Bits And Pieces

Parakeets

     "Birds can't talk," declared the little but mighty yellow parakeet belonging to a friend.  From his perch on my finger Lennie kept up the conversation.

     "Dogs bark.  Come with me to the Kasbah you pretty thing.  Sing pretty bird," he said clearly and then eyeing me saucily out of black, BB shot sized eyes he gave a wolf whistle--a kissing sound--and asked, "Give me a kiss toots?"

     His cage door stood open and he spent his time not being home.  Now and then he'd check up on the seed situation or make certain no human hand had tampered with his toys in his cage.  

     He could be temperamental, coy, aloof or an irresistible, loving fluff of feathers and that did it.  Lennie sold me completely on a parakeet.

     So I ran, not walked to the nearest pet store for my own clown in feathers.  Pop was all for a canary.  We'd had one budgerigar who happened to be the remaining half of a pair of love birds and was too old to learn to talk.

     But this new one I bought was a soft green and would sit on my finger almost at once.  But he didn't talk and Pop would eye Joe with that look he keeps for all parasites which occupy space in the family like goldfish, turtles, hamsters, and chameleons.

     "A canary would have been singing ages ago," he kept saying in that I-told-you-so voice, and I was a bit inclined to agree with him that possibly Joey was a failure in the conversation business.

     One night Joe perched on the curtains in the living room and over the noise of the TV blasting up from the basement recreation room and the radio upstairs, I heard clearly something whistle for our dog Mac, call his name and declare, "Joey is a good bird."

     The family snapped to attention and we all pleaded with Joey, now preening each jade feather, to "say it again."  He merely squawked at us and like a prima donna decided to make a grand debut just as Pop, home from a meeting, appeared in the door.

     "Shut the door.  Come here you bad dog," he said clearly and found his way into Pop's heart.  He could wolf whistle and developed a laugh that sounded like mine.

     Well that was our Joey, he not only talked--he talked loud and clear--and just like the baby that we can hardly wait to hear speak the first word, Joey couldn't be shut up.

     A retired couple doesn't want to be tied down with a dog, but would like a pet in the house--they purchase a parakeet.

     The single bachelor girl or the widow suddenly alone and not allowed animals in their apartments would like something to talk to--they buy a parakeet.

     Young marrieds, established families are all falling prey to this tiny, playful bit of fluff and feathers called a budgerigar or parakeet.

      I've and Aunt who wouldn't be without one.  She has a folding table top made up complete with swings, little dishes, mirrors, buggies to push and plastic wagons to pull, all are contained in this recreation area for her friendly little Timmie.

     He romps in the playground several hours daily pushing and pulling his toys, dropping the bright beads into pans and talking constantly.

     Another of my friends was dead set against "any old bird" in her house but her son brought a parakeet home from college as a present and he captured the love of the whole family.

     The day of the first flight into space by Alan Shepard, Simmie was sitting in his cage on top of the TV set which was turned on to the exciting countdown of the flight.  Remember the many delays before the flight was finally made?

     Well, Simmie had been taught a bible verse which he liked and suddenly he popped up loud and clear with "A shepherd will lead us.  Come Shepherd."  Very appropriate as Shepard took off just about that time and my friend still brags about her smart bird.

     Some of these bright, beautifully colored birds mix up the words they use and that is where the humor is in having them for a pet.  Member of the parrot and macaw family, a parakeet is highly intelligent and easily tamed.

     By naming the young bird something with a "y" or "ie" ending, he learns to say his name easily.  Getting him to sit on your finger is simple and by talking to him, repeating the same words over softly but distinctly this bright little guy will soon build up a remarkable vocabulary.

     Some neighbors have an aquamarine chatterbox who definitely prefers the man of the house.  As this man travels, he is away for most of the week and Dixie shows his unhappiness by calling and fretting, and everytime the door opens or closes he whistles his special whistle taught to him by his owner. 

     On weekends he is so busy smoothing his returned master that he has no time to more than scold or bite the lady of the house.  He's spoiled, he scatters the seed he doesn't like, he refuses to bathe except in his drinking cup, but he talks constantly and with a slight lisp.

     He's "Ditchie" instead of Dixie, and he slurs the "s" in his words.  In short though he's an adorable and very loved member of this family.

     Not that I'm out beating the bushes for a parakeet in every bird cage, but if you're an apartment dweller with a "no dog" ban in your lease or would like a pet that will add color and beauty to your room and fun to your life, a pet that is a minimum of trouble and expense, get a baby bird which you can pick from a color chart of rainbow hues--a baby who is loaded with personality--get a parakeet.

Written January 24, 1963