Bob

Bob (Eclectus Roratus Polychloros).

Bob is probably the closest bird to my heart and his story is that of much previous suffering. In 2001 I was looking in the papers for a companion for Babe. I wanted a Red Sided Eclectus so she won't be alone. I found this add of a woman selling a large number of parrots among which two Red Sided male Eclectus. I went to see the birds and I was so offended by the conditions in which they were kept. The entire place was run down, with rats running around in every direction. There were weeds that had grown waste high and the birds looked awful. There was a pair of Greater Sulfur Crested Cockatoos almost completely plucked, a pair of Green Wing Macaws in the same situation, among others, and the two male Eclectus. I tried to convince the lady to give the birds to me but I couldn't. She wanted $500 firm for a male so I had to pick. One of the males was lightly plucked but otherwise in OK shape. The other had an extremely overgrown beak, to the point that the tip was constantly rubbing the neck, stripping it of feathers. He could not eat and he looked very underweight. I picked him. The lady was crying when we left but, honestly, I had no compassion for her feelings.
I got home as fast as I could and cut Bob's beak to its original size and shape. He was so hungry and so happy to be able to eat that he completely ignored Babe. Bob is the sweetest and tamest bird I have ever seen. He loves people so much in spite of the abuse he endured. He bonded with Babe really fast and their relationship is one of many ups and downs. Babe is quite assertive and Bob is slightly shy at times. However, they find good company in each other and they are both excellent fliers. Bob is an acrobat in flight, being able to do circles and change speed and direction.
A few months after I got him I came home from work to find Bob in a corner, bleeding, and very week. I was in a panic and picked him up and rushed to the vet we had at the time. We got to the vet's house at 11 PM and he was so kind to see us. Bob had lost some blood. The vet stiched his leg after making sure there were no broken bones. He gave him a steroid shot and put him on pills and a soft diet that we had to feed it to him for the first three days. I was so afraid to loose him. I think he got overly confident and either BooBoo or Scarlet bit his thigh... but it could've been Babe too. Ever since then, I notice he is very attentive to where the macaws are at all times. I felt so bad for weeks and I was so happy to see him recuperate. He has a limp in that leg to this day. Even though he had so much suffering in his life so far, Bob is a very trusting and an extremely gentle bird. He is my number one friend in there and his playfulness and mooing sounds are a joy to watch and hear.