Hi everyone,
My name is Emily, I am 17 years old and from New Jersey. About two years ago I found myself wanting another bird, my family had had a parakeet years earlier who had since passed away. I was too young when we first had Allie to really appreciate how special she was, but toward the end of her life, she really grew on me. She had always been my father's bird, but as she became ill I really started to form a connection with her. I was about nine when things really started to get bad, she had cancer and other complications, she started falling off of her perches. I would take her out while doing my homework, only to eventually cup my hands around her and keep her warm, leaving much homework undone. Her cage had migrated right next to my bed so I could help her when she needed it, soon, that fateful day came when I had to find her, devoid of life and still so fragile.
Fast forward a few years and my family got a cat, Marti, when I was 10 or 11. She is a Siberian cat and a true cat in every way. Permission to pet must be granted, and all food is hers, including baked goods.
Now for the bird. It was the spring of my freshman year of high school, putting me at 15, I had convinced my parents to take me to a bird shop to "look." (This was World of Birds for those of you who are curious) I wanted to see their baby parrotlets, the green ones looked like peas to me and I find that hilariously amazing and somehow alluring. But a twist of fate landed me in a back room of the store with a 6-7 month old cockatiel nestled into my shirt. She had been bought by an older couple who when one suddenly past away, the other brought the bird back. The store doesn't take returns but in this case they allowed for it. She's a beautiful bird, one of the employees told me she had been passed up by many because she wasn't a true baby, if no one took her the worker was considering making her a breeder. I looked at my parents, then looked at this small and trusting creature shoving itself under my hand, demanding to be pet. My parents crumbled. The only comfort my father took in this was that since she was an "older" bird she now was a "discount" bird, as if that were somehow possible. I would have payed many times over what they asked even at that time. The store popped her into a cardboard box, stuck some holes in it, and sent us on our way. I was told that bonding may take some time, as she had been torn from her first owners and then sat in a cage for a few weeks, but this turned out to be less than a problem.
I brought her home, and popped her in the cage I had already set up in my room. I watched her for hours. Then, over the next few days, admittedly, I broke all of the rules. As she watched me sit in my chair, she cheeped at me, asking to come out, and out she did come.
One night over dinner, I posed the question of a name. Being in freshman English at the time, I was reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I jokingly suggested a name, it went over well. This is how I ended up with Scout the cockatiel.
Some of the challenges I've faced with Scout is her fear and distrust of things, like toys and non-pellet food. It will take her about 3 months to dare touch a new toy I've placed in her cage and will only eat fruits and vegetables if she sees me eating them.
She is also a hardcore velcro bird. Some people clip their birds wings to have them be more dependent on their owner, not fly around, not cause trouble in the blinds, and not find entertainment elsewhere. Scout having her flight feathers allows her to be anything but independent. I place her on a perch, she flaps to my head, on a chair then to my head, another person then to my head, if she sees me walking away then to my head. She can't bear to be alone.
She's gotten to be a great manipulator. She can tell who's passing the room by their footsteps and can adjust the pitifulness of her call to appropriately tug on their heartstrings. She usually gets her way and is riding around the house on my shoulder in no time.
One of my fears for the future is for when I go to college. I plan to spent the first semester without her and see how she manages. If she doesn't do well, I will approach the school with a desperate plea, and if all else fails, there will be a grand bird smuggling.
Our family's last addition was adopting a dog at the beginning of my sophomore year of high school, an Australian Cattle Dog named Frannie, who is about the same age as Scout and is another love of my life.
Next year I'll be a senior in high school and I couldn't be happier with that. I play on my schools track and field team as a thrower, specializing in the javelin throw. I also spend a lot of my time longboarding and hanging out with my friends. My hobbies include anything to do with my animals, photography, music, fashion, and hiking or running in the woods.
Favorite color: green
Dream job: fashion buyer, lotto winner
Current job: working for my mommy
selling vintage clothes on Etsy
Hidden talent: wiggling my tongue like no one else (trust me, it's a talent)
Favorite store: Goodwill
Where I'm looking to go to college: Bryn Mawr, Franklin & Marshall, Dickinson
Inspiration: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, my grandmother
Favorite topic of discussion: women's rights, animals, body modifications
Pet peeves: men's rights, judgmental people, people who say Chanel No 5 smells like old lady, kitten heels, etc
Topics I can't think of: many
I've written this whole life story now because in a few days I'll be going away for maybe 3 weeks (depending on how many crews there are) to do trail work (maintenance and repair) on the Appalachian Trail. Meaning no internet and no shower. I knew if I didn't do this now, I may never get around to it. So I might as well FULLY introduce myself now and get this over with.
I hope I haven't wasted too much of your time!
