Sweeney

Ahoy! I`m Sweeney, and I`m a Senegal parrot. I came to Mickaboo when my previous human caretaker passed away and left me alone in the world. The people at Mickaboo say that it`s taken a little bit of time to figure me out, but I`ll do my best to explain myself here for the rest of you humans.

It seems that, in my previous home, I lived in a fairly small cage with a human who was always nearby. While I was fond of her, I never got any out-of-cage time and didn`t get to meet many other people. All of this left me with a narrow comfort zone. I also have a natural flight response when I`m scared. Since I never learned to fly very well, this has left me panicking, running, and hiding when something pushes me out of that comfort zone.

My foster dad is trying to broaden my experiences -- make me more worldly, as it were -- by exposing me to new things like toys, play gyms, and vegetables, all while never making me panicky. He says this is challenging, but I can tell that he`s working on it, and he knows that I am too. I`ve learned to take food from his hand and will let him pet my head every evening. I eat a lot of healthy foods now and an occasional treat. I`ve learned to climb out of my cage and go back inside when I`m done. I can say a few human words and make kissing sounds. I`ve even improved my flight skills so I can safely navigate and land.

I`ve made some bird friends -- Poicephalus, like me -- in foster care. We spend supervised time together. It seems that I was removed from contact with other birds at a very early age, so this is another new experience for me. I`ve learned to share food and preening duties, and the experience has been rewarding for me. I`ve found that I like to be around other birds in separate cages, with occasional supervised playdates. Like all Poicephalus, I do like to roughhouse a little, so you should keep me away from smaller or timid birds -- also from bigger birds who might get the better of me.

Mickaboo`s avian veterinarians say that I`m a healthy bird, even though I am still pretty skittish about going to the doctor. We`re all hopeful that I`ll continue to learn how to live in a human world and enjoy life more. It will just take time and a little patience.

If I could go to a home where I could be around other birds and with a human who would be willing to spend some ambient time with me, that would be great. A large aviary with other birds might be best, after I`ve had a chance to acclimate to them. I don`t need a lot of one-on-one time, and I still like to have my personal space. But, having someone nearby who will talk to me and encourage me is nice too. Please contact Mickaboo`s Poicephalus coordinator if you`d like to help me fit into your world.

You are here