We still need to tell you about Santa Paws coming to visit. But one of us will tell you about that next week, because today I have another friend I'd like you to meet. Today's guest is our first feathered friend to be interviewed. Isn't that exciting? So, let's meet our first ever feathered Friend of Furkid Friday, shall we?
Hello, feathered friend, what’s your name? If you have an unusual name, or there’s an interesting story behind it, I’d love to hear about what your name means, or the story behind it, so please share if applicable.
Hello, my name is Mithril. That’s an Elvish name and it comes from Middle Earth – as in JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Mithril is “Moria silver” and it was chosen to be my name because next to the silmirils, there is nothing more precious than Mithril. When you look at me, you will see why. But it’s not just about my feathers. I was the runt of my clutch and I wasn’t expected to survive. Matter of fact, the man who owned my parents didn’t want me to survive because he didn’t want his wife to simply give me to the writer lady who is my forever mommy – not after he saw my feathers grow in. He wanted to sell me for lots of money. Horrible man. I’m glad his wife kept her promise to give me to my writer mommy. I wouldn’t be alive today with anyone else.
Ah, I know the ones. My human caretakers are fans of those books. The Mummy human is especially fond of those hobbit creatures in them. Anyhow, we all agree that's a great name, and... WOW! What a story to go with it! Yes, he sounds like a horrible man. I'm glad you did survive, and that his wife kept her promise and gave you to your writer Mommy. It sounds like you really are as precious as your name claims. So, Mithril, I know you're a bird, but what species and breed are you exactly?
I am a whiteface lutino cockatiel. That means every one of my feathers is white, I have red eyes, and my beak, legs, and feet are pink. Even my toenails! In mammals you call that “albino” but birds are different. In birds different colors in feathers are controlled on separate genes. You’ll learn all about that when mommy writes one of two sequel books to her popular “Preparing For My First Cockatiel” guide book. That one will be called “Preparing For My First Egg,” but it is likely she will finish “Preparing For Maturity and Old Age” first.
Fascinating! Thanks for sharing that with us. I love when we get to learn new things about different animals while doing these interviews. Tell us more about yourself. For a start, describe your appearance. I know you and your Mommy sent a photo we could include in this post - which I'll show everyone in a moment - but please describe yourself too, for the benefit of those who can’t see the photo.
I am all white in my feathers. But being a girl, I still have the banding on my tail feathers that girl cockatiels are supposed to have. I have a bald spot behind my crest which is a birth defect common to lutino (pale yellow and ivory) cockatiels. In lutino breed, the normally grey feathers are replaced by yellow. But I’m all white because I’m also a breed called whiteface which means there is no gene for red in my feather and therefore no orange circles over my ears like cockatiels are supposed to have. If I wasn’t lutino, my face would be grey (white if I were a boy), but because I’m BOTH whiteface AND lutino, I’m all white.
See! Mommy does her homework. That’s why her books about cockatiels are the best in the whole world! If you want to know about cockatiels, she’s the person to ask.
Such a beautiful bird! Also, I'll bear that in mind about your Mommy's knowledge. My Mummy human's better with us rodent types, and not so good about bird knowledge, though the Mummy human says she doesn't feel confident enough in her knowledge to be making a habit of giving others advice even about us rodent types. It's great when they at least try to do their homework properly though, regardless of the species they know about most, since it makes things much better for us, and improves our quality of life. That brings me to my next question: what sort of place do you live in? Who do you share it with?
I live on the 15th floor of a tenement apartment complex in western Pennsylvania, USA. Just outside our small window near my cage we can see a mountain – but only because we live on the top floor of the tallest building in town and probably the tallest building in the whole county. It’s a small apartment – I’ve lived in much bigger because I’m over 16 and I’ve lived many places—but right now it’s all mommy bird can afford. She doesn’t want to live here and wants to move to some place she keeps talking about called “Scotland.” No idea where that is, but it sounds far away. Always this talk about a big aeroplane and how hard it will be to take a taxi cab hundreds of miles back to New York City (we lived there too) so we can reach the aeroplane that goes to this Scotland place.
Besides mommy bird (the writer), I have a friend named Arwen. Whereas I am two breeds at once (this is a good thing with birds), she’s THREE. Arwen is a whiteface (like me – but whiteface with grey because she’s a girl) pearl (means a special pattern on her back and wings) pied. Pied is where the feathers that should be grey are white instead and it can happen anywhere. Mommy says her feathers are interesting – but never fear because she always wanted an all-white bird!
Arwen was born in a strange place called Pittsburgh. But I’m proud to be a JERSEY bird. Jersey as in New Jersey; I was born near somewhere called Newark. Can’t believe Arwen is five now. I didn’t like her at first – even though I was horribly lonely after getting my divorce three years before. But after I got used to her, I like her. Still, Arwen forgets who is boss so I show her sometimes. I’m in charge! No matter how many other cockatiels come to live with us, I am always in charge!
