Graphic Artist Su Gould created this Snowball cartoon and I simply had to post it here. How often does one become associated with Snowball and Oprah in a cartoon due to a snarky, potty-mouth quote? Well, once as far as I know. This cartoon had to do with the release of Sy Montgomery’s latest book about my friend Irena Schulz’s bird, Snowball the Dancing Cockatoo. It’s a children’s book and you can find it here: Snowball the Dancing Cockatoo
The quote came from a recent post about my feelings about people who have cockatoos. I think they are saints. I think cockatoo people are the most patient, tolerant and incredible people in the world. I could not have a cockatoo. Couldn’t do it. Why? I simply know better. I would be a withered pile of raw nerves piled into a weeping mess within a week. I wish more people knew themselves as well as I do when it comes to cockatoos. Greys? I’m good. Finches? No problem. But I am simply not cut out of cockatoos or quakers. Well, at least I won’t ever be giving one up.
Read the cartoon. Then read this post so you understand how I explained my inadequacies regarding cockatoos: The No Fly Zone. Don’t get me wrong. I love cockatoos. They are gorgeous, fun, smart and charming. However, just a like a Grandmother, I prefer to play with them, spoil them, give them treats and then hand them back to Mom.
Patricia Sund
Parrot Nation 
April 8, 2013 at 6:59 am
Wine helps cockatoo owners achieve sainthood. 😉
LikeLike
April 8, 2013 at 9:13 am
I agree with every single word you said. I think they are amazing birds—who would cause me to slit my wrists in a week! Lol!
LikeLike
April 8, 2013 at 1:20 pm
Lord, ya’ll … I need to get my eyes examined again, or stop trying to read Su’s cartoons on my Blackberry altogether — I just now saw Snowball inbetween Oprah’s arms!
Birds of a feather girl, we’re just birds of a feather! Greybird is about as high maintenance as I can handle … and I do believe Irena has the right idea ….
LikeLike
April 8, 2013 at 3:16 pm
Too’s do require a person with a different mind set. I have had Zeus, my foster Moluccan, for 9 months now and I love him dearly but I no longer have guests as often—you can not leave him out of the conversation—and some things in my house have been ummmmm altered. The corner of my leather couch is now missing and the woodwork around one of the window is considerably smaller than it was. My fault. The cage was too close. While he has only bitten me once —again my fault I should have divined he was not ready to go back into the cage—– the threat of the beak makes you move more slowly and carefully. EVeryone in the rescue group think I am going to keep him because I am so protective of him and he of me. My family is considering committing me. They threaten me if I even mention how hard it will be on me if he is adopted. Fat chance of that! Zeus aka ZeZe is the king of the ball when we have a “Meet the Birds”. A terrific photo opportunity. He loves to pose and will sit on anyone as long as I am there. I had to teach a class last time and left him in another’s care and he bit a lady—just a nip but he did draw blood. Thank God she realized it was her fault, she said she had moved too fast, but still it could have been bad. So if I have to teach again he will go with me. Yes, he is my bird. Bonded. Sigh I feel so guilty about that. I am just hoping he will fall in love with someone as he did with me. Did I mention it was love at first sight. He wolf whistled and danced and came right out of the cage into my arms while the director of the rescue was warning me not to let him get close to my face we were snuggling cheek to cheek. Toos are not for everyone! The noise level is amazing. The powder on every surface in your home makes it look as if you never dust. The destruction—well we have already addressed that. The emotional need of the bird that is amazing. They are flock animals and all they have left is you. You cannot be out of sight without them calling loudly for you. Want to go to the bathroom? Prepare yourself for a cacophony that will have neighbors calling. Well enough said. I love ZeZe. Guess that makes me one of the crazies. :o)
LikeLike
April 8, 2013 at 10:14 pm
Upon reading your saga, I’m not sure if congratulations or condolences are in order. (I suspect both.) But! You still have a sense of humor. Helpful in either case.
LikeLike
April 17, 2013 at 11:53 pm
Hi Patricia, I have to agree with you on Quakers, and cockatoos. I am the Stuart to a variety of rescues and non rescued parrots. Quakers have a bi-polar personality, at least the the birds I have been involved with. One minute they are lovey dovey and the next minute their personality changes. Now cockatoos they are Velcro birds. I would also like to include macaws any, large or mini, are also very very loud and can be very annoying to anyone without knowledge or patience. My final point leads to this anyone convinced by a vet or advised by some one else breeder ect. to decrow a parrot and take its ability to vocalize is more than a crime. There should be a law to ban that practice. There are actual breeders in Arizona that offer decrowed umbrella cockatoo weaned babies so they are appartment friendly. I sent a response the the ad it was in, in an email. It was not pretty, but it worked ad was removed.
Thanks for having this blog!!! Bradley
Sent from my iPhone
LikeLike
April 19, 2013 at 12:11 am
Hi Bradley, I have to agree on the decrowing (I didn’t even know they did that to birds) We had a couple of dogs come into rescue that had been debarked. As for the Macaws being loud —-they are not even in the same category as the Moluccan Too. I have both and the 2 Macaws are only heard at most 2 times a day and then only a couple of hollers while the Too will scream when ever I am out of sight for the entire time. And the volume is much worse on the Moluccan. Now the smaller Cockatoos—- well I am sure they aren’t as noisy as my big boy. I was surprised at the Macaws because I had heard they were very noisy too. Perhaps I am just lucky with my Macaws.
LikeLike