Name:

Loco

Species:

Sun Conure (Aratinga solstitialis solstitialis.)

Age:

Five years.

Vocabulary:

Loco can say "Hello", "I Love You", "Nite Nite", and can whistle like a champ. Like most Sun Conures, he can be quite loud, but thankfully he usually prefers to speak or sing when he vocalizes.

Personality:

Loco didn't earn his name for nothing -- he is quite a character! He is mainly a "Mama's Bird", but will usually go to others once he is sure about them.

He is the boss of the house and rules over the cats and dogs with an iron fist... er, wing. Beneath it all, however, he is a lovable bird, and prefers to spend the majority of his time perched on or near me.

Favorite Foods:

Loco's favorite fresh foods are bananas and oranges. He also loves sunflower seeds, (almost too much) millet, and broccoli. He has a bit of a sweet tooth, so I really have to watch him when we're having desserts -- he will steal food right off of your plate if he gets a chance!

Favorite Toys:

Loco's all time favorite toys are wicker balls. He loves to toss and shred them, then throw their remains out of his cage to the floor below. He also likes to play with poker chips, and anything that has a bell.

Favorite Games:

Loco loves to play "Birdie Basketball" by dropping poker chips into a tupperware cup. He's really good at it, too!

Worst Habit:

Loco is a button thief. If you are wearing clothes that have buttons, he'll have them snapped off in a flash.

How I Got Loco:

The story of how I came across Loco is very unique.

A few years back, I was working part time at a local pet shop that sold mainly pet food, toys, and other supplies. The only live animals that we kept in the store were small rodents and fish, and it was my job to set them up in their habitats when they were shipped to us each week.

One day I was settling some teddy bear hamsters into their new home when I noticed an extra crate had come with our shipment. Figuring it was just another crate of mice, I picked it up and flung it open. Imagine my surprise when a bright bolt of green and yellow shot out and flew up to the ceiling!

As I focused my eyes on the creature, I found that I was looking at a very young and very scared Sun Conure. I coaxed the little fellow onto my finger and sat down to examine him. Aside from some shaky nerves and ruffled feathers, he appeared to be fine, so I immediately went to the manager to ask how in the world he ended up at our store.

After some investigating, it was found that the bird was supposed to have gone to another store entirely. He had been a special order for a customer, who had since grown tired of waiting and purchased another bird elsewhere. We were instructed to pack him back up and ship him back where he came from -- something that I was not willing to do. "When he first flew out of that box," I explained, "he stole my heart. He's coming home with me."

I was able to purchase him directly from the company that shipped him, and took him home that night. Ever since, Loco has been a permanent fixture in my life and home. We have developed a very close bond with each other and continue to build on it every day. While it is usually best to obtain a bird from a knowledgable local breeder, I have to say that I'm very glad that I decided to bring Loco home that day. At this point, I don't know what I would do without him!

Photos of Loco (c)2005 Alyson Burgess licensed to About.com, Inc.