Tiki's Hatch Day 7/16/1996

[birdyland]

Tiki's hatchday anniversary is tomorrow :-} She will be 9 years old. I got her a $20 "store bought" toy to celebrate, and I'll have to see what goodies I can cook up for her! She hasn't had a colored wood and rope store bought toy in a year or two (I make my own wood toys, nice, but no coloring!) so this will be a real treat!

For those of you that don't know her story:

One Day in early December, when I was 16, I was called down to my Dad's office to pick up some dog food, as he told me he would be home late and the dogs needed their dinner and we were out, so he had picked some up that day.

I got down there and retrieved his keys from him, went right outside the door to where his van was parked and opened the side door. To my amazement, there was not a 20lb bag of dogfood for me to lug, but a tail-less, somewhat confused and frightened ball of red yellow and green feathers peering back at me from inside the van with huge brown eyes! I stood there for a few seconds, stunned in awe. I had NO idea this was what Dad was up to.

See, ever since I was 3 years old, I have been infatuated with the Scarlet Macaw. I saw one, nobody even remembers where or on what, as it wasn't a real one, it had to be a picture or a show or something....and it started my obsession with birds. When I was little we had ducks and even turkeys and geese for a short while. I took in sick or injured wild birds and nursed them. Through the years I had budgies, and tiels and a number of other birds including a cherry head and a GCC that I had taken in and rehabilitated and rehomed or took care of. I read books and articles, did reports (one three class report science/history/literature specifically on a Scarlet Macaw). I can't ever remember NOT wanting a Scarlet Macaw.

So I was staring down at my dream... the thing you always think of, but never think that you will get to actually obtain, not anytime soon anyway, especially as a thought to a 16 year old. I shook of my stun and gingerly scooped up the almost 5 month old Macaw. THE ONE, my baby, it was obvious to me that my dad had gifted me the creature I most wanted.

Earlier that day he had stumbled upon a breeder in Lakeside CA. The Golden Wing Ranch. Now, we're told that Carmen doesn't usually sell to individuals and has a closed aviary, but my Dad, who can be very persistant lol, heard all the birds while out on a job, and sweet talked his way in. He convinced Carmen to let him pick out a baby scarlet to bring home to me. He was introduced to the babies. My little girl fought her way to the front of the "pack" to get to my dad and climb up him! Dad told her right there and then that she was going to come home to live with us. Carmen even knocked some money off because the little macaw had absolutely shreaded the couple tail feathers that she had left while amonst her siblings, and Carmen removed those and handed the bird back to my dad.

Dad put her in the back of the van, in a box, and drove to his office. He tried to get her out and she put her beak right through his hand. Yep, sunk that little hook right through the top, just missing all of the vitals, and almost met the lower part of her beak to the upper with Dad's hand inbetween. He doesn't hold it against her, he knows that to open the vehicle and reach into a box to retrieve a baby creature who has never seen outside let alone a van or strangers, was pretty darn dumb. Man those beaks have power. Anyway, so that is why he had to think of a reason for me to come get her, he knew I would know what to do with her!

I did know. Even with the experience I had, I still read everything else I could get my hands on. I knew the reputation scarlets had, and did my best to keep her from those tendancies. Today, she is very protective of me, and she can give you a good nip when she's scared or whatnot, but she's nothing like the sterotypical nightmare!

Not a day passes that I am not in awe of my beautiful, magnificent pet. My friend, my Tiki. Happy Birthday Tiki-Bird! Thanks Dad :-}



(yes, her name is from the Tiki Room @ Disney. Of course, it was always my favorite, due to my obsession with birds.... so it is only fitting that my dreambird is its namesake!)

[Tiki]

You mean she wasn't named after me? Sniffle-sniffle! LOL, J/K!

Happy Hatchday, Tiki!

[willowbirdy218]

Happy 9th Hatchday, Tiki!! Tomorrow will be 1 year since I got my baby Willow!!

[The Outlaw]

Aw Dana, that's just the BEST story ever! I'm tellin ya, there is nothing like a Daddy. Anyone can be a father, but you gotta EARN the title Daddy. Its the highest promotion a guy can get. Have you ever heard of a biological Daddy? Nope!

Happy Birthday Tiki. You are one special gal. May you live to see 100 and be owned by Dana's grandchild.

THE OUTLAW

[danforth3]

Happy hatchday Tiki.

[birdyland]

Thank you much! We had a great day :-} It just so happens that the guy who earned his "daddy" title so may times over with me.... it is his birthday 7/16 as well.


My Dad handed me a bunch of pictures in an envelope tonight that my Aunt (his sister) brought over yesterday. There just happened to be a picture in there of Tiki and me from about two weeks after Dad brought her home to me.

Attached! A candid pic of my tail-less,clumsy baby.... and me at 16. 8 1/2 years ago. Tiki is almost 6 months old here.... December 1996.

[The Outlaw]

Dana:

Sixteen sure looked a lot younger then (LOL). Thanks for sharing.

THE OUTLAW

[smallonion]

HAPPY HATCHDAY TIKI GIRL!!
What a lovely story. You must have fallen in love with her right then and there!

[ParrotletLover]

Thats a great story! Happy, happy Hatchday, Tiki!

[Tinna]

Awwww she looks travel size at that age how adorable!!! XD