It’s been over a week now since we lost our very first Blue-Naped parrot to a respiratory complication. Dean, as we call him, was Ralph’s gift to me initially, but ended up more being his than mine as he fully took the responsibility of caring for the blue-naped since Dean was very small. We bought Dean from Brian of Ralph’s Lovebirds. This parrot has brought us so much joy over the years which is why his passing was something we took really hard. It hurt and it still does; it has affected Ralph deeply.

Looking Back

We did not have any cage for him when he was a baby. I had a perch on my side of the bed that extended against the wall and that was where Dean’s place used to be. We spoon-fed him Cerelac and used 1 cc syringe for water. He learnt flying on his own when he started jumping off from the perch landing on to my bed. I remember freaking out whenever Ralph had to literally throw him to the bed just so he would start using his wings actively.

Spoiled by Daddy

Ralph spoiled Dean rotten! He got his daily dose of fruits and peppers. He also ate Fried Chicken and whatever dish we were having, Ralph made sure Dean eats a piece or two of them as well. If we sometimes forget to give him anything, he would remind us by uttering the phrases “I love you!” and “What are you doing?” and he says them so clearly you won’t miss it, and if he thinks you’re so slow in delivering him his food, he would say “I love you” repeatedly and in faster frequency.

Missing the craziness

He was also very funny because he would constantly attack his own shadow. He probably thought it was some threat following him wherever he goes. He just wouldn’t stop till you intervene. Dean is just one special parrot.