Gluongirl
New member
Hi all!
I haven't belonged to a parrot forum for many years, but love reading about
birds and their people.
I kept parakeets growing up in my native country of Sweden. Bred some for 4H projects. As a newlywed in California, I saw my first cockatiel, and fell in love. Peanut, a plain gray hen was an amazing bird. She rode to work on my shoulder ( NOT RECOMMENDED when you have to stop and pay various Bay Area bridge tolls, but she became a toll plaza favorite.) Played on the pet shop cash register all day, and only later in life abandoned me for my husband. When he accidentally left the house with her on his shoulder and she flew off never to be seen again....Well, 36 years later, I still have the husband, but I'm forever heartbroken over that bird.
Next, I foolishly, and regrettably, purchased a wild caught Bluefront ( a year or so before imports were banned) who was way above my pay grade. We went to parrot camp, parrot Sunday school, parrot behaviorists. Oh, my parrot knew everything there is to know about Amazon behavior, the problem was that I didn't! But I was willing to learn. We made incremental progress. A family event in Sweden meant boarding for Frodo, and upon my return, I found he had become absolutely smitten with one of the bird store employees, who begged me to rehome him. Who was I to argue with an Amazon in love?
Lesson learned, I later jumped at the opportunity to temporarily care for
a Blue and Gold for 18 months. What an eye opener! I LOVED that Macaw, he was sweet and helpful, a true teacher.
His most important wisdom? He taught me that I was not ready to take a
parrot into my life, yet. I know many people successfully and properly care for parrots during the most hectic periods of their lives: rearing children, working full time away from home, etc etc. It was just a path I didn't
choose. Not because I felt less dedicated, but because I felt my dedication
would somehow fall short of my intent. One day....I promised myself, that Amazon would come along...
Fast forward to 2009. As a lifelong dog groomer, I finally opened my own shop here in Las Vegas. One ordinary day at work, with the dryers
booming, the dogs barking, the radio playing, the water spraying, the phone ringing....HOLD ON! This sounds just like a flock of wild Amazons in a thunder storm!!!! The excitement! The drama! The water!
Six months later I brought home Firefly, just weaned by a local breeder. Yes, I went the baby route, based on my previous experiences. Nine years later, I am soooo in love with the Double Yellow head of my dreams! She
comes to work with me five days a week, and hasn't called in sick once in almost a decade! She greets clients, then LOUDLY tells them BYE! GO HOME!
For anyone who sticks around, she puts on an endless one-parrot big-top extravaganza of song and sermon. She's earsplitting, and on occasion, skin splitting as well. She splits my skin when I deserve it. Not in the last few years, though, because she's taught me better. I'm still her student, and I suspect I will never actually graduate Double Yellow head school. That's fine by me, because I love reading her book of spells. The home work is endless, but the occasional shiny sticker she hands out makes my day.
In her pecking order, she sits atop my husband and children, a German Shepherd and five cats. Me? She'll lay in my palm, but she's not a shoulder bird.
She's taught me better.
I haven't belonged to a parrot forum for many years, but love reading about
birds and their people.
I kept parakeets growing up in my native country of Sweden. Bred some for 4H projects. As a newlywed in California, I saw my first cockatiel, and fell in love. Peanut, a plain gray hen was an amazing bird. She rode to work on my shoulder ( NOT RECOMMENDED when you have to stop and pay various Bay Area bridge tolls, but she became a toll plaza favorite.) Played on the pet shop cash register all day, and only later in life abandoned me for my husband. When he accidentally left the house with her on his shoulder and she flew off never to be seen again....Well, 36 years later, I still have the husband, but I'm forever heartbroken over that bird.
Next, I foolishly, and regrettably, purchased a wild caught Bluefront ( a year or so before imports were banned) who was way above my pay grade. We went to parrot camp, parrot Sunday school, parrot behaviorists. Oh, my parrot knew everything there is to know about Amazon behavior, the problem was that I didn't! But I was willing to learn. We made incremental progress. A family event in Sweden meant boarding for Frodo, and upon my return, I found he had become absolutely smitten with one of the bird store employees, who begged me to rehome him. Who was I to argue with an Amazon in love?
Lesson learned, I later jumped at the opportunity to temporarily care for
a Blue and Gold for 18 months. What an eye opener! I LOVED that Macaw, he was sweet and helpful, a true teacher.
His most important wisdom? He taught me that I was not ready to take a
parrot into my life, yet. I know many people successfully and properly care for parrots during the most hectic periods of their lives: rearing children, working full time away from home, etc etc. It was just a path I didn't
choose. Not because I felt less dedicated, but because I felt my dedication
would somehow fall short of my intent. One day....I promised myself, that Amazon would come along...
Fast forward to 2009. As a lifelong dog groomer, I finally opened my own shop here in Las Vegas. One ordinary day at work, with the dryers
booming, the dogs barking, the radio playing, the water spraying, the phone ringing....HOLD ON! This sounds just like a flock of wild Amazons in a thunder storm!!!! The excitement! The drama! The water!
Six months later I brought home Firefly, just weaned by a local breeder. Yes, I went the baby route, based on my previous experiences. Nine years later, I am soooo in love with the Double Yellow head of my dreams! She
comes to work with me five days a week, and hasn't called in sick once in almost a decade! She greets clients, then LOUDLY tells them BYE! GO HOME!
For anyone who sticks around, she puts on an endless one-parrot big-top extravaganza of song and sermon. She's earsplitting, and on occasion, skin splitting as well. She splits my skin when I deserve it. Not in the last few years, though, because she's taught me better. I'm still her student, and I suspect I will never actually graduate Double Yellow head school. That's fine by me, because I love reading her book of spells. The home work is endless, but the occasional shiny sticker she hands out makes my day.
In her pecking order, she sits atop my husband and children, a German Shepherd and five cats. Me? She'll lay in my palm, but she's not a shoulder bird.
She's taught me better.
