Flip
New member
I worked in a pet shop about 20 years ago in my early 20’s (did you do the math?). I was a “fish guy” then, African Cichlids. While I was there, another guy started working there who was really into birds. He taught me how to tame cockatiels. After I tamed and sold a few dozen cockatiels, I was ready for a challenge. THE CHALLENGE….Bobby.
Bobby was a cherry headed conure, I think. When I started working there Bobby was a savage entity that lived in the corner of the animal room that we fed and watered. Knowing little about birds then, and much more now, I see why the events unfolded the way they did. Bobby had very few feathers and would attack anything that got near or in his cage. Having great success with cockatiels, I got it in my head to tame the savage Bobby.
It was a slow process that took months. I let Bobby attack me several times. Kept talking to him. Clipped his beak and toenails and the few flight feather he still had. I gained his trust (or he realized I was stubborn and wasn’t going away). By the end of the process, Bobby had all this feathers back (he was gorgeous) and would spend the days I was working perched on my shoulder, nearly the whole shift. I also had him performing simple tricks. When I wasn’t at the pet shop, we got it to the point where Bobby would hang out uncaged by the register and socialize with the staff and customers. I did everything right without totally knowing what I was supposed to be doing.
The worst part of this was the day I walked into the store to see Bobby’s empty perch, casually asked, “Where’s Bob?”, and was reluctantly told that he was sold earlier that day. I needed a few moments. I was devastated. I was not in a place in my life where having my own bird would have been prudent. Bobby had been an angry occupant of the pet shop for nearly 4 years; it took me a few months to make him desirable. Side note, I think he sold for $69 back then.
Fast forward to summer of 2013 and a family trip to Florida to visit friends. They had a green cheek conure and my wife was astounded by two things. First, how easily and naturally I interacted with the bird. I had just met Bird (that was his name) and I had him swinging upside down, cradling him in my hands and literally eating out of the palm of my hand. The family that we were staying with noted that he’s generally unfriendly with everyone except their teenage daughter. The second thing that amazed my wife was the bird’s “personality”. She had never been exposed to a bird’s need to be a part of the action, its playfulness, and the little “attitude”.
Though we’re a family ripe for a family pet, because of allergies, we can’t have a dog or a cat, but that didn’t stop me from being uber-surprised when, a few weeks later, my wife said, “You should get a bird.” She only had to say it once. Now I’m awaiting the arrival of Flip from a local breeder (and member of this forum). He’s a pineapple GCC and has been royally outfitted with a great cage and better parrot stand. He’ll be fully weaned this weekend and be home nearly immediately after (once this obnoxious snow storm comes and goes).
Bobby was a cherry headed conure, I think. When I started working there Bobby was a savage entity that lived in the corner of the animal room that we fed and watered. Knowing little about birds then, and much more now, I see why the events unfolded the way they did. Bobby had very few feathers and would attack anything that got near or in his cage. Having great success with cockatiels, I got it in my head to tame the savage Bobby.
It was a slow process that took months. I let Bobby attack me several times. Kept talking to him. Clipped his beak and toenails and the few flight feather he still had. I gained his trust (or he realized I was stubborn and wasn’t going away). By the end of the process, Bobby had all this feathers back (he was gorgeous) and would spend the days I was working perched on my shoulder, nearly the whole shift. I also had him performing simple tricks. When I wasn’t at the pet shop, we got it to the point where Bobby would hang out uncaged by the register and socialize with the staff and customers. I did everything right without totally knowing what I was supposed to be doing.
The worst part of this was the day I walked into the store to see Bobby’s empty perch, casually asked, “Where’s Bob?”, and was reluctantly told that he was sold earlier that day. I needed a few moments. I was devastated. I was not in a place in my life where having my own bird would have been prudent. Bobby had been an angry occupant of the pet shop for nearly 4 years; it took me a few months to make him desirable. Side note, I think he sold for $69 back then.
Fast forward to summer of 2013 and a family trip to Florida to visit friends. They had a green cheek conure and my wife was astounded by two things. First, how easily and naturally I interacted with the bird. I had just met Bird (that was his name) and I had him swinging upside down, cradling him in my hands and literally eating out of the palm of my hand. The family that we were staying with noted that he’s generally unfriendly with everyone except their teenage daughter. The second thing that amazed my wife was the bird’s “personality”. She had never been exposed to a bird’s need to be a part of the action, its playfulness, and the little “attitude”.
Though we’re a family ripe for a family pet, because of allergies, we can’t have a dog or a cat, but that didn’t stop me from being uber-surprised when, a few weeks later, my wife said, “You should get a bird.” She only had to say it once. Now I’m awaiting the arrival of Flip from a local breeder (and member of this forum). He’s a pineapple GCC and has been royally outfitted with a great cage and better parrot stand. He’ll be fully weaned this weekend and be home nearly immediately after (once this obnoxious snow storm comes and goes).
So excited for you about Flip! Can't wait to see pics and hear all about him once he arrives (hopefully the snow will end soon!)
