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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 Brittany0208 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 a 9-year-old Greater Vasa named Java. He is special needs, having lost a leg in a raccoon attack, and having tendon entrapment in his remaining leg that prevents any range of motion in his leg.
2. What got you interested in birds?
I’ve always admired birds for their grace! I mean, who doesn’t wish they could fly above the clouds with nothing to hinder them?
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
Java has brought me so much joy and happiness in the short time that we’ve been together (currently 7months). I do sometimes wonder what my life would’ve been had I opted for a bird that had no physical impairments, but when I look into those beady brown eyes, I wouldn’t trade him for anything, whether he had both legs or no legs at all. He’s taught me patience, which I thought I had mastered at this point, but with the many adjustments and hurdles we have faced, I find myself very much prepared to make these accommodations for the rest of his life. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if I had it in me to care for a special needs bird. There have been a TON of trial and error, which is something I didn’t take into consideration when adopting a bird. I didn’t specifically look for a special needs bird, in fact, all I wanted was an older bird. It didn’t cross my mind that I could come across your “not-so-perfect” birdie. There was no preparation for bringing home a handicapped animal, but I have learned as the days go by. I don’t regret a single moment of deciding to dedicate my life to my Turkey-Bird.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
They are not ‘easy’ companions. They are far more demanding than a cat or a dog, but what they give back cannot be measured in words. Also, I’ve learned patience, that I thought I already had mastered, and acceptance, that Java may always be aloof and nippy.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
My fondest memory of Java is toward the very beginning when he first came home. I had gotten into the habit of sitting next to his cage while I ate in hopes of getting him used to my presence. One morning, I had a cup of pomegranate arils that I was eating out of, and a separate bowl just for him. Well, it took about a half an hour, but he climbed down from the very top of the cage, and crept toward the pomegranate, stopping every few seconds to make sure I wasn’t going to eat him. I made sure I didn’t stare him down, and before I knew it . . . he had dunked his head in the bowl of arils and quickly scampered back to his perch to eat. When I didn’t pursue him, he did it again, taking longer to return to his perch until he just hung onto the side of the cage and ate. I could’ve reached out and touched him, but I didn’t. And he surprised me again, he climbed onto my lap to check out what I was eating since he had eaten all of his. That moment specifically melted my heart.
6. Where is your birds main living area?
Java lives in my bedroom, which is where I spent most of my time.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
Oh boy, YES!!! In my room alone, I’ve padded all my walls with foam mattress toppers, covered my floor in foam floor tiles, covered my window with a baby gate, covered my mirrors with cards and stickers, and installed a mosquito net in my doorway to stop him from flying out of my room when the door is open. I’ve also gotten rid of all my candles, aerosals (which I wasn’t a fan of anyway), threw out all my cleaners, etc. It’s been a huge adjustment, but it’s for the better.
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
I’m only a member of AA
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
I would love to have the space to dedicate a plethora of perches and toys for him to access in any direction
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
My favorite species of bird has always been owls, but after reading about caring for one as a pet, I would much rather admire them from afar.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
My morning consists of uncovering Java at about 0730 whilst I sing to him ‘Good morning! Good morning! It’s great to stay up late . . .’ then talking to him about his night and making sure there are no feathers out of place and that his stool looks normal. Then, I prepare his breakfast, bringing it to him and opening the cage door where he enjoys the morning with me while I tend to personal matters. I play random videos on YouTube for him to watch throughout the day while he and I chat and scream at random. I change his paper every day or every other day, and I shake out the blankets every other day as well. The cage gets wiped down twice a day. On nice days, I open the window and open his door as wide as possible so he can get some fresh air and sunshine. At 1130, I take up his breakfast and clean up the feeding station, before attaching several toys to his door for him to play with while he continues to gaze out the window. Throughout the day, I’m picking up tossed toys, constantly talking to him, sharing snacks with him, and just enjoying the quiet. When dinnertime rolls around, he gets fresh food while I close the curtains and begin to start settling in for the night. After dinner, I play something on Pandora quietly and clean up the feeding station again, getting him ready for bed. By this time, the room is dimmed and everything has quieted, and he gets onto his sleep perch where he hangs out for about an hour before I give him his bedtime snack of slivered almonds, and then talk to him as I cover the cage and wish him sweet dreams.