Emily
(oh my gosh this got so long, and I just realized typing this bit isn't helping)
My name is Emily, I am 17 years old and from New Jersey. About two years ago I found myself wanting another bird, my family had had a parakeet years earlier who had since passed away. I was too young when we first had Allie to really appreciate how special she was, but toward the end of her life, she really grew on me. She had always been my father's bird, but as she became ill I really started to form a connection with her. I was about nine when things really started to get bad, she had cancer and other complications, she started falling off of her perches. I would take her out while doing my homework, only to eventually cup my hands around her and keep her warm, leaving much homework undone. Her cage had migrated right next to my bed so I could help her when she needed it, soon, that fateful day came when I had to find her, devoid of life and still so fragile.
Fast forward a few years and my family got a cat, Marti, when I was 10 or 11. She is a Siberian cat and a true cat in every way. Permission to pet must be granted, and all food is hers, including baked goods.
Now for the bird. It was the spring of my freshman year of high school, putting me at 15, I had convinced my parents to take me to a bird shop to "look." (This was World of Birds for those of you who are curious) I wanted to see their baby parrotlets, the green ones looked like peas to me and I find that hilariously amazing and somehow alluring. But a twist of fate landed me in a back room of the store with a 6-7 month old cockatiel nestled into my shirt. She had been bought by an older couple who when one suddenly past away, the other brought the bird back. The store doesn't take returns but in this case they allowed for it. She's a beautiful bird, one of the employees told me she had been passed up by many because she wasn't a true baby, if no one took her the worker was considering making her a breeder. I looked at my parents, then looked at this small and trusting creature shoving itself under my hand, demanding to be pet. My parents crumbled. The only comfort my father took in this was that since she was an "older" bird she now was a "discount" bird, as if that were somehow possible. I would have payed many times over what they asked even at that time. The store popped her into a cardboard box, stuck some holes in it, and sent us on our way. I was told that bonding may take some time, as she had been torn from her first owners and then sat in a cage for a few weeks, but this turned out to be less than a problem.
I brought her home, and popped her in the cage I had already set up in my room. I watched her for hours. Then, over the next few days, admittedly, I broke all of the rules. As she watched me sit in my chair, she cheeped at me, asking to come out, and out she did come.
One night over dinner, I posed the question of a name. Being in freshman English at the time, I was reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I jokingly suggested a name, it went over well. This is how I ended up with Scout the cockatiel.
Some of the challenges I've faced with Scout is her fear and distrust of things, like toys and non-pellet food. It will take her about 3 months to dare touch a new toy I've placed in her cage and will only eat fruits and vegetables if she sees me eating them.
She is also a hardcore velcro bird. Some people clip their birds wings to have them be more dependent on their owner, not fly around, not cause trouble in the blinds, and not find entertainment elsewhere. Scout having her flight feathers allows her to be anything but independent. I place her on a perch, she flaps to my head, on a chair then to my head, another person then to my head, if she sees me walking away then to my head. She can't bear to be alone.
She's gotten to be a great manipulator. She can tell who's passing the room by their footsteps and can adjust the pitifulness of her call to appropriately tug on their heartstrings. She usually gets her way and is riding around the house on my shoulder in no time.
One of my fears for the future is for when I go to college. I plan to spent the first semester without her and see how she manages. If she doesn't do well, I will approach the school with a desperate plea, and if all else fails, there will be a grand bird smuggling.
Our family's last addition was adopting a dog at the beginning of my sophomore year of high school, an Australian Cattle Dog named Frannie, who is about the same age as Scout and is another love of my life.
Next year I'll be a senior in high school and I couldn't be happier with that. I play on my schools track and field team as a thrower, specializing in the javelin throw. I also spend a lot of my time longboarding and hanging out with my friends. My hobbies include anything to do with my animals, photography, music, fashion, and hiking or running in the woods.
Favorite color: green
Dream job: fashion buyer, lotto winner
Current job: working for my mommy
selling vintage clothes on EtsyHidden talent: wiggling my tongue like no one else (trust me, it's a talent)
Favorite store: Goodwill
Where I'm looking to go to college: Bryn Mawr, Franklin & Marshall, Dickinson
Inspiration: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, my grandmother
Favorite topic of discussion: women's rights, animals, body modifications
Pet peeves: men's rights, judgmental people, people who say Chanel No 5 smells like old lady, kitten heels, etc
Topics I can't think of: many
I've written this whole life story now because in a few days I'll be going away for maybe 3 weeks (depending on how many crews there are) to do trail work (maintenance and repair) on the Appalachian Trail. Meaning no internet and no shower. I knew if I didn't do this now, I may never get around to it. So I might as well FULLY introduce myself now and get this over with.
I hope I haven't wasted too much of your time!
Emily
(oh my gosh this got so long, and I just realized typing this bit isn't helping)
