Harper's Story

In 2008 I was working for a bird rescue at an adoption program in a Petsmart. I had just lost two of my budgies and just had Kei and my special needs budgie Miracle.
I wanted to get Miracle a friend but wasn't keen on the idea of another budgie because they didn't seem to live long and I was still very sad over the loss of my budgies Sunshine and Maggio, I just couldn't stand the idea of getting another one. I was trying to decide what kind of bird would be a good match for Miracle. I was thinking about Linneolated parakeets or bourkes, but wasn't really searching just yet.
One day I was at work and was talking to one of the dog trainers when it came up that she was looking for a home for her parrotlet (then named Mabel). I had heard about parrotlet's being aggressive but the more she told me about her the more I felt led to take her. She had gotten her believing her to be tame, but later found out that she was pretty skittish and scared. She then left her in her cage all the time because she had to chase her to get her out and she sometimes bit her out of fear.
She had a budgie as well, but kept it in another room. She said that the budgie and her had been calling back and forth and it was getting annoying.
She cared about her, but just didn't have the time or patience to keep her anymore, so she gave her to me.
When I got her her wings were severely clipped so she couldn't fly at all. She was afraid to come out of her cage on her own, but after I got her out, she would allow me to scratch her head but always seemed nervous of me.

After quarantine, she moved into the bird room where she fell instantly in love with Miracle and decided that she no longer wanted anything to do with me (which was fine with me).

 

 

 One day Miracle sustained a wing injury which kept her from flying, and a few months later, she was diagnosed with gout and liver disease which made it very difficult for her to get around. Harper would diligently visit with her and comfort her in her times of pain. I believe she was a huge comfort for her, and even though they weren't friend's for long, I believed that Harper helped her live comfortably for her last few months of life.

Miracle eventually passed away, and I could see that it really effected Harper. She tried desperately to make friends with Kei, but he was not interested. I then decided to get Harper another friend. I obviously should have done more research, as if I knew then what I do now, I would never have gotten another female parrotlet.

 

Harper was interested in friendship, but Maddie was definitely not. She would fight with Harper every chance she got. Eventually I think the fighting got to Harper and she started plucking her feathers.

I decided that maybe she'd be happier if she had another bird to be her friend, but I thought perhaps a parrotlet was not the way to go. I decided that she might enjoy the company of another budgie instead, so I got Beau in November 2009. I was correct. It was love at first sight. She was so much happier with him.

 

Tragically, Maddie's life was cut short in April 2010. I thought maybe this would diminish Harper's plucking, but she was too far into the habit. Today she is still plucking off and on, and still head over heals in love with her Beau.