Macawnutz
Seriously Nutz!
Super Administrator
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
It is with great pleasure that I announce the
Celebirdy for the month of July 2021
@Kassiani 's Opie
1. How did you acquire your bird?
I adopted Opie through a parrot rescue near Charlotte, NC. I began visiting this rescue in November of 2020, and brought Opie home on January 26, 2021.
2. What is your bird's name, species, age and sex?
Opie (originally Rocky), Cherry-Headed Conure (also known as a Red-Masked Parakeet), almost 22 years old, male.
3. Does your bird do any special tricks?
Oh, you mean besides his ability to back up and shoot poop at me?
Opie is target trained, he knows the word “come” for when I want him to come to the part of the cage nearest me, and will spin. I don’t know if those count as special, but for us—that’s pretty good! We have a way to go, but I am surprised by how far we've come together.
4. What are some of your bird's favorite foods?
He’s kind of a picky gentleman in terms of eating. He likes his Volkman seed mix and will eat the Tops and Harrison’s pellets once he has finished all the seed mix in his dish. Of course, he loves almonds, whole sunflower seeds, and occasionally walnuts. He’s learning to like his chop (veggies and sprouted seed mix). Some days are better than others.
5. What is the funniest thing your bird has done?
Oh, that’s a tough question to answer! His recent poop-shooting incident was pretty funny! He makes me laugh on a daily basis with his attitude and antics. He’s only been in my home for 5 months. So I suspect the best is yet to come.
6. How has your bird enriched your life?
Opie (and of course the Blue Boys) has enriched my life in so many ways. I am humbled by how much I have learned or my understanding has deepened in the short time I have had him as a companion in my home. Humility, patience, compassion, and love (to use one’s will for the benefit of the other). Some days have been wonderful and filled with joy, others I have gone to bed crying my eyes out at how inadequate I feel to have this amazing creature in my home.
7. What would you tell people who are considering this species?
I don’t believe that Opie’s personality is typical of his species from what I have read. He is a feather plucker and occasionally self-mutilates. That said, when considering a Cherry-Headed Conure, be prepared for an intelligent, gregarious, social bird who likes to be in the middle of whatever is going on in your home. Although he is not a cuddly bird, Opie is happy to be hanging out with me in the kitchen as long as he has plenty to shred and chew in his cage. Also, this species of Conure is larger than the Green Cheeks. Opie weighs around 187 g. His beak is also proportionately larger than any of the cheekies and packs a punch when he lands a bite. I had never heard of a Cherry-Headed Conure when I met Opie, but I do appreciate all of his traits…even the ‘bad’ ones!
8. What is the activity and noise level of your bird?
Opie can sit in one place for an hour happily destroying a toy or chewing on a piece of leather. He can also climb all around the inside and outside of his cage, hanging upside down, ringing his bell or playing with his toys in a series—like he can’t decide which toy he really wants to play with! He does not have all his flight feathers at this time, so he’s not a good flyer yet. His voice isn’t exactly—melodious. There is a kind of ‘honking’ quality to it. His flock call is what I hear most often when I come and go from the room. His alarm call is quite loud! He also can squeak like a happy or upset puppy while playing with a toy! I wasn’t prepared for the volume (compared with the budgies) but his vocalizations aren’t constant, and his little squeaks and grunts are charming.
9. What are some of your bird's quirks?
Opie is definitely a quirky bird! What surprised me is how often he uses his tongue to investigate objects. He’s a very ‘tactile’ bird. He will walk along the railing of his cage top running his tongue along the railing as he goes, he rests his beak in between blocks of his hanging toys and flicks his tongue in and out, and sometimes when he is resting and using his foot to slowly scratch his head, he will suck on his toes.
10. If your bird talks, what is the most surprising word or sentence it has said?
Opie is not a talker—I’d almost be afraid of what he would say some days!
11. What is your bird’s favorite treat?
Banana. Hands down. Opie would flip himself off the cage top for a piece of banana.
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So enjoyed this! What was really lovely to see was how far you have come when put this way. And here you thought a little while ago, you were not making headway. This goes to show how far you’ve both come in 5 months.
Such a funny, quirky, adorable bird!
