Shelby is Molting

[Eshana]

Shelby is Molting

By Eshana

 

I awoke this afternoon to the sound of the 'Classic Alternative' station blaring out 80s hits. 'I must have fallen asleep on the couch...' I thought groggily, as one is wont to do at twenty years old. I picked myself up, rubbed the sleep from my eyes lazily, and dragged my feet to the kitchen.

After grabbing a "Toffuti Cutie" soy ice cream bar and a bottle of iced tea (the breakfast of champions), I headed to the stairs that led to the upstairs hallway. I grabbed hold of the old, wooden banister and took to walking up the steps.

As I reached the top of the stairs, I could hear my Cockatiel Shelby calling to me. The muted sound tugged at my heartstrings as I felt that usual stab of guilt; I had spent the night watching television and doing homework downstairs while my birds...my children...were left to entertain themselves.

I pushed the door to my room open and gave a look around. My floor was covered in clothing that needed to be washed, and textbooks that should be in my bookshelf. I threw my breakfast onto my bed; a broken twin mattress with a ripped pillow, covered in more textbooks and oil paints.

I shuffled through the mess on my floor to get to my cages. I gave a vague hello to my rats, who were all asleep, and then crossed the room to the birds.

Jon 'squaked' with joy to see me. His bright green feathers almost fluorescent in the sun light. Shelby was running around his cage, jumping from this perch to that, obviously anxious to get out and have a good fly around the room. I laughed and opened his cage.

That was when I saw it.

A long, thin, tail feather sitting at the bottom of Shelby's cage. I grabbed it and put it into the old ice tea powder container that I kept the rest of his feathers in. This was his second to last tail feather to molt, I reflected, counting the feathers in the container.

Shelby landed on my shoulder and have me a cheery 'Good morning' whistle. I smiled to him and took out my phone, to look at pictures. I didn't realize how much Shelby has changed.

 

Here is Shelby when I first got him:

 

and here is Shelby now:

 

After spending a few hours with Shelby and Jon, I left my room, wondering what Shelby will look like in the next few months.

[judygram]

Yes he has changed but still a pretty bird, reminds me of my tiel hopping from one perch to another when she wants out but I doubt that he will change much from now on but compare again when he is thru with another molt and see.

[MarcusCAG]

Lovely story... I always figured you for a writer. Thanks for sharing, and you know your Shelby is just gorgeous!

[Luvparrots]

Shelby is certainly a handsome fellow! Looking forward to watching him "change" with you! Great pictures!

[Eshana]

Thanks! I always find myself writing little stories about my birds. Just today another one of Shelby's tail feathers molted off and was replaced with a big black one.