#parrot – Pet Momma

Spring Update

Old School Black and White photos this time as I just finished off an old, lost and found roll of film

Lots going on around here lately, so I figured it was time for a little update from the zoo.

Stanley is back in another round of agility classes, which just makes me so happy. Will he come when I call him in our own yard? Absolutely not. But get him in a training space and he suddenly remembers that I exist and that we’re a team. He’s really starting to get the agility thing, and he’ll stay with me and run a whole course, which feels pretty amazing. I’m really curious to see how he does when we can practice in an outdoor arena this summer instead of just in a small, closed room.

In other fun news, I found an old roll of black and white film in a camera I was thinking about selling. Of course I had to finish the roll, and I ended up getting some really cute pictures of Stanley doing jumps on our porch. His ears in mid-air are just the best — they flop in every possible direction. I kind of love the old-school film look on action shots; it makes him look like a tiny, dramatic movie star.

The big news around here, though, is that our local animal shelter had a fire last week. Thankfully, all the humans and all the animals got out safely, but the building needed some serious cleanup and repairs, which meant no animals could stay there for a bit. Since I’ve fostered for them before, my phone rang pretty quickly asking if I could help out and foster a bird. There was no way I could say no. Fast forward a few hours and somehow we ended up with two lovebirds and a Senegal parrot in the house.

I had forgotten what “real” birds are like at night. Hector doesn’t like to be covered, so I’ve gotten used to just leaving her be. The first morning with the foster birds, I was up at sunrise sprinting around and covering cages because they were up and ready to greet the day at full volume. We’ve settled into a routine now, and everyone seems a lot happier with a defined bedtime.

The lovebirds came from a recent hoarding situation. They are cute little things, but not at all tame, so they are staying safely tucked in their cage for now. They watch everything, and I feel like they’re quietly judging all of us, but at least they seem comfortable. The Senegal parrot is a totally different story. He wants to be out of his cage all the time, and when he’s out, he only wants one place to be: on my shoulder.

The first day, Stanley was not impressed. There was a lot of barking at the little parrot, and a lot of me trying to reassure Stan that he is still my number one little guy. Thankfully, everyone is adjusting. I don’t expect the foster crew to be here too long — hopefully they can go back to the shelter sometime next week once things are cleaned up — but the little parrot has been a very entertaining visitor.

If I put him on his cage and walk away, he immediately flies right back to my shoulder like, “Excuse me, we were hanging out.” He also tries to steal food directly from my plate, and yes, he will go for food in my mouth if I’m not careful. I’ve had to be very aware of what I’m eating when he’s out, because he is absolutely not shy about helping himself.

Not the best photo, but had to play with the black and white film

Hector, meanwhile, seems to be enjoying the guest. The little parrot flew over to the fence by her cage and she very clearly said, “Hi bird,” which kind of blew my mind. I’m guessing she understands that he’s the same species, or at least that “bird” means something specific to her. Another time she just kept saying, “Hi, hi, hi, hi…” on repeat, which was ridiculously cute. She also asked him, “What doing?” Apparently the birds are speaking English to each other now. I guess that’s the common language for birds and many humans in this house.

The Dragon is good and just finished a nice shed, so she’s looking extra shiny and pleased with herself. The cats are good. Stanley has been enjoying some trips to the dog park now that the weather is nicer. I love bringing him and watching him run and play with the other dogs, but I’m always a little petrified that a big dog is going to hurt him. I stay very close when we go, and I try to quietly feel out the vibe of the other dogs before I really relax.

The other day there was one big dog playing a little too rough for my comfort level. Stanley gave a couple of warning nips to say “back off,” but it didn’t seem to make much difference. I scooped him up and we left. It’s just not worth the risk of him getting hurt, no matter how much he likes to play. Today there were two big dogs at the park again, but they were very gentle with Stan and it all went fine. When it works, it’s so fun to watch him zoom around with friends. I’m still hopeful that we run into the little Doxy he had so much fun with a couple of weeks ago again.