I've heard of Scotland. It's somewhere North of us. I don't know about all those other places though. Still, it sounds like you live in a great place. Nice you have birdy company again too, after having lost your mate, and good that Arwen accepts you're in charge. So, Mithril, when you're not reminding Arwen you're in charge, what’s your favourite thing to do?
I like to sit on mommy’s head if I can get away with it. And poop there of course. I don’t know why mommy minds that one. Where else am I supposed to poop? My cage? My play gym? My perch stands? The nerve of mommy expecting me to poop from a piece of wood like the birds outside do!
When I’m not taking in the view from mommy’s head, I like to nap from my favourite perches in my cage. I’m getting old now. Some say 16 is very old. But mommy insists that we have many more years to go, that I can reach 30 if I am good and love her to never go away. I love my mommy. I’ve been sick many times, but always pulled through because the Mithril and mommy show is forever. I believe that, don’t you?
Well, yes, if you have to poop, you have to poop, and if that's a comfortable spot to do it in, she'll just have to put up with it. Also, yes, I'm sure the Mithril and Mommy show will go on for a while yet. It's the same for chinchillas: though some of us don't make it to those advanced ages, we can easily live to be 20 or older, and many of us do, playing and thriving until the last. Speaking of playing, doo you have a favourite toy? If yes, what is it?
Even though everyone tells me I’m too old, I like to lay eggs and sit on them. I sit on the eggs Arwen lays too. I’m told that’s unusual, but I like eggs and Arwen lays more than she can sit on sometimes. So we made a bargain to share the nest box, lay all the eggs there, and we can both sit as much as we want whenever we want.
For some reason mommy doesn’t like it when I lay my own eggs. Something she keeps worrying about called “egg binding” which is when the egg gets stuck coming out. Egg binding will kill unless you have a good doctor who knows a lot about birds who has an office close by. We had that when we lived in New York City (the world’s best doctors for birds), but in Pennsylvania, none of the doctors know anything about birds. In fact, when Arwen needed a physical to show she was healthy enough to share my cage after she first arrived, the doctor here said she was OVERWEIGHT. Stupid lady didn’t know that right after you give a baby bird her food she weighs a lot because it’s a custard similar to milk that is very heavy. If doctor doesn’t know about what infant birds eat, she certainly can’t help me if I have a problem laying an egg. That’s why mommy doesn’t want me to lay any more eggs.
I'm glad your Mommy knew better than the vet, and hope she found you guys a good vet afterwards. I have to have a specialist vet too. Most vets just don't understand about the "exotic" pets, so the human caretakers had to find us a special one who does. Also, I can see why she'd worry about you with the eggs. Maybe leave the laying up to Arwen, and just sit on hers from now on? Just a thought. Anyway, what’s your favourite food?
Sunflower seeds, spray millets, and nutriberries. It’s taken years, but now I also like the zupreem brand of pellets – the expensive stuff that mommy started feeding us because the bird store in Manchester, England (what’s England?) and the pet stores in Glasgow all sell it.
I also love popcorn and bread –bread is the best, even though it makes us sick. Pasta is wonderful. So is rice. Raw chicken and beef is delicious – but don’t tell the V-E-T I steal some, especially when mommy is putting it away from the store. Birds aren’t supposed to like meat, let alone raw meat, but I can’t help myself. I’d rather have some raw steak than the fresh fruits and vegetables cockatiels are supposed to eat. It’s very hard for mommy to get me to eat healthy.
I know about England. I live there. Anyway, I've never been tempted by meat myself. But, to each their own. I'm with you on the pasta and sunflower seeds though, even if I don't want to be anywhere near meat - regardless of whether it's cooked or raw. I mean, we have meat-eaters living in this house, even if half of us here don't touch the stuff, so we're happy to let everyone eat what they want to be eating. It's just not for me. But if you like it, that's up to you. I promise not to tell the vet, though I hope your Mommy is OK with you doing it. Hey, on the subject of your Mommy, what’s the one thing your human does that you love most?
Mommy gives us anything we want any time we want. I am rarely confined to my cage (as spacious as that is – I can fly in it, it is so big and Arwen does sometimes when she’s upset). I almost always get anything I want to eat and many fresh things I still find yucky are offered as well. Mommy is always very attentive to what I want and need. She even gave me Arwen as my bird day gift for my eleventh bird day! What a gift to have a friend come live with us!
I love to give my mommy cuddles and head rubs. Lately because it hurts too much to reach some of my feathers for preening, mommy has been helping to scratch off the sheaths of any new feathers I can’t reach anymore. I should bite her because NO HUMAN EVER touches those feathers – but I know she’s just trying to help me. She loves me.
That's great! A friend is a fantastic gift. I hope you guys have had plenty of other great gifts since, and that you both got something nice for Christmas too. And, no, you mustn't bite. We're not supposed to do that, even when they do things we don't like. Speaking of which, what’s the one thing your human does that you hate most?
She has this horrible obsession with new feathers that are grown in but not preened out of their sheathes. She KNOWS I don’t want her to touch my back, primary flight feathers, or tail feathers, but when I cannot reach them she keeps trying to grab them and scratch the heavy sheathes (heavy because these are my biggest feathers) for me. I ought to bite her fingers off for that (and I know I can bite her fingers off), but I know she loves me and only wants to help me.
