Say hello to Charlie the Pineapple Conure.

For this month’s Meet My Parrot we’re meeting the delightful Charlie the Pineapple Conure. His owner Karen O’Connor tells us all about him.

Hello, my name is Charlie and I am a Pineapple Conure. I’m not exactly sure of my date of birth, nor whether I’m male or female, but I am hand reared, and the owner of the pet shop said I was born in 2020.

                                                                                                                                                                                            I was in a cage with two other Pineapples but when my mummy and daddy (I call them the hoomans) came to look I took an instant shine to them, by smiling, bouncing all over the place and then climbing on the cage bars to ensure I was in their face - wherever they looked they saw me! It worked - I went home with them!

Why did you choose a Pineapple Conure?

Momma hooman tells me that initially she was looking for a Budgie, however the more she researched the more she wanted a Conure. Apparently I’m more likely to talk and be trained, clearly she thinks I’m intelligent!

What is Charlie’s favourite food?

Food? Did someone mention food…? Well, I love all food so easier to say my least favourite is possibly the peanut. I love gnawing my way through the massive shell, WOW that is an achievement, only to be rewarded by the nuts falling to the bottom of my cage!

I love it when I’m provided with a skewer (from Northern Parrots) full of carrot, strawberry, grape, orange, apple, pear and spinach.

Does Charlie have any favourite toys?

I have three favourite toys so far. One includes hoops on a chain with a bell at the end. So I entertain the hoomans when they are watching tv (basically ignoring me) by my ringing the bell and arguing with it.

I love climbing on my rope covered wire where my rope ladder hangs (also from Northern Parrots). And I love weaving in and out of the rope and shredding the bark from the wood. Apparently I have lots more toys in my cage but I don’t play with them yet, well not when the hoomans are in!

Does Charlie have any games they like to play?

My absolute favourite game is seeing how far I can fling strawberry across the room. So far I’ve reached the wall and about two metres into the room. Shaking my feathers after a bath is fun as the hoomans stand and watch and giggle when they get splashed. I do “high5” and touch my “orange star” for clicks, but more importantly, treats.

Do they speak?

Not sure about your hoomans, but mine are frustrating. I speak, they repeat what I’ve just said, but they get it totally wrong! Either they are not listening properly or I’m just not that clear yet!

Do you have advice for new Parrot owners?

My hoomans are still learning. I’m their first bird. They read lots about keeping birds, which is good. My advice to owners includes: let us Parrots bite your ear, allow us to rummage in your hair and it’s normal to poop all over your clean clothes!

So far I love my hoomans, especially during this time of lockdown as they spend all their time with me. I get cuddles and head rubs, walks on their shoulders, beak bumps, time on top of my cage, time on my play pen and I reward them by going to bed after a bedtime snack and a story. They think I sleep, I’m just recharging my batteries for the day ahead!

My achievements so far

I have been on tv. Yes, I said tv! You may have seen me on BBC North West evening news where the weather presenter Owain Wyn Evans called me a “cutie” and I won a £20 voucher to spend at Northern Parrots when I was a runner up in their photo competition. Yes, I’ve spent the voucher already, I opted for food! I also sent a text with my beak, wow, you should have heard my Dadda hooman laugh!

The future

Dadda hooman thinks I’m so clever I could even go to university. Momma hooman doesn’t want me to leave home so they think I could study online. This suits me as I like my home. Therefore, I hope the future holds lots of training (as I get rewarded with treats), many of toys to keep me entertained and inquisitive.

In the short term I hope these pin feathers disappear soon as they are making me itch and then I bite my hoomans. Thankfully my hoomans understand my irritations and let me have baths to help me soothe and relax. The top wish from my magic wand is for my hoomans to keep me clean, loved, healthy and happy.

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