Homing Cubans...

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toothlessjaws
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Posts: 534
Joined: 25 Apr 2009, 09:54
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Location: melbourne

i have just returned form a business trip OS and whilst gone i received some devastating news from my housemate who was caring for my birds. some children of a friend of hers had come over and opened the aviary door (she had forgotten to lock it) and my two cubans had flown the coop.

i sent a rather terse email response and went to bed. and in the morning, after deciding to no longer punish her i logged in to send a "its not you fault" follow up email only to be shocked to discover she had caught them both the next day!

now having returned and heard the full story, it turns out the birds remained in the backyard all afternoon the day they left flittering around form tree to tree despite being chased by a whole BBQ full of people taking turns with the net. eventually it got dark and everyone gave up. however the next day my housemate awoke to discover them still in the yard, looking to get back in the aviary. with a newfound determination, she grabbed the net, coaxed them closer with mealworms and swooped and caught the cock on the aviary wire. she placed the cock inside but the hen flew into the space between the roof and internal aviary roof wire and hopped around looking down at her. so my housemate went into the aviary, unstitched the seam between two sheets of mesh and coaxed her in with a mealworm in hand. only the cock flew out again! so she stitched up the hole again went back outside and caught the cock again in the net!

quite an achievement for one who has never caught a bird in her life!

anyhow i must say im exceptionally appreciative of her devotion to the cause and was totally amazed that my cubans just wanted back in the aviary and spent a night free in my yard!

heard of free range zebs, bengals and ruddies - but homing cubans?!! should try it.
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djb78
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Posts: 1097
Joined: 26 Apr 2011, 08:11
Location: melton vic

Sounds like a happy ending to me, when you perfect the art of homing your Cubans I'll be untreated then and may ask for a few pointers on how I can teach mine but in the meantime I think mine can stay in the aviery.
Danny
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Diane
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Posts: 7402
Joined: 05 Apr 2009, 14:23
Location: Northern 'burbs of Adelaide
Location: Northern 'burbs of Adelaide

Excellent news. The catching BBQ must have been a riot! Hope someone got pics of that for you!
Diane
The difference between Genius and Stupidity is, Genius has it’s limits
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finchbreeder
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Posts: 11489
Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast

Glad your story had a happy end. Even if the process was traumatic for all concerned. And your housemate sounds like a decent sort to put that much effort into getting the cubans back home.
LML
LML
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