Willow and Nutkin

[jennyb]

Nutkin and Willow are doing ok, they are about 18 weeks old now. There has been some chasing between them, sometimes they sit together. Bailey will chase if they get too near to him especially when he is eating but the heat has meant he is stretched out in the shade most of the time and less bothered with chasing. Nutkin's stripes are getting gingerish, Willow's have stayed the same as when i got her. It does help me tell the two apart as they do look similar. The picture of Willow isn't very good, she stayed in the shade and i had problems with zooming in.

[jennyb]

Some pics from today

[jennyb]

I've been away from sunday 1st until yesterday 4th so Bailey, Willow and Nutkin had not seen me for awhile. When i went in with them yesterday, Bailey was only interested in the food at first and it was only after i had changed their water bottle and come back in that he jumped on my shoulder and stored some seeds in my pocket. Willow briefly jumped on my shoulder, the first time she has really climbed on me apart from one brief climb on my lap before i left. Nutkin is the shyiest and has not climbed on me at all yet. All three looked ok. Bailey, Willow and Nutkin has a dog sized bowl now which stopped Bailey covering up all the food which he did with the rabbit bowl.

[jennyb]

A preview pic of my newest girl, i will make a thread for her soon. I've also included a couple of pics of Abigail who is keeping her company at the moment but not in the same cage.

[jennyb]

Today my newest girl Amber joined Willow, Nutkin and Bailey in their aviary, she's in her cage at the moment. I'm having a few issues with Nutkin, she is chasing Willow and Bailey around and Bailey doesn't stand for being chased/dominated and it ends up in a fight. I'm just hoping this is only because Nutkin wants to be the dominant chippie and it will settle down soon. Sometimes they all get on fine. Willow and Nutkin are now five months old and Amber is the youngest only nine weeks old so i'm hoping the different in ages isn't going to cause bullying/fighting. I took a few pics today. The two pics of Nutkin standing up i thought were very cute even though they were blurry photos.

[jennyb]

Everything is a bit tense at the moment in the aviary with Nutkin trying to establish dominance. They didn't seem to pay much attention to Amber today but do like to sit on her cage and roll on the blanket. While it was raining one of the two girls not sure which one as i was looking through the door was sitting high on the shelf so she was staying quite dry. The other two were probably getting wet as they were on the ground. There was alot of chasing. Bailey was chasing both girls as Nutkin was chasing Willow and then he started chasing both of them. I guess he's just getting abit fed up of their unsettled behaviour.

[jennyb]

Pics from yesterday

[jennyb]

New pics

Hoping to try letting one of the two back into the aviary next week. Maybe i'll start with letting one out while i'm in there so i can keep an eye on how she behaves with Amber but then return her to the cage when i leave. I will then gradually increase the time they stay together until one is hopefully living permanately with Bailey and Amber. I will then do the same process with the other one. I'm not sure which girl i will start with, i'll have a think about that.

Willow and Nutkin have been getting on much better with each other since moving into the cage together which is good.

I have a couple of pics of Abigail too.

[jennyb]

I decided to let one of the girls out of the cage. I opened the door and after a short pause Willow was the first to leave. Willow has now been left overnight with Bailey and Amber, i decided to try leaving her overnightand will then monitor things over this week and see how it goes. So far it doesn't seem letting Willow out has made things worse but not better either. I think its going to take time for all four to settle down. Willow is missing Nutkin, she kept climbing on the cage and sniffing noses with Nutkin and watching her, she does feel less confident without Nutkin.

I have a couple of Abigail eating a corn on the cob. She is looking grey now, i think she's about six years old

[jennyb]

Yesterday i let Nutkin out of the cage, things have been better with Willow, Bailey and Amber so now all four are in the aviary loose. I removed the cage today so now i will see how it goes. Its not perfect but at least an improvement from the first time all four were out loose which was a disaster really. I have three budgie boxes in the night house for them to sleep in. Willow and Nutkin sleep in the same one. I didn't see if Amber is in the hammock tonight, she has been sleeping in the hammock most nights this week but there is a box if she wants to sleep in it.

Nutkin is now the most shy out of the four. Willow, Amber and Bailey were climbing on me and taking nuts from me but Nutkin was keeping her distance. She's always been the most nervous out of Nutkin and Willow. Nutkin is missing some fur on her rump from previous fights.

[jennyb]

Todays pics

[robjacko]

They are cute! Cant wait to et minee

[jennyb]

They are cute! Cant wait to et minee

Hi Rob, thanks for visiting Nutkin and Willow 

Bet you can't wait, they are great you will love yours.

Some pics of Willow and Nutkin from today. Today they had pomergrante and tried watermelon for first time and also had some pecans in shells which Nutkin had a go at but she didn't crack it.

I have a couple of pictures of Abigail too, shes my old girl.

[robjacko]

it looks like you have a lot of chips! they are all very cute

Yepp cant wait at all lol

and is fighting not a problem at all for you?

Thank you 

[jennyb]

it looks like you have a lot of chips! they are all very cute

Yepp cant wait at all lol

and is fighting not a problem at all for you?

Thank you 

Yes i have 11 Chippies:

My Dilute family of six (four 7 month babies Ronald-Harry, Blossom, Isabella and Lottie) mum Hermione and dad Asriel
Three Agouti females - Willow and Nutkin about 7 months old and Abigail 6 years old
Two Cinnamons male and female - Bailey and Amber. Bailey is about 1 1/2 years, Amber is 4 months.

They fight all the time, most of it is chasing/dominance but i've had a few injuries - Ronald and Lottie both have had bleeding ears. The fighting is worse this time of year as they get very territorial over food, they are busy hoarding and steal from each other.