What a pappa goes through

[sophiemae]

When breeding is talked about it seems like the focus is always what the momma goes through in terms of her health and duties as a momma. Is she getting enough calcium? Is she worn out from raising a clutch? Is she getting enough to sustain herself throughout the whole process? The list goes on. It seems like the pappa's are hardly ever mentioned in terms of what they go through. I've watched Basil and Baxter raise two clutches and man does pappa work his little tail feathers off. It all starts on a level field. They take equal roles in mating. Then momma does the work of producing the eggs from scratch, a labor intense job in  more than just one way. Then it's pappa's turn again. From the time she mates with him until the last chick is weaned he is a busy man, not to say momma isn't busy. She plays her own role. He begins eating for himself and her once mating has commenced, then when she starts sitting on her brood only to leave for a potty break and a drink. he pops in and out checking on her, making sure she is comfy and fed well. Soon a wee little one comes to life and his job intesifies, he is now eating for three, then four and soon five and so on. He spends his days eating all he can in one sitting then feeding momma and momma feeding the babies. A little over two weeks of this goes by and things change for him again. He still eats for everyone, everyday only now momma gets a reprieve from feeding duties as he starts to feed the little ones throughout the day along side momma while still eating for everyone, momma included. Each day from then on they both get a daily reprieve and leave the nest to fly about the room and play as the babies spend time in the hands of humans getting aquainted with touch and sights and sounds of the outside world. Another week goes by and pappa is still working hard to keep everyone fed, making sure everyone is growing as they should be. Six weeks go by and things change again. Babies start leaving the nest and foraging on their own. He still feeds them throughout the day, just not as much while momma stays with those who are a little younger and haven't left her side yet. His role becomes one of teacher now, once everyone is out of the nest. The whole family now comes out with the humans to play, yet he still works hard. While babies begin to play and explore with the humans he flys down to them knowing they are ready for that first flight. What signal he gives them I have yet to discern, he then takes flight and they follow. Twisting and turning this way and that like they have been flying forever. If they land in a place he feels they should not be he once again flys down and the fly away with him as he shows them just where to land, just where to play, just where the best spots for soaking up sunlight or partaking in a treat are. He shows off his family to others and talks of just how proud he is as only a budgie can. His children are grown, his work is done or so you would think. Even after they have left home, learned how to be independant and thrive as individuals he still stops by making sure they have all they need. So let us give hugs and praise to all the pappas in the world who have worked so hard to raise their children, they need to be taken care off too. 

[Ditty]

WOW he certianly IS a busy guy.  I never knew that he ate like that to feed momma so she can feed the fabies, never thought about it, but it makes sense.

and I can't get mine off the couch

[wishforabird]

I have to remind mine to fold the towels, TOWELS! they are the easy laundry. *sigh.  I forgot where else I read it, but the daddies work overtime to feed EVERYBODY.  and they are so dead tired at the end of the day.  I always tell the daddy bird in my sparrow house outside happy fathers day. even if the neighbors think I am nuts  .

It is cool that you put the observations here Sophz, really interesting to read! 

[lorek]

Wow!!!! What An amazing post. (and just think... He creates all this drama... Stay off the ladies and he'd never have to work so hard). 

[BuffaloParrot]

 :sex:

[wishforabird]

:sex:

LOL you sure will work BECAUSE of it!! 

[steptoe91(tozie)]

wow! impressive! that is really interesting.
wishy, yours folds towels? really! wow! i'm impressed. after 16 years i finally got mine to wash his own clothes, but he didnt fold them....of course he started washing his own cause i moved! lol!
Lee was spoiled rotten. i was an at home mom for 7 years so when he got home from work he didn't even pour his own glass of tea. i got his drink, got his plate, took it to him. boy, when i went back to work he hit real culture shock! lol! but i still did for him, just not constantly cause i was at work for some of the time. <sigh>

[wishforabird]

I have to remind him to fold them, but he does it, and they are as neat as they are on the shelves of JCPenney.  he does NOT do any washing! now way, he will totally mess that up, it gets to confusing with which ones go in the dryer and which ones hang to dry; why some white stuff goes in with the darks (because it all gets washed in cold ) .......he at least seperates them according to color (we have 2 hampers), so I get it from there :) the kids fold their own laundry and put it away (after they are reminded lots, but self-sufficiency starts at home)

I take out the trash because he will forget, but he takes the cans in after they come.  If our roles were reversed, the house would fall apart. I keep thinking I need to write pages of instructions on what I do so if i get hit by a bus he will know what to do, LOL. (and lists of what goes in which cabinet and where stuff is IN the cabinets so he doesn't spend half the day looking for spare toothbrushes.)

He is spoiled, I admit. but he's not a jerk about it..as long as he doesn't "expect" me to do extra stuff for him, I don't mind.   

[steptoe91(tozie)]

before i left lee, i made him a budget, set up his finanaces. paid all his bills up to date, and bought a bunch of groceries. then even after we split, i helped him when i could, gave him money or helped him figure his budget or whatever. i never wished him any ill will. i just wanted out.
my kids have been doing their own laundry since Drew was 9. (of course, if i'm doing a load, i offer to throw something in and they do the same with me and each other) i wanted them to know how to live without me. i always tell them, if i do my job right, they will live just fine after i'm gone. they may miss me, but they wont need me. i made jess learn how to write a budget at 16 and made her stick to it for those two years she was at home. if she ran out of money, she had to just do without. as a matter of fact, i've spent the summer teaching drew how to manage money, now that he has a job. he has bills he has to pay. if he goes too long without paying his phone bill, it gets shut off, just like in real life. Jess and drew can cook, balance a budget, do laundry, sew a seam and a button... i even made jess learn how to check her oil and put oil in her car. she refused to learn how to change the oil. lol!

[wishforabird]

MOMMY AWARD FOR YOU TOZIE!