My pet Peacock
Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:36 am
On the 16th December I sat at my desk having a late night conversation with a friend. Imagine my surprise when, at 2am, a beautiful peacock started fluttering around, having appeared as if from nowhere!
Outside it was about -2oC and my bedroom windows had been closed all evening. Where it came from I have no idea; I presume it may have come in on our logs or had been hibernating somewhere in my room?
After recovering myself from my initial surprise and delight, I took action, unwilling to let it continue to flap around. I trapped her(?) using a sieve and transfered her to a large box into which I put a sliced apple and some water mixed with a few grains of sugar.
She settled down and in the morning I found her, wings folded, sitting vertically on the side of the box.
She didn't move at all for the next few days. Days became weeks, the Christmas tree went up, came down, etc .. During the festive period I simply left her in the box.
On January 6th I took down the tree and found the box and butterfly which I had completely forgotton about.
She was exactly where she had been the day after I found her; sitting vertically on the side of the box.
Presuming her dead I took the box downstairs and left it in the conservatory with the intention of putting the butterfly in the garden and the box in recycling.
Imagine my surprise when my parents informed me there was a butterfly flying around the conservatory. She was absolutely fine!
It's now the 27th of January and as of this morning she was hanging from the roof of the conservatory. We leave a saucer of sugary water out for her and sometimes she settles by the window in the sun and spreads her wings.
I've also taken to feeding her water from my finger, she extends her probiscus and sort of licks it off.
We always have fresh flowers around which she seems to appreciate.
Now, to be honest, I feel bad that she's inside, however given the heavy frost and the cold lately I'm unwilling to throw it out into the cold. I've done a bit of Reading around (that's how I came accross this forum) and I understand that to find one so late in the season is fairly unusual.
I thought I'd share this story and ask if there's anything I can do to to improve
My peacock's situation? Is it unusual for this time of year? Do they normally live this long?
I have some lovely photos which I'll post up later.
Sam
Outside it was about -2oC and my bedroom windows had been closed all evening. Where it came from I have no idea; I presume it may have come in on our logs or had been hibernating somewhere in my room?
After recovering myself from my initial surprise and delight, I took action, unwilling to let it continue to flap around. I trapped her(?) using a sieve and transfered her to a large box into which I put a sliced apple and some water mixed with a few grains of sugar.
She settled down and in the morning I found her, wings folded, sitting vertically on the side of the box.
She didn't move at all for the next few days. Days became weeks, the Christmas tree went up, came down, etc .. During the festive period I simply left her in the box.
On January 6th I took down the tree and found the box and butterfly which I had completely forgotton about.
She was exactly where she had been the day after I found her; sitting vertically on the side of the box.
Presuming her dead I took the box downstairs and left it in the conservatory with the intention of putting the butterfly in the garden and the box in recycling.
Imagine my surprise when my parents informed me there was a butterfly flying around the conservatory. She was absolutely fine!
It's now the 27th of January and as of this morning she was hanging from the roof of the conservatory. We leave a saucer of sugary water out for her and sometimes she settles by the window in the sun and spreads her wings.
I've also taken to feeding her water from my finger, she extends her probiscus and sort of licks it off.
We always have fresh flowers around which she seems to appreciate.
Now, to be honest, I feel bad that she's inside, however given the heavy frost and the cold lately I'm unwilling to throw it out into the cold. I've done a bit of Reading around (that's how I came accross this forum) and I understand that to find one so late in the season is fairly unusual.
I thought I'd share this story and ask if there's anything I can do to to improve
My peacock's situation? Is it unusual for this time of year? Do they normally live this long?
I have some lovely photos which I'll post up later.
Sam