The Green Dancer
When you really want something in life all the universe conspires to help
you achieve it. I never believed in it until it happened to me. Life is
strange and I have experienced that relief sometimes comes from a place you
least expected.
This story is about me and my journey from a girl to a woman who never
thought would be so crazily in love with birds. Now I consider them to be my
non-human kids. I’ll never forget the day of March 14, 2007. This day
changed my life and how I perceived birds today. I have always had a soft
spot for small animals and wanted to have a pet since childhood.
My mother who is a dog person had lost her dogs when she was young and
didn’t have the heart to go through the same pain again, so the only pet I
had till the age of 23 was fish. I remember once I got to keep a baby monkey
at the age of four who was lost and crying for only a day and then another
time I had two birds for a couple of weeks. I still have clear memories of
the happiness I experienced then.
It was a few years later that my dad gifted me two adult Indian Ringnecks;
commonly known as the Green Parrot in India for my ninth birthday. This was
the first time I had seen birds so closely but being naïve, I didn’t know
what to do. Even at this age, I could see that they were wild birds and that
they were not bred. The poor things must have been captured and kept in that
small round cage with no food or water.
I tried to do my best but nothing I did would make them happy. I could feel
that all they desired was to be free again. So finally after having them for
around 15 days I decided to free them. It was our “Independence Day.” I
opened the cage and as soon as I did they took off without any hesitation.
Their flight of freedom left me in tears, but I was happy for them. That
night I dreamed about them, happy with their flock telling them stories
about me.
The next day I heard noises in my balcony. When I stepped out I was thrilled
to see my birds were back. They didn’t allow me to touch them, but ate food
from my hand and took off again. God (nature) had given me the greatest
gift. I didn’t see them for the next 11 days, but they were back on the
twelfth day and that was the last time I saw them. I still think about them.
I like to think they are still happy and alive. I pray that both of them
have found a mate and made lots of babies. I wish back then that I had the
knowledge I have now. I knew that those birds didn’t belong to me and that
they belonged in the wild.
I continued my journey of life; getting busy with studies, job and other
problems that come along as part of growing up. The memories of childhood
faded away. Then an event changed my life in 2007. My close friend came to
stay over. She had an Indian Ringneck back home and she told me stories
about him. I listened to them like a young child and became very interested
as I had never seen a bird do all the things she said it did.
We decided to fetch him. I remember the exact moment and everything that
happened. For me it was love at first sight. The moment he saw my friend his
eyes lit up and he started calling her Mitthu, which he calls every human he
meets. Anyway for me that was no less than a miracle as I had never seen a
bird talk and dance before. He seemed so happy and lively even in a small
rusty cage. He was named Mitthi. The next few days I fell in love with him
even more.
My friend said that he hated strangers and he would hiss and bite if they
came near. But nothing of that happened with me. Before I knew it, he was
giving me kisses and dancing and calling me. He even let me change the paper
towel in his cage. All I did was sing to him.
After he left I thought about him every single day. I was in love with those
eyes, not to forget seeing his dance moves. I begged my mother to get me a
bird. I didn’t think about the lifespan and all I wanted was to give a bird
a happy loving home. This time I was ready.
I got my first bird from a pet shop a month later. I had never seen a bird
(cockatiel) with so many colors so that is the one I chose. I named him
Piddu, which means tiny as I had not seen a bird smaller than him.
At first I didn’t know what to do with him, or how to feed him, or how to
bathe him. I was like a new mother with a baby who knew nothing about caring
for the child. I quickly learned how to care for him from the internet and
also from other bird owners abroad. This bird gave me so much love and
attention that I would visit pet shops, stand and stare at birds and wonder
what kind of personality each one had. But still I couldn’t forget that
Green Dancer that had left a deep impact on my heart.
In the meantime my flock grew from one to six birds. The first bird that I
adopted was similar to my first pet and is a cockatiel as well. He is named
Dodo. He was treated badly at the pet shop and so I rescued him. I knew I
had to be very patient with this one as he had gone through a lot of abuse.
I remember he would faint with fear many a time when I tried to touch him.
His bite would always leave my fingers bloody. Now he is the sweetest bird
who sings to get my attention and hops around happily. Music is something
that helped me to bond with Dodo. Every time I sing, he lets me touch and
pet him.
I went through a phase where I used to cry looking at birds in pain and just
wanted to save every bird and bring them home, but sadly that’s not
possible. Anyway my friend went through a bad phase in life and completely
neglected Mitthi. After three and a half years of waiting, I got a phone
call. The voice on the other side told me that she no longer wanted the bird
and that she was going to release him into the wild. I panicked and said
“Don’t do that he will die. Just give him to me.” Immediately she agreed.
The next day, I drove for almost two hours to get him. All the way I
thought, “Finally I will have the bird that changed my life and now it’s my
chance to change his.” I saw him in the same old rusted cage, but I didn’t
recognize him. Was this the same bird?
His face was full of pins as a result of bad molting. On our way back I
turned on some music to cheer him up and I kept talking to him, but all I
got was silence and sadness in those eyes. I remember telling him that his
life was about to change. I could see his spirit had been broken and it took
around a month before he made any kind of sound.
Soon Mitthi was in love with me again. He quickly adjusted to his new
routine. He got lots of toys to play with, nutritious food and most
importantly clean water to drink. He couldn’t walk or fly when he came to me
but he got better with time. Now he would follow me around all day.
But then all that changed again. I had him for almost eight months and one
day he suddenly started passing undigested food in his poop and most bird
owners know that is an emergency situation. After two whole months of
testing and medication and still no improvement came the horrible news.
Mitthi was diagnosed with PDD. My heart sank. I had almost lost him one
evening as he refused to eat and kept on throwing up and couldn’t stand up.
I cried and cried. It was too soon to say goodbye and I thought it was too
late to help him. But then a change of medication caused a miracle and he
suddenly started eating again.
I knew this journey was not going to be easy and it wouldn't be the same as
before. I struggled with his sickness and medication and most importantly
his feeding. His weight kept on fluctuating and he would scream in pain and
not keep his food down. But I’m grateful to his veterinarian for guiding and
helping me through this. I don’t know what I would have done without the
internet as I read as much as I can about this disease and what has worked
for other parrot owners.
Today after one year and seven months, Mitthi doesn’t look like a normal
Indian Ringneck as he doesn’t molt correctly or even have a ring. He is
yellow and green but his disease has not stopped him from being a happy bird
who loves to play with his ball. He also loves to bully my dog and steals
food from my plate.
The medications are helping him lead a normal life and what helped me the
most with him is syringe feeding. I feed him twice a day and the rest of the
time he eats on his own. This maintains his weight and he is active and
happy. He still has bad days but they have decreased. But he won’t survive
without his special diet, medication and syringe feeding. I know he won’t
live as long as a normal Indian Ringneck. Who knows when his time will come!
It can be in a day or maybe ten years. The most important thing is that he
is loved and cared for. He is happy and active. He is my BABY and will be
until his last breath.
People say I rescued him, but if you ask me it’s the other way round. An
animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language. Only some are
blessed to be able to hear it.
