I told my wife NO... but she never listens to me!

18tillidie

Member
Sep 19, 2022
7
28
Los Angeles, CA
Parrots
Green Winged Macaw, Sun Conure
Hi,
I'm new to the forum, so here's a little background. My wife fondly remembered visiting my parents in Australia (they have now both passed on), and they each had a long billed corella. Dad's bird was totally attached to him, and mum's to her. It was pretty comical at times. They also have a variety of other birds... parakeets, love birds, quail; but the two long billed corella had free reign of the house, and were part of the family.
Fast forward 10 years or so... my wife started muttering about buying a parrot... I said NO. We travel a bit, and don't need the complication in our lives. Birds require constant attention, and I don't think she quite got how much.
Anyhow, she turned up one day with a young Sun Conure! OK, I lost. And yes, of course it's cute and affectionate, and who do you think it boded with!
A couple of months later, the muttering started again... I said NO. So then she turned up with a baby Green Winged Macaw! And I thought the Sun Conure was an over reach!
Manissa, the Sun Conure was a few months old when she(?) came home, but Debit, the Macaw was only just out of the nest, so he(?) was a big head and a bundle of down! What was she thinking!!!
Fast forward again three months or so, and Debit is now fully feathered and flighted, and the boss of the house. He spends most of the time out of the cage... he really only goes in his cage (reluctantly) when we are out for any length of time. Manissa's cage door is always open, but she is happy in their much of the time unless I'm sitting watching TV.
Of course, who do you think Debit bonded with as well! My work colleagues are now used to seeing him sitting on my shoulder during video calls. I have to close my study door if I need to keep him out for calls where a parrot on the shoulder is not appropriate. I strung heavy manila ropes across the living room and flies from rope to rope, then into the kitchen where he sits on top of the fridge, then to his tree perch where his food and water bowls live.
Potty training is going slowly, but it is progressing in the right direction... fortunately we have hard floors everywhere.
Yes, they have now totally taken over our lives (as I warned), but we love them both. They are both super affectionate. We only have one friend that Debit doesn't like, which is the only person he has actually seriously grabbed onto. He will sit on my shoulder and stick his tongue in my ear but he never bites down, he only nibbles.
Plenty of other stories for another time!
 

LaManuka

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Hi,
I'm new to the forum, so here's a little background. My wife fondly remembered visiting my parents in Australia (they have now both passed on), and they each had a long billed corella. Dad's bird was totally attached to him, and mum's to her. It was pretty comical at times. They also have a variety of other birds... parakeets, love birds, quail; but the two long billed corella had free reign of the house, and were part of the family.
Fast forward 10 years or so... my wife started muttering about buying a parrot... I said NO. We travel a bit, and don't need the complication in our lives. Birds require constant attention, and I don't think she quite got how much.
Anyhow, she turned up one day with a young Sun Conure! OK, I lost. And yes, of course it's cute and affectionate, and who do you think it boded with!
A couple of months later, the muttering started again... I said NO. So then she turned up with a baby Green Winged Macaw! And I thought the Sun Conure was an over reach!
Manissa, the Sun Conure was a few months old when she(?) came home, but Debit, the Macaw was only just out of the nest, so he(?) was a big head and a bundle of down! What was she thinking!!!
Fast forward again three months or so, and Debit is now fully feathered and flighted, and the boss of the house. He spends most of the time out of the cage... he really only goes in his cage (reluctantly) when we are out for any length of time. Manissa's cage door is always open, but she is happy in their much of the time unless I'm sitting watching TV.
Of course, who do you think Debit bonded with as well! My work colleagues are now used to seeing him sitting on my shoulder during video calls. I have to close my study door if I need to keep him out for calls where a parrot on the shoulder is not appropriate. I strung heavy manila ropes across the living room and flies from rope to rope, then into the kitchen where he sits on top of the fridge, then to his tree perch where his food and water bowls live.
Potty training is going slowly, but it is progressing in the right direction... fortunately we have hard floors everywhere.
Yes, they have now totally taken over our lives (as I warned), but we love them both. They are both super affectionate. We only have one friend that Debit doesn't like, which is the only person he has actually seriously grabbed onto. He will sit on my shoulder and stick his tongue in my ear but he never bites down, he only nibbles.
Plenty of other stories for another time!

Welcome to the forums to you @18tillidie, your wife and flock and hello from sunny Brisbane, Australia! You mention visiting your parents over here, are you an Aussie expat in California?

My hubby is also the "chosen one" here in our house, whereas I was the one who has always had birds, and being a stay-at-home bird mum these days, I'm the one who spends the most time with them. Hubby walks in from work and they all flock over to him like some kind of birdie god has just entered the room and suddenly I am nothing more than chopped liver - typical :rolleyes:

Looking forward to more of your stories, and pictures too if you've got 'em!
 
May 2, 2021
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Vermont, USA
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Stormy(M): blue Australian budgie
Picasso(F): green Australian budgie
Apollo(F): sky blue dominant pied Australian budgie
Random piece of fun fact for you: Budgies/parakeets and lovebirds are actually parrots! They aren't even the smallest species either.
 
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18tillidie

18tillidie

Member
Sep 19, 2022
7
28
Los Angeles, CA
Parrots
Green Winged Macaw, Sun Conure
  • Thread Starter
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  • #4
Welcome to the forums to you @18tillidie, your wife and flock and hello from sunny Brisbane, Australia! You mention visiting your parents over here, are you an Aussie expat in California?

My hubby is also the "chosen one" here in our house, whereas I was the one who has always had birds, and being a stay-at-home bird mum these days, I'm the one who spends the most time with them. Hubby walks in from work and they all flock over to him like some kind of birdie god has just entered the room and suddenly I am nothing more than chopped liver - typical :rolleyes:

Looking forward to more of your stories, and pictures too if you've got 'em!
Thanks for the welcome LaManuka,
Yes, I am indeed an Aussie expat in California! I have been here for a bit over 10 years.
Ours are a little freer with their love... they'll go to whoever will give them most attention (or an almond), but it's easy to tell who they react to the most!
 
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18tillidie

18tillidie

Member
Sep 19, 2022
7
28
Los Angeles, CA
Parrots
Green Winged Macaw, Sun Conure
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5

wrench13

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Nov 22, 2015
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Buckle in Bro, so that when puberty hits your guys you are ready for it. Macaws hit that wall around 1-1/2 to 2+ years, Sun conures closer to 1 year. During that period, parrots almost loose their minds as hormones flush thru their bodies for the first time. Lots of parrots re-align their loyalties after that period, so be aware of that too.
 

maddox

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Mar 15, 2022
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Maddox is a green cheek conure
Welcome welcome! What a beautiful story and a just as beautiful macaw! Let's surely see some pics of your conure; they have a special place in my heart. Please reach out if you have any questions!
 

HeatherG

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Apr 25, 2020
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I am entertained to notice that I first read your macaw’s name as Debt.

I don’t spend much on anything but birds!
 

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