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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
- 50,069
- 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 Jennifer is March'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)?
We are a multi bird home with my daughter (riddick07 here on the forums) having her own, but I will only answer about what are truly 'my birds'
Max - 27 year old blue and gold macaw (he is the momma's boy of macaws)
Ivory - 6 year old bare eye cockatoo
Mitch, Cam and Lily - mini budgie flock of littles from the shelter including a little handicap girl, only Cam;s age is known at 2 years, the other two are unknown
2. What got you interested in birds?
My daughter was always a bird person, I openly admit I was a late in life convert. She had cockatiels for years (sorry, don't yell at me, but I never cared for the tiels) and I only saw them as messy and noisey. Then my daughter's first green cheek conure came home and she totally won me over to be a bird nut with such a huge personality and amazing how connected and social she was (and still is). Green cheeks still hold a very special place in my heart, I work with many of the little GCCs that come into the shelter that need some time and love to regain trust or just be ready for a family home.
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
I live with Multiple Sclerosis and Max adopted me after my diagnosis and needing to stop working a 'regular' full time job. Max coming into my life is truly like having a child again, he keeps me busy and active, and adopting a bird is what lead us to A Helping Wing and meeting what I joke was my long lost sister, Jeanne. AHW has been a huge part of keeping me feeling productive and functional, something that was missing a bit after I had to stop working (I had a great career and being forced to slow down and not be super woman was a really difficult change to accept).
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
hmmmm, first things that come to mind are all smart aleck answers, like the value of a steam mop and how effective vinegar is for cleaning!! I have learned that you can never sweep or vacuum enough.... I also have learned so much about root veggies and come to love them myself!! Does counting learning how to properly pronounce jicama count?
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
Without a doubt it was the adoption of Max, more specifically the first day I formally 'met' him. I had met Max when he came into the shelter to photograph and video him for petfinder and facebook, but openly admit the can opener on the face of a macaw always intimidated me and up until Max I had never actively interacted with them outside of photographs, handing treats, scratching a head, etc. My daughter was actually interested in adopting Max, but Jeanne and John (shelter owners of AHW), knowing my fear of the beak said if she wanted to adopt him, I had to be able to handle him. So one Saturday after our regular adopter appointments and such, Jeanne told Victoria to go get 'her bird', Victoria walked down with him and Jeanne told me to ask him to step up. I literally turned my body away from him and put my arm out waiting to get a body part bitten off Both Jeanne and John had a few choice words and John got up and came across the room, took my arm like shaking hands, tucked my elbow into my side and had Max step onto my hand / forearm and then John said to bring my hand in toward my body. Max promptly face planted into my chest. By the end of the first session of what I now call 'macaw 101' Max was literally running across the table to get to me when I got to use the bathroom. Everyone joked it looked like I had a macaw whether I wanted one or not. For whatever reason, Max decided I was his mom and there was no arguing with him. Without a doubt, that memory of the first moment he face planted into my chest is a memory I'll never forget. I still have the photos from those very first moments of our meeting!
6. Where is your birds main living area?
Max has his own bedroom, but that is only where he sleeps. Max lives a life of freedom, if I am home, he is out and about. He is usually where I am, he is a floor bird and won't play on a stand, we have an upper and lower living room, the upper living room has a large sectional with the TV, and the area between the sectional and wall is Max's favorite play area. I have the tunnels like are used for kids to crawl thru or dog agility, those kinda line the area between sofa and wall so he does not chew on the metal on the reclining sections and the expensive molding along the floorboards While he does not like a playstand, he has always loved climbing up on the dining chairs, so we have one of the old chairs from our high top set that has food bowl holders, so that is his spot to eat throughout the day and he is self potty trained. He will come out from where he is playing or sitting with me, go over to his chair, poop and go back to whatever he was doing. That reminds me of another thing I've learned - its awesome to have a stash of towels to put down for under bird play areas!!
Ivory has a double wide cage that is in the dining / breakfast area of our eat in kitchen. She is flighted even when clipped, and she has 5 different playstands between kitchen and the living rooms, and she loves hanging out on the top row of windows in our kitchen and living room (we have regular windows and then a row of smaller almost dormer type windows and they have a wide ledge. Ivory walks back and forth talking to people outside, or worse, when it rains, she talks nonstop to the raindrops! Ivory is also out all the time when I am home. She was a very introverted quiet, non cockatoo cockatoo when she came home, but I joked she needed to find her inner too... yeah, kick myself for that She is much more independent tho it took years, she loves to play and hang out on the stands on the half wall between the living rooms, and there are baskets / buckets of foot toys that she loves to throw off.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
My collection of beautiful Lenox pieces and antique Hummel have not been seen for years... I keep saying we need to get a curio cabinet so I can display them again. But most of my home is now 'decorated' with bird toys, stands and such. Our lower living room which I envisioned as a beautiful sitting area has a huge java stand in the middle of the bay window and we always have a double stacker cage there for fosters or birds needing some help / quiet time away from the shelter. Before birds I loved scented candles, but now the only scented type of things are a crock pot of water with cinnamon sticks, anise, orange peels and such
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
I think everyone has read my babble about A Helping Wing and know my involvement as the Adoption Coordinator and kitchen wench for baking birdie treats for the shelter babies too
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
Would an RV large enough for a couple cages count so we can do road trips a little more comfortable like home on wheels count?
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
This would be past tense... my dream birds were an eckie and a galah, but that was based totally on looks And long before I got involved with the shelter. Now I always tell adopters that your dream bird is the one who picks you! Without a doubt, Max is my dream bird, but I honestly never imagined having the relationship with a bird that I do with Max.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
I am home most days, especially in the very hot and very cold weather which greatly impacts my health and activity level. On good days, I am awake before my husband leaves for work and he'll bring Max in to hang out in the bedroom with us before he heads out. Otherwise, once I am up and moving, Max comes out and will either follow me around til I go downstairs, or most recently he will climb down the stairs and call for 'momma' for breakfast. Yes, they get breakfast before me. I don't do a chop in the sense of a bunch of items, Max and Ivory will get chunks of different veggies and fruits, and such. Both Max and Ivory are out and about all day, Ivory will go back in her cage if I go upstairs, but Max either follows me up and hangs out where I am, or if can't keep an eye on him he might go to his cage for a nap for a couple hours, but usually he's like a kid, he just follows mom. Both birds assist and critique with baking treats and birdie bread. Max likes to play throughout the day and will hang out on the first landing of the stairs for playing with rattles and other baby type toys. Truly its like having 3 year old kids, they can entertain themselves for a while, then they need mom to come play
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
Truly living with a parrot, especially a larger bird is just like having a toddler in the home. I often compare to adopters if they are not ready to have a 3 year old child and provide that full time care / parenting including preparing meals, they might want to consider a smaller much more independent bird. And that your house will never be clean again, I swear I sweep my kitchen floor 4 times a day and every night it looks like the broom has not been out in weeks
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I have to be honest, if I knew what life with a cockatoo was really like, there is maybe a 50/50 chance I'd still bring Ivory home. While she is a wonderful, sweet and very social bird, living with a cockatoo is really challenging and at times difficult.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
Love to read, enjoy photography (tho it seems it is all bird pics these days)... Love to bake, but also its mostly birdie related these days with being involved in the shelter! Does making bird toys count??? Love to thrift shop, its like a treasure hunt Openly admit to being an internet junkie, love to shop online! Enjoy traveling, since the MS, cruises are my go to vacation of choice!
15. Anything else you would like to share?
Being an Adoption Coordinator I am a huge advocate of adoption. I could go on and on, but truly believe that anyone who wants a really bonded relationship with a larger bird needs to adopt - let an adult parrot pick you and being their chosen person is something you have to experience to understand what an incredible connection it is! I encourage anyone reading thinking of adding a bird to volunteer at a shelter if one close by, never know who will want to follow you home, I never inn a million years would have believed I'd have a macaw as a momma's boy!
