Wenzer
Member
Growing up, I kept a few different reptile species here and there, they were always for me specifically as my parents are not really fond of the reptiles (though my mom always loved the beardies!... until I started that dubia colony ?). It was a fun time trying to make my dad understand that these roaches wouldn't infest/be able to thrive in our environment, though he eventually just stopped talking about them altogether, and we had a silent understanding: if he can't see them, they dont exist ? (i.e., the colony and tub were kept in my closet)
I still love reptiles but my passion shifted as I grew up more, and found myself falling in love with birds. I'll be 24 this year, started keeping birds around 9-10 years ago. Began working with rescue/foster parrots around 6 years ago. I often work with the birds that need more "hands on" work; the birds who suffer from traumatic experiences, have been neglected/abused to the point that they are aggressively defensive, the birds that are so terrified of people that they can't even get themselves to relax when the environment is theoretically calm and safe for them.
I spend a lot of time with these birds to learn their personalities and how they, as individuals, interact with people and other birds, their body language, their boundaries. Personal boundaries are very important not only for people but for animals/pets too! Not all birds enjoy being touched or held, and if they do, you have to earn that privilege.
Many of the birds I've worked with would not let me anywhere near them when they first arrived. I tried to keep physical interactions at a minimum unless necessary (like having to physically hold them to move them to a carrier/transport them to the vet/groomers). Some of them slowly came around and allowed me to do things with them, eventually (sometimes I was allowed to scratch a birds neck but they were very sure to make it clear when they were done! Lol. Other birds developed a lot more trust for me and would let me pick them up at their/my leisure)
So that's a bit of background to myself, as I know I haven't really shared a lot on here other than to ask questions about the turtles.
My house is currently run by:
Chloe, female blue and gold macaw (technically handicapped but she's 100% able to be fair! She's got a bit of a story actually...)
Kiwi, female quaker/monk parakeet. I've had her the longest of all of mine.
Alex (male) and Missy (female) Alexandrine ringneck parakeets. Alex is a long-time plucker and Missy is a retired/ex-breeder living out the rest of her days in peace ?
An aviary consisting of 2.3.0 budgies. They are lovely to listen to, and I'm constantly fascinated at their flock dynamics and silly antics. I have the two females named; Astrid and Charlie. I've been undecided on the boys' names for so long now... I often call them things like baby boys/baby bird, and one of the males I call Mr. Green occasionally because of his lemon-lime coloration.
A young cockatiel (unsexed, but I'm leaning towards male) who is very new to our home/flock.
Aside from birds, there's also my older dog Evan, who was a kind of "gift" to myself for my 16th birthday. I volunteered at no-kill shelter here in town, who had only started up semi-recently at that time. I met Evan while I volunteered there and he's been glued to my heels since! He turns 9 this year (age is estimated but he was about a year old when I brought him home. He was part of a puppy mill operation, who were then rescued by the shelter once the mill was discovered).
Also, a tortoiseshell (heheh) kitty, Minks. She was a rehome; was declawed on all four paws before I had gotten her ? she's deaf, 100% indoors only, has environmental allergy problems which give her a sensitive tummy... but super sweet and sassy! LOL.
Last but not least, the newest additions: I recently took in two box turtles and a russian tortoise who were in need of a home (as well as much cleaner, individual setups, amongst other things).
I still love reptiles but my passion shifted as I grew up more, and found myself falling in love with birds. I'll be 24 this year, started keeping birds around 9-10 years ago. Began working with rescue/foster parrots around 6 years ago. I often work with the birds that need more "hands on" work; the birds who suffer from traumatic experiences, have been neglected/abused to the point that they are aggressively defensive, the birds that are so terrified of people that they can't even get themselves to relax when the environment is theoretically calm and safe for them.
I spend a lot of time with these birds to learn their personalities and how they, as individuals, interact with people and other birds, their body language, their boundaries. Personal boundaries are very important not only for people but for animals/pets too! Not all birds enjoy being touched or held, and if they do, you have to earn that privilege.
Many of the birds I've worked with would not let me anywhere near them when they first arrived. I tried to keep physical interactions at a minimum unless necessary (like having to physically hold them to move them to a carrier/transport them to the vet/groomers). Some of them slowly came around and allowed me to do things with them, eventually (sometimes I was allowed to scratch a birds neck but they were very sure to make it clear when they were done! Lol. Other birds developed a lot more trust for me and would let me pick them up at their/my leisure)
So that's a bit of background to myself, as I know I haven't really shared a lot on here other than to ask questions about the turtles.
My house is currently run by:
Chloe, female blue and gold macaw (technically handicapped but she's 100% able to be fair! She's got a bit of a story actually...)
Kiwi, female quaker/monk parakeet. I've had her the longest of all of mine.
Alex (male) and Missy (female) Alexandrine ringneck parakeets. Alex is a long-time plucker and Missy is a retired/ex-breeder living out the rest of her days in peace ?
An aviary consisting of 2.3.0 budgies. They are lovely to listen to, and I'm constantly fascinated at their flock dynamics and silly antics. I have the two females named; Astrid and Charlie. I've been undecided on the boys' names for so long now... I often call them things like baby boys/baby bird, and one of the males I call Mr. Green occasionally because of his lemon-lime coloration.
A young cockatiel (unsexed, but I'm leaning towards male) who is very new to our home/flock.
Aside from birds, there's also my older dog Evan, who was a kind of "gift" to myself for my 16th birthday. I volunteered at no-kill shelter here in town, who had only started up semi-recently at that time. I met Evan while I volunteered there and he's been glued to my heels since! He turns 9 this year (age is estimated but he was about a year old when I brought him home. He was part of a puppy mill operation, who were then rescued by the shelter once the mill was discovered).
Also, a tortoiseshell (heheh) kitty, Minks. She was a rehome; was declawed on all four paws before I had gotten her ? she's deaf, 100% indoors only, has environmental allergy problems which give her a sensitive tummy... but super sweet and sassy! LOL.
Last but not least, the newest additions: I recently took in two box turtles and a russian tortoise who were in need of a home (as well as much cleaner, individual setups, amongst other things).
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