Dear Parrots magazine,
Watch the youngsters!
It was a sunny day in the Spring of 2017 when we all went to a garden centre to buy some hanging basket plants. With my husband and myself was our eldest daughter, Lauren, who had just turned 19. It was a very busy day for the centre with many people walking to their cars with lots of purchases.
While my husband and I were looking at the many plants that were on display, Lauren had been attracted to the pet centre where there, what we subsequently learnt, was a Yellow-crowned Amazon. It was lively and could clearly say a few words and was attracting much attention from customers. Lauren had always been fascinated by animals and on this occasion, particularly by this Amazon. While we had finalised our purchases, it was difficult to pull Lauren away from this bird. We went back to our car leaving her in the pet department talking to the manager.
After a long conversation, she was keen to buy this Amazon, which was bit of a shock for us as it was quite expensive for a 19 year old to spend her money on. But she did ask the manager some searching questions, which did impress him as she took a very sensible approach to buying the bird.
Although she was very keen, she did agree to come home when we would discuss the situation. And to our relief, she did say she would give it a lot of thought over the coming week, which she did. She said if this bird was still for sale on the following weekend, she would buy it.
She didn’t go back to the garden centre, but called the manager who said the Amazon was still for sale. Well, that decided it and now we had this gorgeous looking bird in our house. Although my husband and I were quite smitten with this parrot, we wouldn’t admit it to Lauren.
The years have passed and all was going well that is, until she met her boyfriend. And although her enthusiasm for the bird did not wane, she loved it dearly, her attention to it did. So we, my husband and I, now look after this Amazon and I have to say we are both mesmerised and couldn’t be without it now.
The point of writing is to warn parents to be careful when young enthusiastic youngsters take a shine to an animal, as often other factors come into play, as with us. But thankfully, we have been very accommodating and love the bird, but can understand when other factors come into play, or the novelty wears off, situations can change rapidly.
I say to parents, be aware when your children become obsessed with a pet, particularly a parrot that can live for decades, to make sure they don’t end up in a rescue situation, as I know many do.
Angela Winterton, by email