How Jax became my entire life <3

I worked at a pet store for 2 years before they didn't pay their taxes and were shut down. During the time they were shut down, the other employees and I would go in daily to care for the animals with the word that they would possibly reopen. Behind our cashier counter, we had bird stands where we would rotate cockateils, green cheeks, and the sun conure out to get exercise and attention. Once we closed, we were only there a few hours a day so the rotation stopped. I felt bad for the animals and slowly but surely other animals were being sold off by the dirty managers to make some money. We had no idea who they were being sold to but we did find out the rodents were sold to a guy who flipped them for snake food or sold them on craigslist.

After a while, I began to worry about the birds. I confronted the owners and they assurred me they were reopening and if for some reason they didnt then us employees would be the first to know and could help with rehoming as needed. Not satisfied, I asked the owners daughter if I could take care of the sun conure just until they reopened. She agreed and I agreed to bring him right back when the store reopened. I got a cage, food, and toys with him. A couple days after I took him out of there, the birds all disappeared. Well if course, the store never reopened and the managers finally admitted they won't. They never asked me about the sun conure.

So I named him Jackson, but call him Jax for short because I don't know if he's a boy or girl! I have had parakeets and worked with birds from finches up to cockatoos at the pet store but this is my first medium sized bird I've owned. I have to say I absolutely fell in love with him. He is amazing! I can't even imagine my life without him now. He is extremely clingy to me and won't go near my husband. I have told him he needs to just earn his respect, but my husband doesn't spend the time I do with him. I am a full time student but in and out throughout the day so Jax is out of his cage most of the day.

Jax also has a little buddy, my parakeet Ollie. They are best friends. They clean each others feathers and cuddle, and once I caught Jax with his wing around Ollie and Ollie nestled into his body sleeping. So thats a very shortened version of how I got Jax. I'm hoping to be able to share many more stories about my little guy with you all!

was hoping the forum was a bit more active as well as welcoming Have another thread I started also that hasn't gotten any attention in days. Looks like I'll be more of a lurker than a social-ist

Hi Eniala-

I too have a sun conure, she is a great bird. I am so glad to hear you were able to save Jax from what sounds like a not so good environment. I have also rescued a bird from a pet store before and that bird is now living the Florida life with my Mom. How long have you had the sun conure home? The reason I ask is that since you already have a parakeet there is a risk of disease transmission, especially since the conure came from a pet store.

Can you post pics of Jax? He/she looks beautiful!

Welcome to our wonderful forum. I really enjoyed reading your story about Jax. Good thing your were there for him. I hear so many war storiess about people selling their sunnie because of screaming. We love photos and videos.

Thank you guys for the comments Jax has been home with me since November. I love him so much! I knew very little about sun conures before I got him but have done my research and wouldn't give him up for the world! My husband doesn't like his screaming but he also isn't a big fan of Jax since Jax clings to me and wants nothing to do with hubby. I have tried to tell him to be patient and work with him but he's just not home that often. As for the screaming. Jax only screams when he wants something. I understand its his way of communicating. He used to scream as soon as you put him away at night too but he has since stopped as I suppose he got used to when bedtime was. He screams in the mornings and when I get home, but he's a great little guy. He steps right up to come out of the cage and steps up to go back in. I have a cage with a play stand on top of it which is great. He's out most of the day and tells me when he wants picked up. He gives kisses and is a big food begger.

Anyway, I am sure I will have some great stories to tell eventually about him. He has the greatest personality and I will love him for his entire life.

Sorry we didnt post, I read your post & was impressed @ how dedicated you & your fellow employees were. We have discussed pet shop employees before & obviously no one had met your crew. Welcome to forum belately & hope you will come back. Love the name Jax, I had a Razz, it just rolls off the tongue.

Eniala said:

was hoping the forum was a bit more active as well as welcoming Have another thread I started also that hasn't gotten any attention in days. Looks like I'll be more of a lurker than a social-ist

Click to expand...

