Oh *this* result is a big surprise.

[summer_jackel]

/end sarcasm/ Yeah, does this result actually come as unexpected to anyone?

You scored as Paganism, Your beliefs are most closely aligned with those of paganism, Wicca, or a similar earth-based religion. You may also follow a Native American religion. </td> Paganism 100% Satanism 95% Hinduism 80% Agnosticism 75% Atheism 60% Buddhism 55% Haruhism 50% Islam 50% Confucianism 35% Christianity 25% Judaism 0% Which is the right religion for you? (new version) created with QuizFarm.com

Not my favorite quiz, too many "should"s in the questions. Still, amusement.

I don't have the new Potter book yet. WANT, though. Soon, me lovelies, soon.

...on a completely unrelated note, Gavin's molt-of-doom seems almost over, and oh how new and shiny his feathers are! Nice to see him with a full tail again. Shall we take bets on how soon he will break chunks of it out rolling around on his back, playing with his ball?

(yes, conures are adorable. We have established this. It is still true).

Comments

[archteryx.livejournal.com]

Adorable and noisy! (Though they're amateurs in the noise department compared with cockatoos).

I do love conures, though. They're among my favorite domestic birds -- from what little I've seen, they seem to be the most social/least neurotic of the psitticines.

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

hehehe...IMHO the conures make some of the nicese psittacine pets.

As for noise...well, surprisingly, the green cheeked conure (which is Gavin), along with the other genus Pyrrhura conures, are some of the quietest parrots. Don't get me wrong, Gav lets you know there's a parrot in the house, but it isn't anything close to the ear-bleeding screams their Aratinga cousins can come up with. I would LOVE me a Sun or Jenday or Golden conure...ah, the dream...but I don't think I could live with the noise, to say nothing of Chris or Lucy's likely reactions.

Yeah, 'toos are just from another planet with the noise. For pet parrots, I can't squawk the praises of GCCs highly enough. Although gotta say...with the possible exceptions of budgies and maybe cockatiels, which have been bred selectively long enough to make some big changes in the wild type, no parrots are truly domesticated...they are wild animals which have been (at least in some cases) tamed.

[archteryx.livejournal.com]

That's a good point about the "pet" birds. It's WHY so many of them get neurotic in the first place, though some breeds seem to be HATCHED that way. (I've never met a single cockatiel I liked, and I've known several).

The strange thing is that I've always gotten along spectacularly with wild birds, but never with the domestics. Part of that is my fault. I tend to get phobic around bitey things and birds, by their very nature, are oral; the bill's their most useful tool. I also like to pet/scritch/stroke/rub critters, and while this endears me terribly to most cats, dogs, and horses, birds are alot less touchy-feely.

But a big part, I think, that I just haven't met the right bird. :>

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

A lot of interacting with parrots is understanding their communication styles and how to approach them. It's a good point that they are oral: their beak is an important tool and as sensitive as a fingerttip. I let Gavin 'beak' me because it is affection, but I let him know when it's too hard. You have to be able to be nibbled a bit and know how to set limits around them...and of course, some parrots *do* bite. Hard. Ow.

A lot of 'em, both of mine included, adore the skritchin', especially on the jaw and face. :) To pet a willing bird, blow gently against the grain of her feathers, then gently stroke them against the grain. The bird will fluff and get blissy.

How much a bird likes to be touched depends a lot on the individual and the species, though. (There are no 'breeds' of parrots as such, other than the English budgie, and different species of parrot can be as unlike in disposition as a dog and a cat). African greys are known for being less inclined to be petted, and cockatoos for being VERY touchy-feely...although they are the most difficult parrot to keep for many other reasons. Parrots really are wild animals and to really keep them well and enjoy them, the potential bird owner really needs to get a good intuitive feel for how they think and what they need, through study and hands-on experience. :)

A for 'tiels...well, my Lady is an airhead but she's sweet and I love her. :) Illucian's Aya is insanely sweet, probably the most 'pet me pet me now' parrot I've ever met. That said, they aren't my favorite parrot either, though part of it is because so many of them are poorly socialized and cared for.

[archteryx.livejournal.com]

Well, that's a huge point, socialization. If you pay LOTS of attention to your bird, lavish affection, and train him or her properly to behave, you can overcome alot. :> And I have heard of very sweet cockatiels...just never met them personally.

It's also a very good point about the scritching; I think it's the adjustment between mammals and featheries. Mammals LOVE to be scritched and rubbed around the whithers, back, tummy, and haunches. Most birds I've known would blow a gasket if you went anywhere NEAR their hips, tummy, keel, or even back! (Remind me sometime, though, to tell you the story of the Rough Legged Hawk that absolutely ADORED a rubbing between the drumsticks -- and would nibble your ear in return!)

But the back of their necks, that "special spot"? I've had several birds actively begged to be scritched in there. :)

I hope that someday, you can introduce me to your birds. They sound like a very sweet and well-cared-for bunch.