Chilli & Pepper

I'm excited to say that Little Beaks has welcomed a new species to the family - a pair of kakarikis! These New Zealand natives are absolutely fascinating and really beautiful, from the sounds they make to the way they move.

They're from another Gumtree ad - being sold as a breeding pair as they aren't tame as the people were hoping. However, sadly that's so common that it usually doesn't grab my attention so much (and particularly as this is a species we haven't had before). It was the photos and the enclosure that made me look twice - even those weren't the worst I've seen but something made me message.

When I went to see them, they were in their cage in a very dark room (no windows that I could see, and no working lights), with a couple of other cages around them, which I saw in the torch light. Unsurprisingly, they've been on a seed diet.

The price wasn't negotiable, but I wasn't going to leave them.

Having them outside for the first time was clearly quite a shock for them. They were nervous and flighty, and initially had a bit of trouble balancing. The guy in this video has been enjoying foraging and exploring a bit more, though still hasn't ventured into the sunny spots, preferring this more sheltered area.