We loved Ikeybird. She was beautiful, cheery, and sweet – so we gave her away.
It wasn’t that we tried to give her away. I posted a notice on our business’s blog about someone else with a Cocketeil to give away — and the guy helping to remove a tree from our yard thought it was me. He called and asked for the bird.
We knew it was best. We had already discussed it (ie. my wife saying things like, “I’d love to get rid of that bird!”).
We’ve had Ikey about nine years. Before we got our dog, about five years ago, she flew around the house a lot. We held her a lot. Since then, she’s been confined to the cage. All members of my family agreed that she needed a little more freedom.
The tree guy promised to give her just that, and a loving home.
These are the instructions I gave to the new owner:
Name: Ikey (a.k.a. Ikeybird)
1. Very social. Needs to be with people. Loves attention.
2. Loves to be whistled to.
3. She was sweet and gentle, but hasn’t been held in a few years — so she probably will bite at first.
4. If she makes too much noise at night, cover the cage with a blanket.
5. Mostly eats Cocketeil food (seed) from the store.
6. Fruit and vegetables are better for her.
7. LOVES popcorn and crackers.
8. She’s about 10 years old.
9. She was given to us by a woman my wife worked with.
10. This is a parrot cage. My mom got it for me in 1974 (when I smuggled a parrot into the country).
Note: With a name like Ikey, we thought it was a boy bird. Then, one night, while my wife was sitting up in bed, holding Ikey to her chest, petting her soft little head — she laid an egg.
Another note: I’m the one in the family who had a knack for getting Ikey back in her cage. She would fly off your finger about the time you got close to the cage’s door. I did this by singing to her. Even with my awful singing voice, Ikey would stay on my finger as long as I kept singing.
Another note: This picture of my father, may he rest in peace, does a great job of capturing his personality. He loved horsing around with his grandchildren, which is basically what’s going on here.
Another note: I think I spelled Cocketeil right — but that’s always been a problem for me.