I am happy to announce that Jennifer is March'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)?
We are a multi bird home with my daughter (riddick07 here on the forums) having her own, but I will only answer about what are truly 'my birds'
Max - 27 year old blue and gold macaw (he is the momma's boy of macaws)
Ivory - 6 year old bare eye cockatoo
Mitch, Cam and Lily - mini budgie flock of littles from the shelter including a little handicap girl, only Cam;s age is known at 2 years, the other two are unknown
2. What got you interested in birds?
My daughter was always a bird person, I openly admit I was a late in life convert. She had cockatiels for years (sorry, don't yell at me, but I never cared for the tiels) and I only saw them as messy and noisey. Then my daughter's first green cheek conure came home and she totally won me over to be a bird nut with such a huge personality and amazing how connected and social she was (and still is). Green cheeks still hold a very special place in my heart, I work with many of the little GCCs that come into the shelter that need some time and love to regain trust or just be ready for a family home.
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
I live with Multiple Sclerosis and Max adopted me after my diagnosis and needing to stop working a 'regular' full time job. Max coming into my life is truly like having a child again, he keeps me busy and active, and adopting a bird is what lead us to A Helping Wing and meeting what I joke was my long lost sister, Jeanne. AHW has been a huge part of keeping me feeling productive and functional, something that was missing a bit after I had to stop working (I had a great career and being forced to slow down and not be super woman was a really difficult change to accept).
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
hmmmm, first things that come to mind are all smart aleck answers, like the value of a steam mop and how effective vinegar is for cleaning!! I have learned that you can never sweep or vacuum enough....
I also have learned so much about root veggies and come to love them myself!! Does counting learning how to properly pronounce jicama count? 5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
Without a doubt it was the adoption of Max, more specifically the first day I formally 'met' him. I had met Max when he came into the shelter to photograph and video him for petfinder and facebook, but openly admit the can opener on the face of a macaw always intimidated me and up until Max I had never actively interacted with them outside of photographs, handing treats, scratching a head, etc. My daughter was actually interested in adopting Max, but Jeanne and John (shelter owners of AHW), knowing my fear of the beak said if she wanted to adopt him, I had to be able to handle him. So one Saturday after our regular adopter appointments and such, Jeanne told Victoria to go get 'her bird', Victoria walked down with him and Jeanne told me to ask him to step up. I literally turned my body away from him and put my arm out waiting to get a body part bitten off
Both Jeanne and John had a few choice words and John got up and came across the room, took my arm like shaking hands, tucked my elbow into my side and had Max step onto my hand / forearm and then John said to bring my hand in toward my body. Max promptly face planted into my chest. By the end of the first session of what I now call 'macaw 101' Max was literally running across the table to get to me when I got to use the bathroom. Everyone joked it looked like I had a macaw whether I wanted one or not. For whatever reason, Max decided I was his mom and there was no arguing with him. Without a doubt, that memory of the first moment he face planted into my chest is a memory I'll never forget. I still have the photos from those very first moments of our meeting!6. Where is your birds main living area?
