I was in a pet shop one day, buying some food for my
chinchillas (Pablo and
Alfie) when I spotted a grey parrot. I'd never had any interest in birds... but thought I have a closer look. His name was Alfie, he was a baby
grey. I don't know what it was about him that endeared me so.... but too
late... it happened. I asked some questions about him, and decided to
research further into the care of these animals as pets, not really
intending
to get one, but just out of interest! Well a few books later, I began to
realise parrots are not your ordinary common or garden 'pets'. I was
beginning to realise that it would be like having a dog, not something
that
could be left to amuse itself. All through this my partner of seven years
Glyn, was firm.... we are not having a parrot........... no under no
circumstances..... forget it..... Well during the time taken to look into
things, I paid several visits to the pet shop to visit Alfie. Only to find
one day he'd been sold. Jackie, the pet shop manager, recognised me from
my
visits and came straight over...... Alfie had been homed with a nice
couple,
who were used to having greys. Apparently Jackie was reluctant to let
these
birds go to anyone without previous knowledge of what's involved caring
for
them. Anyway I think she sensed my disappointment, and advised that they
were
expecting another within the next few days. I explained that I had no
intention of buying...... Glyn was still resisting.... but my children
Charlotte 16 and Anthony 10 were on my side....... My next step was to
talk
to a few breeders, who were extremely helpful, and gave me lots of
information
and advice as to what I would be taking on...........(or so I thought).
Well
again we visited Chester, and for me it was love at first sight. Straight
away he would move to whichever side of his large cage I was standing
at. He
would gently nibble fingers through the bars and simply loved my gold
bracelets. They were good to nibble........... Well after three weeks of
visiting at least four times a week and at weekends, the pet shop staff
had
me down as a raving nutter by now) Jackie told me that again she had a
purchaser for Chester. She told me that she knew how fond I'd grown of
him,
and had told the buyer that he'd been reserved until the weekend. (That
day
being Tuesday, I had to work on Glyn fast.....) By now I'd made my mind
up
I had to have him. So We started on Glyn. He'd already visited the pet
shop
with me reluctantly ........ but agreed that he was an endearing little
chap. (I'd not mentioned that in my research, I'd discovered that as
babies
these birds will tolerate most, but can soon become monogamous) Well
time
went on and it got to Thursday.... by then the children and I had resigned
ourselves that we would not win the battle. Glyn had been away in the
Midlands that day, but arrived home at about 6.30. He struggled into the
kitchen with a huge box (he owns a wholesale plant nursery, and is
frequently
bringing all sorts of junk home so I took no notice, by now I was giving
the
cold shoulder a bit........ what's that you've got there, and don't leave
it
lying in the middle of the floor in my way! Well actually its a
cage........
for your......... parrot.....) My heart leapt, the kids screamed, and he
just
gently shrugged his shoulders.......... And so it was Chester came to live
with us, Jackie the pet shop lady was overjoyed, I so wanted you to have
him.
I know you'll take good care of him she said.
Well we brought him home, and settled him in his cage with perches a swing
and
his favourite toy. He was at once part of our family. We left him for the
night, and next morning we could not resist getting out. He happily
clattered
around the breakfast table, Exploring everything, and he soon discovered
that
pushing cutlery off the table was a great game, it remained one of his
favourites.. Over the next few months he settled, and if I thought I'd
known
what was involved in taking care of him. keeping him clean and trying to
feed
him... well what a culture shock. Thoroughly clean cage once a week
they
said...... what .....once a day at least...... Your bird will happily eat
his
seed and fresh veg and fruit. Forget it........ Your bird will love a
gentle spray of water....... not Chester, he hated water with a
vengeance.....
But I loved him just the same, and pandered to his every whim. He would
eat
vegetables, but only if they were lightly cooked. Yes he would eat seed,
but
found it far more fun to poke it through the bars of his cage preferably
onto
a freshly vaccumed floor! Bathtime he hated, but he would let me lift him
into the sink and gently rub water under his feathers. He would still give
me
the occasional wang, just to let me know he didn't like it, and I never
scolded
him for that, even though it would hurt like hell sometimes. He would
allow
me to clip his claws, and then smooth them gently with an emery board.
then
he would hack the emery board to bits - as if to say - let that be a
lesson to
you. Another favourite was to wait until the back panel of the seed and
grit
trays was removed for cleaning, and then push the trays to the floor, poke
his head through the gap to survey the mess as if to say look what I
done!!!!!! He liked doing it with the water tray too!!! Whipping out
earrings was a great game, then keeping them in his beak until such time
as he
chose to drop them to the floor - the diamond studs were the
best...................!!!!!!
