Say hello to Bobby the Budgie.

Thank you to Jacqueline Carol-Taylor for sending us this wonderful three-page letter telling us about her Budgie Bobby. It’s the latest in our Meet My Parrot series.

How I Acquired Bobby

Bobby initially came to me via a neighbour within the flats I lived in! I looked after him while she was on holiday!

Having Bobby was the most wonderful experience I had ever had with an animal! I just fell for Bobby straight away.

Letting Bobby go back to my neighbour was heart wrenching and I longed for him with me again.

                                                                                                                                                                                            My neighbour was looking after Bobby via a friend in Exeter, as dear Bobby had several owners and sadly he didn't know where he was going.

Thankfully another neighbour noticed me calling up to Bobby from the courtyard so she let the neighbour know who had Bobby, how I constantly went to him and shouted out to him - when she was out!

Then my biggest surprise came when my neighbour who had Bobby told me that I could have Bobby. I was overjoyed and happy and soon Bobby and I developed a relationship.

About Bobby

Bobby is a small yellow and black Budgie.

Bobby is a very mischievous and naughty Budgie, in a good type of way, that you can't help but adore him for it! My Bobby follows me around the flat going into my kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.

He has come accustomed to all the mirrors in the rooms, often flying to them all in regular intervals. Bobby loves looking at himself. He also has two in his cage, one I bought with a bell.

Bobby sits by the microwave watching me make my breakfast, dinner and tea every day. Bobby also tries to examine what food I am having so I have to chase him, telling him "it’s my food, not yours".

Due to the "many" owners Bobby clings to me a lot and hates me going out! At first he was too clingy but as time as gone on he has relaxed a lot as I always tell him where I am going and what time I will be back.

Gifts

Bobby enjoys the free access to my flat when I am around and when I settle down for the night watching television. Bobby will from time to time come and sit by me chirping away! If I am doing my Xmas gifts he likes to be a part of it too, touching the Xmas cards and ribbons.

Bobby also knows when it is bedtime as I will pick up his cage and say to him "it’s beddie bows Bobby" and he will jump on his high perch listening to me. He knows when it’s his bedtime and if I forget he will remind me by getting my attention jumping around the cage; playing with his toys and trying to get my attention with the noise he makes.

Bobby has a winter and summer blanket which I place on his cage to make him feel safe and secure.

Noises

Sometimes I have passed the bedroom door and heard Bobby dreaming and making happy noises.

Each morning Bobby is waiting for me to come and collect him. He often waits very patiently too.

Upon sorting him out I bring him back into the lounge, open his cage, where he will fly out and do a few circles around the room chirping like mad, then dash to the bathroom a few times too, going to the mirror there.

He is mischievous at times, sometimes naughty, but I just raise my voice a little and if he persists I will throw the light towel head scarf at him, where he will dash out of the way, chirping at me, jumping into his cage.

Bobby’s Personality

Bobby is not a stupid bird, he does understand when I talk to him, often doing what I tell him as well.

He hates to be touched as you have to let him come to you. He will often sit perched up on parts of my body when stretched out on the couch, but more often than not he will perch on my head and shoulders upon moving into various rooms.

Sometimes he will sit right under my chin and listen to me talking to him softly and making bird noises back to him! Bobby also tries to kiss me when he is close to my face and telling me enough.

Bobby will poo on various parts of my body, especially on my head, which gets in my hair but as time has gone on I have got used to it and often never notice that he has done it! His poo dries so quick and I often pull little poos out from time to time!

Cup

Bobby loves having a shower bath in a becker cup which I have got for him! He enjoys pushing his head against the cup sides and dipping his head in the water, fluffing his body into the water as well.

After he has had a reasonable soak in the cup of water he will fly off and get dry, perching by the window on my niece and nephews picture, his favourite place during the day.

If I go outside to the bins Bobby notices I have gone outside, perching by the window either on the photo or toby jug ornament until I come back. He likes looking outside via the cleverly open windows, which let in some air each day. If it’s too hot I have to lock him in his cage for an hour which he hates, and I tell him to wait for an hour, and crazy as this sounds he knows when the hour is up.

When Bobby Escaped

I trust Bobby a lot, but one day upon going to the door to speak to my neighbour who lives in the flat across from me, out the blue Bobby flew off. Luckily enough the outside is a closed area with passages to flats and a front lounge type of area via the front door.

Bobby was in his element, flying around the lounge area and down the passage, going backwards and forwards. No amount of telling him to come to me made him come back. He was enjoying the big freedom of flying around until my neighbour caught him resting via the window ledge, then Bobby jumped into his cage which she had brought out to him.

He was tired out for the day and he knew he had been naughty as well as I had words with him.

Romantic Bobby the Budgie

I would love to get Bobby a huge cage outside and get him a female mate to play with. My neighbour told me how Bobby went completely wild upon seeing "Coco" on TV, a female white Budgie.

Bobby enjoyed chirping away to Coco. So one day I hope to find Bobby a girlfriend like Coco for him and I am going to let him choose his female mate too.

I love Bobby to bits, I would die for him, and hate being separated from him too. It was hard enough not seeing him when I went on holiday to South Africa when my neighbour took care of him.

When he heard my voice on FaceTime seeing me as well, Bobby went completely wild as it was clear he was missing me! I must have texted every day to check to see if Bobby was OK.

Chirps

I love hearing Bobby chirping away to himself as he often chirps away to the radio in the kitchen. He also loves the noise of my actifryer as well.

Knowing Bobby is happy means a lot to me as he is the love of my life!

Bobby is also a romantic too, as he enjoyed joining in with me singing love songs on Valentine's Day via the radio. Then one day, while I was in the bath, the radio was on and Bobby heard the late 70's Song “How Deep Is Your Love" by the Bee Gees.

To my shock Bobby sang away to this song, chirping very loudly to the entire song. I was so shocked.

When I go out to leave him I always leave the radio on, so that he can sing along to the songs that he likes and it helps to calm him down as well. When he sees me putting the radio on in the lounge he knows I am going out.

My Love For Bobby the Budgie

I have grown up with German Shepherd dogs in my life, but Bobby draws at my heart strings like no other animal has done.

I just want to always make sure Bobby is happy due to his up and down start in life with different owners very closely together. Bobby was very sad in this part of his life but since Bobby has been with me he has come out of his shell fully, but he is always guarded by me, always wanting to
be close to me.

I have to always reassure him that I am there for him, especially if I go out, as he does get a little clingy.

I keep Bobby's feather, that fell out when he was shedding his feathers, in my mum's ashes packet part, as I want to make sure that Bobby is always kept safe and happy in his life.

Bobby has accepted a few people but he is always guarded by strangers. He often stays in his cage and also shows off too!

Speech

Bobby also talks and you have to listen carefully too as he says "Bobby is a good boy" and a few others words he has noticed coming from me.

Life without Bobby would be very empty, I love him very much.

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