How it all started
I fell in love with Parrots many years ago as a teenager. I was raised with an assortment of pets and many of them the foul species. I rescued many abandoned native songbirds and always longed for the opportunity to care for a real Parrot. We had pet pigions and budgie parrakeets, but it just wasnt the same. I wanted a bird that could talk and give unconditional love and companionship. I wanted a Parrot
In 2003, Empty nest syndrome started to kick in on me. My two daughters were moving on into College Life and our home was getting extremely quiet and lonely. At this point in time I decided it was time for a NEW baby in the family. The parrot kind. I started to read all I could about the best Parrots to start with, how to get healthy babies, how to raise them and spent about 6 months before I got the nerve to call a classified ad in the local paper. Little did I know that this would start me on what I hope will be a lifelong adventure and passion in the rescue and preservation of companion parrots.
Miss Kiki Lou
I spoke to the local breeder , got prices and as much information as I could. My husband and I went to pick up our NEW Green Nape Rainbow Lorikeet on a Friday morning. His Birthday. I remember pulling up to the local breeders home and immediately hearing all the sounds from the hundreds of parrots. I had NO idea my life was about to change in an instant.
We were ushered into a small bathroom being used a s incubator room to hear sounds I had never heard. Strange little baby sounds that were a cross between what sounded like a kitten and a bird. When the breeder said her she is, here is your baby, I stood glaring in utter disbelief. What I saw in the nest of kleenex on warm packs was a small lump of flesh and beak about the size of a half dollar.
Oh, My Gosh, she is so TINY, I cant take care of her. What does she eat? Needless to say I felt like that amount of money was already wasted. However, it was also love at first site.
Due to my extensive background in animal husbandry and previous wild bird accomplishments I felt like I would be able to raise that tiny 7 day old Parrot. It was the most surreal and lost feeling that first night.
I named my Baby KIKI LOU, and needless to say we spent that first entire 24 hour period together. I was in Maternal Heaven. With GOD on my side, that baby Lory not only survived, but grew bigger and stronger every day. Feedings every 2 to 3 hours for the first month. My Mother lived with us and took care of feedings during the daytime while I worked. Looking back many times on that beginning, I see the cruelty and sadness in what Breeders do and endanger the life of these beautiful creatures. It was that beginning and seeing all those other parrots at the breeder that started me down the road to preservation of as many of these creatures as I can save. Thank you KIKI LOU for fueling my Passion:
I am happy to say that Kiki Lou is now turning 9 years old in March and is happy and healthy. She is very smart and intelligent and has a huge vocabulary. She runs our aviary. She thinks she is the QUEEN and the mother to everyone else. Kiki Lou is a Nectar Parrot native to Australia. Green Nape Rainbow Lorikeet, she has to be fed a special nectar, fruit food diet. She is messy and can be gripey, but she is well worth all my efforts. She is also that beautiful colored parrot at our home page of the BLOG
In 2003, Empty nest syndrome started to kick in on me. My two daughters were moving on into College Life and our home was getting extremely quiet and lonely. At this point in time I decided it was time for a NEW baby in the family. The parrot kind. I started to read all I could about the best Parrots to start with, how to get healthy babies, how to raise them and spent about 6 months before I got the nerve to call a classified ad in the local paper. Little did I know that this would start me on what I hope will be a lifelong adventure and passion in the rescue and preservation of companion parrots.
Miss Kiki Lou
I spoke to the local breeder , got prices and as much information as I could. My husband and I went to pick up our NEW Green Nape Rainbow Lorikeet on a Friday morning. His Birthday. I remember pulling up to the local breeders home and immediately hearing all the sounds from the hundreds of parrots. I had NO idea my life was about to change in an instant.
We were ushered into a small bathroom being used a s incubator room to hear sounds I had never heard. Strange little baby sounds that were a cross between what sounded like a kitten and a bird. When the breeder said her she is, here is your baby, I stood glaring in utter disbelief. What I saw in the nest of kleenex on warm packs was a small lump of flesh and beak about the size of a half dollar.
Oh, My Gosh, she is so TINY, I cant take care of her. What does she eat? Needless to say I felt like that amount of money was already wasted. However, it was also love at first site.
Due to my extensive background in animal husbandry and previous wild bird accomplishments I felt like I would be able to raise that tiny 7 day old Parrot. It was the most surreal and lost feeling that first night.
I named my Baby KIKI LOU, and needless to say we spent that first entire 24 hour period together. I was in Maternal Heaven. With GOD on my side, that baby Lory not only survived, but grew bigger and stronger every day. Feedings every 2 to 3 hours for the first month. My Mother lived with us and took care of feedings during the daytime while I worked. Looking back many times on that beginning, I see the cruelty and sadness in what Breeders do and endanger the life of these beautiful creatures. It was that beginning and seeing all those other parrots at the breeder that started me down the road to preservation of as many of these creatures as I can save. Thank you KIKI LOU for fueling my Passion:
I am happy to say that Kiki Lou is now turning 9 years old in March and is happy and healthy. She is very smart and intelligent and has a huge vocabulary. She runs our aviary. She thinks she is the QUEEN and the mother to everyone else. Kiki Lou is a Nectar Parrot native to Australia. Green Nape Rainbow Lorikeet, she has to be fed a special nectar, fruit food diet. She is messy and can be gripey, but she is well worth all my efforts. She is also that beautiful colored parrot at our home page of the BLOG
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| KIKI LOU at about 3 weeks of age, learning to stand up |
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