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bloodyrosemccoyAHEM
You guys thought I was joking about the parrot, didn't you?
Yeah, so, the thing is, before I agreed to take in two kittens, I had, um, filed an application to adopt a parrot. I've honestly been wanting to get a bird or something for a while now, but Mom is not really interested in more pets. Now, though, since she and Dad are off at college, it was time, so I did a search for adoptable parrots in the Salt Lake area, and found a bird rescue group. Lucy the sun conure is about 8-10 years old. Her previous human died, and so Lucy needed a new home. (My brother: "So you're getting a USED BIRD?")
And then I was offered some kittens. So, um, I'm going to have a fun few months with a bird and some baby kitties. Pray for me, y'all.
This bird group's pretty cool, though. One person came to do a home check to make sure my house didn't have spikes on the walls and smoking braziers and I didn't appear to kick my cat for fun. Then I had to drive 30 miles north to visit her at her foster family.
When I got there, even though I'd made an appointment, when I got to the house nobody answered. I did hear voices coming from the backyard, though, so I looked around. "Hello?"
Three boys, aged 12 and under, bounced around to the front of the house.
ELDEST: Are you here for the bird?"
ME: Yup.
ELDEST: Great! Mom'll be glad to get rid of it!
Kids are not great at selling things.
The chattering horde led me inside to show me The Bird, and a few moments later their mother came downstairs, and we introduced ourselves.
MOTHER: So here's the bird ...
ELDEST SON: YOU CAN FEED IT PELLETS!
MIDDLE SON: IT POOPS A LOT
ELDEST SON: LET ME GET IT OUT--IT DOESN'T SEEM TO WANT TO COME OUT
MOTHER: So anyway this bird is on a diet ...
YOUNGEST SON: I WANNA GO OUTSIDE
MOTHER: And she likes to ride on my husband's shoulder, but isn't so impressed with the rest of us ...
MIDDLE SON: IT'S AFRAID OF EXERCISE BALLS HERE I'LL SHOW YOU
LUCY: SQUAWK
YOUNGEST SON: I WANNA GO--
ELDEST SON: YOU'LL HAVE TO CLEAN HER CAGE
MOTHER: Anyway how soon can you take The Bird home? Like, do you want her today?
I told her I'd check with the adoption people. That was last Friday, and so this Friday, after a few hopeful phone calls from the mother, I went back to pick her up. I think Lucy was relieved. Conures have a reputation for being noisy, but they've got nothing on little boys.
I expected Lucy to take a few days to get used to being in my house. What I did not expect was that she would immediately want to get out of her cage, hop on my shoulder, and start exploring. This bird is the friendliest little thing on the planet, except for when you scare her with your fingers and she bites them.
And now, even though I've had a parakeet before and have read books and websites on How To Bird, I am panicking, wondering if I've already broken this little critter. I suspect this is a smaller version of how new parents feel when they get home from the hospital, too.
But I think I got things set up for Lucy pretty well.
Her cage is a nice spot to hang out, I think. She's got a fuzzy thing at the top to sleep in, even!
She was suspicious of this bowl for a minute, but once she saw me dabble my fingers in it, she was all for it.
So! New parrot is here, new kitties due in a couple of weeks. And people wondered what I'd find to do with my time. Wish me luck!
You guys thought I was joking about the parrot, didn't you?
Yeah, so, the thing is, before I agreed to take in two kittens, I had, um, filed an application to adopt a parrot. I've honestly been wanting to get a bird or something for a while now, but Mom is not really interested in more pets. Now, though, since she and Dad are off at college, it was time, so I did a search for adoptable parrots in the Salt Lake area, and found a bird rescue group. Lucy the sun conure is about 8-10 years old. Her previous human died, and so Lucy needed a new home. (My brother: "So you're getting a USED BIRD?")
And then I was offered some kittens. So, um, I'm going to have a fun few months with a bird and some baby kitties. Pray for me, y'all.
This bird group's pretty cool, though. One person came to do a home check to make sure my house didn't have spikes on the walls and smoking braziers and I didn't appear to kick my cat for fun. Then I had to drive 30 miles north to visit her at her foster family.
When I got there, even though I'd made an appointment, when I got to the house nobody answered. I did hear voices coming from the backyard, though, so I looked around. "Hello?"
Three boys, aged 12 and under, bounced around to the front of the house.
ELDEST: Are you here for the bird?"
ME: Yup.
ELDEST: Great! Mom'll be glad to get rid of it!
Kids are not great at selling things.
The chattering horde led me inside to show me The Bird, and a few moments later their mother came downstairs, and we introduced ourselves.
MOTHER: So here's the bird ...
ELDEST SON: YOU CAN FEED IT PELLETS!
MIDDLE SON: IT POOPS A LOT
ELDEST SON: LET ME GET IT OUT--IT DOESN'T SEEM TO WANT TO COME OUT
MOTHER: So anyway this bird is on a diet ...
YOUNGEST SON: I WANNA GO OUTSIDE
MOTHER: And she likes to ride on my husband's shoulder, but isn't so impressed with the rest of us ...
MIDDLE SON: IT'S AFRAID OF EXERCISE BALLS HERE I'LL SHOW YOU
LUCY: SQUAWK
YOUNGEST SON: I WANNA GO--
ELDEST SON: YOU'LL HAVE TO CLEAN HER CAGE
MOTHER: Anyway how soon can you take The Bird home? Like, do you want her today?
I told her I'd check with the adoption people. That was last Friday, and so this Friday, after a few hopeful phone calls from the mother, I went back to pick her up. I think Lucy was relieved. Conures have a reputation for being noisy, but they've got nothing on little boys.
I expected Lucy to take a few days to get used to being in my house. What I did not expect was that she would immediately want to get out of her cage, hop on my shoulder, and start exploring. This bird is the friendliest little thing on the planet, except for when you scare her with your fingers and she bites them.
And now, even though I've had a parakeet before and have read books and websites on How To Bird, I am panicking, wondering if I've already broken this little critter. I suspect this is a smaller version of how new parents feel when they get home from the hospital, too.
But I think I got things set up for Lucy pretty well.
Her cage is a nice spot to hang out, I think. She's got a fuzzy thing at the top to sleep in, even!
She was suspicious of this bowl for a minute, but once she saw me dabble my fingers in it, she was all for it.
So! New parrot is here, new kitties due in a couple of weeks. And people wondered what I'd find to do with my time. Wish me luck!
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no subject
Date: 2015-04-12 11:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-12 12:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-12 12:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-12 02:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-12 03:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-12 04:01 pm (UTC)She is a pretty creature; I hope she and the kitties get along.
no subject
Date: 2015-04-12 04:02 pm (UTC)I speak no bird, but
Best of luck with Ms. Lucy and the fluffballs!
no subject
Date: 2015-04-13 06:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-13 06:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-15 05:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-17 03:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-16 09:54 pm (UTC)As long as you don't let it mess with you when you're driving you should be fine. ;-)
http://gawker.com/woman-whoops-my-parrot-made-me-crash-my-damn-car-1698234361
no subject
Date: 2015-04-17 03:14 am (UTC)Also, you aren't supposed to feed parrots caffeine. SO THERE.