09/13/2026
Here's a wild one for everyone. I am not immune to fear. Since I was in my early twenties I've been terrified of birds. I know the how and why my fear stems from. My aunt had a parrot. It would roam her house outside of it's cage when she let it out for range time. I was there and sitting in her kitchen when said parrot decided to sit on my shoulder. I was fine until it started inching closer to my neck. When it got within "striking" distance, this bright yellow parrot reached down and bit me hard on my neck. It instantaneously spawned a super phobia in me. I no longer trusted them to a point of unimaginable fear. I've always wanted to work with them to overcome it. Fast forward about 25 years. On an outing to get food and look for a temporary enclosure for a beardie rescue, we came across a turquoise Green Cheek Conure. Conures are known for being very chatty and affectionate. Turquoise conures are not overly common. Needless to say, now we have Salem. If that wasn't enough, a week later we have Maui. Maui is a Pineapple Conure. By practicing the same patience that I teach young children I was able to overcome a 25+ year fear that I've unnecessarily carried on my shoulder.