That’s the current state of the Pet Momma house: agility, surprise film photoshoots, temporary birds, talkative parrots, a freshly shed Dragon, happy cats, and one small dog living his best dog park life with a very cautious chaperone.

How are you enjoying the nicer weather where you are — are you and your pets getting outside a bit more these days? Let me know!

Stanley’s Agility Joy (And a Few Training Bumps)

Stanley and I have been trying a little bit of everything lately: manners and obedience, some scent work, and now agility. Agility is, by far, the clear favorite. He lights up as soon as we pull into the parking lot, and even though he’s still distracted and wiggly, we can now get through a small course off leash.

We technically finished this round of classes last night. There is one more class on the schedule, but we’ll have to miss it because I’ll be traveling. I’m already counting the days until we can start again at the end of April.

What Stanley Loves (And Doesn’t) On Course
Stanley has strong opinions about obstacles. Tunnels are pure joy — he charges through them with his tail up like he’s on a mission. The balance board? Not his favorite, but he’ll tolerate it if there are good cookies involved.

Last night, for the first time, he decided he really did not like the A‑frame. He slipped a couple of times on the way down, and I’m pretty sure his slightly-long claws aren’t helping with traction. He has a vet appointment on Monday, so I’ll make sure we get those nails trimmed and then reintroduce the A‑frame slowly, with lots of encouragement.

The Zoomies Heard ’Round the Ring
The best moment from class last night might be one I wish I had on video. We were practicing having the dogs stay while handlers moved ahead to start the course. Stanley’s version of this was… creative.

He tried so hard to stay with me, and after a few attempts, he just couldn’t contain himself. He got the zoomies, took off, and started sprinting the perimeter of the room. He greeted every dog, did a few jumps, dove into the tunnel, and then did more jumps on his own. He was absolutely thrilled with himself.

Everyone in class was laughing, and of course he soaked up the attention. It was one of those moments where training and pure joy collide, and even though it wasn’t what we were supposed to be doing, it reminded me why I love this sport with him.

In the meantime, we’ll be focusing on some basic manners before the next session starts: staying, waiting, and learning that sometimes we watch quietly instead of doing all the things all at once!

Big Plans: A Local Agility Club
To keep the momentum going, I’ve applied to join a local agility club, and I’m super excited about it. My current instructor is on the board and says it’s a great group of people. They get together at different locations to practice and even go to competitions together.

I love the idea of being around more like‑minded dog people and having a community that understands why we get so excited about tunnels and weave poles. I’m really looking forward to meeting new friends — for both me and Stanley.

Real Life At Home: Crates, Poops, and Other Pets
Outside of class, Stanley is still very much a work in progress. The good news is that he almost never has accidents in the house anymore. The not‑so‑good news is that he still sometimes poops in his crate. It’s become one of those habits I’m not sure I’ll ever completely break, but we’re not giving up yet. Maybe once the weather gets less frigid?

I’m also really looking forward to some warm weather and being able to work with him outside. A little sunshine, more space, and fewer winter distractions will be good for both of us.

The rest of the crew is doing well. Hector is her cranky old self, happily destroying new toys and methodically deconstructing any cardboard box that dares to enter the house. Lizard had a lovely soak in the sink today, and the cats were very entertained watching the whole process.

So that’s where we are right now: a small dog who thinks tunnels are the best thing ever, a human trying to remember that progress is never a straight line, and a house full of pets keeping life interesting while we wait for spring.

Winter Pet Check-In: Everyone Is Adjusting ❄️🐾

The shorter days have officially arrived, and every pet in the house seems to have noticed — even the ones with lights, heaters, and very strong opinions.

Hector: Sleeping In & Eating Her Veggies 🦜
Hector is clearly in winter mode. Some mornings she’s still asleep when I get up, which always feels strange since she’s usually awake and supervising my morning routine. But it’s normal for parrots to slow down this time of year, and she seems perfectly content.

