TheBanyanTree: Fruit Loop!

[Jan Denke]

I haven't submitted anything to the Tree in like forever so don't any of you 
pass out from shock!

This story is pretty much about my little Fruit Loop, who is a small parrot 
from South America called a white bellied caique (pronounced ki-eek)...This 
little guy has been sharing my life with me for almost 4 years now...

Caiques are fairly new to the pet maket so I haven't been able to find much 
printed material on caiques, but Fruit Loop certainly has been a joy to have 
around...I'm guessing that caiques like to burrow in the wild because Fruit 
Loop likes to burrow down the neck of my shirt...Then he rolls himself up 
into a little feather ball and lays on his side on my chest...He'll use one 
of his little feet to massage his head, and if I reach under my shirt to pet 
him, he'll lift his little wing so I can give him some scritches under 
there...He's so cute!

I've been fighting a head and chest cold the last few days...Earlier today 
we were all comfy in my chair...He was snuggled up under my shirt, and I was 
watching a program on Animal Planet...I got tired of my nose being all 
stopped up so I grabbed my nasal spray and gave myself a good hefty shot of 
it up my stuffed up nostril...Then I held the other nostril shut so I could 
suck the nasal spray up into my sinuses on the plugged up side...Fruit Loop 
imitated the sound of me trying to get some air up that side of my nose, and 
I started giggling out loud...So the little goof ball giggled back at me! He 
learned how to imitate my giggle a long time ago...He also imitates me when 
I belch...Anyway, when he giggled back at me, I almost fell out of my chair 
laughing...It was just so funny!

Sometimes when he's in a really cuddly mood, he'll lay on his side in my 
hand and let me kiss and snuzzle him all over his little body...He even 
lifts his little wing so I can kiss and snuzzle him under there, too! I love 
the way he smells...He doesn't have a normal feather odor about him...I 
don't know if this smell is specific for his species or if it has more to do 
with the pelleted diet that I have him on...Whatever it is, he's such a joy 
to have around in every way!

How could I not love this little ball of feathers who gives me so much joy, 
comfort and companionship?!

Hugs,
Jan

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