Well he become a talker at a very early age and his repertoire included.
Hello, Chester's a good boy, more (if we were eating and he thought he
should
be too) Charlotte ... your gonna be late. Give us a kiss. He would
mimic
Glyns mobile phone ring tone.... and then answer, hello, yep yep. He
learned to mimic a dripping tap to perfection, and would whistle old
McDonald had a....... (that as far as he got). One of our games would
be.
I would lift him from his cage and swing about my head by his feet, sounds
cruel but he loved it... and he would whistle the superman tune da da
daaaaaaaa. This would evoke huge laughter from any observer..... but he
would
be coy, and would seldom speak on demand in front of strangers. He would
wait until we were out of the room and then yak constantly...... He could
understand the commands. Step Up/Down, In your house (time to get back
in
your cage) Other way, if I wanted him to face the other was if he was on
my
shoulder (his most favourite place). Be a dirty boy (I would ask this if
he
was coming out of his cage, to avoid accidents - he knew it made me cross
and
would often make his was back into his cage to go......) Our favourite
time
was at night.. I would bring him into the sitting room, turn off all the
lights, and lay down with him nestling on my chest with his under my
chin. He
ruffle his feathers and we would sleep. Many nights were spent like this,
and
I would wake in the early hours of the morning and put him in his cage, he
would utter night night, before I left to go to bed.
We spent three happy years together, and when he became ill and died it
all
happened so fast. I had noticed that he had gone a little quiet, but
didn't
think much of it, I thought he was in a moult, and having a sulk. Then I
noticed he seemed to be losing weight. So I enquired at several vets, as
to
what I should do. I was reluctant to take him, as he always found travel
in
the car stressful. He hated it when we went on holiday, and had to go
the
the aviaries to be cared for, and although they took good care of him he
was
always happy to be home. The local vets seemed reluctant to help, and
after
much searching I found a specialist, some miles away. Glyn and I took
him,
quite expecting to be given some drugs to make him better....... Well the
vet
was very busy and we had to wait ages. When we got to see him, he look at
Chester and said, this is serious........ he wasn't sure what was wrong,
but
took some blood. Poor Chester was so stressed. the vet thought it better
if
I cared for him at home, and gave me some baby food to try to force feed
him.
He advised to keep him quiet and warm, and phone in a few days for the
results. Well that was on Thursday. His condition went downhill fast,
and by
Sunday he was just sitting on the bottom of his cage, It was heartbreaking
to
see him, and I felt so helpless that I could do nothing. I also felt so
guilty that I'd not noticed before. Well on that Sunday he took a turn
for
the worst, and so Glyn and I phoned a local vet who agreed to see him.
Sadly
he died on my lap in the car on the way......... The vet did offer to
keep
him, but at that time I couldn't bear to leave him, so we brought him home
-
after a hour or so Glyn gently took him, we put him with his favourite
toys in
a quiet spot in the garden, and how we cried. Although, Chester had hated
Glyn with a vengeance, he cried too, saying he never really minded having
huge
chunks hacked out of his feet or being lunged at through the bars of the
cage, that was Chester, he was his own bird, and no matter what Glyn did,
it
made no difference Chester didn't like him and that was that.
I could not bring myself to phone the first vet for his test results, but
Glyn
did it for me. We were advised that his death was probably due to liver
failure. more than likely a problem he had been born with. We since
learned,
that these animals will cover up the fact that they are ill in the wild,
as
they are usually attacked and killed. Usually by the time an owner
notices,
any illness is hard to treat successfully. One thing I have learned from
this, which I learned too late. How important it is to weigh your bird,
and
monitor weight constantly, they can drop body weight at an alarming rate
and
this will very quickly lead to their demise.
I really should have had an autopsy carried out, but at the time grief
overtook all rational thoughts. With hindsight, it would have been the
best
thing to do, but part of me was and still is afraid that it was my fault
that
we lost him. I keep thinking, if only this, perhaps if that, but all I
do
is chew myself up inside. People think I nuts to act so over a pet. I
could
say he was mine, but he wasn't I was his, he called the shots, and I loved
him for it and I always will. Chester my best buddy .
It is because of the grief we suffered losing him - Glyn is very reluctant
to
let us own another, and I don't think I could replace such a wonderful
character. It brought me such great comfort to look at your web site,
Cherish
Bobby always............. Thank you so much
Fran
|