The Dragon: Seasonal Preferences & Sink Baths 🦎
The dragon is also reacting to the shorter daylight, even with her tank lights on. I don’t fully understand how she knows, but she absolutely does.
She had been eating so well that I placed a big online bug order — dubia roaches, hornworms, and phoenix worms. She got through most of them, but it was a struggle. Lately, the only bug she really seems excited about is super worms. Not ideal as a main staple, but I’ll take it. She’s still eating those and her veggies, which matters most.

One highlight? She has been loving her kitchen sink baths lately. Very relaxed. Very splashy.

Cats: Grooming Battles & A Smart Litter Box Move 🐱
The cats are mostly doing fine. Bean remains a pain to groom, but I tackle that when I have to. Neither of us enjoys it, but it’s necessary.

Martin, however, surprised everyone. He’s the cat who sometimes chooses the couch over the litter box. With two boxes, he’s been doing pretty well, though mishaps still happen occasionally. The other night, Martin woke my son up at 4am and led him straight to the litter box. My son isn’t sure what was wrong, but he cleaned it, added fresh litter, and (wisely) covered the couch. The next morning? No surprises on the couch. I’m honestly amazed that Martin was uncomfortable enough — and smart enough — to wake him up and communicate that something wasn’t right instead of defaulting to old habits.

Stanley: Cold Weather Standoffs & Indoor Wins 🐶
Stanley is fine… except for the cold. He hates it. And he has no interest in pooping outside once winter hits. The routine usually goes like this:
He asks to go out, pees, comes back in restless, pesters me, asks to go out again… repeat until he finally decides the cold is worth it. Jackets sometimes help. Sometimes they don’t. The only accidents he’s having are in his crate, so overall, he’s doing pretty well.

On the bright side, he started a nose work class, and he’s loving it. Right now we’re working on “find it,” where he searches through cardboard boxes to locate a hidden treat. He’s doing really well and clearly enjoys the work — and it’s such a great indoor activity for winter.

We’re also still practicing agility and tricks inside. He’s mastered weaving through my legs and rolling over, so now I need some new ideas. If you have favorite tricks to teach, I’m all ears.

Holiday Mode 🎄
All the pets’ stockings are officially filled for Christmas, because of course they are!

Now I’m curious — do you buy gifts for your pets, or skip it entirely? No judgment either way, but I love hearing what other people do.

Opinion: Winter pet care is less about perfection and more about flexibility. If everyone is eating, learning, and mostly behaving, I’m calling it a win.

Share a comment with how you are coping with winter and pets.

Stanley’s Progress, Playtime, and the Elusive “Down” Command

🐾 Stanley Update: Loving Life and Learning Slowly
Stanley is doing great — he’s such a little love! His perfect day includes running wild playing fetch, and then curling up in someone’s lap like the world’s tiniest weighted blanket. He spent a few hours with my daughter and her partner last night while I was out, and he loved it. After zooming around their living room, he curled up on the couch like he owned the place.

🚪 Potty Progress: Outside Only!
Potty training is still a work in progress, but we’re moving in the right direction. I’ve officially taken away his indoor potty pads — it’s outdoor-only from here on out. He’s starting to understand what he’s supposed to do outside, but… he gets distracted. Easily.

Sometimes it’s a two-round process:

Take him out, let him sniff and explore.
Bring him back in.
Wait for him to start sniffing inside.
Back out we go.
It’s time-consuming, but I think it’s finally starting to click.

🐶 Playgroup and Puppy Energy
Stanley loves his weekly dog playgroup. I do wish there was another puppy in the mix — the other dogs are lovely, but none of them match his endless energy. He’ll play with one until they get tired, then bounce over to the next. It’s actually been great for him socially — he’s learning to read dog body language and back off when someone’s had enough. Big win!

🎓 Training Class Challenges
Training class has been… okay. It’s focused a lot on helping excitable adolescent dogs calm down, which is useful, but I was hoping for more basics like sit, stay, etc.

The biggest challenge? Lay down. Stanley doesn’t do it. At all. I’ve tried luring with treats, but he’s so tiny that he just stretches his neck instead of lowering his body. I’ve also tried waiting and rewarding the behavior when he does it naturally — but the only time he really lays down is in someone’s lap or locked in his crate.

I’m going to email the trainer and see if she has other ideas. It’s tough to teach “relax on your mat” when he doesn’t actually lay down on the floor. If you have tips, please send them my way!

That said, he’s doing great with:

Coming when called
Sit
Touch
Leave it
“OK” release cue
And he’s becoming an excellent walker — he walked over a mile each way to and from our favorite local restaurant last weekend!

🏃‍♂️ Agility on the Horizon?
I’m thinking about signing him up for a beginner agility class. With how much he loves running, jumping, and weaving through furniture, I think he’d have a blast. Plus, I suspect it would help him burn off some of that teenage dog energy in a positive way.

🐉 The Rest of the Crew
While Stanley may be hogging the spotlight, the rest of the pets are doing well:

The Dragon (our bearded dragon) just had a beautiful full-body shed and a nice bath. Her tail is the only bit left to finish up.

Hector the Parrot is thriving in her usual way — shredding every bit of cardboard she can find.

Martin on top, Puck under him, and Martha on the Side

Our two cats are adjusting to being blocked from the finished basement for the summer (our allergy-friendly zone for my daughter’s fiancé). They’re coping just fine, though they do linger dramatically outside the basement door.
Our son’s cats are still visiting frequently. We thought his male cat was the one peeing on the couch, but surprise! He just caught the female in the act. She’s headed to the vet Monday — fingers crossed it’s something treatable and we can put the mystery peeing to rest once and for all.

🐕 Back to Class Tomorrow!
We’re back at training class in the morning — wish us luck! And seriously, if anyone out there has advice on how to teach a tiny dog to lay down, I’m all ears. Drop your tips in the comments!

Updates and a Vet Visit

The house is quiet. I was trying hard to fight the grief, but realized it was a losing battle. I’m giving it its time and place. Cali will always be missed.

My cats had their yearly checkups today and I almost cancelled. I wasn’t sure I was ready to go back to the vet’s office, but I did and it was hard but fine. The staff is so wonderful and caring.

Bean didn’t want to stay on the scale for the vet, but he did like hiding out behind it. Poor little Puck was very shy. He stayed in his carrier until we had to take him out for his exam and then he scurried right back in.

Both cats got clean bills of health, Yay! Their vaccines were updated, and they were checked over. Puck may need his teeth cleaned at some point in the near future, but he is good for now.

Puck’s recovering from his traumatic car ride and vet visit in his cozy crate!

The Dragon enjoyed a sink bath yesterday. Usually she swims around for a bit and then tries to get out of the sink, but she spent a good 20 minutes in there yesterday, and still didn’t want to come out, so I had to just take her out and go do something else. I’ll give her a chance for another bath in a couple of days.

Hector is doing well. She’s such a great comfort. She’s always there to whistle and keep me company.

I’m starting to think about another dog. Part of me was thinking that maybe I wouldn’t get another dog ever, that I’d free myself up to travel, but the truth is I hate not having a dog. I had to walk to the neighbor’s to return a piece of mail that was accidentally delivered to us the other day, and it was so awful to me to go for a walk without a dog. I miss all of it, yes the snuggles, but I even miss taking care of a dog, playing with a dog, the feeding, grooming, putting her out, all of it. I’m not in a rush. I want to make sure I find the right new friend, but I think with some patience, the right rescue will find its way to me. For now, I’ve got kitty, parrot, and dragon friends to keep me busy!

Happy 32nd Hector D. Byrd!

Having this bird in my life is so special. She’s my bestie. We chat all day while I’m working or doing things around the house. She may not be cuddly, but she’s such a good girl. Happy 32nd Birthday Hector!

We are not only celebrating her birthday today, but also the fact that results came back from the test the vet did last week and everything looks good! We are going to continue her “new” diet, and she doesn’t have to go back to the vet for 60 days, and that’s just a quick weight check to make sure she is continuing to do well.

I’m so thankful I found this great Avian vet that is super easy to work with and close to home!

We will be celebrating today with MUSIC – currently playing a bunch of random kids songs, happy birthday songs, the Beatles, and any songs that have whistling, all Hector’s favorites!

She’s having a special breakfast with her normal diet, but some extras of her favorites like sweet potatoes, blueberries, and an extra almond to really celebrate!

Hector Goes to the Vet

Well, I honestly can’t remember if I’ve written about Hector’s vet trips recently, so a brief recap. A couple of months ago, I realized that Hector was drinking more water than usual for her. Hector’s vet was about an hour drive away, so to be honest, she hadn’t been in a long time. It was such a traumatic thing to put her in the car for an hour, deal with the vet, and then have another hour drive back home. Have I mentioned that Hector gets carsick?

The people that adopted one of my foster parrots, recently told me about an avian vet they used that was close to me. Between the excess drinking, and the long time without a check up, I decided to try out the new vet, and he’s awesome!

So Hector went to the vet about 2 months ago. We did an extensive (and expensive) blood work up to get some base lines and figure out what was going on. Overall the blood work looked pretty good for an older lady, but the vet was concerned about her drinking too much.

We started a new diet, low carb, high veggie, low fruit, no seeds, very limited nuts, and plenty of healthy pellets. Hector likes Fruit Zupreem pellets. She went back about a month ago for a weight check, and the vet was happy where she was at.

Today we went back again. Let me tell you that Hector knew what was coming as soon as she saw the cat carrier. I don’t know why, because the cat carrier comes out all the time and doesn’t usually affect her, but she knew.

I had to towel her to get her in the cage. Not the best way to start the journey, but she had to go. She threw up in the carrier on the way. This is the second time this happened and I even made a point of not feeding her breakfast this morning, but apparently it didn’t matter.

The vet said her weight was good and remained stable which is great. I was worried she hasn’t been eating enough, but apparently she is doing just fine. We talked about taking her to a specialist in Boston, but that would be expensive and stressful. The other option was another poop test which he would send out to a bird specialist he knew with better lab equipment. We just needed a sample.

Hector was sitting on a perch on a scale in the vet office clearly listening to everything we were saying. When we were done chatting and she still hadn’t pooped, the vet suggested I bring home a tube and pipette to collect a sample myself. I told the vet I wasn’t in a huge rush and I was happy to wait in the office a little longer to see if she would poop and just make it easy.

Well, as soon as I mentioned waiting around in the vet office, Hector made us a giant poop! The vet was able to collect enough of it to test, and we could head home. I swear she knew she had to poop to get out of there!

Post poop, wondering why we haven’t left the vet yet!

For now, she stays on her special diet. I have a feeling this is her new diet for life, but we are managing. We’ll see what the test results are when they come back in the next week to ten days.

The vet thinks she may have renal issues, hence the special diet. Hoping the test results don’t show anything too serious! Anyone have any experience with birds with renal issues? Let me know!

Hector Goes to the Vet

It’s been too long since Hector has had a check up. I’ve known this for a while, but have hesitated for various reasons, my Avian vet is an hour away, the mobile vet I found is super expensive, she seems fine and healthy, I don’t want to put her through the stress of a vet visit, etc.

With having two foster birds in the last few months, it made me think about the fact that Hector isn’t getting any younger. In fact, she’ll be 32 in January.

When I met the adoptive parents for the last cockatoo I had, they mentioned an Avian vet that is only 20 minutes from me. I decided it was time Hector had a check up. After having that thought, I also started realizing that Hector was drinking a bit more than usual.

I called the new vet earlier this week, and they were able to get me in this morning. The vet was awesome! I am shocked at how well behaved Hector was for him. Hector steps up for me, when she feels like it. She lets me scratch her head, when she feels like it. Today she just did whatever that vet asked of her like it was nothing. It was almost like she realized there was no point in fighting this guy. He was going to do what he wanted, and she should just cooperate. I half expected the poor vet to end up with bloody fingers, but no, Hector was an angel.

The vet said she looked great from the visual exam, but birds are good at hiding things. Considering how long it had been since she had a check up (about 10 years) we decided to do blood work, and a urinalysis. The vet said they usually have to do a mild tranquilizer to do the blood draw, but Hector was perfect for that as well and didn’t have to be sedated!

It turns out the Bird Street Bistro food that I’ve been feeding might not be the best base food for Hector now that she is getting older. The vet wants to wait until we get all the test results back, and then he will give me more specific diet feedback. As she is getting older, less grains and pastas is probably going to be a healthier choice for Hector. She’s not going to be happy about that!

Books say captive grays average life expectancy is about 50 years, but I’ve always found that a bit hard to believe in my personal experience. I asked this vet what he thought about average life expectancy for greys. The first thing he asked me was if I knew about Dr. Pepperberg and Alex the parrot and if I had read her book, which I have. He reminded me that Alex had the very best of care all his life, and he lived to be 34. He said in his experience anything beyond the 30s is rare. He said a 40 year old African Grey is like a 90 year old man. It happens, but it’s not the most common thing. I’m having a really hard time processing that thought.

I’ll update when I get test results.

The Hardest Part of Fostering…

I think any foster parent would agree that the hardest part of fostering is saying good bye!

The house is really quiet today. The extra cage has been cleaned and moved to the garage to be returned to the shelter. Spare toys and perches are drying on a towel after being cleaned.

On Saturday, I brought Magoo back to the shelter to go home with his new parents. They seem like lovely people, and Magoo really seemed to like them. I was able to meet them and introduce them to Magoo a couple of weeks ago. I miss his little baby voice yelling “hello” and “Scratch Head!” but I do feel like I did the right thing letting him go.

We like to travel, and we are very lucky that Hector D. Byrd does OK with alone time. She enjoys our company, no doubt about that, but she is also fine with daily visits and background music when we go away for a few days. With Magoo already being nervous and plucking, us traveling isn’t great for him. His new home has people that are home a lot and other birds to keep him company.

Another reason I feel good about him moving on, I didn’t realize until his new people picked him up. Apparently, he stepped right up for the new people, and he never really wanted to step up for me. He liked me, he let me pat his head, but I realized when I saw him with his new people, that he hadn’t chosen me. Birds are really picky, and they know who they like.

When the new people came to meet Magoo, he really liked them. He talked to them, he had them scratch his head, and he even kept yelling “Bye Bye” when they left.

I really enjoy fostering. I get to know different animals, and I get to help them acclimate to home life. It frees up shelter space for another animal in need. With Magoo being adopted, I’ve got room for another foster whenever the right new friend comes along! I miss you already Magoo, but I’m so happy that you seem to have found new people to spend the rest of your life with!

One other note, parrot food related. I have talked about Bird Street Bistro, a food I use daily and love. The people that adopted Magoo introduced me to a new parrot food that I’m really excited about called Avian Naturals. They make several different mixes, some can just be fed straight from the bag, others you add an equal amount of hot water, let it sit, and feed when it cools a bit. The thing I love about these mixes is that they are full of dried veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds. Bird Street Bistro is awesome, but it is very grain-heavy. I always supplement it with other fruits and veggies. My plan now is to use both of these foods, so that Hector gets a nice balanced mix of fruits and veggies instead of me just feeding her whatever we have. Avian Naturals has great deals on their samples. You can order 1/4 baggies of their mixes to try out. I ordered four of their mix with water blends, and 4 of the just feed it straight blends. So far Hector’s favorite is the “Comet’s Grain Free Mix” which is one of the mixes that is fed directly, and it is full of bits of nuts, veggies, fruits, and seeds. It’s a perfect addition to her normal Bird Street Bistro mix.

