Newbie

[Lissa_K]

Hello all!

New here... another bird talk forum addict... I currently have 3 frats (fids, fabys, overly egotistical, hyped-up chickens... j/k... only my Quaker is full of herself...)

I take in homeless parrots, well any animal, really, in the NE region of AR and then help to find homes for them. 5/8 of my permanent residents (lifetimers, as we call them) are second-hand or rescue babies.

I have a yorkie, named Zoe, that was being taken to the pound because she wasn't "cute enough" and didn't have a "good coat" to be a keeper at the puppy mill... She's cute enough for me! I have the photos to prove it!

I have a dobe, named Dominic or Nici, for short, that was purchased at a puppy store because he was 5 months old, about 20 pounds in a crate intended for a teacup chihuahua... He's now momma's big baby! He was successfully crate-trained... in a crate intended for a Great Dane... Lots of room!

I have a rabbit, named Kagome, that was adopted from Petco when I worked there as an Avian Specialist (one of the good Petco's.... you don't have to tell me.... I have been to less-than-standard Petco's and have also been kicked out of them, too!). This bunny was found by an elderly gentleman on his front porch one morning and he was frightened his grandson would hurt it (he didn't have very nice things to say about the boy...). The store put it up for adoption, but I refused to let it go home with any of the families that applied for it. They had all come in looking for a "cheap, easy pet like a hamster" (their words, not mine.... I know quite well how complicated proper care for a small rodent like a hamster or mouse can be). They had screaming children that went around smacking the sides of the habitats or poking the ferrets with cat toys.... The parents weren't too interested in our slightly large bunny until they heard that he was free... Sorry, rejected.... This went on for six months until our district manager said that we either had to adopt it out or deem it unadoptable and have it put down.... She now resides in a custom made hutch with her newly earned out-of-cage priviledges ( all those months in a petstore had her a little more than skittish about human contact)...

I also have two bettas, separate tanks of course, named Mushu and Wanton.

But on to the REALLY spoiled babies, the ones you guys REALLY want to hear about.

I have a 2 year old green Quaker, named Centauri, who came from a home where she was screamed at on a daily basis, kept on a strictly seed diet (purposely because they wanted to "keep her cheap"), and had shoes thrown at her cage on a regular basis. She had the foulest language I'd ever seen on a 2 year old! And she would just as soon bite you as look at you. Now she talks all the time (without using profanity) and tolerates some handling. You have to approach her with bare feet, but she's getting better.

I have a 4 year old Blue & Gold Macaw, named Sydney, who was spoiled by my mother for all but a month of those four years, but she has health issues that cause her to be very mild-mannered and physically weak. She was no longer able to handle the macaw 'tude, so she let Syd come live with me.

And I also have a Congo African Grey, named Phoenix. Phoenix was a suprise gift from my aunt after I lost my Greencheek conure, Balian, to an intruder's cruel prank. He was hatched 2 days after Christmas Eve of 2004, making him 2 days younger than my dobe. He has a great vocabulary already, and he's the exact opposite of any of those African Grey myths! Cuddlier than a cokatoo and I had to help him remove most of the feather shafts after his recent molt. I'm not sure he knows HOW to pick at feathers, and that's okay by me....

Well, there ya go. That turned out longer than I intended, but hey, I'm introducing myself and my critter kids... I tend to get wordy about my kids....

[Alika]

Welcome to the board. Sounds like you have some great fids!

You won't catch flak here for your history with PetCo. I used to be an avian care specialist for PetsMart, and know all-too-well the types of judgemental people you can sometimes run across on these types of message boards. BirdBoard is not one of those places. You should be quite at home here.

Oh, and for the record (and because I tell this to everyone who has one) I am very, very jealous of your B&G macaw ;)

[Lissa_K]

I'M jealous of my B&G... he's got the most awesome play cage at my mom's house (she babysits if I have to go out of town) It's one of those Cages By Design Cages with the waterfall background.... filled with neat toys and she cooks for him! Me and my little sis had eat pop-tarts for breakfast for 18 years, but she COOKS for him....

Oh well, I'm just as bad....

[kp_in_scott]

Welcome Lissa! Glad to have you with us. I have kind of a house full of birds too. I think you'll love it here.

[Tiki]

Welcome Lissa! Sounds like you have a great feathered family! I like your term "Frats"-lemme guess-Feathered Brats?

[kathy5]

hi your birds are so neatI love your B & G but a beak that BIG scars me
I know how hard a budgie bite is so I just can not fathom a bite by a B & G
welcome to the board...

[Monica]

I was nibbled on by a baby hyacinth, so I can easily guess! LOL That nibble though, left a scar wound for a couple of months, and it hurt for 2 weeks straight!

Sounds like you've got a great little family there, even if they are brats! LOL How can you have them any other way?

[WILMA]

Hi Lissa! Just another BT member trying out the new nest LOL...looks good!

Wilma & BamBam

[The Outlaw]

Welcome to Birdboard. You sound like one of us already.

[Freedomoflight]

Hey Lissa, nice to see ya around!