Name:
Radish.Species:
Scarlet Chested Parakeet (Neophema Splendida.) These birds are also known as "Splendid Parakeets".Sex:
Male.Age:
2 years.Favorite Foods:
Radish's keeper, Jamie, says that his favorite foods include corn, eggs, broccoli, and of course, his pellets and seed.Favorite Toys:
Jamie says that Radish's favorite toys usually have a mirror, a bell, or something else shiny on them. "I tell people that he likes a lot of 'bling'" she jokes.Favorite Perches:
Radish loves the rope perch in his cage most of all, but also seems to quite like perching on his manzanita wood play stand.Dislikes:
Above all, Radish hates loud noises. "He gets really freaked out if people raise their voice around him." Jamie says. "He prefers a more laid-back atmosphere."Special Talents:
Radish has learned to ring a bell whenever he wants fresh food or water. Unfortunately, this keeps Jamie running back and forth day in and day out!Life with Radish:
Radish is a beautiful bird with a special story. He spent the first year of his life in a tiny cage in the back of a less than reputable pet shop. He grew so depressed that he began to pluck his feathers, resulting in small bald patches on his chest.It seemed that the little bird was doomed to live an awful existence, until the day that Jamie walked in. Taken by the bird's beauty in spite of his situation, she made some phone calls and found Radish a job -- he would be the pet and mascot at the hospital she worked at, and would teach and entertain terminally ill children.
"My supervisors had taken note of the positive affects that animals can have on the sick and elderly," Jamie says, "and had been thinking about getting a bird to live in the children's ward. When I walked in that shop and saw Radish, I knew that he was the one!"
Radish quickly made his new home in the hospital, and passes his time by flashing his beautiful colors and chirping softly to the hospital's young residents. "Since Radish came here," Jamie says, "we've all noticed a positive change in the children. Their eyes are a little brighter, and seeing him every day gives them something to look forward to."
The children are never allowed to touch Radish, but being near him seems to be enough to make them happy. "We once had a 5 year old patient who called him a 'rainbow angel'." Jamie says. "The thing is, to her, he really was."
Congratulations, Radish, on being chosen as "Bird of the Week"!
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