Dizzy's Turn

5/13/2010

As a "fancy" green cheek conure, I have always had my eye for the dramatic. I was about 9 months old and living with two other green cheek conures at a garden store when I saw them walk in. Jason and Jenni. We flirted back and forth for a while. I showed them that I could nod with my whole body. They nodded back. Some words and money were exchanged, and a brand new huge cage was bought especially for me. Then I came home in November 2009.

That first night I was very nervous. They had 2 cats that they tried to keep out of the bedroom for the first few days. The kitties made me nervous. Jenni brought me to her shoulder and I hesitantly walked on. Then I bit her. I was scared and everything was so new. They kept saying, "Hello!" and "Pretty bird!" over and over again. I was very frightened then and hadn't adjusted. I bit Jason a few times that night too.

I knew they were thinking about getting rid of me. I could sense it. Since the world naturally revolves around me, I know everything that's going on. They talked with the lady from the store a few times about returning me. They said they didn't want a bird that bites after all. I tried to be good, I really did. It worked and for a few hours each day I would coo and be sweet looking and make nice noises. But if Jason left the room I screamed. How dare he leave me? I am DIZZY! I was afraid that he may not come back.

We all tried harder. I started to trust Jason and even Jenni a little bit. I wasn't sure about Jenni because she moved too quickly sometimes and tried to pet me. I don't like to be pet like the cat! I loved that Jason and Jenni would take turns eating beside my cage with me for those first several weeks. I would eat then too. Everything was going fine.

But then I had a bad day. I was mad because I woke up and the sun wasn't shining and the day was dark and gloomy. I was mad because my favorite fruit pellet, the banana, wasn't hitting the spot. I was mad because I wasn't getting what I wanted right then and there. Jason wouldn't respond to my demands to make it better so I bit him. When Jenni came home from work I bit her too. They bled. Secretly, it made me laugh. These silly humans and their blood. They think they need ALL of it. Then I screamed. I yelled and I yelled and I yelled for no apparent reason. I couldn't fix the weather, I couldn't fix the pellets, and I couldn't get my way this time. Jason was mad; he had just quit smoking and I was driving him crazy. He yelled back at me to be quiet. Jenni came into the bedroom and got me out of my cage. She held me for a few minutes and cuddled with me. She spoke softly to me and I calmed down after a while. It was decided then that I would stay in Jenni's room from then on. That worked out fine.

My days are much better now. To tell you the truth, I don't know what was wrong that first several months. Now, I have great days. I am a diva. I am the light in your day. I am everything you wish you could be. I bite sometimes, when I don't want to be held or petted. I bite Jenni more often than Jason. To tell you the truth, I think Jason is awesome. I get to spend the days with him talking and laughing and riding on his shoulder. Jason is my second favorite person in the world.

The first is me.