It was the end of highschool when I decided I wanted a bird. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I knew a little about parrots from YouTube videos but not much more. Out of all of the types I fell in love with the caique parrot. They seemed goofy and friendly. The ideal pet really. There was much more to the nature of a parrot that I was not yet aware of but I ended up bringing one home a few years after graduation.

I noticed an advertisement for a nine month old caique online. Caiques were not as popular then so breeders around the USA were rare. Unfortunately this breeder was far away from here and was located in Washington State. In a rare incredibly generous move, my father flew down with a carrier and picked him up for me. The first thing I noticed when he came through the front door was just how LARGE he was. His feet in particular seemed massive. His colors are beautiful and, though I didn’t handle him the first day, I hung out next to the cage to keep him company. The name I gave him was Samba based on the Brazilian dance. Not everything was as it seemed however.

I slowly realized that the breeder lied. The first clue I noticed was the fact that Samba cried off and on the first 24 hours. It was this horrible mournful cry that I have never heard since. There was so much emotion in the sound that I didn’t have any doubt as to the meaning even I had never heard it prior. I was told that his cage mate was his sister and at first I thought he just missed his sister. As I became further familiar with the parrot type, I realized that he had absolutely zero color mottling that baby caiques have. Usually baby caiques have black mottling on the top of the head even if they are not the black headed variant. This discoloration lasts all the way up until three years of age. Samba had no signs of this and when the advertisement the breeder posted said nine months old. The breeder ID bandvon his leg was also registered to a different breeder in a different state entirely. Moreover, Samba showed very sexual behavior. In fact he displayed higher rates than average. When I took all this into account I realized that he had been a breeding male and most likely fathered multiple clutches of eggs. The female that was in the same cage had been his mate. I was heartbroken for him when I realized. Because of this I have no idea how old he actually is. I don’t mind though, I love him so much anyway.

Parrots really have two personalities: sweet feather child and feral hell spawn. Much like a cat they can flip on a dime according to what they want at any given moment. No matter how careful you are or the history of the bird, you will get bit at some point. The only thing you can change is how frequent and the amount of damage. If a bird is truly upset, they will grind your skin to shreds between their beak halves. If they are just letting you know boundaries, they will just give you a quick pinch. The goal is to remain patient and not stay upset with the bird. They rarely bite to actually hurt and it’s important to not take it personally.

Parrots will also do anything to get in trouble. They frequently chew up objects and push objects off shelves. Samba loves to steal unattended food and that is not a unique interest. It’s important to be careful with what objects and food you leave around not only to protect your property but to protect your bird. You don’t know true fear until you are wrestling a sequin out of your parrot’s mouth as it frantically tries to eat it.

As chaotic as I make parrots sound however, they are wonderful buddies. A lot of birds love to cuddle and keep you company. They are also good entertainment and are talented at being able to lift your mood. I have a super strong connection to Samba and would not give him up for the world. He is my feather baby and I look forward to his daily shenanigans. I don’t know how old he is but his kind lives to about 35. I can look forward to his company for many years to come.