expressmailtome
Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
- Joined
- 4/15/10
- Messages
- 50,154
- Real Name
- Matthew
Our "Mayor of the Avenue" award is presented to a member who exhibits the qualities that distinguish them to be an upstanding credit to the Avenue, a loving, informed, conscientious and caring bird parront and an all around good neighbor.
I am happy to announce that cnyguy is April's Mayor of the Month.
I enjoyed reading your interview, and am sure that everyone else will as well!
1. What kind of birds do you have (age, species and names)?
At present, I have just one bird. Ralph is a standard green Quaker parrot. He is 14 years old.
2. What got you interested in birds?
There were birds in our home from the time I was an infant. When I was growing up we had a budgie and a canary. There were always bird feeders in our yard and I was attracted to the different kinds of birds that came to the feeders-- so many different sizes and colors and interesting songs and calls they made. When George the YCA came to live with my family, my interest in parrots especially really expanded.
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
The friendship and companionship of parrots is remarkable and living with parrots has brought me a lot of happiness. For the short time I was without a parrot there was an emptiness in my life and I would never want to be without one again.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
Among the things I have learned from living with birds is that the term "birdbrain" is used incorrectly. The intelligence of birds is underestimated and never fails to impress me. I've also learned how important patience can be, and to be more tolerant of a messy floor.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
I have a special memory of my old YCA George. The closet doors in my apartment are all mirrored. I used to move George's cage next to the hall closet when I worked in the kitchen. One day I noticed how fascinated he was with his own reflection, and I asked him "who's that funny parrot in the mirror?" He looked at me and said "George!"
6. Where is your birds main living area?
Ralph's cage is located in the living room near the dining area. He can see and be a part of everything that goes on around him and look out the window across the room to keep track of what's happening outside too.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
I've been living with parrots for more than 50 years and going way back, there was little information about how to properly care for parrots. Over the years, I learned to avoid things like air fresheners and non-stick cookware. I can't say that I really miss things like that.
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
The only bird related groups or activities I participate in are this forum and two other parrot forums. Unfortunately there are no active bird clubs or organizations in the area where I live.
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
I'd like to have a dedicated bird room where Ralph could be out all the time in a safe and fun environment.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
Many years ago when I went to a local exotic pet store to buy food for George the YCA I met a Vinaceous Amazon. He was friendly and so beautiful. If I could have any kind of parrot at all, I think that's what I would choose. However I always say that I've never met a parrot that I didn't like and I'm always tempted to bring them all home when I visit the local pet store.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
Now that I'm retired I'm home almost all day every day. I start the day by preparing fresh food for Ralph, while I'm waiting for my morning coffee to brew. After I have my coffee and breakfast, I usually fix some softened pellets for Ralph (he thinks they're a special treat). He gets lots of one-on-one time all through the day, some outside his cage and some while he's inside. We might just sit together and play the tapping game that Ralph likes, or sometimes we watch television or I just talk to him. When he's out of his cage, he usually wants to be in the kitchen. I had to clear a shelf in one cupboard because that's Ralph's favorite play space. Sometimes Ralph sits in the mostly empty dishwasher (there are a few things that he claimed for his own that have to stay in there) and he likes to have his popcorn treat from an old cereal bowl. There's also a very old empty cottage cheese container in there and Ralph likes to play fetch with it. He tosses it on the floor and I do the fetching. When I first brought Ralph home, he chose his own bedtime, which is somewhere between 7 and 7:30 PM. He's always ready to return to his cage and settle in for a good night's rest.
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
Patience is not just a virtue when living with parrots, it's a necessity. And, as it says in a very old parrot book I have, "parrots are inclined to be messy" so some extra time spent cleaning is going to be needed.
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
Because so little was known about the proper diet for a parrot when George first joined the family, there are lots of things that George used to get to eat that certainly shouldn't be fed to a parrot. If I had known about them I would never have given them to George.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
I probably have too many hobbies and interests. Over the years I've collected lots of things, from postage stamps and vintage audio equipment to small Oriental rugs. I enjoy reading and listening to music, mostly classical, jazz, standards and classic rock. I'm a big ice hockey fan and I enjoy watching horse races. I enjoy gardening but can't do so much of that now that I live in an apartment with no real outdoor space. I do the best I can on my small balcony and a few bird safe houseplants.
15. Anything else you would like to share?
Even though I've been around birds pretty much all my life, and have had parrots around for most of my life, there's always something new to learn about them. Avian Avenue has been a great source of information for me. Aside from being educational, the Avenue is a fun place to be. I enjoy meeting people from all over the world, learning from the other members and helping other bird enthusiasts when I can.