Hi and welcome, this is an active forum, give it a chance. Please do keep in mind, members are from all over the world, time difference plays a big part. Many members are only able to log in after work or over weekends.

merlinsmom13 said:

Sorry we didnt post, I read your post & was impressed @ how dedicated you & your fellow employees were. We have discussed pet shop employees before & obviously no one had met your crew. Welcome to forum belately & hope you will come back. Love the name Jax, I had a Razz, it just rolls off the tongue.

Click to expand...

I originally named him Jackson but without knowing his gender I wanted to give him a nickname that could be sort of either just in case.

yeah, some of our our employees were beyond dedicated. Others cared less about the animals including the managers. It was pretty awful working there and it was to the point some of us hated it but only worked there to make sure the animals were being cared for. Long story, maybe I'll get into that another time. We had a moluccan cockatoo that was there 19 years that another employee that had been there the longest took home and he is much happier. There was also a store parakeet that was around 6 that another employee took home and I got Jax, the rest of the birds and most of the other animals were sold off wholesale.

anyway, thanks for the replies. I am always learning and never really was into birds before Jax. I had 1 parakeet about a year and a half ago that passed away after my cat got to him and now I have Jax and my parakeet Ollie and now I think I've officially become a bird person! I can't imagine not having any!

Loved your story I am glad Jax has a wonderful home now! Yet sad about the fate of the other birds hopefully all is well with them. :]
Jax is beautiful love the picture surprised that him and Ollie get along so well even with the size difference. They don't get jealous of each other at times?
-Daniella

SurrealBird said:

Loved your story I am glad Jax has a wonderful home now! Yet sad about the fate of the other birds hopefully all is well with them. :]
Jax is beautiful love the picture surprised that him and Ollie get along so well even with the size difference. They don't get jealous of each other at times?
-Daniella

Click to expand...

At the pet store, we had a huge perch behind the counter where like I said we'd rotate birds in and out. we also had a parakeet as a store pet and a moluccan cockatoo as a store pet (which sat on his own perch right next to this perch). When Jax was at the store, he climbed up to the highst point on the perch and sat by himself just as content as could be. but, he was around green cheeks (which picked on him), parakeets, and cockatiels pretty much all the time so perhaps that is how he is fine with Ollie.

I also, before I got Jax, I had a parakeet naked Skye. He lived by himself for about a year before I brought Jax home. Once I introduced them, Skye was very dominant over Jax. Jax cowered to him, even to the point when Syke was eating out of a bowl and Jax would come over, Skye would lunge at him and scare him away. yet Jax never was agressive toward Skye, he was very submissive. As the time went on, Skye would never eat fresh fruits or veggies out of a bowl but he loved to eat out of Jax's mouth. So Jax would feed Skye, and they would prune each others feathers as Ollie and Jax do now. They bonded with each other.

Unfortunately Skye had a tragic end which is how Ollie came into our lives. Jax witnessed Skye's death and became extrememyl depressed after he was gone. He was clinging to me, wouldn't let me put him on his perch, he slept inside a fleece hidey for the first time ever probably because it added some form of comfort and security for him since he was alone at night. finally when we introduced Ollie to him they slowly became best friends too. Jax had to get used to Ollie not being as dominant as Skye, He was a bit afraid o Ollie at first, its actually cute how sweet Jax is.

Anyway, enough of my stories, I just love sharing my birds with you all! Its just nice to have someone to share with since I dont have a lot of friends that are into animals. Sometime I will have to introduce you to the rest of my "zoo." I have some pretty interesting animals

What other animals do you have? I have two dogs, a cat and two bunnies

Careym13 said:

What other animals do you have? I have two dogs, a cat and two bunnies

Click to expand...

Here is a link to my new thread I started about all of my animals:

http://www.parrotforums.com/nonfeathered-pets/10267-id-like-introduce-my-zoo.html