How Billy became Boomerang
We rescued Billy from a man that i met at the local pub where i work. He was a nice man but was going through a divorce and not handling it very well. He spoke about his cag and i was amazed. How can a bird speak! I’d never considered having a pet bird but new i had to meet this creature. We popped round for coffee and there he was……..bald, shaKing, no water, no food, never let out to stretch and a filthy cage. I knew i had to have him. I felt him looking at me, asking me to help him, i could feel him right down deep in my belly, talking to me. I had ever felt anything like it before.
I went to the library and ordered all the books from all the local libraries and started reading, i bought loads of books and read some more. The following week i arrange to collect him. It was terrible. The bottom of his cage was full of mould and still dirty (he new we were coming to collect him). He throw a towel over him and he let out a noise i’ve never heard before.
We got him home but kept him covered for the rest of that day and night.
The next morning we where woken by ‘shut up Billy, Billy shut up’. Not nice words but at least he was talking. This was the start of our falling in love adventure.
I followed the books and my heart and just went for it. Opening his door every morning, feeding him human food (as the old books had told me to). Talking to him, telling him everything i was doing. We started showering and laughing, meeting friends and family, new toys, cleaning his cage, touching his head and blowing kisses, reading children’s books, singing and dancing. Just having a good time together. All was good. His pink bald skin became full of white fluff and his pink tail started to turn red.
We bought a new telly, way to big for our little lounge, things didn’t quite fit in so i had a move round and moved Billy into a different corner and that is when life changed for a while.
He was so quiet, started screaming when i went by him, ran to the bottom whenever my husband went by him. Biting at every chance he had (the blood bite not the warning bite). Stopped eating his dinner or asking for a shower. He was sad and that made me sad. I thought maybe we’d done our part saving him from his last home and maybe he’d had a taste of the good life and wanted a girlfriend or someone of his own kind.
I had already joined AGPC when we first got him but didn’t visit very often as things where going well. I found the place to ask about re-homing and sent my message through. Paula was amazing, asked loads of questions about diet, health, sleep, routine, ect. Gave us time to think some more then when i was sure Mandi came to collect him
The night before collection we we’re talking to him telling him how good his life was about to get. We felt excited yet sad that he was going to a foster home. Mandi turned up early on the Sunday morning but i was already up as i couldn’t sleep from my sadness. ‘It for the best’ over and over again i kept saying. Not sure who i was trying to convince. Mandi and Karl where amazing. I never felt rushed to hand him over. She said she’d seen worse and that we hadn’t done a bad job but his diet was terrible. After a few hours they left.
BOOM……… my heart. BOOM……….my head. I felt total and utter bereft. The clock on the lounge wall had never sounded so loud, i started to cry, not just a few tears that slip out when you have a sad thought but proper tears that made my face go red and my nose run, my body was shaking by the time Clive come back from work. ‘I’ve made a mistake, i’ve got to get him back’. ‘What have i done’
We spoke to Mandi for hours over the next few days, she never once got cross or said she was busy. She listened and educated us. When we got the message to say we could be his ‘forever home’ and collect him we cried some more.
He’s been home now, back in his corner where he can see upstairs as well as the kitchen for a few weeks. He’s stopped biting and screaming, still a little pluck here and there but he’s doing so well thank to Mandi’s help and education. His on animalzone pellets and we bought him a light. His tail gets more red every day and his neck feathers are slow making an appearance. We changed his name to Boo so he could try to forget about his other owner. He talks and sings all day. He tells me when he’s tired, tells me when he’s happy. Calls our daughter beautiful. Say’s bye (in a Birmingham accent) and hello. Counts to 3 and 4 and lots, lots more. We’re all so lucky and happy to be together.
I listen to him, love him and understand him a lot better know. I realise how honoured i am to have him in my family. He is my world and i like to think i am his. I am the luckiest parront as i got a second chance.
We’re about to look at another cag in a week that needs some tlc and thanks to this site and Mandi’s help this time it should be a lot easier. Just hope i’ve got space in my heart to love another the way i love my boy xx
He went away to Mandi’s house as Billy but we got him back so he became BOOMERANG xx
