I never knew what i was missing

[Surfincr]

Until i adopted Ziggy. i keep telling my friends and family i wish i knew how much fun birds were a lot sooner. i love my dogs but a good parrot definitely adds to the home life. When i first met my fiance and even up until a year ago she really did not want a bird but was fine with it since i really wanted one. now we both agree it'd be weird without one. I have definitely learned greys are very similar in temperment to a german shepherd since she acts just like my 2. The words zig picks up keep us in hysterics, one day zig and my fiance laughed at each other for a good 6 hours. Every morning i get a "Alright see you later, buh bye" though unfortunately she has picked up my SO telling the dogs "Get em" (getting one dog to get the other end of the toy) but the problem is to the untrained ear(if you're not listening extremely closely) it sounds like the bird is saying "kill" which tends to be a bit un-nerving. ziggy has also now assumed my female shepherds name "Nela" (pronounced Knee - lah) if spoken in normal level and tone is the dogs name but if spoken loudly is an angry word (nela has selective hearing so we yell out the back door to get her back in).

There are so many other stories i could share but i defintely learned a true house isnt a home without a parrot involved (and in my case a couple of shepherds)

 

[critterman]

Yes I agree with you. I am old and retired now and never married.....so no children here except all my animals. They are and always have been my babies, my children. People who don't have animals of any kind don't always understand the bond between us humans and our feathered, furry children. I love all my animals 3 dogs, 2 cats and Ziggy my crimson bellied conure......they were all rescues. They are my life.

 

[CFellows]

I feel the same way. After we got our first bird it was just like "why didn't I get a bird years ago" They are such a awsome animal.

 

[critterman]

I believe all animals are awesome because God made them, but snakes and lizards, big spiders are a different kind of awesome......lol. They are are real awesome especially if they stay away from me. LOL. Birds, dogs, and cats are the best though.

 

[RavensGryf]

My mom had been afraid or creeped out by birds for most of her life. She claims that when she was a small child, she held a chick (chicken) and was somehow grossed out when she felt it's ribs. That was the end of birds for most of her adult life... So obviously when I was growing up, I wasn't familiar with birds.

I had discovered birds on my own just by chance as an adult. Finches, then a cockatiel, then my beloved Red Bellied parrot Robin who is still with me 20 years later...
Then, in about 2005 I had a great resurgence of interest in parrots. In fact it became a STRONG obsession! LOL, I know no one understands that here huh?

At that time, my mom who lived alone and retired, was longing for a pet. I made my move... SOMEHOW I must have "talked a good talk" and convinced her to open up and give me a chance to show her that birds are cute, loving, gentle souls, and not dirty, creepy, etc. It helped that she already really grew to like Robin (though she was afraid to touch him), and we called her 'grandma' for Robin lol.
I picked out a rosy mutation Bourke's parakeet for her as her intro to birds. Pink is her favorite color, and nothing is less intimidating and least likely to bite than a small Aussie grass parakeet like Bourke's! Way more gentle than a Budgie.
Pinky was handfed, but still pretty flighty to this day, he finally was comfortable enough to step up after several years. Then she added a hand fed Princess of Wales parakeet. She just loves him, and spoils him. Patches plays daily with tons of toys in the play area, and is actually a talented talker! Patches remains a "hands-off" kind of bird, but is tame and loving otherwise.
The grass parakeets aren't the best choice if you want a really handleable bird, but I knew my mom just could not feel comfortable getting bit, so is why I steered her towards these instead of parrots.

Now, she can't believe how she used to have such a terrible fear of birds that prevented her from loving and being loved by such special little creatures that mean the world to her!

 

[Allee]

Surfincr, I'm so glad Ziggy, your GCC's and your Shepherds found their way into your home and your heart. Hard to imagine how people can live a lifetime without pets.

Whhaaatttt??? Whatever do you mean, Julie? Who on this forum is obsessed with birds?
Thank you for sharing your mom's story, so glad you were able to convince her.