Binks and the Bandit

[Ladobe]

Don't know if anyone else here is into parrots, but thought you might like seeing pics of my little buddies.   

Binks is a Sun Conure from Venezuela, is about 5 years old and will live to be about 25.   He was born here in Las Vegas and I helped the breeder wean him before bringing him home.   Wasn't sure which one of us was going to survive his "terrible twos" though... for a small bird he has a monster voice.   One the prettiest of all the so called parrots, and a great companion, but this species are not good talkers.



Bandit is a Meyers Parrot (true parrot from Central Africa) that was born June 1, 2005 so is just 7 months old now and will live 40-50 years.   I drove to Arizona to get him as soon as he the breeder got him weaned.   Smart as they come, he already has a good vocabulary and talks well.   No raucous voice either... he either chirps or whistles almost like a song bird to get my attention.   Most tricks he learns after only being shown a couple of times and he is fearless when it comes to exploring new things.   If he had his way he's be at my side 24/7/365.   Probably the best bird companion I've ever had, and I've had a bunch of them over the last 50+ years.



Don't have a current picture but I gave Skipper to my son many years ago, my White Eyed Conure from Brazil that I got as a fledgling.   Very rare in aviculture for some reason - they make wonderful companions.   Skip is now 23 and nearing the end of his life, so my son will take B & B over when I am gone since they will both out live me.

I bred/raised tropical fish, reptiles, birds and dogs for 25+ years, did the shows and field trials and had a big pet shop in CA for a few years in the early 70's.   But parrots have ruled the roost around my place for about 30 years now.    I also got away from the big parrots after I got out of the business and found some of the smaller species to be even better companions with less than half the work.   Besides, in a spat these guys can't take a finger off like the Macaws and Amazons I had could.   

L.

[Hawks Feather]

Nice looking hookbills.  I used to raise canaries.  I raised them for over 30 years and showed them for about 25 years.  Sold out when the superintendent from hell came to town and decided he didn't like me.  I wasn't going to be in town when school started the following year, which would have been the start of show season, so I sold everything.  Then he up and quits in January and I didn't have to quit.  It was fun, but lots of work.  The most I ever had was when I bought out another breeder and also had my young - just under 300 birds.  Too many birds.  I got back to show stock and breeders as quickly as possible.  Again, nice birds.

Jerry

[Arkyyoter]

I know nothing about them.....but they are beautiful...when I was a child there was an old man north of town who had two Mina or Mynah  birds....they were black in color, and talked some.....He ran a small "Mom and Pop" store.....I remember thinking it was neat to get to go up there and see them.....


Thanks for sharing...




Joe

[vvarmitr]

Do they taste like chicken?

You probably knew some smart@$$ would ask that question. Didn't ya!

BTW, beautiful birds!

[Todd Rahm]

Perty birds ya have there Ladobe!!!!!!!!!!! I'd love to get one but I think one would be to much work for me. 

[FinsnFur]

Cool birds Ladobe 

My sister has a couple birds. I have no idea what kind they are, but they are almost 24" tall and they talk just like her.

I had to laugh, we all know obviously they learn to talk from repetivness. We were all over at her house one day and the phone rang, no one answered it and it rang again...after the third ring no one answered it and one of the birds screamed as loud as it could .. BRI-AN!!

Her husbands name is Brian. We all busted out laughing.

[nailbender]

  Cool birds Ladobe.  Now you got me picturing you out in the desert with buckskins,muzzleloaders and a parrot on your shoulder! Have to be quite a site to behold!

[R Buker]

Great pics.  I wish I could have a couple of birds.  I've had cockatiels that were very tame.  My wife just can't tolerate the screaming when they want attention.

Thanks for sharing the pics.