Max has his own bedroom, but that is only where he sleeps. Max lives a life of freedom, if I am home, he is out and about. He is usually where I am, he is a floor bird and won't play on a stand, we have an upper and lower living room, the upper living room has a large sectional with the TV, and the area between the sectional and wall is Max's favorite play area. I have the tunnels like are used for kids to crawl thru or dog agility, those kinda line the area between sofa and wall so he does not chew on the metal on the reclining sections and the expensive molding along the floorboards
While he does not like a playstand, he has always loved climbing up on the dining chairs, so we have one of the old chairs from our high top set that has food bowl holders, so that is his spot to eat throughout the day and he is self potty trained. He will come out from where he is playing or sitting with me, go over to his chair, poop and go back to whatever he was doing. That reminds me of another thing I've learned - its awesome to have a stash of towels to put down for under bird play areas!!Ivory has a double wide cage that is in the dining / breakfast area of our eat in kitchen. She is flighted even when clipped, and she has 5 different playstands between kitchen and the living rooms, and she loves hanging out on the top row of windows in our kitchen and living room (we have regular windows and then a row of smaller almost dormer type windows and they have a wide ledge. Ivory walks back and forth talking to people outside, or worse, when it rains, she talks nonstop to the raindrops! Ivory is also out all the time when I am home. She was a very introverted quiet, non cockatoo cockatoo when she came home, but I joked she needed to find her inner too... yeah, kick myself for that
She is much more independent tho it took years, she loves to play and hang out on the stands on the half wall between the living rooms, and there are baskets / buckets of foot toys that she loves to throw off.7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
My collection of beautiful Lenox pieces and antique Hummel have not been seen for years... I keep saying we need to get a curio cabinet so I can display them again. But most of my home is now 'decorated' with bird toys, stands and such. Our lower living room which I envisioned as a beautiful sitting area has a huge java stand in the middle of the bay window and we always have a double stacker cage there for fosters or birds needing some help / quiet time away from the shelter. Before birds I loved scented candles, but now the only scented type of things are a crock pot of water with cinnamon sticks, anise, orange peels and such
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
I think everyone has read my babble about A Helping Wing and know my involvement as the Adoption Coordinator and kitchen wench for baking birdie treats for the shelter babies too
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
Would an RV large enough for a couple cages count so we can do road trips a little more comfortable like home on wheels count?
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
This would be past tense... my dream birds were an eckie and a galah, but that was based totally on looks
And long before I got involved with the shelter. Now I always tell adopters that your dream bird is the one who picks you! Without a doubt, Max is my dream bird, but I honestly never imagined having the relationship with a bird that I do with Max. 11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
I am home most days, especially in the very hot and very cold weather which greatly impacts my health and activity level. On good days, I am awake before my husband leaves for work and he'll bring Max in to hang out in the bedroom with us before he heads out. Otherwise, once I am up and moving, Max comes out and will either follow me around til I go downstairs, or most recently he will climb down the stairs and call for 'momma' for breakfast. Yes, they get breakfast before me. I don't do a chop in the sense of a bunch of items, Max and Ivory will get chunks of different veggies and fruits, and such. Both Max and Ivory are out and about all day, Ivory will go back in her cage if I go upstairs, but Max either follows me up and hangs out where I am, or if can't keep an eye on him he might go to his cage for a nap for a couple hours, but usually he's like a kid, he just follows mom. Both birds assist and critique with baking treats and birdie bread. Max likes to play throughout the day and will hang out on the first landing of the stairs for playing with rattles and other baby type toys. Truly its like having 3 year old kids, they can entertain themselves for a while, then they need mom to come play
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
Truly living with a parrot, especially a larger bird is just like having a toddler in the home. I often compare to adopters if they are not ready to have a 3 year old child and provide that full time care / parenting including preparing meals, they might want to consider a smaller much more independent bird. And that your house will never be clean again, I swear I sweep my kitchen floor 4 times a day and every night it looks like the broom has not been out in weeks
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I have to be honest, if I knew what life with a cockatoo was really like, there is maybe a 50/50 chance I'd still bring Ivory home. While she is a wonderful, sweet and very social bird, living with a cockatoo is really challenging and at times difficult.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
Love to read, enjoy photography (tho it seems it is all bird pics these days)... Love to bake, but also its mostly birdie related these days with being involved in the shelter! Does making bird toys count??? Love to thrift shop, its like a treasure hunt
Openly admit to being an internet junkie, love to shop online! Enjoy traveling, since the MS, cruises are my go to vacation of choice! 15. Anything else you would like to share?
Being an Adoption Coordinator I am a huge advocate of adoption. I could go on and on, but truly believe that anyone who wants a really bonded relationship with a larger bird needs to adopt - let an adult parrot pick you and being their chosen person is something you have to experience to understand what an incredible connection it is! I encourage anyone reading thinking of adding a bird to volunteer at a shelter if one close by, never know who will want to follow you home, I never inn a million years would have believed I'd have a macaw as a momma's boy!
