Pet Portraits

[limr30 3]

Oh a parakeet! I had two of them. Actually, I had three, but the second one ended up going back to the pet store and replaced with a third. Loved having a bird. One day I'll probably get another one, but not until I can keep it more effectively separated from my cats

My first bird was all yellow. Macoco was her name and she had such a personality! I got a second bird to keep her company and they fought all the time (another female) so I returned her and ended up with a boy as a companion for Macoco. His name was Cosmo Brown. He was a funny little thing. I miss them :heart:

Haha, yes, it can be a task to have both cats and birds. Sweet Cheeks lives in the home studio, my cat lives everywhere else! He is an indoor/outdoor cat, and loves to hunt, so I think he gets that instinct satisfied enough outdoors to not mess too much with the bird (plus I keep the door closed).

I've had parakeets off and on since childhood. They are delightful little pets and very intelligent! But yes, if you have two they need to be the opposite sex. Parakeets tend to mate for life, unless one dies or they just don't get along, so they really enjoy companionship. Sweet Cheeks does not have a friend because I wanted him to become very tame. It's much easier to tame and train them if there are no other birds. He is quite friendly, loves to hop all over my desk and sit on my shoulder and fly around the room!

Aw, that sounds like Macoco. I had her for quite a while before I got a second bird, and part of me regretted it. She was always friendly she was more of a companion to me when she was an only bird. Because she was also very young when I got her, she started imitating my 'song' and learned to talk. And she was a fresh little thing, too. She would usually fly to my finger if I held it out and called to her, but sometimes, she'd just look at me and laugh! Literally, she would imitate my laugh while NOT flying to my finger. Brat

My favorite story of her: In college, I studied Linguistics and had a class on Phonetics. We studied the physiology and physics of sound. I did a term paper on how parakeets could mimic human speech sounds even though they had a totally different physiology than humans. My professor said I could do it, but first had to prove that the bird really could "speak" and I wasn't just hearing words where there weren't any.

I taped her a few times when she was quietly swinging and singing to herself in her cage. I made a list of 10 'words' that she 'said' and played the tape to the class. They would list the ten words they heard (if any) and we would compare. It turns out that almost everyone had most of the same words. As we were discussing this, the tape was still running. All of a sudden, Macoco went from quiet singing to a very loud, very distinct "F*** YOU!"

The whole class just froze for a second and then bust out laughing. The prof was also laughing when he said, "Okay, you've got your paper!"

 

[jenko]

Oh a parakeet! I had two of them. Actually, I had three, but the second one ended up going back to the pet store and replaced with a third. Loved having a bird. One day I'll probably get another one, but not until I can keep it more effectively separated from my cats

My first bird was all yellow. Macoco was her name and she had such a personality! I got a second bird to keep her company and they fought all the time (another female) so I returned her and ended up with a boy as a companion for Macoco. His name was Cosmo Brown. He was a funny little thing. I miss them :heart:

Haha, yes, it can be a task to have both cats and birds. Sweet Cheeks lives in the home studio, my cat lives everywhere else! He is an indoor/outdoor cat, and loves to hunt, so I think he gets that instinct satisfied enough outdoors to not mess too much with the bird (plus I keep the door closed).

I've had parakeets off and on since childhood. They are delightful little pets and very intelligent! But yes, if you have two they need to be the opposite sex. Parakeets tend to mate for life, unless one dies or they just don't get along, so they really enjoy companionship. Sweet Cheeks does not have a friend because I wanted him to become very tame. It's much easier to tame and train them if there are no other birds. He is quite friendly, loves to hop all over my desk and sit on my shoulder and fly around the room!

Aw, that sounds like Macoco. I had her for quite a while before I got a second bird, and part of me regretted it. She was always friendly she was more of a companion to me when she was an only bird. Because she was also very young when I got her, she started imitating my 'song' and learned to talk. And she was a fresh little thing, too. She would usually fly to my finger if I held it out and called to her, but sometimes, she'd just look at me and laugh! Literally, she would imitate my laugh while NOT flying to my finger. Brat

My favorite story of her: In college, I studied Linguistics and had a class on Phonetics. We studied the physiology and physics of sound. I did a term paper on how parakeets could mimic human speech sounds even though they had a totally different physiology than humans. My professor said I could do it, but first had to prove that the bird really could "speak" and I wasn't just hearing words where there weren't any.

I taped her a few times when she was quietly swinging and singing to herself in her cage. I made a list of 10 'words' that she 'said' and played the tape to the class. They would list the ten words they heard (if any) and we would compare. It turns out that almost everyone had most of the same words. As we were discussing this, the tape was still running. All of a sudden, Macoco went from quiet singing to a very loud, very distinct "F*** YOU!"

The whole class just froze for a second and then bust out laughing. The prof was also laughing when he said, "Okay, you've got your paper!"

