for the time being. I'm keeping an extremely close eye on them at the moment, and they will not be allowed any contact with my other birds. I'll post some pictures I took of them in the cage they're currently in

What an experience!!!

Wow, that was quite an experience. I'm sure glad your were able to catch them, before they flew off for good or got eaten, obvisouly they have no idea how to survive in the wild.

Definitely! Especially being as they were going into an aviary with a hawk and a falcon, they were just asking to be eaten

I know, when you told me I almost had a heart attack, I was like oh my god are they nuts, I mean really

It was such a crazy and unpredictable evening but im so glad that we where able to catch them otherwise i doubt they wouold of lasted long by themselves, will be nice to sort out a cage for them eventually so they can settle in properly

Definitely! I'd like to sex them some day too, just so I know what's going on. I've got three boys and I'm glad! They're naughty enough but the females are something else

Wow! What a crazy night! Post pictures of them, Daisy?

It was! There's a thread up on them. Still nobody has come forward

Honestly I think its a good thing nobody has tried claiming them, they are much better off with you Daisy. Even if they had a good home prior to getting out ( which I doubt they did) they'll have a great home with you.

Thank you Shannon. I've actually introduced them to my little lovie family now treatment is over and they seem to be getting along great. The first thing they did was feed Pebbles hahaha! It's strange. I will get some DNA done eventually but yeah thank you again!

im glad you found them daisy, now they have a great loving home

Thank you they're a right pair of messy pains though (like every lovie out there haha!). I got them eating out of my hand the other day though which was really nice