Finally, after 2 days of heavy rain a break in the weather. My dogs and I can’t wait to get out for a walk. So with much jubilation (I mean barking) I get all 4 leashed up and out the door we go. Two doors down we spot a little box turtle flushed out by the rain, a quick sniff and down the road we go. Nearing the end of my street I see something on the side of the road that I thought was a mouse. As I get closer I realize it is a parakeet. I get all the dogs behind me and as I step forward the little bird jumps on my shoe! I put my hand down and he jumps in my hand. So with my 4 dogs and a parakeet I walk back home, all the while thinking this poor little bird probably has a broken wing because why else would he just jump in my hands and let me carry him home.
Well, years ago I inherited a canary who was old and passed quickly, then a gift of a parakeet who was not tamed and flew out the window one day when I didn’t know he was out of his cage. I never considered myself a bird person. They are noisy and scatter everything in the cage all around the cage. I also don’t like anything to live in a cage so birds were just never my thing. I would even tell the girls at work I was glad I didn’t have one.
So now here I am with 4 dogs 3 cats and no cage for this little bird. Still not knowing if he is hurt, I put him in a cat carrier in the garage with a towel over the front and some bread and water and drive down the street to knock on doors to see if anyone lost a parakeet. I had no luck, so now I know I have him at least overnight so off to Walmart I go to get a cage and supplies. Upon my return I go to the carrier and their is no bird!! In a panic, all I can think of is one of my cats found a way to get him. All of the sudden I hear him in the back yard chirping away, well now I know he can fly, and there he is nose to nose with one of my cats. Thank goodness my cats are very mellow and he was just checking out the bird.! So I grab the bird and put him in the bathroom until I get the cage set up.
All this time my husband is at work, so when I call him and tell him I found a parakeet he was a little skeptical. Thank goodness he is as big an animal lover as I am and I told him I would find his home or find him a good home, never thinking he would steal my heart.
I put up signs all over the neighborhood, contacted the local Vets and shelters and put a lost and found ad on Craigslist. Three days and no response So now my husband starts saying he wouldn’t mind if we kept him. You see he was stealing my husbands heart too. I have never seen a more social, funny and affectionate bird in my life. We named him Simon and he learned to say his name in about one week. I got him a bigger cage. I let him fly around with supervision but that didn’t stop my little pom from getting to curious and rambunctious and breaking his wing. Dr. Slade took me in on an emergency appointment and was wonderful. Very informative and instructions on how to care for my little guy. Dr. Slade was not sure he would ever fly again, but Simon would not let a little thing like a broken wing keep him down, after all he had survived a rain storm and a walk down the road already and in about 2 1/2 weeks he was healed up and flying. Topper has been trained to ignore the bird with a water bottle and there is again peace in my valley.
We decided we needed a bigger cage for Simon so we bought him a parrot cage. We had to take a piece of furniture out of the living room to make room for it. Simon was in heaven but still likes getting out and being part of the family. I felt he was lonely though, so of course I got him a little friend. His name is Sidney and he and Simon are becoming best buds. Sidney doesn’t fly free yet since his wings had been clipped and that has helped with his taming.
I cannot believe how obsessed we have become with these birds. We laugh everyday at their antics and Simon is truly one in a million. So now I tell everyone proudly, Yes I am a bird person.
