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September 2016 Mayor of the Avenue... alcmene

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expressmailtome

Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
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Messages
49,992
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 alcmene is September'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)?


I have 3 birds, all girls:
Tulip- hyacinth macaw, 4yo
Lucy- sun conure, age unknown
Mabel- hahns macaw, age 1 1/2 years


2. What got you interested in birds?

I grew up with birds. My mom has an amazon that has been around longer then I have! She got him in the mid 70's, shortly before I was born.

3. What have your birds brought to your life?

Love, noise, chaos, mess.

4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?

Patience. Parrots refuse to be rushed or coerced in to anything. Learning to move at a speed that is comfortable for my birds has translated in to every other area of my life. I think I'm a calmer, more gentle person because of my birds.

5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?

Lucy had been abused and HATED people when I adopted her. She reacted with a mix of terror and wild anger whenever anyone approached her. After what she had been through, who could blame her? It took several years of working with her daily before she'd even allow me near her cage without becoming hysterical. The first time that she voluntarily stepped up was one of the most fulfilling moments of my life.

6. Where is your birds main living area?

Everywhere lol. My house has a very open floor plan, it's basically one huge room (with a few bedrooms and bathrooms off to the side). My birds have the run of the house.

7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?

We had to move a lot of furniture around when Tulip arrived. Her cage and playgyms are so large that it required some creative arranging to accommodate them.

8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?

I belong to several bird forums online. I also volunteer with my local bird rescue group two days a month.

9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?

We have a small outdoor cage area for the birds. I would love to have a really large aviary- like one of the ones you see in zoos. My dream is something around 20 ft wide by 40 ft long.

10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?

I'd like to get a friend for Tulip because I think parrots are happier and healthier when they aren't alone. Mabel and Lucy are strongly bonded to one another. I wish Tulip could have that kind of fulfilling relationship too. She's a very big girl and also I definitely don't want babies. So someday I'll adopt another large female macaw to be her buddy.

11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.

We usually get up around 6am. I prepare their chop, then they eat their breakfast while I get my kids ready and off to school. Then the birds and their cages are usually covered in stickiness and bits of fruits/veggies. So the 3 of them get a bath and put in their outside cages to preen and get some fresh air and sunshine. While they are outside I clean their cages (and the floor, and the walls). Then they come in and go on their playstands. They have several play areas at various areas around the house. They are left out all day, and transport themselves to wherever they feel like going. When it is dinner time for the humans in our family, the birds get taken back to their cages. That gives them a chance to calm down and settle in for the evening and gives us a chance to eat in peace without a bird sticking her face in our food. They have lights out and go to bed at 7pm. Their sleeping cages are in a back bedroom where it is quiet and dark so that they won't be disturbed.

12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?

You don't own birds, birds own you! In all seriousness though, I don't think the average person has any idea how much being a bird owner shapes your life. Most people think of parrots as a low maintenance pet- harder to take care of than, say, a guinea pig; but way easier than a dog or cat. When I tell people that having a single parrot is harder than having a house full of dogs most non-parrot owners don't believe me.

13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?

I would never ever have mixed old world and new world birds. I had cockatiels for years, they are great little birds. But I didn't know about their dust being so dangerous for conures and macaws and Lucy and my tiels lived in close contact for years. By the time I did learn, it was too late, the birds were already bonded and couldn't be separated. When my last tiel died several years ago and I got Lucy a new companion, I was sure to get a non-dusty bird. But I worry constantly that Lucy has damage to her lungs from the tiels. She has never shown any adverse effects, but if something bad ever happens to her because of my ignorance, I will never forgive myself. Lucy is my whole heart.

14. What other hobbies do you have?

I read A LOT. I also show my dogs. And I knit.

15. Anything else you would like to share?

Thank you so much for choosing me for this award! I'm so honored!
 

Lwalker

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Joined
5/2/16
Messages
3,443
Location
Ontario
Real Name
Lori
:cheer::cheer::cheer:
Congratulations!
 

WendyN

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
8/8/16
Messages
7,843
Location
California
Real Name
Wendy
:chickendance:Congratulations!:chickendance:
 

Aubrey

Biking along the boulevard
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
7/17/13
Messages
8,285
Location
Missouri, USA
I enjoyed reading about you and your household :)

:bounce7: :congrats5::bounce7:
 

Tiel Feathers

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
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Location
Quincy,CA
Real Name
Deanna
:congrats5:
Great interview!
 

Nikomania

Rollerblading along the road
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Joined
8/9/13
Messages
4,015
Location
San Diego
:cheer:Congratulations!
 

Clueless

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
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Congrats, loved the interview.
 
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