Hello!

Heya!

You can call me Onion, and I'm still a relative newbie at parronting. I adopted my first parrot, my beloved Sun Conure named 'Chicken' from a rescue called PAEP, some ~3 years ago.

Sadly, Chicken passed away just this last August. He was an older bird with, as I am coming to learn, some health issues that may have been the cause of his sudden passing. Cues I wish I had known about but had always considered normal for him, as he was my first bird, and his vet checkup was all golden.

I now have another new buddy to call family; a four year old Green Cheek named Bongo, adopted on October 8th - so very new to the home, yet!

I am also owned by one tiny wingless dragon, a Leopard Gecko named Bingo, also an adoptee. She's been with me for some ~10 years now.

Myself, I'm an animal lover and an artist. I love digital painting and copic marker ink-work, and have a long-standing hobby of penpalling across the world that I've combined with a passion for calligraphy. I also volunteer at PAEP on most Sundays, and get to go enjoy cleaning cages and getting squawked at.

I travel somewhat frequently, as I've grown up as a historical reenactor for Rendezvous - late 1700's to early 1800's Fur Trade Era reenactment in North America. Chicken was a fond lover of travel, and frequently attended events with me.

So, hello! A long-winded introduction, I like to chatter just as much as my birds do ;P

:57:

Hello Onion & welcome!
I am so sorry for your loss of Chicken. It hurts so much when they pass

Congratulations on your new family member Bongo! I'd love to see pictures!
I'm so happy you joined the PF family.

Welcome to you, Bongo and Bingo . Lots of great info and people here... we love pictures so hope you’ll share some!

Hello, I was just reading you other post about Bongo
Lovely pictures!
Welcome here!
(cannot speak for anyone but myself, but I love the chatter / and to chatter / so plze...go ahead!! )

Welcome! I just wrote a really "long-winded" reply to your other post. YAY lengthy posters! lol
So sorry to hear about Chicken...

Welcome! We are so excited to have you and your new feather buddy with us!


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Thanks for the warm welcome! And buwhhahaa, I just got done reading and re-reading it, Noodles - thanks again! Now I'm busy stalking your forum posts for more info on those ABC charts you mentioned ;D

Some photos, as requested:


I think this was the second year I had Chicken. My mother found a chicken-themed onsie at a store and we couldn't leave without it xD

Chicken's reaction to seeing me in it for the first time was hilarious. There was much confused squawking and chirping to be had.

He was a surprisingly very steady and laid-back bird, especially with what I have read of the typical Sun Conure. Very little phased him, and he took the introduction of NEW and GENERALLY SCARY things in great strides. New toys, new places, generally didn't spook him. He seemed to thrive off the introduction of new oddities in his life, and I think that's what made him be so well-suited to traveling with me.

He even loved camping!

Speaking of - Noodles, I heard about you harness training with an older bird. Don't give up! I think you're on the right track. Chicken was about 13-14 before he ever even saw one. I never did fully harness train him, but he did successfully and willingly wear it twice before he decided he didn't mind it going ON.... but the taking it off was upsetting, for the aviator harness pulls up on the neck feathers to slip it off. You never know - they may one day grow accustomed to it <3


One of my earlier and favorite photos with Chicken. We were staying at a friend's house, and he was in his travel cage right next to my guest bed. Woke up, got birb from cage, had birb on shoulder - and boom, selfie time xD

Bongo's spotlight time!


She was trying out snuggling up inside my hoodie's hood, then after a while decided she needed to be ontop of my head. She got this far and decided to hang out like that for a few minutes, before finishing her journey.


A sassy Green Cheek

My deepest condolences for your loss of Chicken. His love and deep bond will help as you welcome Bongo into your heart.

He taught me a lot about working around birds, and my experiences with him have proved to be very helpful in interacting with Bongo <3

Chicken was a very skilled biter by the time he came into my life, he gave me plenty of practice for learning to ignore even very painful bites and how to react!

It's made me quicker to recognize the warning signs in Bongo - she hasn't been very nippy, but there have been a few times now, and so far its been very manageable to turn it into a more positive situation without encouraging the behavior. (or so I hope, at least!)

Welcome to you!