A to Z: Pico Prefers Peanuts

Pico is a Yellow-Naped Amazon parrot that my father inherited after my paternal grandmother passed away almost 25 years ago. He's in his mid-50s.

Pico's favorite treats are peanuts that are still in the shell, and cream cheese. He can only have a couple of the peanuts, and a very teensy weensy bit of cream cheese, because those treats are sort of like candy for a bird. They are OK in very small amounts, but should not be the main course.

Pico also enjoys strolling atop his cage, taking short jaunts around the house as the dog sniffs his butt, and long walks on the beach. OK, maybe not the walks on the beach, but he does enjoy having a beach-like atmosphere. He loves to go outside and get hosed off on a sunny morning. That really makes him sing and flap his wings.

My grammy never really trained Pico well. He used to chew the knobs of the cabinets, and even bit my dad's finger to the bone once. That was back when my dad thought he could still scratch Pico's head when he stuck his finger in the cage and said, "scratch, scratch?" Pico didn't take kindly to that the way he used to.

It's OK though. As long as my parents keep him at arms length by using a broom handle to transport him from place to place, he's happy. He obviously enjoys our company, just not our fingers inside his cage, unless they are transporting some sort of sustenance.

Pico loves to sing and dance. He sings opera, and dances to music. He'll also say things such as "Wanna buy a bird?" "Polly want a cracker," "Where's Erik?" (Erik is my dad), "I'll mow ya down!" "Wanna buy a duck?" "Better buy Bird's Eye!" "Hello Pico!" and "I love you Pico!" He clearly cares deeply about himself, but you can't love others until you love yourself first. At times, he sounds like a self-help CD.

Even though Pico will bite your hand off, he is a very sweet bird. I know that seems like a contradiction, but it's true. He's a sweetie-pie, and I love him to pieces.

My only problem is that I don't think people should have birds or reptiles as pets. These are animals that really need to be able to fly or roam free. My parents actually taught me that, and never would have bought a parrot on their own.

They will take the best possible care of Pico, but we all feel bad that he can never fly free. Once they are domesticated (especially one that has lived inside for so many years), you really can't send them back to the wild.

So, I feel a bit sorry for him, but I'm glad he's as happy as he can possibly be as a domesticated bird. I love you, Pico!