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
I’ve learned that bird body language is typically subtle yet quite obvious once you know your bird. I can quickly tell when something has Java’s attention or when something is making him nervous. Granted, I’m still learning, I can be his voice when he’s approach and his signs are ignored. I’ve also learned about diet and species. I had no idea there were so many different species of parrots. My knowledge was only limited to macaws, budgies, ‘tiels, and cockatoos.
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I don’t think there is a lot that can prepare anyone to bring home a special needs animal, be it a bird, cat, dog, etc. However, I would’ve joined AA much sooner than I did so I would have an idea of what I was getting myself into.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
I spend most of my day writing, having been a writer since I was eleven-years-old. I find cleaning to be very therapeutic, so I’m always looking for something to clean or ‘fix’. I also love to cook!
15. Anything else you would like to share?
I will be the first to admit that as wonderful as birds are as companions, I will admit that birds are NOT for everyone. It breaks my heart to see so many postings for rehomed birds because the owner ‘doesn’t have time for it’ or they’re moving and ‘don’t want to take the bird with them’. I always wonder if these posters would treat their children the same way, or if they were ever committed to the bird in the first place. A bird is a lifelong commitment, when the roads get bumpy, you adapt and overcome WITH your companion whom you’ve shared your life with. I, personally, would never move to a location where birds weren’t allowed. Everything I do, every place I go, if my bird cannot be with me, then I will keep moving. I would not give him up because times got tough, I’d find an alternative, whatever it took so that we’d stay together. This is the promise that I made to him when I invited him into my life: that we would always be together.
I am happy to announce that Brittany0208 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 a 9-year-old Greater Vasa named Java. He is special needs, having lost a leg in a raccoon attack, and having tendon entrapment in his remaining leg that prevents any range of motion in his leg.
2. What got you interested in birds?
I’ve always admired birds for their grace! I mean, who doesn’t wish they could fly above the clouds with nothing to hinder them?
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
Java has brought me so much joy and happiness in the short time that we’ve been together (currently 7months). I do sometimes wonder what my life would’ve been had I opted for a bird that had no physical impairments, but when I look into those beady brown eyes, I wouldn’t trade him for anything, whether he had both legs or no legs at all. He’s taught me patience, which I thought I had mastered at this point, but with the many adjustments and hurdles we have faced, I find myself very much prepared to make these accommodations for the rest of his life. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if I had it in me to care for a special needs bird. There have been a TON of trial and error, which is something I didn’t take into consideration when adopting a bird. I didn’t specifically look for a special needs bird, in fact, all I wanted was an older bird. It didn’t cross my mind that I could come across your “not-so-perfect” birdie. There was no preparation for bringing home a handicapped animal, but I have learned as the days go by. I don’t regret a single moment of deciding to dedicate my life to my Turkey-Bird.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
They are not ‘easy’ companions. They are far more demanding than a cat or a dog, but what they give back cannot be measured in words. Also, I’ve learned patience, that I thought I already had mastered, and acceptance, that Java may always be aloof and nippy.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
My fondest memory of Java is toward the very beginning when he first came home. I had gotten into the habit of sitting next to his cage while I ate in hopes of getting him used to my presence. One morning, I had a cup of pomegranate arils that I was eating out of, and a separate bowl just for him. Well, it took about a half an hour, but he climbed down from the very top of the cage, and crept toward the pomegranate, stopping every few seconds to make sure I wasn’t going to eat him. I made sure I didn’t stare him down, and before I knew it . . . he had dunked his head in the bowl of arils and quickly scampered back to his perch to eat. When I didn’t pursue him, he did it again, taking longer to return to his perch until he just hung onto the side of the cage and ate. I could’ve reached out and touched him, but I didn’t. And he surprised me again, he climbed onto my lap to check out what I was eating since he had eaten all of his. That moment specifically melted my heart.
6. Where is your birds main living area?
Java lives in my bedroom, which is where I spent most of my time.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
Oh boy, YES!!! In my room alone, I’ve padded all my walls with foam mattress toppers, covered my floor in foam floor tiles, covered my window with a baby gate, covered my mirrors with cards and stickers, and installed a mosquito net in my doorway to stop him from flying out of my room when the door is open. I’ve also gotten rid of all my candles, aerosals (which I wasn’t a fan of anyway), threw out all my cleaners, etc. It’s been a huge adjustment, but it’s for the better.
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
I’m only a member of AA
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
I would love to have the space to dedicate a plethora of perches and toys for him to access in any direction
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
My favorite species of bird has always been owls, but after reading about caring for one as a pet, I would much rather admire them from afar.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
My morning consists of uncovering Java at about 0730 whilst I sing to him ‘Good morning! Good morning! It’s great to stay up late . . .’ then talking to him about his night and making sure there are no feathers out of place and that his stool looks normal. Then, I prepare his breakfast, bringing it to him and opening the cage door where he enjoys the morning with me while I tend to personal matters. I play random videos on YouTube for him to watch throughout the day while he and I chat and scream at random. I change his paper every day or every other day, and I shake out the blankets every other day as well. The cage gets wiped down twice a day. On nice days, I open the window and open his door as wide as possible so he can get some fresh air and sunshine. At 1130, I take up his breakfast and clean up the feeding station, before attaching several toys to his door for him to play with while he continues to gaze out the window. Throughout the day, I’m picking up tossed toys, constantly talking to him, sharing snacks with him, and just enjoying the quiet. When dinnertime rolls around, he gets fresh food while I close the curtains and begin to start settling in for the night. After dinner, I play something on Pandora quietly and clean up the feeding station again, getting him ready for bed. By this time, the room is dimmed and everything has quieted, and he gets onto his sleep perch where he hangs out for about an hour before I give him his bedtime snack of slivered almonds, and then talk to him as I cover the cage and wish him sweet dreams.
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
I’ve learned that bird body language is typically subtle yet quite obvious once you know your bird. I can quickly tell when something has Java’s attention or when something is making him nervous. Granted, I’m still learning, I can be his voice when he’s approach and his signs are ignored. I’ve also learned about diet and species. I had no idea there were so many different species of parrots. My knowledge was only limited to macaws, budgies, ‘tiels, and cockatoos.
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I don’t think there is a lot that can prepare anyone to bring home a special needs animal, be it a bird, cat, dog, etc. However, I would’ve joined AA much sooner than I did so I would have an idea of what I was getting myself into.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
I spend most of my day writing, having been a writer since I was eleven-years-old. I find cleaning to be very therapeutic, so I’m always looking for something to clean or ‘fix’. I also love to cook!
15. Anything else you would like to share?
I will be the first to admit that as wonderful as birds are as companions, I will admit that birds are NOT for everyone. It breaks my heart to see so many postings for rehomed birds because the owner ‘doesn’t have time for it’ or they’re moving and ‘don’t want to take the bird with them’. I always wonder if these posters would treat their children the same way, or if they were ever committed to the bird in the first place. A bird is a lifelong commitment, when the roads get bumpy, you adapt and overcome WITH your companion whom you’ve shared your life with. I, personally, would never move to a location where birds weren’t allowed. Everything I do, every place I go, if my bird cannot be with me, then I will keep moving. I would not give him up because times got tough, I’d find an alternative, whatever it took so that we’d stay together. This is the promise that I made to him when I invited him into my life: that we would always be together.
so nice to learn more about you.