Oh they definitely can talk! Mine is not talking yet, but he is still very young (under 6 months old). I have always caved in and bought a second bird, but this time I am going to just keep Sweet Cheeks--I've read that they are more likely to talk if there is not a second bird. It sort of sounds like he's trying to talk, but still in the very early stages. It's that first word that is most difficult. Seems once they have learned one word, the others come easier.

Too funny about the F YOU!!

Have you seen the Disco videos on Youtube? They are really cute and hilarious!

 

[limr30 3]

Love it! I hadn't seen that before. Macoco wasn't quite as clear as that, but she definitely talked. With another bird, they imitate each other, but if there's only one bird, it will think that you are 'singing' and will mimic speech. Wow, this really makes me miss having a bird! One day...

 

[jenko]

Love it! I hadn't seen that before. Macoco wasn't quite as clear as that, but she definitely talked. With another bird, they imitate each other, but if there's only one bird, it will think that you are 'singing' and will mimic speech. Wow, this really makes me miss having a bird! One day...

Yes, that is what I have read about talking too.

I didn't have a bird for a few years. My last parakeet, Shelley, had to be put to sleep. I had been itching to get another last year and finally could no longer resist.

 

[Rosy]

the 3 Amigos

Stewey - Westie (he's human)
1:

2:
Buddy; he's my brat

3:
Lucky - our rescue. think he's a Schnoodle but with LOTS of jack russel energy. He is INCREDIBLE

 

[lanyemichelle]

I have a 2 year old German Shepherd and a 4 year old Chihuahua that are both terrified of the camera. I'm not completely sure why since I don't use flash, but if I whip that baby out they hide. Watching a 105 pound German Shepherd hide from the camera is actually quite hilarious.

 

[gsgary]

One of our dogs and our horse

My friends Jack Russel

Archie when he was a pup

 

[jenko]

I bought a catnip plant yesterday, and OMG, funniest thing in the world! Beast just went bonkers over it.

 

[manny212]

Linus


DSCF6256-Edit by mannyher1, on Flickr

 

[supercool2]

These two were taken Dec 6TH. With these, she had already walked onto this rug which was on the floor in front of my backdrop. So all I did was pose her,make her sit still,and make funny noises to get her attention. When she is very relaxed, she sticks her tongue out like that,usually when she is chilling on the couch. I think its so cute when she does that. Maybe its a mommy/pet owner goggles thing, lol. <-- Taken in 2010 She was being very obedient and sat nicely for me,for this one. She loves the feel of lying in a nest of a soft blanket, so relaxes pretty quick.

More of the dog :


<-- my cat&dog together (in September) They were already lying on the couch near one another. All I did was scooch my dog closer to the cat and make funny noises to get them both looking straight at me with ears perking up. At first she was scared to be so close to the cat (I taught her to respect the cats space) ,but then relaxed when she was she realized he wasn't going to smack her or anything lol .

Taken Oct 10TH . Just like the dog he simply walked into the room where my white paper back dop was already set up,and plopped himself right on it. I moved him slightly where I wanted him, made some funny noises to get his attention and took his picture.

More of the cat:

 

[jenko]

The tongue out is super cute!

 

[supercool2]

More of the cat :



And the fish:

90 gallon live planted tank I LOVE my congo tetras


My son's roach :

Practicing with macro by turning my lens around and holding agaist camera body. Had to focus manual and hold aperture pin (whatever it's called) to manually open and let more light in while focusing.

 

[supercool2]

The tongue out is super cute!

Thank you ! She is 6yrs old and teeny, under 4lbs. On the rare occasion if she goes in public people think she is a puppy. She just turns into mush, when in our arms (as seen in my son's arms below) . The most lovable dog I've ever known. When my two year old gets in her face, she just licks him . She is very patient with him. And she has an obsession with cats . Once or twice I fostered kittens. I bottle fed kittens once and she took care of them as if they were her own babies. Slept with them, groomed&licked them all over(helped them use the bathroom like any mother animal does in the early days) and even let them dry nurse on her and she had never had puppies before. When she sees any cat (or hears one on tv) she gets all exited. I taught her to respectfully keep her distance from my adult cat though, so she wouldn't constantly be in his face. Otherwise she would and she'd end up making him mad. So she does give him space,although sometimes needs reminding, when she's happy to see him lol .

 

[supercool2]

Love how you captured the motion when he was moving/shaking his head ;-) !

I bought a catnip plant yesterday, and OMG, funniest thing in the world! Beast just went bonkers over it.

 

[supercool2]

Maybe try covering the camera with a colorful blanket (exposing the end of lens) or prop and putting a squeaky toy or treat on top ?

I have a 2 year old German Shepherd and a 4 year old Chihuahua that are both terrified of the camera. I'm not completely sure why since I don't use flash, but if I whip that baby out they hide. Watching a 105 pound German Shepherd hide from the camera is actually quite hilarious.