I am happy to announce that cnyguy is April's Mayor of the Month.
I enjoyed reading your interview, and am sure that everyone else will as well!
1. What kind of birds do you have (age, species and names)?
At present, I have just one bird. Ralph is a standard green Quaker parrot. He is 14 years old.
2. What got you interested in birds?
There were birds in our home from the time I was an infant. When I was growing up we had a budgie and a canary. There were always bird feeders in our yard and I was attracted to the different kinds of birds that came to the feeders-- so many different sizes and colors and interesting songs and calls they made. When George the YCA came to live with my family, my interest in parrots especially really expanded.
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
The friendship and companionship of parrots is remarkable and living with parrots has brought me a lot of happiness. For the short time I was without a parrot there was an emptiness in my life and I would never want to be without one again.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
Among the things I have learned from living with birds is that the term "birdbrain" is used incorrectly. The intelligence of birds is underestimated and never fails to impress me. I've also learned how important patience can be, and to be more tolerant of a messy floor.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
I have a special memory of my old YCA George. The closet doors in my apartment are all mirrored. I used to move George's cage next to the hall closet when I worked in the kitchen. One day I noticed how fascinated he was with his own reflection, and I asked him "who's that funny parrot in the mirror?" He looked at me and said "George!"
6. Where is your birds main living area?
Ralph's cage is located in the living room near the dining area. He can see and be a part of everything that goes on around him and look out the window across the room to keep track of what's happening outside too.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
I've been living with parrots for more than 50 years and going way back, there was little information about how to properly care for parrots. Over the years, I learned to avoid things like air fresheners and non-stick cookware. I can't say that I really miss things like that.
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
The only bird related groups or activities I participate in are this forum and two other parrot forums. Unfortunately there are no active bird clubs or organizations in the area where I live.
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
I'd like to have a dedicated bird room where Ralph could be out all the time in a safe and fun environment.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
Many years ago when I went to a local exotic pet store to buy food for George the YCA I met a Vinaceous Amazon. He was friendly and so beautiful. If I could have any kind of parrot at all, I think that's what I would choose. However I always say that I've never met a parrot that I didn't like and I'm always tempted to bring them all home when I visit the local pet store.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
Now that I'm retired I'm home almost all day every day. I start the day by preparing fresh food for Ralph, while I'm waiting for my morning coffee to brew. After I have my coffee and breakfast, I usually fix some softened pellets for Ralph (he thinks they're a special treat). He gets lots of one-on-one time all through the day, some outside his cage and some while he's inside. We might just sit together and play the tapping game that Ralph likes, or sometimes we watch television or I just talk to him. When he's out of his cage, he usually wants to be in the kitchen. I had to clear a shelf in one cupboard because that's Ralph's favorite play space. Sometimes Ralph sits in the mostly empty dishwasher (there are a few things that he claimed for his own that have to stay in there) and he likes to have his popcorn treat from an old cereal bowl. There's also a very old empty cottage cheese container in there and Ralph likes to play fetch with it. He tosses it on the floor and I do the fetching. When I first brought Ralph home, he chose his own bedtime, which is somewhere between 7 and 7:30 PM. He's always ready to return to his cage and settle in for a good night's rest.
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
Patience is not just a virtue when living with parrots, it's a necessity. And, as it says in a very old parrot book I have, "parrots are inclined to be messy" so some extra time spent cleaning is going to be needed.
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
Because so little was known about the proper diet for a parrot when George first joined the family, there are lots of things that George used to get to eat that certainly shouldn't be fed to a parrot. If I had known about them I would never have given them to George.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
I probably have too many hobbies and interests. Over the years I've collected lots of things, from postage stamps and vintage audio equipment to small Oriental rugs. I enjoy reading and listening to music, mostly classical, jazz, standards and classic rock. I'm a big ice hockey fan and I enjoy watching horse races. I enjoy gardening but can't do so much of that now that I live in an apartment with no real outdoor space. I do the best I can on my small balcony and a few bird safe houseplants.
15. Anything else you would like to share?
Even though I've been around birds pretty much all my life, and have had parrots around for most of my life, there's always something new to learn about them. Avian Avenue has been a great source of information for me. Aside from being educational, the Avenue is a fun place to be. I enjoy meeting people from all over the world, learning from the other members and helping other bird enthusiasts when I can.
Such a lovely interview
