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Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
- Joined
- 4/15/10
- Messages
- 50,072
- 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 Clueless is July'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)?
Two male blue-front amazons, Secret and MC.
Secret is in my avatar.
MC ....
Both are wild caught parrots according to the closed band that they came with. A picture of Secret was located that was taken in the late 1970's. Knowing my Aunt, it’s my strong suspicion that she obtained MC in the hopes of bringing forth a number of little parrots. I distinctly remember her being disgusted that you couldn’t tell the sex of a parrot without the aid of a veterinarian.
2. What got you interested in birds?
MC. When I saw the birds they were outside on a porch in the heat of summer. Secret appeared stoned. I leaned down and looked into the eyes of MC and said hello and he shouted back “HI” and I took it as a call for help.
Who could walk away from that face???
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
Besides the fact that my relatives all think I’m insane now? Knowledge about health, food and the chemicals that we reside with.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
That I was surrounded by chemicals every day and was oblivious to it. That the pots and pans I had (teflon) could actually be harmful. That the single time when I operated my self-cleaning oven and thought my house was going to burn down .... would have killed my parrots if they had been living with me. It's bad for babies lungs also.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
MC’s first little shout of “HI”.
6. Where is your birds main living area?
We have an open living room, dining area, kitchen. The cages are smack dab in the middle of those - they’re part of the family.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
That’s probably part of why my family thinks I’m insane. It began with new pots and pans - my kids went together and bought me a stainless steel set for Christmas. The candles have all been banished. The oil lamps were banished. The fireplace isn’t turned on anymore (@JLcribber I’m paranoid, okay?). I don’t wear perfume. If nail polish is applied to any fingers/toes in my house, it’s done outdoors on the screened in deck.
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
Yes. I’m actively involved in the Gateway Parrot Club. I’m a former board member. I strongly believe in the more knowledge, the better - not just for me but for every soul that is owned by a feathered creature. I dearly love the values of Phoenix Landing and enjoyed the last wellness retreat. I hope to continue to attend these every other year.
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
I would love to have another Celltei backpack (I own one). My dream I think is for brand new cages - stainless steel would look great in the house. I’ve heard so many conflicting stories - yes they’re easy to keep clean, no they’re horrible to keep clean . . . . It means research and I need to start banking some dollars.
Then again, I really want to get them each a heat panel. That's probably next on the list.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
Dream bird? Just look into my home - I own two of the most amazing little creatures you’ll ever see.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
Typical day during the week: Rise and shine and speak to MC in passing - otherwise he gets miffed. Shouting down hallway in answer to the parrots while I'm getting dressed. Feed, water, slip nutriberries for aging parrots to them. After work, they’re out on their playstands and generally get something to eat when we do. We do one-on-one activities and they’re rewarded with pumpkin seeds that are broken in half then back to their cages for veggies. Weekends are FUN and hectic and WET as Milton would say (showers).
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
WOW this is a big one. They’re like little toddlers in a compact body. They are each their own individual and yes - say that again - they are each their OWN INDIVIDUAL. They also seem to feed off of my emotions - if I’m upset, it seems they are too.
MC being goofy....
Then wait....something approaches....
It's the husband....
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I would have gotten them earlier in my life and their life - and begged my husband to still love me. Husband hasn't won Secret's heart either.....
14. What other hobbies do you have?
Yard sales and estate sales. I have a couple of collections. My primary one is Falstaff items (my dad loved that beer)
and I’ve picked up a few Griesedieck items over the years. My other collection is of old wooden hangers that were used for advertising - the names and places were engraved or written on the wooden portion. I didn't write on them, I bought them this way. Note the top one??? Anybody remember Leona?
15. Anything else you would like to share?
A bit of wisdom I learned at my first bird seminar. I believe it was Ryan Watson that was speaking and said, in short, ask why. He had questioned someone working in an avian facility and was told "that's the way we're told to do it" but they didn't know why. We all need to strive to learn each and every day of our life. God gave us these minds, we should use them.
