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Parrots and Rescue Pets!
WARNING -- THIS IS A MONOLOGUE/RANT. And some unsolicited information about me and my life! 
Aside from bodybuilding and my work, my other one-true-love and passion is exotic animals -- parrots specifically! I run a chapter of a nonprofit here in Clarksville, Tennessee that focuses on parrot rescue. It's one of those things that most people don't normally consider when you think about animal rescue.
Parrots are... finicky. They're emotional and intelligent. They'll destroy your house and chew on everything you love -- including you. They bond aggressively, often to only one person, and they'll fight for their person's love and affection and attention. They get jealous and throw temper tantrums and lash out at their handlers. I've been bitten, scratched, dive-bombed more times than I can count. But... I can't even be upset when I think about what these birds have been through. People find them in pet stores -- they're so beautiful and energetic and social, it's easy to see the appeal. Often, parrots are impulse purchases. Or status symbols, depending on the species. They go home with a stranger who expects the same unconditional love and trust you'd get from a dog or a cat. But it's not that simple. With a parrot, you have to earn their trust. You have to work to show them you aren't a threat and that they're part of your family. You have to get bitten. You have to clean up an absurd amount of food and feathers. And even after all of that, they still might never warm up to you. Or they'll pick one of your friends and bond with them instead. Adding insult to injury, haha.
Too many people don't do their research. They don't know what they're in for. They get bitten. They get scared so they stop trying. Or they aren't prepared for the noise. So this adorable, funny little bird they bought winds up spending its life in its cage, neglected, afraid, and begging for socialization. It's heartbreaking. And then the lucky ones find their way into rescues! Crazy people who understand that these animals never asked to be pets, but it's our responsibility to make their life as fulfilling and healthy as possible under the circumstances. So we take these shy, frightened, injured, distrusting birds and ... it may take months, years even. But it's amazing to see them come back to life -- to see the fear dissipate and their natural inquisitiveness, their unique personalities emerge.
My house is stupid loud. I have eight angry alarm clocks that sound off when the sun rises. But... I was never a big fan of sleeping in, anyway.
Aside from bodybuilding and my work, my other one-true-love and passion is exotic animals -- parrots specifically! I run a chapter of a nonprofit here in Clarksville, Tennessee that focuses on parrot rescue. It's one of those things that most people don't normally consider when you think about animal rescue.
Parrots are... finicky. They're emotional and intelligent. They'll destroy your house and chew on everything you love -- including you. They bond aggressively, often to only one person, and they'll fight for their person's love and affection and attention. They get jealous and throw temper tantrums and lash out at their handlers. I've been bitten, scratched, dive-bombed more times than I can count. But... I can't even be upset when I think about what these birds have been through. People find them in pet stores -- they're so beautiful and energetic and social, it's easy to see the appeal. Often, parrots are impulse purchases. Or status symbols, depending on the species. They go home with a stranger who expects the same unconditional love and trust you'd get from a dog or a cat. But it's not that simple. With a parrot, you have to earn their trust. You have to work to show them you aren't a threat and that they're part of your family. You have to get bitten. You have to clean up an absurd amount of food and feathers. And even after all of that, they still might never warm up to you. Or they'll pick one of your friends and bond with them instead. Adding insult to injury, haha.
Too many people don't do their research. They don't know what they're in for. They get bitten. They get scared so they stop trying. Or they aren't prepared for the noise. So this adorable, funny little bird they bought winds up spending its life in its cage, neglected, afraid, and begging for socialization. It's heartbreaking. And then the lucky ones find their way into rescues! Crazy people who understand that these animals never asked to be pets, but it's our responsibility to make their life as fulfilling and healthy as possible under the circumstances. So we take these shy, frightened, injured, distrusting birds and ... it may take months, years even. But it's amazing to see them come back to life -- to see the fear dissipate and their natural inquisitiveness, their unique personalities emerge.
My house is stupid loud. I have eight angry alarm clocks that sound off when the sun rises. But... I was never a big fan of sleeping in, anyway.
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