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Boo and Ricky

Dusky Conure, Indian Ringneck

Meet

Boo and Ricky

Boo and Ricky are a bonded pair and must be adopted together!

About Boo:
Just like a rooster, Boo is great early morning alarm clock, otherwise mellow. With a lot of work, Boo has really warmed up to his foster family and shows eagerness to please. He is like your favorite cranky uncle and grumbles raspily to himself. His former family said he hit walls when flying but he has been known to do a few laps around his foster families' living room when he wants to go back to his cage. Boo is fully flighted but seems surprised at his ability and very pleased with himself when he sticks a landing.

He stepped up with foster mom on the first weekend after being trained by the resident lovebird in May 2019. The foster home had a breakthrough 6/15/2019 where he stepped up a half dozen times for his foster mom in a short period of time and seemed to mimic the rhythm of "step up" in his cute little dusky conure voice. Boo seemed as proud as his foster family was of this accomplishment. Evenings are his best step up time as he does want out of his cage for scritches and beak rubs – the foster home asks him if he wants a “hug” and then they calmly place one or both hands in the cage. He can grasp fingers but does have difficulty balancing on fingers due to missing toes. He will readily step into the palm of a hand or onto a long sleeve or towel on a forearm.

He certainly has the potential for a hard bite if he feels threatened. Boo favors the 11-year-old boy in the house, tolerates his foster mom; and has warmed up to his foster dad. Boo feared fingers when he joined his foster home, but with a lot of work, they have created a great “got your nose”, “got your toes” game. He now begs to have his beak petted and to get his head scratched. He only allows mom to play this game with him and even encourages it by bowing down for attention.

His best buddy is Ricky, the Indian Ringneck. They make a friendly pair and enjoy each other's company providing preening and eating together when Ricky visits Boo's apartment for a meal.

About Ricky:
Flies to the shoulder of all in the household if he thinks he can get food. Very curiously inspects the kitchen if people are preparing food to see what he might like. Flies to the shoulder of visitors. Loves to eat meals with the family. If you are eating, he wants to be perched on a shoulder or a dining chair with his people. Ricky also puts himself to bed when the lights are shut off in the bird room at night.

About

Boo and Ricky

Boo: Unknown. Missing toes affect his balance on step-ups but it doesn't slow him down too much.
Ricky: none

Age or hatch date:

Boo: Unknown
Ricky: 1997

Gender:

Boo: Unknown, possibly male
Ricky: Male

Best qualities:

Boo: Mellow and silly
Ricky: Low maintenance, mostly easy going. Curious, delightful, interacts with all the people in our household: mom, dad and calm 9-year-old boy. Ricky has a couple of chatty times a day.

Favorite food:

Boo: Apples, grapes, nuts, millet and oats to forage
Ricky: Almonds, walnuts, apples, grapes, pomegranates, corn, edamame. Awesome eater of fresh foods too!

Favorite toys:

Boo: Twisty rope with an outdoor view, hanging toys for foraging, balsa wood to shred
Ricky: Piñata type toys to chew apart. Has a play stand he likes to fly to from the “bird room.” Likes to inspect the cages of the other birds by visiting their “apartments” when they are out.

Dowel or step-up trained:

Boo: Yes, prefers towel/sleeve
Ricky: Dowel and steps up

Challenges:

Boo: May lunge if you put your hand in or near his cage, but is typically more "bark than bite".
Ricky: Can be nippy. May be reluctant to return to his cage but may step up better to a sleeve in this instance.

Vocabulary:

Boo: No distinguishable language although he chatters and calls when we are out of sight
Ricky: Cheeps, says “Really?” which is often used in context. Also says, "come here," "here," "Rick," “Ricky”, “Lu-cy, come here!”, kisses, wolf whistles and occasionally says “here kitty, kitty” and was once heard to say: “Are you my pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty friend”?

Health issues:

Boo: Unknown. Missing toes affect his balance on step-ups but it doesn't slow him down too much.
Ricky: none

Foster-in-place:

Gets along with birds:

Boo has become very good friends with another foster bird, Ricky. They can't be housed together but need to be adopted together.

Gets along with dogs:

Boo: Unknown
Ricky: Scared

Gets along with cats:

Unknown

Gets along with kids:

Boo and Ricky get along with kids

8/31/22

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