I am happy to announce that Clueless is July'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)?
Two male blue-front amazons, Secret and MC.
Secret is in my avatar.
MC ....
Both are wild caught parrots according to the closed band that they came with. A picture of Secret was located that was taken in the late 1970's. Knowing my Aunt, it’s my strong suspicion that she obtained MC in the hopes of bringing forth a number of little parrots. I distinctly remember her being disgusted that you couldn’t tell the sex of a parrot without the aid of a veterinarian.
2. What got you interested in birds?
MC. When I saw the birds they were outside on a porch in the heat of summer. Secret appeared stoned. I leaned down and looked into the eyes of MC and said hello and he shouted back “HI” and I took it as a call for help.
Who could walk away from that face???
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
Besides the fact that my relatives all think I’m insane now? Knowledge about health, food and the chemicals that we reside with.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
That I was surrounded by chemicals every day and was oblivious to it. That the pots and pans I had (teflon) could actually be harmful. That the single time when I operated my self-cleaning oven and thought my house was going to burn down .... would have killed my parrots if they had been living with me. It's bad for babies lungs also.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
MC’s first little shout of “HI”.
6. Where is your birds main living area?
We have an open living room, dining area, kitchen. The cages are smack dab in the middle of those - they’re part of the family.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
That’s probably part of why my family thinks I’m insane. It began with new pots and pans - my kids went together and bought me a stainless steel set for Christmas. The candles have all been banished. The oil lamps were banished. The fireplace isn’t turned on anymore (@JLcribber I’m paranoid, okay?). I don’t wear perfume. If nail polish is applied to any fingers/toes in my house, it’s done outdoors on the screened in deck.
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
Yes. I’m actively involved in the Gateway Parrot Club. I’m a former board member. I strongly believe in the more knowledge, the better - not just for me but for every soul that is owned by a feathered creature. I dearly love the values of Phoenix Landing and enjoyed the last wellness retreat. I hope to continue to attend these every other year.
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
I would love to have another Celltei backpack (I own one). My dream I think is for brand new cages - stainless steel would look great in the house. I’ve heard so many conflicting stories - yes they’re easy to keep clean, no they’re horrible to keep clean . . . . It means research and I need to start banking some dollars.
Then again, I really want to get them each a heat panel. That's probably next on the list.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
Dream bird? Just look into my home - I own two of the most amazing little creatures you’ll ever see.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
Typical day during the week: Rise and shine and speak to MC in passing - otherwise he gets miffed. Shouting down hallway in answer to the parrots while I'm getting dressed. Feed, water, slip nutriberries for aging parrots to them. After work, they’re out on their playstands and generally get something to eat when we do. We do one-on-one activities and they’re rewarded with pumpkin seeds that are broken in half then back to their cages for veggies. Weekends are FUN and hectic and WET as Milton would say (showers).
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
WOW this is a big one. They’re like little toddlers in a compact body. They are each their own individual and yes - say that again - they are each their OWN INDIVIDUAL. They also seem to feed off of my emotions - if I’m upset, it seems they are too.
MC being goofy....
Then wait....something approaches....
It's the husband....
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I would have gotten them earlier in my life and their life - and begged my husband to still love me. Husband hasn't won Secret's heart either.....
14. What other hobbies do you have?
Yard sales and estate sales. I have a couple of collections. My primary one is Falstaff items (my dad loved that beer)
and I’ve picked up a few Griesedieck items over the years. My other collection is of old wooden hangers that were used for advertising - the names and places were engraved or written on the wooden portion. I didn't write on them, I bought them this way. Note the top one??? Anybody remember Leona?
15. Anything else you would like to share?
A bit of wisdom I learned at my first bird seminar. I believe it was Ryan Watson that was speaking and said, in short, ask why. He had questioned someone working in an avian facility and was told "that's the way we're told to do it" but they didn't know why. We all need to strive to learn each and every day of our life. God gave us these minds, we should use them.
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Well deserved and great pics! 
