Fridolin - a special peacock
From the perspective of an Aiderbichler
(written by Gisela Pschenitschnig)
A woman turned to Gut Aiderbichl’s animal emergency centre for help. In December last year, she had lost a beautiful peacock. The owners of the peacock lived about 5 kilometres from where Fridolin was found. As it turned out, Fridolin was practically a child of divorce. Fridolin was offered for sale in an advert on Ebay. The owner was told to take care of her Fridolin and pick him up.
Fridolin did not want to be caught
One day, the owner came with her new partner and wanted to catch Fridolin. Fridolin fled to the roof and made it clear that he was staying where he was. Snowballs were thrown at Fridolin, but this didn’t impress him and he stayed where he was: on the roof.
It was clear to the owners that they didn’t want Fridolin with people who didn’t want him. After negotiations with the original owner, a donation contract was drawn up and Fridolin was allowed to stay with his new owners for the time being. He did not want to return to the place where he had lived for three years.
The new garden resident was now Fridolin the peacock
Fridolin slept in the spruce tree in front of the house and liked to walk to the patio door. Fridolin didn’t like the deep snow. He liked to wander around the garden behind the house, only to look through the patio door at his new humans again at some point.
The best food was bought for Fridolin and he was doing well. He calmed down and was very relaxed and content in the garden or sitting on his spruce tree.
Fridolin should have conspecifics around him
There was a farm where Fridolin had lived before he escaped, and he could roam freely in the forest. An enclosure where he could not move freely would not have been an option for a species-appropriate home.
Fridolin was described as gentle and loving to Gut Aiderbichl’s animal rescue organisation, and he was taken in. Our peacocks Ferrari and Paun tell him a few more secrets every day about the life of a peacock at Gut Aiderbichl.
Don't let them get you down, they're cheeky and wild and wonderful!
~Astrid Lindgren
Fridolin has plenty of freedom and is very curious to get to know his new surroundings. Horses, ponies, cattle, pigs, chickens, rabbits, donkeys …. there’s lots to explore.
Sincerely, Your Gisela
