what got you interested in parrots?

[Giantmoa]

Everybody is introduced to the bird world different ways. I fancied myself a dog person for quite a while despite my parents being allergic to everything with fur.I wanted an intelligent pet that wouldn't send my parents into a sneezing fit. Fish and reptiles, for the most part, didn't cut it. And bird? they weren't even on my radar. That is until I took a walk in the park. Out of no where this pretty yellow bird flew down onto the telephone wires. Now I was no expert at that point but it definitely wasn't native. I called up to him and he fluttered down beside me. After a failed attempt to pick him up I finally wrapped him up in my scarf and took him home. There, once again, I was clueless as to what to do. I let him explore my backyard while my mom called the shelter (I now
know that letting a flighted bird that I didn't even know be outside was pretty stupid). My mom agreed, grudgingly, to let us keep the parrot which we finnally identified as a cockatiel until we could find his owners. And wow was being thrown into the avain world an experience. We never could find "Lucky's" owners and kept her for three or four years until she passed away from illness. I learned a lot in that time!

Any other great stories out there? I'd love to hear them ^^

[lzver]

Until 4 years ago I never would have considered keeping a parrot as a pet ... I really didn't know anything about birds or parrots.

My husband had grown up with family members having parrots and ever since he was a teenager he wanted to get a parrot. His family had Macaw's and we both agreed right away that we weren't going to get a large parrot like that. We were out shopping one day and saw a Red Bellied parrot and I really had no idea you could get smaller parrots. We went home and did some research and my husband talked me into getting her. She's now my 5-year old baby Lucy. A few months later, Jessie, my Senegal joined our family.

Admittedly when we first got Lucy and Jessie we had no idea how to really care for a parrot. But in 4 years I have learnt ALOT and have become quite an avian enthusiast. I am totally fascinated with any kind of bird now.

[ptuga72]

I have always loved birds. I had owned two budgies as a kid (not at the same time), but didn't know about how to take of them properly. My grandmother had a budgie named Blue that I loved for the many years of its life (it lived to 15). In my family birds were the equivalent to 10 cent feeder fish, the kind used to teach a kid about how to take care of a pet and how to deal with the loss of a pet without actually dealing with a puppy or "real pet". When each died I was heartbroken, but wasn't allowed to get another bird.

So fast-forward ten years (without a bird ). Last year I graduated from college and my husband asked me to pick out a graduation gift. I chose a cockatiel! He agreed and began looking for a baby. When I was at a certain pet store now known for puppy mill dogs, I met Jake my gcc. I fell in love and after many visits to him and two weeks of debating we brought him home. He really introduced me to the world of parrots and their care. It was about a month after that when I learned about parrot rescues and began flirting with the idea of fostering or adopting another gcc and maybe one day getting a TAG.

I went to classes a local rescue gives and adoption fairs. While at one I met our Scarlet. She was shy, plucked and generally not very friendly. I thought she was beautiful. She looked at me, turned her head upside-down and whistled at me. I knew we would be the best of friends. After much debating, DH pushed me to try and bring her home. And that's how I ended up with an ekkie instead of a second gcc. Scarlet is what really got me interested in rescue work. Now I'm the crazy bird lady in my circle of friends!

[rebeccaturpeinen]

Giantmoa, your story is very similar to mine. Always thought we were dog people but then one day this beautiful bird was flying around in our backyard and we knew it shouldnt be out there. Then we caught it but couldnt find the owner and now he is ours

[Yorkochanie]

Another similar story Six years ago, my daddy was going to buy me a little turtle. So we went to a pet-store to choose my little turtle. While I was looking at turtles, a green budgie landed on my shoulder. An employee told me that she was an 6-year-old budgie named Yesil. (means Green in English) Guess what? We bought that little girl instead of a turtle and she was a great company, a lovely budgie. After her, I bought and trained many budgies and I remember her everyday and how she got me into birds.

[Kim S]

I think most people grow up with budgies or tiels. I had a budgie through most of my childhood. Looking back I treated that animal so poorly It had a nice big cage, enough food and water and loads of attention. But it only had plastic perches, a swing and a mirror with a bell. I kill people over that nowadays.
Anyway, my ast budgie died about 10 years ago when I was about 16. I went without bird for a long time. Then I met my bf and he liked birds as well. He used to live in Taiwan and apperently, Lovebirds came knocking on their window there. He had three birds that landed in their backyard and never left.
After living together for a year I decided I wanted an aviary, so we bought one measuring about 12 x 5 feet. 5 years later We have a couple of breeding aviarys to go with that.
I always wanted to get a 'real' parrot though but I never thought I would. The maintanence doesnt bother me that much since I already own a lot of birds and keep most things in stock anyway. But keeping a parrot in home or a coupe of birdies in an aviary is a big difference. They are like little children.
We always wanted a cockatoo or a big macaw. Instead Kika the Senegal was tossed in our laps. I never looked back.
Maybe one day we will have another friend for him. But for now I am happy with my little monkey

[Rue]

I study/teach animal behaviour and at home I've always had pets. I've had cockatiels since the mid-80s. But several years ago I really wanted to own a larger parrot (in part because I was working in the same department as several ornithologists)...the larger parrots are very different than the 'tiels...which intrigued me...

Part of me would like a macaw...but I found out I'm not a 'big-dog' person (I'm good to 100 lbs, but bigger than that is too big) and was worried I wouldn't be a 'big-parrot' person. And with birds still being relatively rare - it's hard to get any experience with one without buying it...and I didn't want to make a mistake...

So we got the Pionus, then the rehomed Amazon, then the plucked rehomed Grey...

(...and my daughter had the finches and the budgies)

S'all good. I've learned lots, and continue to learn more. Never knew how rewarding a larger parrot could be.

However, even though I study behaviour, my pets are primarily pets...so with the 5 of 'mine' I have enough to look after (and entertain)...so I don't think we'd ever get more...

[TheNzJessie]

i got introduced to birds when i worked at the pet store, i grew up knowing what birds were but had a phobia of them after i got attacked by my granddads very jealous rainbow lorikeet. but now i own one i only got over the phobia/fear of them when working at the pet store..i guess its like anything put your self in the situation your scared of and soon enough you get over it.