The summer of 1996 we added Spike, a cockatiel, to our family. We found him...or rather, he found us in GA while on vacation visiting Johnny's mom. He literally followed Brianna (who was 8 mos. at the time) around like she was the best thing in the world...and she looked at him & for the very first time said...bird! It was her 2nd word. Needless to say, he had to come home with us. He was utterly miserable at first, then he got used to us & us to him. He called me Mommy, he called Brianna Pretty Bird, called Bear...and he whistled at me when I got out of the shower! You have to love him for that! *G* He loved to scream if the girls were upset but most of all...he loved to laugh. He would laugh like he'd just seen the most amazingly funny thing in the world...and his laugh was irresistible...you had to laugh, too. We all held him constantly, he was very used to being handled. And, once, when he got out of our back door we thought he was gone...and I was devastated. I called Johnny at work at told him about it & he came home to help me look. Well, I found him...about 20 feet up a tree with no way to reach him! So...I called Johnny, he threw food, we showed him his cage...nothing. I suggested a ladder, Johnny said we didn't have one big enough so...I called the people I knew with the biggest ladder...the fire department! *G* After convincing them that it was NOT a prank call they came out with 3 trucks, lights & sirens BLARING! They put Johnny in the bucket, sent him up, he said, Spike on, he got on and was never outside again until we took him to the vet's...I carried him out for the first time in his life...not in a cage but in my arms. That's how sick he was. My grandmother was fascinated with him before she died...we had put the large beanie bird in her hospital room and she actually was talking to him like it was Spike when she was confused. The girls took comfort knowing he was really with her now. One time...he flew down our hallway & was on a bench between the girls' rooms...and started yelling, "Mommy, Spike pretty bird!" I yelled back he wasn't & we went back and forth a few times until I got up to see what the deal was. Our cat was on the floor watching him! I guess he decided Mommy should rescue him! *G* But he also played pick-a-boo with the cat when he was in his cage! He tolerated some of the dogs better than the others, he liked to ride on Bear, our chow, he loved to peck Patches, our shih Tzu's, nose, Glimmer & Saavy didn't bother him either way. When we called the dogs in he would whistle & say, Bear, Bear, come on Bear, Saavy, Saavy. He even gave kisses! And loved earrings & gold jewelry...I used to say he should have been a thief if only we could train him to give it to us! *G* Our house is very empty and quiet today. After we got him we took him back to Maryland where we lived at the time, then when Johnny got out of the military we moved to Mississippi...and, of course, he came with us. He's been in this house as long as we have, the first time I walked through that door I was carrying his cage. Needless to say, it was with a very sad, heavy heart that I held him in my arms, May, 2002 while he stretched his wings for the last time, took his last breath, & died on the way back to the vet's office, official cause of death was kidney failure.
Our bird came from Sherriberrygraphics
Mo
Mo was hatched March 15, 2002 & joined our family June, 2002. He's an "albino" & has developed such a personality already! He just learned to whistle & is (hopefully!) getting ready to talk. He fusses when he sees us fold down the center of our couch (there's a built-in tray there) as he thinks that is his spot for play time! *L* He already fusses if we go out of the room & calls me until I respond to him. We're very blessed to have found a local breeder that had such a wonderful, sweet bird, to add to our family!
Stay tuned! Mo is getting a sister...a Solomon Island Eclectus named Koko!
Our bird came from Sherriberrygraphics