Jail Break

Yesterday, my worst fear came true as a bird owner. The bird got out when Rob was NOT here to catch him. I love birds, but I do not handle them and the kids have done so well with him and with not touching the cage. But accidents do and will happen!

I was finalizing some business with the Schwan man at the front door when Matthew jumped up and moved quickly past the bird cage, causing it to tip over on it's side. Bird seed and droppings flew all over the carpet and floor near the cage and the bird was flapping around like crazy. I went over to set the cage upright when the bird found an opening and flew out. The poor Schwan man was a little startled and looked like he wanted to escape as well. I was kind of hoping he was an expert bird catcher, but apparently he just wanted out :) He quickly went out the front door and I closed the big door behind him, keeping the bird contained in the living room.

The next 30 minutes really should have been on video. I wasn't planning to touch him, but I thought I might be able to coax him back into his cage by placing it on the floor with the door wide open. He was much more interested in the seed all over the ground and began to eat. Any time we got near him he would fly toward the front door. Thankfully, he pretty well kept to the living room with only one jaunt into the study. Ben shooed him out pretty quickly. I have to keep him away from my stamp stuff as 1) he eats paper and 2) my upline/boss is allergic to parakeets and any work I do for her must be kept parakeet-free.

Then I got the bright idea to have Ben try to pick him up. Ben is the bravest of my children and eagerly agreed to help out. I told him to pick up the bird as if he were trying to pick up a bubble without popping it. I certainly didn't want a squished parakeet on my hands...or between Ben's. Ben corned the bird, who was sitting on top of his cage, and actually did pick him up. Sky pecked at Ben, which caused Ben to drop him. Ben then put on his mittens and tried again...for a long time! It was pretty obvious that the bird was NOT going to let himself get caught again!

We finally tried to herd him into the cage instead. Ben pretended to try to catch him, which caused Sky to hop around the sides of his cage. Between the two of us, we got him to hop onto the inside of his door, which I quickly shut. I had already righted everything in the cage and gotten him fresh seed, so he was good to go. We put him back on his table and then proceeded to vacuum the mess from the fall.

Oh, where were Anna and Matthew at this time? Hiding together on the stairs watching the action. Anna was petrified of the bird being out, although she was very excited to tell Daddy all about it when he came home. Matthew tried once to catch the bird, but that was the extent of his help. So my Ben saved the day :)