How Did You Become a Bird Person?

[Sylvester]

I was raised with horses, cats and dogs (in that order) and fish. I had lots of fish when I was younger, and I had a female bearded dragon (Igor - until my biological father decided that little girls shouldn't have lizards and traded her) but, I had a fascination with birds. I remember watching Alex and other African Greys, I adored cockatiels - I wanted one desperately as a kid. I loved crows and ravens too, and wondered at their intelligence. It was Alex's intelligence that interested me more than his words. And when my biological father would leave me at pet stores, I would do what shopping I needed to in the fish section and then go watch the birds - from my favorite one, I recall they had two Hyacinths in a big glass cage on display and a huge bird section that was up the stairs.

At the time I was with a guy who wasn't an animal person, and I told him that I wanted to get a bird (at the time, it was either a cockatiel or an AG) and he was against it - until he learned I wanted a rat and he had me choose. So, after that, I went to my family friend's former "rescue" to help out. She had just rehomed an AG, and the cockatiels were ones that she'd bred years ago. She offered me a female Eclectus - and then I met Sam (Archie - until he said the name Sam and she agreed that that was his old name, which, was the name of my heart dog and my little sister that miscarried). Sam was miserable with her, and she was excited to find him a home with someone that he picked. While he was beautiful, it was something beyond that that drew me to him - something sad and gentle about him, and when she walked in on us, she was surprised that he was taking stuff from my hands. And then he started screaming "ma" at the top of his lungs when I'd leave (he could see my car from where he was). But, I was nervous about taking a macaw home as my first bird, so I decided that if I kept visiting after around a year, and I got a job, I would take him home. I lived with my mom at the time and she wasn't sure about birds - but, she's an animal person and she could see he was unhappy where he was, so we cleared out the guest room and turned it into a bird room. She brought him home herself while I was at work and surprised me when I got home.

Long story short, she wanted her Eclectus back, but was absolutely thrilled that Sam picked me, and I've been a parront ever since

A cool story and a beautiful bird.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

I put all the blame on my mother ... bless her heart.... we had a couple of budgies ( that I simply don't remember because I'm old) when I was a toddler. And..I was one of those pesky kiddos that cried unless mom was holding me so she had this bright idea to set the cage on the floor and I laid there for hours watching them. I've been fascinated by them ever since.

 

[Lodah]

I woke up one day with feathers in my ear... no turning back from there!

 

[Kslee]

I have grown up with birds my whole life. It began with just finches but one year, we decided on parakeets! After that we got into hookbills and soon had a very fun but maybe not healthy obsession with birds! I now have 6 birds and has settled down because if we get anymore I might need some extra help! I'm happy I know what I know with them because they truly are one of the best pets you can have!

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