In Sookie's eyes, he is just like any other parrot.
“He can often see wild parrots from his cage and knows they are just like him,” owner Carly told Yahoo News Australia. “As far as he's concerned, there's no difference.”
But the obvious difference, of course, is that they have feathers, and he does not. 11-year-old Sookie has parrot beak feather disease (PBFD), which is untreatable and can often cause affected parrots, parrots and parakeets to lose their feathers. It can also cause abnormalities in the beak or claws, but if only the feathers are affected, as in Sookie's case, she can lead a nearly normal life.
“He doesn't get upset. He's a beautiful boy… He's really intelligent and he talks like a soldier. Unfortunately, he swears a lot,” Carly revealed.
And his cheeky personality has won over his fans online, with Carly regularly joining the Australian Parrots Facebook group to share photos and videos of Sookie, which educates people about PBFD. She says it's a great way to do that.
“It took a while for people to understand his illness. Some thought he was unhealthy and was plucking his feathers,” she said.
PBFD can have devastating effects in the wild
PBFD is highly contagious, but Sookie has no contact with other birds, and Carly and her husband are careful to wash their hands and clothes to avoid spreading the virus in Taree, where they live on the NSW Mid-North Coast. paying attention. “He really likes being in his cage because it's a safe place,” Carly revealed.
Dr. Tania Bishop, a veterinarian at WIRES, told Yahoo earlier this year that sightings of parrots infected with PBFD are on the rise and could be devastating in the wild.
“We currently have several endangered parrot species. [and] The last thing we want is [it] “They kill threatened chicks and parents,” she said.
Because PBFD causes a weakened immune system, Carly feeds Sookie a meticulously healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
Sookie spent 18 months with wings.
Carly revealed that Sookie was fully feathered for the first 18 months. They were told by the breeder that he did not have PBFD, but later learned that his mother had PBFD.
“When he first malted, he basically had no feathers,” she said. But they consider Sookie lucky to have avoided symptoms such as balance problems, which can greatly impact a bird's quality of life.
All in all, he's had a relatively pain-free 11 years, but Carly, like many of his fans online, is hoping for more to come.
“It warms my heart to think that our little boy could grab something that belongs to someone else.”
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