First time Parrot owner

Hi everyone! I've been a lurker for almost a year and am finally joining. I'm a recent first-time parrot owner, or guardian (as people here say, which I love!).

I grew up with a cockatiel, budgies, quaker and cherry-headed conure (though the cherry-head, now 21, is only a one-person bird and when my grandfather died, he tolerates my grandmother but is mostly cagebound...but I'm working on that). Though I'm new to owning a parrot, I've read about them over the years and have the pleasure of interacting with them at work. I have a 4 year old cockatiel, Lucy, who I adopted a year ago from a petstore where someone dropped her off. She is very sweet and cuddly with just the right amount of sass thrown in. She is flighted.

About 3 weeks ago I finally took the parrot plunge with a male Solomon Island Eclectus. I rehomed him from someone in the area who was unable to keep him anymore due to traveling for work. His name is Matisse, he's 3 years old, and he is a little comedian. He has spoiled me by being just about perfect, and I spoil him back. He is very gentle and friendly...it's like he knows I'm new to this and is breaking me in nice and slow lol. I seriously could not have asked for a more wonderful little boy.

Other than the birdies, I have a 10 year old Leopard Gecko named Snoopy, who I raised from a baby. I'd love to have a nice little flock one day of a mix of different personalities and species. Next on my wishlist is a female SI Eclectus, rose-breasted cockatoo or African Grey, and if I can get my confidence up, a greenwing Macaw. For now though I just want to enjoy the babies I have and share and learn on this amazing forum.

Photos of my pookies:

Matisse and Lucy (aka Matucy) after a shower










Also, I am SO sorry if these pics are huge. Ever since PhotoBucket started using Pixlr editor it seems not to resize them even if I edit them. What do you all use to upload your photos? **edit** nevermind! It seems it was auto-sized, cool!

Hi and welcome to the forum! Hope you have a wonderful time here! Matisse and Lucy is so adorable! Looking forward to see more photos of them!

and welcome to the forum

Lovely pics.

Welcome to the forum, glad you finally joined in. Thanks for the pics, good looking birdies.

Hello and welcome to the forum. Very nice pictures ,thanks for sharing.

Thanks everyone. I am so excited to be able to participate!

BEAUTIFUL babies!! Thanks so much for the photos, I really enjoyed them. Welcome to the forum!

Welcome to the forum!


You know, cockatiels are parrots, too!!! I was looking at Lucy, and she appears yellower than normal. Her body color appears normal, but her wing patch should be white, not yellow, which could be a sign of organ failure. I hope it's just me and she really is healthy, cause she's cute!


I'm sorry to hear about your grandfathers cherry head (now your grandmothers). They are my favorite conure species (that I've owned, limited to two!) and I miss having one!


Anyway, great photos! Thank you so much for sharing them!

What cute birdies!

Welcome to the forum
Great pic's awesome birds

Thank you everyone for such a warm welcome!

MonicaMC, thank you so much for your comment. She's always had a little bit of yellow on her wings since I got her a year ago, but (and it could be my imagination) it may have gotten more yellow. She had a well-being checkup a couple months ago as a requirement from a breeder for me to bring her in when I was thinking of getting a second cockatiel; however it was just an evaluation, no tests. She got the ok, but I was told she was slightly overweight, so that concerns me more about your comment.

Matisse is due for a checkup so I'm going bring both of them in next week and have them do some blood-work on her (she's never had it done before since I adopted her a year ago). Thank you again, I hope if there's a problem it's caught early enough, I'd be so sad to lose my little Lulu. She really is my little feathery bundle of joy.

Ooh, your birds look so happy together and what a beautiful view they have from that sun-room. Thanks for sharing your pics.

Welcome to the forum! Beautiful birds you've got there!!! There's only one thing I want to mention, since your Cockatiel is flighted, beware of that plant you have by the window in that same picture with the Cockatiel, it is a poisonous plant(it has a milky sap), be sure they don't chew on it as Cockatiels have the tendency to chew on things. A lot of house plants are poisonous to birds, just be aware!

I hope the vet visit gives her the all clear with blood work! I've adopted several birds. With the exception of two, I don't think any of them have been to a vet. They are cheap, "throw-away" birds, for the most part, so often not "worth" the vet visit. A couple of them have had health problems that could only be found out for sure via a vet check. Even if a bird can check out healthy physically, blood work can tell another story.

Keep us updated! I'm just hoping it's my imagination! If not, then whatever she has can easily be treated! (I'm leaning towards possible liver problems... obesity and yellow feathers are a sign, as well as yellow in the droppings - easy to treat with milk thistle, but may end up being a life-long supplement). I don't mean to scare you, but a peace of mind is priceless!