My sweet Loki chose me to be her mom. I found her in in a hole in the wall pet shop that sold only tropical fish and exotic birds and supplies for both, I had birds at home already and was always on the lookout for well-made bird toys for my feather babies. I was not looking for another bird, I already had three at home, but I walked in and there he was on a plain stand no toys, no food, and looking right at me. I asked the shop keeper if I could pet him and he said “oh yes he’s very friendly” so I put my hand out reluctantly, slowly towards this magnificent bird hoping he would allow me to caress his feathers, and to my delight instead of getting a nip(a sign of please do not touch), or a head bow (a sign I’ve been granted permission to pet) this amazing bird crawled right up my arm to by neck and cuddled behind my ear. I wanted to cry, the shop keeper saw and said, “oh wow I’ve never seen him do that before, looks like you have to take him home now he chose you”.
I wanted to take him home with me that day, but my husband was against getting another bird, especially one that cost so much. But after hearing this bird’s “story” and story it was I knew I would eventually get him home with me. That day the shop owner told me Loki (who did not have a name at the time) had been at the shop for 7 years without a name, was DNA tested as male, had been part of a sun conure breeding program but was unable to continue with it because he wasn’t taking care of his babies, he liked human attention too much.
I went back and picked him up two days later. I could not let him live there without a name, no toys, no interaction, with just anyone being allowed to touch him.
I spent the last three years with my sweet baby, that loved to cuddle on my neck, or inside my hoodie thinking this bird was male, because DNA doesn’t lie, well humans do. Turns out my Loki was a female. After three years of never trying to lay eggs, she finally did, and it proved too much for her. She began breathing heavy, not vocalizing, and having difficulty passing poop so I called my avian vet and that’s when we found out she was egg bound. What a shock, egg bound….Loki is a girl? Removed the egg, started antibiotics, and antifungal for yeast. But she ended up hospitalized anyway for dehydration.
My sweet Loki was taken from me at 4:49 pm on Friday January 14th, 2022, I was hosting my daughter’s 13th birthday party.
I have cried every day since she has been gone. The first picture I have shared is the first day at the pet shop, when she chose me. My husband had the forethought to take a picture that day.