Talking to the Animals at Homewood Library

Baby, a Double Yellow-Headed Amazon parrot with a large vocabulary, was just the first of a cavalcade of animal stars who wowed the capacity crowd at the Homewood Library last Wednesday afternoon.

A tortoise, two alligators and a Canadian Lynx are just some of the critters that followed.

Baby and her compatriots helped the group’s president, Kimberly Schilling, teach important lessons about habitat, animal behavior and why some animals just don’t make good pets.

Zeus, the six-foot long Burmese python, was used as an example.

“They are great escape artists," Schilling said. "They are extremely strong—I can’t emphasize enough how dangerous they are.”

Zeus, however, kept his manners throughout the afternoon. He got to make a trip around the room, despite several horrified children retreating to the opposite end of the room.

Schilling told the 150-plus crowd of kids and adults that she is allowed to keep Zeus and other exotic animals like Kodiak, an 11-year-old lynx and Kahlua, a skunk, because she has a permit to do so. According to Schilling, it is not legal to do so otherwise.

Even owning a parrot like Baby isn’t for everyone because, Schilling said, because Baby’s lifespan may be as long as 80 years.

“I’ve got to take care of her my entire life,” Schilling quipped. “I’ve got to put up with her until I die.”

Baby responded to her caretaker's joke through a series of chirps and chortles. 

All animals came courtesy of Animals for Awareness, a not-for-profit shelter that takes in exotic and wild animals that more conventional shelters aren’t equipped to handle. 

double yellow headed amazon aggression - Parrot and Conure World

I have a 10 year old male double yellow headed amazon. I was supposed to be only birdsitting him for a couple weeks while his owner did some remodeling. That was over 3 years ago and the original owner has absolutely no interest in taking him back. Chi Chi (the parrot) is very fearful of people and is very aggressive. I learned from the owner that she was the fourth owner in the birds 7 years of life.

I was told that Chi Chi was abused in his second home, being handled with welding gloves and kept in an unfinished basement without much light, he was neglected and tormented by young children in his third home and was kept in a ferret cage without any toys. The owner before me, had multiple parrots and didn't have much time to work with him. He is very noisy and aggressive.

I have tried to work with him to get him to trust me and I have made little progress with him. His behavior has really started to bother the other members of my family and he is very trying at times for me to take care of. I'm not sure what else to try and I do not want to pass him off to another owner. I'm afraid any of the progress I have made with him would be ruined. I would love for him to be happy and enjoy his life. I guess my question is how can I make him happy??

I almost wonder if I tried to find an owner of a female, if he would be more comfortable and happy with another bird? I have a female Eclectus, but he doesn't really seem interested in becoming friends with her :(. I thought maybe another bird of his own kind would help with the loneliness he must be feeling. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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