I usually feed Hector in the morning, then she has free choice pellets always available, and she gets bites of any fruits and veggies that I’m eating or cooking with throughout the day. The mix with water blend from Avian Naturals feels like it could be a great afternoon snack since I can just mix up a tablespoon of it anytime and give Hector a nice, warm treat!

What do you feed your pet birds? I’m always interested in trying new things!

Volunteering Update

Puck says TGIF! He’s bit tired today, who knows why. Our son got a new kitten and he is home for the weekend with his cat and the new kitten. Strangely, my two cats are so excited to see their friend Martin, that they haven’t really paid any attention to the new kitten. It’s been a nice and uneventful introduction.

Here’s Martin and the yet-unnamed girl kitten. She’s tiny and sweet.

Cali is doing so much better! She’s still eating the Dr. Harvey’s food that I mentioned in a previous post. I think we have found a winner! I’ve cut her pain meds down to once a day, and I’m slowly backing off of them all together. We took her hiking last weekend and she did great! I was a little nervous about her over doing it, so I did pick her up and carry her a couple of times, but that was more me than her. We hiked about 2 miles, and she came home and slept well, but it didn’t seem to bother her leg any more than usual.

I enjoyed pulling out my old baby sling for her, and it worked great!

My foster friend Kanga the cockatoo, now hates me. I’ve volunteered at the shelter to take care of the parrots a few times since I had to bring him back, and he just ignores me. He won’t dance or interact with me at all. This week, he just went to the back of his cage and wouldn’t even take a treat when I offered it. I think it’s really me that he is upset with. Parrots are so smart. I see videos of him dancing and playing with our volunteers and staff members. Sorry I had to bring you back Kanga, you were just too loud for our house!

I have been making progress with some of the other birds at the shelter. There is one macaw left and he is huge! No denying that I’m a bit intimidated by him. He has tried to step up on to my arm a few times in past visits and I just wasn’t comfortable with it. That beak is huge!

This week I got brave and let him step up. He was great! We walked across the room and got a treat which I gave him as soon as he stepped back on to his cage. I picked him up again a little while later and we went and sat in a chair. I talked to him and scratched his head for a bit. He’s heavy! I had to rest my arm on my knee so that I could hold him up after a while. He got another treat when he stepped back on his cage. It was all very uneventful, in a good way. It’s such a cool opportunity to be able to spend quality time with these big birds!

I also made friends with an Amazon parrot. He won’t step up for me, but he is taking treats from my hand now, definite progress.

I’m really going to miss these birds when they all get adopted! Of course, I’ll be very happy when they all have permanent homes, but I have really enjoyed the experience of working with them and having a foster parrot.

New for me, I started training as a Lobby Greeter at the shelter this week. I think I’m going to love this position. I meet people as they come in to the shelter and help point them in the right direction for whatever animal they are looking for. While I was there this week, I saw two dogs, a cat, and a bunny get adopted! So rewarding to see excited people and happy animals leaving the shelter!

The dragon realized there is sunshine on the cat bed next to her cage, so I let her come out and hang there while I worked the other day, she loved it! She spent some time in the actual cat bed, then wandered over to stare at me for a bit. The cats aren’t sure they like sharing their bed, but they can share for a short time in the afternoon once in a while. Once it warms up outside, I’ll bring the dragon outside for some real sunshine. She even has a little harness and leash!

Have a great weekend. I’m hoping to get Cali out for another short hike, and also hoping the cat introductions continue to go peacefully. Comment and let me know what you are up to this weekend.