I cannot explain it, but I've always been fond of birds. I am not an actual birdwatcher with a tally-sheet, but I can identify birds by sight, by sound and by flight pattern. On my last birthday I received a number of books about birds from my children. That pretty much makes the point.
While I have from time to time owned canaries I have always felt badly about putting birds in cages. It don't seem right and it don't seem necessary.
Fast forward to three years ago. A friend of my wife's, on his way from California to Guam, asked if we would put up his two birds - a parrot and a cockatiel - for the month of quarantine required by Guamanian law. Sure we would.
We've had the birds ever since. And any number of dilemmae (?) and bad plans have hatched from the situation.
I don't like to see birds in cages. My wife (was) absolutley phobic about birds loose in the house. So everyday I'd take the birds out of their cages briefly and play with them in a quiet corner. Playing with a cockatiel is not very complex, playing with a parrot (an eclectus in this case) is moreso, as you will see. My wife sat on the far side of the room nervously while the birds were out of their cages.
Then I went to Russia for a week or so, like you do, and when I got home, Gloria was completely in love with both birds, and they with her. In particular the parrot Charlie was, and still is. Disturbingly in love with her. From time to time he gets physical, lovingly humping her arm while encouraging her with the words, "C'mon! C'mon! C'mon!" Sort of reminds me of being a teenager in the back of a car, but it's my wife being seduced by a bloody bird.
I am not making this up.
So then we started leaving the birds out of their cages almost all the time, and the cockatiel just walked out the back door and was gone. We replaced it with two cockatiels. One of them just walked out the back door. We replaced it. Then the other walked out the back door. We replaced it. Then the next... You get the idea. I am populating Kailua with cockatiels to the dismay of everybody who has any sense of responsibility whatsoever.
Last Christmas I went to the pet store on Christmas Eve to buy my dog Vinnie a present. I bought him an African Gray parrot, which he named Scipio.
So now there are two parrots and one cockatiel left. They have cages but when I get home everybody climbs out and walks around the house leaving deposits. The cockatiel from time to time wants to be on my arm, but Scipio drives him away. Charlie wanders out into the backyard and climbs up on his favorite chair. When Glo gets home he preens himself, checks himself in the mirror, licks his hair back and then goes looking for her. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon."
Scipio rides my shoulder and snaps at anyone else who comes near. My shirts are terribly stained and will have to be replaced on a rolling basis.
It's a life for the birds and I'm quite partial to it.
While I have from time to time owned canaries I have always felt badly about putting birds in cages. It don't seem right and it don't seem necessary.
Fast forward to three years ago. A friend of my wife's, on his way from California to Guam, asked if we would put up his two birds - a parrot and a cockatiel - for the month of quarantine required by Guamanian law. Sure we would.
We've had the birds ever since. And any number of dilemmae (?) and bad plans have hatched from the situation.
I don't like to see birds in cages. My wife (was) absolutley phobic about birds loose in the house. So everyday I'd take the birds out of their cages briefly and play with them in a quiet corner. Playing with a cockatiel is not very complex, playing with a parrot (an eclectus in this case) is moreso, as you will see. My wife sat on the far side of the room nervously while the birds were out of their cages.
Then I went to Russia for a week or so, like you do, and when I got home, Gloria was completely in love with both birds, and they with her. In particular the parrot Charlie was, and still is. Disturbingly in love with her. From time to time he gets physical, lovingly humping her arm while encouraging her with the words, "C'mon! C'mon! C'mon!" Sort of reminds me of being a teenager in the back of a car, but it's my wife being seduced by a bloody bird.
I am not making this up.
So then we started leaving the birds out of their cages almost all the time, and the cockatiel just walked out the back door and was gone. We replaced it with two cockatiels. One of them just walked out the back door. We replaced it. Then the other walked out the back door. We replaced it. Then the next... You get the idea. I am populating Kailua with cockatiels to the dismay of everybody who has any sense of responsibility whatsoever.
Last Christmas I went to the pet store on Christmas Eve to buy my dog Vinnie a present. I bought him an African Gray parrot, which he named Scipio.
So now there are two parrots and one cockatiel left. They have cages but when I get home everybody climbs out and walks around the house leaving deposits. The cockatiel from time to time wants to be on my arm, but Scipio drives him away. Charlie wanders out into the backyard and climbs up on his favorite chair. When Glo gets home he preens himself, checks himself in the mirror, licks his hair back and then goes looking for her. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon."
Scipio rides my shoulder and snaps at anyone else who comes near. My shirts are terribly stained and will have to be replaced on a rolling basis.
It's a life for the birds and I'm quite partial to it.
