Tuey's Story

Hubby came home from work one day, around last August, the dog days of summer, and told me that someone at work wants to sell their bird. When I asked why, he told me that the owner had a 6 way bypass on her heart, and could no longer care for it properly, and wants to find it a home with a person that has other parrots, so she will know it will be loved and pampered and cared for. I told him that I would "just like to see it", (hee hee hee...yeah right) so we made an appointment that night, to go and see it. It was a very hot night, and it was starting to get dark outside, so we hopped on the motorcycle, and went to her house. When we got there, we were greeted from the fence, and told to go around the house, to the backyard. They had this cage on a picnic table, and in it was this cute little green bird, with all this personality! I first thought, that it was awful hot, to have this bird outside, and that the mosquitoes were out, and it should be in the house. I asked a few questions like if it was used to air conditioning, and that is when I found out that the owner didn't have A/C, so her daughter had been taking it to her house nightly, and bringing it to her mom's every evening after work to visit. I asked why the daughter didn't keep it, as she seemed to enjoy it's company, and she told me that her husband was allergic to it, so she HAD to sell it. That is when I found out that this beautiful bird had yet ANOTHER foster home. The daughter told me that the man standing next to the cage, getting all the kisses from this bird, when putting his lips to the cage, was taking it home some nights, and keeping it in his A/C, so her husband could breath for a day or 2, till she would bring it back home again with her. The man lived 3 houses down the street, and was close by, and a friend of the family, but he was too busy to keep the bird on a permanent basis, so he couldn't keep it either. I really felt sorry for this poor, beautiful, full of personality, feathered sweetheart, who was being shuffled around, from home to home, and pulled my hubby aside, with tears in my eyes, and told him how I felt, and asked him to think of how this poor bird was feeling, with no real sense of security, and always wondering, where it was going to end up every night. He said we had the bike, so we didn't have any way to get it home, and I said we can just go home and get the car then. He wanted to wait until the next night, as it was getting dark, and everyone had to work the next day, so I agreed....reluctantly, but agreed, as not to push too hard. The next day was a very long one for me, and when hubby got home, I was ready to go and get the bird. He had OTHER plans!! He kept trying to talk me out of it, and telling me all the NEGATIVE stuff, like...are you willing to risk Moochie's life, in case this bird is sick?....That will be another cage to have to clean you know.......I hope Moochie doesn't get mad and start to hate you for getting another bird. ....Things like that. I thought about them, and then thought to myself......but that bird NEEDS me, and a secure environment. A home of it's own, and someONE to love! After about 3 hours of discussing, and haggling with hubby, we went to get Tuey. He had a previous owner before this lady, so that is why they didn't know why it was named Tuey. They never asked!?! They had told me that Tuey was 5 years old, but upon inspection of the band, we learned that he was 8 yrs old instead, and is now 11 yrs old, as his bird day is in October. Close inspection of his food, after getting him here, I could tell that they had just kept adding to his food bowl, and not dumping and cleaning it out. It had in it, peanuts, dog food, and human cookies, also seed. I dumped it all, and took his peanut can, which came with him, and threw away all the stuff inside, along with moldy looking peanuts, and the moths! I gave him a new bowl, with pellets, and fresh peanuts, and breeders blend. The water bowl was big enough for him to bathe in, so I gave him a new smaller, cleaner bowl, of distilled water. I had some MAJOR cleaning of his cage to do, as it looked like it had never been cleaned, but at least they DID change the paper inside. The perches were filthy, so I wrapped them in paper towels, and sprayed them with Vanodine, and let them soak in it for 30 minutes in the sink. Tuey was put in quarantine, in my bedroom, and kept there for 30 days, as we got to know each other, and became very close "kissing" buddies. Tuey got a new used cage in October of last year, and just loves to watch his momma clean it on cage cleaning day, which is on Saturday or Sunday of each week! Just 2 weeks ago, I bought Tuey a crazy cluster toy, so he has been preening it when I am not looking. He has a mirror in his cage, that he likes to kiss, and another one on the outside, that he likes to play peek-a-boo with momma on.