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🎹 Musician, educator, crazy bird lady 🐦 Gus - CAG (35 y/o) 🐣 Nugget - Pineapple Conure (1 y/o) 🐤 Frankie (2023 - 2025) 🐥 Teka (2005-2019)

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he sees you when you're sleeping

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Nugget, eating popcorn, on my foot.

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✨Meet Nugget✨

aka spicy nuggs

Nugget was sold to a family when she was only a week old. She (obviously) wasn't weaned, and the day the family took her home they left her alone all day. They came back later to find her unresponsive on the bottom of her cage, and thankfully had the wherewithal to take her to a vet, where she was resuscitated. The vet unfortunately couldn't keep her as she needed 24/7 care being an unweaned baby. The best they could offer was compassionate euthanasia. A local parrot rescue took her in, and I followed her journey on their Facebook account. Nugget survived and thrived thanks to the care of the rescue owner.

Then the day came for Nugget's DNA gender reveal. Everyone thought Nugget would be a boy. When I found out Nugget was a girl, something tugged at my heart and I instantly filled out an adoption application. I couldn't explain it but I just knew it was right.

We brought Nugget home this past October when she was only 4 months old - I haven't had a baby bird in 20 years since Teka!

Nugget is nothing like Teka. She is a little spitfire, zooms around the house flying with boundless amounts of energy, and can usually be found on my head or preening my husband's beard. My next post about Nugget will showcase the disaster she truly is (these photos are very misleading!).

And babygirl just celebrated her first hatchday last week ❤️

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✨Meet Gus✨

aka Mr. STINKPANTS.

I adopted Gus June 2020.

Teka had passed and I was sad, and covid lockdown was still a thing. My colleague gently encouraged me to start looking for another bird. I wasn't sure what I wanted, but I knew I didn't want another sun conure. I didn't want to impose expectations for them to be like Teka. So I was looking at quakers, caiques...and I came across a listing for a 3 year old African grey. On a whim I messaged the person, not really serious. She said she had a 3 year old CAG and a 29 year old CAG, the 3 year old would be perfect for me (anyone know where this is going?)

So I go to her house, the 3 year old CAG wants nothing to do with me, but here's this (at the time) 29 year old bird whistling and doing everything in his power to impress me! So a week later, Gus came home with me.

I'm his 6th owner, and he had quite a bit of emotional baggage. But he picked me. And we've kind of helped each other heal (I know, sappy). My beautiful old man Gus is now 35, turning 36 at the end of August. ❤️

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I thought I should close this chapter before beginning a new one, as hard as this is.

Dear Tumblr,

I've owed you this for 7 years. I want you to know I still carry the loss. It's still raw. I miss her so much. We grew up together - I had her from the age of 14 to 28. For those of you who have been part of Teka's journey alongside me, thank you.

This is an edited version of the original eulogy posted on Instagram. Teka had several health issues: she was a runt (smaller than most sun conures), pigeon toed, and suffered complications from egg laying.

Teka (also affectionately known as boo-boo, bubz, baby, princess) 2005-2019.

After being very sick for just over a month, Teka passed away on November 15, 2019. For the last month she couldn’t scream or fly (her two favourite activities), her weight drastically decreased, and her strength and energy diminished. The last two days of her life she could barely lift her head or keep her eyes open, and I knew it was time. I held her in my arms as the vet put her to sleep, and I knew she was no longer in pain. She was finally at peace. My sweet, sweet baby bird.

We brought her home the summer before I started high school. Her favourite activities were sleeping on me, cuddling in my shirt, hanging out while I studied, and dancing while I practiced my music. She was so sweet, cuddling in my hair, rubbing her beak against my face, always showing how much she loved me.

The last month with her was a blur, and every day forward feels surreal. My final image of Teka is with me holding her against my chest, and her sleeping peacefully. But I won’t remember her as a sickly bird. She was spunky, vocal, and downright weird in the best possible way. It’s hard to remember a time without her in my life. I am thankful I was able to say my goodbyes, and I know she is no longer suffering. I'm glad I could be there with her right until the end. Here’s to the little bird who has been by my side (and in my shirt) for the last fourteen years. My sweet angel, Teka.

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Woah~

Hey Tumblr, it's been 9 years since I've last posted. I didn't realize it still existed (also, MySpace is still a thing??). I am humbled to see people still reposting my sweet girl Teka who sadly passed away in November 2019. I do have two beautiful bird friends, who I might introduce later.

...maybe I'll start using Tumblr again...

[crispydraws-deactivated20230116]

My babies \o/

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[pastel--core]

Sputnik

doodle i did for BirbThe

[advrik]

The nerd bird

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What a face!

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If water, I bath

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In attempts to get Teka to stop chewing at my books, I put on some dance music.

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Poor buddy’s confused because it wants to eat book, but HAS to dance

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Classic

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curious snowball

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Soft boy 

[thebeakincarnate]

“Hey honey, when did we install a gargoyle on top of the window shades?”

[tinysaurus-rex-deactivated20240]

bleeeep

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;_; so precious

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leave him alone

[andrewbreitel]

ITS 2017 DONT GENDER THE BIRB

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Hi there! I am looking to get a cockatiel. Your Teka seems very happy, and I was wondering what sort of toy you would recommend for birds to chew on and keep their beak from overgrowing. I don't know if it's the same for conures and cockatiels, but any advice helps.

Sorry for the late replies!

Regardless of chewing toys, you will still need to take your bird to the vet for a beak trim.  Teka loves chewing on calcium perches, small wooden toys, cardboard.  I had an empty cardboard box that carry pop cans and put that on top of her cage and she even loved that!  Here’s a couple of her faves though:

HERE

HERE

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actually, most birds do not need to get their beaks trimmed. its usually only  a small percent of them/ones with health issues that need a trim. the majority of birds dont need any vet assistance and any chewable bird toy as well as food should keep it a healthy length!

x x x

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I’ve found Teka always needs beak trims.  Her beak grows really fast and the way she chews, it ends up becoming a fine point.  Even when she chews her toys and calcium perches.  She’s just a little weirdo :P