I guess I had always wanted birds, but never really got around to it after having my pet bunny Cuddles (who passed before our RV adventure) and Theodore Mittens. I must have researched and thought about it for ages....years even. When down in Florida, somehow the idea sparked in my again, and after a bit more research, I found the disposition of a Cockatiel would be perfect for me!

 

The search started online, and that’s when I found Tammy who runs an awesome aviary, DJFeathers, near Fairfax VA. After emailing back and forth for ages, I was shown Charlie as a little baby....a face only a mother could love at this point! It was instant for Bryan and I when we saw him, and soon enough Charlie made the 9 hour flight via Deltas Pet First Program all the way to Miami Florida with one stop off in Texas. After all that travel, Charlie peered out at me through his carry case when I picked him up, and then continued to nibble on a piece of carrot. I was elated on our drive back down to the Keys....and have been ever since. He is an absolute joy!

 

I had planned to keep only one bird so that it would bond only to me, but after reading a bit online, I found that another (as long as the same sex) would be alright. I wasn’t convinced still....

 

At a Pet Supermarket near Cocoa Beach, I walked by the cockatiels like I normally do. I would never buy from a pet store, due to past experiences....that and their birds are never hand tamed! However, to my surprise, I found my attention grabbed by one of the little guys in the large tank. The other birds ran away, but Cocoa jumped up on my finger and would not get down! My heart just melted at his personality! Bryan took him and put him across the tank in an attempt to drag me out of the store, but there was no time for escape; the little devil booted it across the tank up to my face and just STARED at me. We tried this at least 10 times, over and over, of course with the same result, add in him licking my finger through the glass, and trying to fly up to me! Well that was it, even Bryan was suckered in, and knew that was it when I told him his name would be Cocoa, named after our beloved Cocoa Beach!

 

And there we have it....how we came to have two bratty, adorable, lovable, entertaining, amusing and amazing cockatiels! Even Mittens doesn’t mind them too much, as you can see. He has no interest in hurting them....in fact, he’s rather frightened of them, and the birdies have only reassured him of this fear by hissing at him and telling him where his place is. Poor Mittens!