To my faithful readers: Mommy has been busy but she promises to let me type more of my story as soon as she gets time. She loves her Girl Scouts almost as much as she loves me, but the girls keep her too busy to get on the net. Check back in a few weeks. Oh yea, for those who are following my story, I LOVE MY MOMMY MOST AGAIN she is soooo happy now. See ya soon, RBM
 |
Rio Blanco Macaw
Who am I?
My name is Rio, and I am a Yellow Collar Macaw. I am also known as a Mini Macaw, and as a Golden Nape Macaw. My Scientific name is Ara auricollis. My human mommy named me after a small river in South America, but most people instantly think of the Rio Grande, or Rio De Genero.
I hatched in April of 2000, and I was taken from my biological parents before my eyes opened. I never saw my parents so when I did recently found a long lost sibling, I did not recognize her as family! But more about that later.
I was a handfed parrot, however, I was not socialized well until I was 6 weeks old. I began my existence in Florida USA, in a rather large aviary. When I was 5 1/2 weeks old, I got to travel to another state called Pennsylvania, a very COLD state! That’s where mom comes into the story.
Finding a new MOM!
When I left Florida on the plane to come to Pennsylvania I did not know what was happening. I got packed up into a little cardboard box with another parrot next door. Later I realized that I had eaten at 7AM and I would not reach the final stop and be fed again until nearly 4PM. Thats when I arrived at the big chain pet store. Oh I was tired, and scared to death! But it was love at first sight. My mommy to be worked at that pet store, and thank goodness she had a good title there. She was an Avian Specialist, I donno what that is but she got a big ball rolling. I was hungry and she opened that box and looked at me. I was scared and she wanted me to do something called STEP UP, I didn't know what that meant so I bit her. She didn't care; she took a towel and pulled me out. I was happy to see the handfeeding formula coming at me too. But mom saw my face and that made for a big commotion. While I was busy sucking down 30 cc's of that brown mush, people were buzzing around making phone calls, and staring at me too. Mom was the one that FINALLY noticed that I was small for my species age and I had a crooked beak.
I later over heard mommy talking to my favorite Aunt about how parrots that have problems get another airplane ride back to Florida to be fixed or possibly euthinized. I donno what that meant but big words still really scare me.
Well, my new mommy did the only thing she could think of, she wanted to take me home, and she put her job on the line to get her way. It took a few weeks but I got to stay in PA and go home to a huge cage in the town of New Alexandria.
Residence in a pet store has its perks..
OOOHHHH, how I love new toys! Since mom worked in the pet store, there were new toys everywhere. When mommy would arrive at work she always took me for a walk down the toy isle and I got to pick. She never let me have any toys made of rubber, or made for birdies smaller than me. I often heard the word NO if I wanted a budgie toy, I liked the little plastic beads that mom said would hurt my crop if I swallowed them. I often think that my favorite part was when Aunt Les came in and got me a new toy too.
While I was livin the life.. I got a roomate. Lucky for me he went home quick, bummer for him.. he turned out to be a she! It got worse when I was told I was a she too. Henry was ok for a parakeet, yea he was a BIG parakeet that mom called an Alexandrian. We got along pretty good once we got seperate food dishes. Mom said she shoulda known then that I would eat her out of house and home. I got to come out every day and play on the playstand for the good parrots to socialize on. I met alot of parrots that were bigger than me, and some that were smaller also. I loved to watch the crazy cockatoos dance and strut. I learned that looks are not everything in a parrot either. Beauty can be MEAN, and not so pretty can be really sweet. I learned that I don't like the birds called African Greys, and moomy said that was ok. Mommy likes the quote of 'Any parrot Smarter than her.. is one she will never own'. Mommy is soo funny like that. Mom also discovered later that I think cockatiels are little playthings that I can carry around. I never hurt anyone but mom says they are off limits just in case.
I was scared to finally go home. I was put into a little blue carrier that at least I could see out. That is untill mom put a small blanket around it so I didnt catch a chill. It was 20 min home and then back into my familiar cage.
To be continued.....
Please sign my guestbook so I know you were here.
