Linus

I was in the Pet Shop looking for rat things, when I saw the cage full of baby budgies. "Oh cute" I cooed, admiring them. The assistant (who knew me well) asked if I would like to hold one. It had been a year since Wesley died, and I longed to hold a tame little budgie again. The wee boy sat on my finger so trustingly, I could not put him back. So Linus was added to the menagerie of Jake, Harry and Eddie.

I kept him on his own at first, as I wanted a tame budgie to be my new Wesley. On Wednesdays he would go to visit his Nana (my Mum, who had Wednesday's off work). Within a couple of weeks he began talking. He now has a huge reportoire of words and sayings, like:

Hello darling, hello Claire, hello Nana, hello Harry
Oops, sorry!
Cup of tea?
Good boy, naughty boy, clever boy, naughty Claire
Wanna cuddle?
Oooh beautiful!
Hey dude, hey man
What you doing?
Wanna come out?
I love you darling, I love you Harry

And many more. He also copies the washing machine, my car alarm, my mother's laugh, hubby coughing and sneezing etc. When he kisses me on the lips he makes little smooching sounds.

He loves to sit on my shoulder and groom my ears and nose (ouch!).

When he was 7 months old, and Eddie had left for her foster family, I put Harry and Linus together. They bonded within a week. I was delighted that he remained as tame as ever and did not stop talking. In fact, he talks English to Harry! The make a lovely couple and I don't feel guilty leaving for work each day, like I did when they were alone.

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