Bird Junky

Hello. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm a retired Grandad who's not too good with computers. I often to hit the wrong key & loose everything I've written, but here goes.

I've kept, bred & trained birds for most of my life. I can't keep birds now, Doctors orders due to ill health.

I was born many years ago into a family of professional animal, traders & trainers. Unfortunately I was a great disappointment to my father. I was born without the families special affinity for animals like, horses, elephants, lions, tigers etc, its not that I didn't love them all, I just loved birds more.

That didn't stop me having to work with the animals. Shovelling, bottle-feeding, walking, training & generally helping out.

Young lions, tigers, & bear cubs etc would arrive at Grandad Billy's farm. Usually in groups of seven or eight. It was the job of my brothers, cousins & I to help raise them like puppies, teaching them all the usual good habits you would expect from your family pet dog. Grandad Billy, Dad & Uncle Charlie would then take over the serious

training. As you are probably never now going to see a live big cat act & television has blown the big cats savage beast image myth, that has been around since the Romans first fed prisoners to the lions for

entertainment. (The Romans & lions entertainment, not the prisoners.)

I can let you in on a few trade secrets. For those that wrongly believe that performing animals are cruelly treated, in the circus ring. The attendants standing around the lions performing cage, armed with sticks are not there for audience safety. Oh no! Like the cracking of the whip & the firing of the cap pistol used by the performer who puts the big cats through their paces in the ring. They are necessary to keep them awake during the performance.

Like all big cats when well fed, they would rather sleep 22 out of the 24hrs. Normally big cats don't become active until food is about to arrive. Only stirring to go toilet or the necessary during the breeding season. Animals are never taken from the wild, whipped & starved into performing tricks. Common sense should tell you it doesn't work. Any ill-treated animal would attack & kill it's tormentor at the very first opportunity.

Despite faked photo's taken by some dodgy charities. It is far easier to acquire young animals & raise them as one of your own family pets. I was also afflicted, as is small percentage of the population with the blood type favoured by pet fleas ie, dogs cats etc. Which in our

business was a bit problem for me. Dad said I realy came in handy. I was their indicator. When I itched they had a good clean-out, of all animals, cages & equipment.    

That's where we are so lucky with budgerigars, we can tame them while they're still in, or straight from the nest. I was never a performer myself, I usually sold ready trained birds to other, professionals & performing amateurs.

Yours ....B.J.

PS checkout my website        spanglefish.com/birdjunkiesbirdtraining