Friday, May 30, 2008

At the Refuge - Babe


Babe is a bird with a reputation. For biting. Sometimes she would take a swing at people (women) just for walking by.

Babe is one of several birds at the Refuge with whom I have fostered a respectful “don’t touch me and I won’t touch you” relationship. I would let her out of her cage to hang out of awhile, and she would go back in very nicely once her dinner was ready. And she ate her vegetables – lima beans were a hit, if I remember correctly. But Babe didn’t get on with a couple of volunteers that I work with, so she didn’t get as much time out as I would like.

When the construction started at the Refuge (finally back on track, yay!), Nikki and Jerry, two of our very experienced volunteers took Babe home. Jerry is great with birds that I generally find impossible and Nikki is always ready to offer time and patience to a bird learning to trust. Someday I should tell you about Curli.

Well. Sometimes all a bird needs is time and patience. This is part of a write up that Nikki wrote for Babe’s page on the Refuge site:

“She never gets off her cage, so she is allowed total freedom to be in or on top as she wishes. She never bites and LOVES to cuddle and play. She steps up willingly and enjoys one-on-one time with me. She regularly spends time on my shoulder, a privilege only granted to birds that I completely trust.”

Babe is available for adoption and you can read the rest of Nikki’s story here.

No comments: