This is a basket that one of Katies work friends gave to her for free. Its made from plastic bags wraped around reeds. It's so cool. Katie plans to learn the traid!!
So Lucas caught a bird and we named it Nonyane. This is an older story. Lucas ran home at lunch one day when he came upon a gathering of 5 dead birds on the ground. They were a group of immature beautiful birds. Each bird had its long tail feathers pulled out (for jewelry we are assuming). He saw the 5 one was alive and tried to catch it but it hopped throught a fench and out of his reach. He couldn’t get the though of that cruelty out of his head. So on the way back form the host family he say a 6th bird that was alive and managed to capture it. Lucas took him back to training that day and held him for the next few house until class was over then brought him home.
At first I was unsure about keeping a live bird but it soon grew on me. He never chirped. There’s a good chance he would have been eaten by all the stray dogs if Lucas had left him (the next day all the others were gone). So we made him a cozy little shoebox nest to live in. At first we thought his legs were broken because he never could stand up well. I think missing tail feathers was a balance problem. Anything that was in his box (sticks, sock, bottle cap w/ water in it) he would climb and crap all over.
Everyday after training we would check to make sure he was still alive and in the box. Each time Nonyane would pull a disappearing act and escape from his box. It took us a few minutes to find him each time too. We chose to keep out little pet a secret from our host family. I have heard stories of other trainees sharing pictures of pet cats and dogs. Its culturally very unusual to let cats and dogs (not to mention birds) inside the house, in the bed, hugging and holding them. I don’t think they pet their animals ever.
One day after school, we found him on the concrete floor near dead. Even though it was warm outside, these concrete floors stay cold. Even if I’m sweating, our host mother will make me put on shoes when I’m inside the house. Anyway, Lucas carried him around inside his shirt to bring his temperature back up while I made pizza for the host family.
He started to warm up but wasn’t going to make another night unless he ate and drank something. Lucas broke down an ink pen and used the casing as a bottle to feed Nonyane a mixture of bogobe (dry sorghum porridge) and water. He devoured it. It looked like he was going to make it just fine. Lucas decided to sleep with the bird in his sleeping bag so he wouldn’t get cold.
Lucas: I was doing great with him by my side at the start. Then I put him on my belly. Then I put him back by my side. Then I set him out away from my body but still in my bag so I could move a little bit to sleep. When I woke the next time I moved him to my belly because he felt cold. As I moved him my thoughts wondered why he felt like he did. After a bit I shined my head lamp on him and found he had died. One leg was sprawled out and his head was turned and his mouth was open. There is a good chance I squashed him…I’m just acting like it was his time to go. The next day I packed him in his box, careful not to let Katie see and put him under the bathwater pot to be cremated. Katie almost cried, I felt awful. ;(
In the middle of the night Lucas woke me up to let me know Nonyane had died =( There might be a slight chance Lucas squashed him in his sleep. We only had him a few days but I took his death kinda hard. I think somewhere there is a lesson learned but I’m not sure what it is. I think we want another bird…In loving memory of Nonyane R.I.P.
At first I was unsure about keeping a live bird but it soon grew on me. He never chirped. There’s a good chance he would have been eaten by all the stray dogs if Lucas had left him (the next day all the others were gone). So we made him a cozy little shoebox nest to live in. At first we thought his legs were broken because he never could stand up well. I think missing tail feathers was a balance problem. Anything that was in his box (sticks, sock, bottle cap w/ water in it) he would climb and crap all over.
Everyday after training we would check to make sure he was still alive and in the box. Each time Nonyane would pull a disappearing act and escape from his box. It took us a few minutes to find him each time too. We chose to keep out little pet a secret from our host family. I have heard stories of other trainees sharing pictures of pet cats and dogs. Its culturally very unusual to let cats and dogs (not to mention birds) inside the house, in the bed, hugging and holding them. I don’t think they pet their animals ever.
One day after school, we found him on the concrete floor near dead. Even though it was warm outside, these concrete floors stay cold. Even if I’m sweating, our host mother will make me put on shoes when I’m inside the house. Anyway, Lucas carried him around inside his shirt to bring his temperature back up while I made pizza for the host family.
He started to warm up but wasn’t going to make another night unless he ate and drank something. Lucas broke down an ink pen and used the casing as a bottle to feed Nonyane a mixture of bogobe (dry sorghum porridge) and water. He devoured it. It looked like he was going to make it just fine. Lucas decided to sleep with the bird in his sleeping bag so he wouldn’t get cold.
Lucas: I was doing great with him by my side at the start. Then I put him on my belly. Then I put him back by my side. Then I set him out away from my body but still in my bag so I could move a little bit to sleep. When I woke the next time I moved him to my belly because he felt cold. As I moved him my thoughts wondered why he felt like he did. After a bit I shined my head lamp on him and found he had died. One leg was sprawled out and his head was turned and his mouth was open. There is a good chance I squashed him…I’m just acting like it was his time to go. The next day I packed him in his box, careful not to let Katie see and put him under the bathwater pot to be cremated. Katie almost cried, I felt awful. ;(
In the middle of the night Lucas woke me up to let me know Nonyane had died =( There might be a slight chance Lucas squashed him in his sleep. We only had him a few days but I took his death kinda hard. I think somewhere there is a lesson learned but I’m not sure what it is. I think we want another bird…In loving memory of Nonyane R.I.P.
That's so sad. I used to think birds as pets were rediculous because I eat birds for dinner. But since we moved to the new house I have become obsessed with seeing them and hearing them when we are outside on the deck. They are so peaceful and enhance nature so much. Lucas, don't feel bad - I don't think you squashed him.
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