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Hi!
I'm Nicodemus
the Senegal
John 3:1-21

GOD BLESS AMERICA OUR HOME SWEET HOME!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I am a domestically bred parrot. When I was a tiny chick I went to live at the Animal Exchange -- a neat pet shop owned by my Aunt Ruth. She handfed me with a "birdie bottle" three times a day until I was old enough to crack seeds, and taught me to "step up." She's a parrot psychologist who teaches humans how to deal with personality conflicts with their birds.

When I was three months old Mom adopted me. Mom described me as an adorable ball of green and gold fluff, with a pewter colored head, and gold epaulettes on my little shoulders that would make a field marshall envious. I am a Senegal parrot, of the genus Poicephalus. Flocks of Senegals roam across the coast of Western Africa, just north of the Equator. Senegals make ideal apartment pets because we can be taught to be quiet and mannerly.

At the age of two...

I was featured in an article in the January 1997 issue of "Bird Talk."

And now I am seven...

Mom's not sure just when I was hatched, except that I was an April baby. So we celebrate my birthday on Easter Day, a great day for new beginnings.

Don't you think I'm a handsome little parrot?

This is my official fifth birthday portrait. When Mom had a birthday last year, her two best friends, Aunt Lois and Aunt Marty, got a copy of my birthday portrait and had it imprinted on a sweatshirt for Mom. The legend across the top of the picture says, "GIVE ME A BEAN!"

As you can see, Green String Beans and Sugar Snap Peas are my absolute favorite food. The other week we had a bean crisis. The ones in the refrigerator were old and not very appetizing. So Mom told me to be patient because the grocery delivery man would be here in a couple of hours with a fresh supply. When the man showed up, I stood on my tip-toes on Mom's shoulder, craned my neck, and shouted at him, "Where's my bean?"

I also love carrots, waffles, pancakes, graham crackers, homemade bread (especially the kind with seeds in it), boiled egg, cooked rice, corn, yellow squash, cooked broccoli, black grapes, snap peas, lima beans, Lafeber's Avi-Cake and caramel popcorn for birdies, dried cranberries and raisins, and yogurt and cottage cheese which I eat from my very own tiny silver spoon. Occasionally I can con Mom out of a Cheeto or a piece of cookie. I eat the good cheese stuff off of the Cheeto and toss the 'styrofoam' part.

I am about ten inches long and weigh slightly more than a stick of butter. And I rule the roost around here! Every morning I order my breakfast in a commanding voice: "Gimme a bean, a carrot, and a pancake! Hey, Cutie Mommy, where's my bean? I need a bean! Did you hear me?"

See, I really do know how to handle a spoon!

When Mom gets out of my sight I let her know it: "Mommy! Where's my Mommy? Do you hear me?" Mom calls me her birdie baby, so she's my birdie baby. Sometimes, when she disappears around the corner I holler, "Where's my birdie baby?" I call myself "Nicky" or "Nicodee." Around our house it's "MERRY CHRISTMAS" all year 'round, because that's one of my favorite sayings. Some other things I talk about are "Okay," "All rightee," and "Hi Sweetie." When Mom's busy and I'm fussing for attention, she keeps telling me. "In a minute." So, hey, I decided to tell her that too. Guess I've taught her a thing or two! I've also learned a naughty phrase I like to use when Mom's been on the telephone too long: I shout real loud, "Gotta go pee-pee!" Why does she grind her teeth when I do that?

Mom says she thinks I have a big gold pocketwatch hidden in my vest pocket, because every evening, on the dot of 8:45 p.m., I start fussing to go to bed, saying "Sleepy Birdie!" over and over until she gets the message.

I really scored on Mother's Day with "Hi Sweetie Mommy!" And then I told her, "I'm Mommy's baby birdie."

I'm shy around strangers, but once I get to know you, I'm a real flirt. "Hi Cutie --- Gimme a kiss!" gets 'em every time. In fact, when Mommy had some of her friends over for luncheon a couple of months ago, I flirted with Aunt Sally. I cocked my head and said in a very sexy voice, "Hi Cutie!" I can blow kisses too.

In this photo I was playing with another of Mom's friends, my Aunt Sondra.

I started talking when I was eight months old. A consummate diplomat, the first word I learned to say was "Mommy."

I love to sit on Mom's shoulder and "help" her, but she says I can be a little nuisance when she's trying to work on desktop publishing projects. Most of the time when I'm on her shoulder I remember to pull on the chain around her neck when I have to go potty. I'm very good about "going on the newspaper," and that really pleases Mom. I enjoy my playpen near the picture window overlooking Greenbelt National Park. I like to think of the park as my personal jungle.

I am very possessive of my things. Don't try to put your hand into my "castle" when I'm in it, or touch the toys or food bowl on my stand. For a little guy I really know how to bite hard!! Mom has a two foot dowel which we call the "Nick Stick." She uses it to handle me, saving wear and tear on her fingers. The Nick Stick is also a good way to retrieve me when I get adventuresome and climb to the top of the drapes, or jump off my playground to waddle around on the carpet.

Mom and her camera seem to be lurking whenever I get busy with a project. For example, she got this shot of me just after my bath. Anybody got a towel?

My Accomplishments

Pardon me for bragging, but I'm kinda proud of the recognition I have been receiving:

I received an "Award of Excellence" from the National Capital Bird Club. To learn more about their excellent work in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, please visit their web site.

In 1999 I took second place in the Perky Pet Contest and won a beautiful shimmery plaque. The lady who runs the contest says that I am the very first bird to take such high honors in her contest, and I'm sure grateful to all of the kind friends who voted for me.

On October 10, 2000 I was "Pet of the Day." Boy, did my web site ever get a lot of hits that day. Thanks folks, for your visits. Here's the pretty plaque I won as "Pet of the Day."

I have lots of fun corresponding with other Senegal parrots on e-mail. There's Simba, Jake, Kobee, Krickett, and Mickey.

My best pal is named Simba. He lives a thousand miles away in St. Louis, but we have fun comparing the strange behavioral patterns of our mommies. We also tell each other about interesting new foods and toys. Simba and I are both April babies, and last year we celebrated with a joint virtual birthday party.

Another special pal is Mickey, a Senegal who lives in Dordrecht, in the Netherlands. Mickey has five feathered siblings and a mommie who takes gorgeous photographs of them. To visit Mickey and the flock just click on Mickey

To learn more about parrots of all kinds, and about the wonderful work of the Foundation Dutch Parrot Refuge, I urge you to visit their web site which also has links to other web sites for pet birds (like me). If you saw the wonderful Nature TV show, "Look Who's Talking," you will remember the heart breaking segment on mentally ill parrots who are cared for by the fine work of the Refuge.

Thanks for visiting my web page.
Come back again.
I'll change this from time to time.

P.S.

Mom read this over and suggested I add this information:

Three great books for any Senegal parent to have on the bookshelf are:

"Guide to a Well-Behaved Parrot" by Mattie Sue Athan; "Senegal Parrots, A Complete Guide" by Pamela Hutchinson; and "Guide to the Senegal Parrot and its Family" by Mattie Sue Athan and Dianalee Deter.

If you want to send me e-mail, please click here!

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