Pig and Parrot two

This is a continuation of the parrot story of Sid and Rosa, with an update on the “Pig and Parrot”, my pet Amazon and Guinea Pig. Although they have been quite happy together, Rosa looked with longing at the wild birds in the garden, so I saw blue fronted aestiva aestivas for sale and was eventually led to an aviary and small animal park near Birmingham. At first I had misgivings as his background was not known, he was sold to the aviary as an 8 yr old cock parrot, but I wondered if he was old and ill. Eventually, we couldn’t leave him there, he looked so miserable, and after various panic stricken moments, got him to Alan Jones. Apparently, according to his ring he is 10 years old and was very stressed and traumatised.

Perry getting used to Rosa

 Rosa was of course delighted to see him, as he was her but she was used to being “top beak” in her breeder’s juvenile aviary, and I am afraid she has disgraceful manners. Perry is so shy and nervous that she just pounced on the food; she sits in the bowls and gobbles it down. Thus I have been hand feeding him fresh corn and they were only together when free with no food or at night when I remove the bowls. We hope Perry will learn to have more courage and can gradually deal with her.  

Perry

   He is a lovely gentle bird, his colouring is not quite as strong as Rosa’s, but they do look very beautiful together, and perhaps they will learn to like each other. Early days yet, he is better than when we first saw him; we didn’t think he could fly, he spent his time hanging off the top bar of the cage and made no attempt to eat or drink. With the re-assurance of the vet and hand feeding , he has climbed down to a perch , fixed at the top of his cage and made some attempt to eat from feeding bowls fixed up there. After 3 weeks I started putting them together only to realize that it is going to take Perry much more time to re gain his confidence. Apparently his owner was very ill and the family had to home him, and perhaps he lived in a cage so was not used to flying and is grieving his owner.

The most exciting time was when I first let him out by himself and went off to bath the pig, only to see he had flown up onto the fan lights , which were not bolted , only pulled too as he hadn’t shown many signs of life. Worrying what he next might do, I rushed in leaving the pig in sink, fell off the chair trying to close them, [I am disabled], back to see Sid wasn’t drowning and then tried to calm Perry down who next flew into a window.

Sid in sink

  The following day Rosa also came out and tried to show Perry the flights; branches fixed up high at various locations, and then showed him the little den where she used to go and groom Sid under my chair.

Rosa and Sid

This was Rosa’s attempt at social graces, she led Perry under and he came back after a little while looking suitably mystified. They have not attempted to groom each other yet, but are pleased to be out and wandering around together in Rosa’s previous haunts.

 Rosa lures Perry to Sid’s lair

  This afternoon, we have had the first breakthrough. After they had been out, Rosa went back into Perry’s cage and I put a fastened Pomegranate there and when I came back, Perry was really tucking into it and Rosa was letting him! He continued to eat it today after I removed Rosa, who started her bad manners again, and now it looks like he is eating well for himself.

  The loser in all of this was of course poor Sid, now sadly ignored so I am on the trail of a suitable Peruvian sow age 6-10 months, who would go well with my one. After a long search Sid is now waiting for two lilac Peruvian sows to grow up and then plans a dynasty, as well as perhaps standing for Mayor of London with his look alike!

  Perry and Rosa have begun preening each other and are really bonding, together with marital squabbles.  Perry has started to assert himself and has given the greedy Rosa a few sharp nips when she encroaches on his food. Now I am able to feed them together on opposite sides of the cage and am slowly lowering the bowls and perches to a more normal position.

Perry dancing for Rosa

 In the spring we look forward to seeing if they both realise they are parrots and need a nest box. We are glad now Perry came to us and if former owner’s family read this they can be re-assured that he is making good progress.

Rosa models being back in the Amazon

Now that my pigs and parrots are all happily paired up, I plan to do more residencies such as the ones last year with WDCS up in Scotland, painting whales and dolphins, painting now turned into a tea towel, all proceeds to WDCS, link ; http://shop.wdcs.org/susu/?id=5482] , and also in France, tracking down and painting the now rare Catalan donkey, their national symbol for a gallery there. Before we collected Perry at a small private park, we went to Tropical Bird land, near Leicester and took lots of material to work into some paintings such as one above. Pig and Parrot will be continued!

Published: Parrots march 2008 edition