Oh, you mustn't bite her fingers off, even though you could if you wanted to; you must resist the urge to bite, even when she's doing things you don't like. Good thing you know she loves you, since I'm sure that helps you resist the urge. Anyway, speaking of your Mommy, as you mentioned earlier, your human is a writer. So, has she written anything about you? If yes, can you tell us about it? If no, do you think she will in the future? Wait... I think you did mention something earlier, right? Can you tell us about it?
In 2014, right about the time Arwen came to live with us, she wrote a guide book to cockatiels that has stories about me and pictures of me from across my life. It’s called “Preparing For My First Cockatiel” and it is mommy helping other people know what life with cockatiels is really like. She tells people very honestly what cockatiels need—like the details of the cages we need (three cages: main, travel, and hospital), the kinds of perches we sit on, even what we eat. It’s a very good book and I’m glad to be its star. It was recently updated to new information for 2019 and recorded into an audio book. Take a listen to it on Audible and UK Audible. There’s also a supplement to the audio book you get for free when you download it. Lots of photos of me in it, but also some neat ones you won’t find anywhere else. You can also read “Preparing for My First Cockatiel” in digital and paperback editions in English, French, Spanish, or Italian. Links to each of those are at www.laurelarockefeller.co.uk/independent.
As wonderful as all this is because, well, you know I’m the best cockatiel in the whole world, she’s not done writing about me. Mommy has two more books planned for the series. One is “Preparing For My First Egg” which is all about baby cockatiels and some of the different breeds of cockatiels. She is waiting for Arwen to get married in that Scotland place before she writes that one. The third book will be all about me again. It’s about how to help your cockatiel live a long and healthy life after she turns ten years old. I plan on giving mommy lots of advice for that one.
That's fantastic! Actually, now that I think about it, the Mummy human listened to the audio version of “Preparing For My First Cockatiel” a few weeks ago, and said it was excellent, and she'd highly recommend it. We're sure plenty of people will find it useful, and I bet you have plenty of things to teach your Mommy for those other books. Also, I hope all goes well for Arwen's Scottish wedding when the time comes for you guys to go there. In the meantime, what do you do while your human writes?
I like to sit on her head and make her lose her train of thought. I mean I’m the star of everything. Mommy must give me 100% of her attention all the time. Of course I reward her for giving me attention by letting her touch me –sometimes I’m even so generous as to tolerate her preening forbidden feathers. She likes that one.
Well, how could she not? It's so generous of you to allow her to give you all that attention, and reward her for doing so. Anyway, Mithril, I've taken up enough of your precious time today, so we should probably end this. Before we do though, is there anything else you’d like people to know about you?
They say that cockatiels over ten are “senior birds.” Don’t believe it. We cockatiels can live to be over 25 if we have the right relationship with our human slaves and if we have proper access to everything we need to be both physically and mentally healthy. I know we are demanding and we have a lot of requirements to meet to stay healthy and strong. But you know what? It’s worth it! I’m worth it!
You're definitely worth it! Getting any pet is a long-term commitment, especially ones with longer lifespans, but we're worth the time and effort it takes to care for us properly. Thanks for giving everyone that reminder. Also, thanks for coming over for a chat today. It was great getting to know more about you, and learning more about Cockatiels in general.
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Author bio:
Born, raised, and educated in Lincoln, Nebraska USA Laurel A. Rockefeller is author of over twenty-five books published and self-published since August, 2012 with editions spanning across ten languages and counting. A dedicated scholar and biographical historian, Ms. Rockefeller is passionate about education and improving history literacy worldwide. With her lyrical writing style, Laurel's books are as beautiful to read as they are informative. In her spare time, Laurel enjoys spending time with her cockatiels, travelling to historic places, and watching classic motion pictures and classic television series. Favorites: Star Trek, Doctor Who, Stargate SG-1, and Babylon 5
Laurel is a proud supporter of Foster Parrots Ltd., The Arbor Day Foundation, and Health in Harmony.
Website: www.laurelarockefeller.com or www.laurelarockefeller.co.uk
Social media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurelworlds
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurelarockefellerbooks
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/peersofbeinan/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-213198671
“Preparing For My First Cockatiel” is available in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and audio editions. For complete links go to https://www.laurelarockefeller.com/independent
English language editions:
Kindle: http://viewBook.at/Cockatielbk1
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Preparing-My-First-Cockatiel-Beginners/dp/1702269787
USA Audible: http://bit.ly/audio-cockatiel
UK Audible:
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I hope you enjoyed meeting Mithril, and getting to know more about her, her Mommy, Laurel, and Cockatiels in general. If so, why not show them how much you enjoyed the post by sharing it around, or leaving a comment. Better yet, do both. It would make them very happy, and make me and the Mummy human happy too. You want me to be happy, don't you?
By the way, we're always eager to make new friends, and looking for guests. Doesn't matter if you're furry, feathered, or scaled, we want to hear from you. So, if you're a bird, cat, chinchilla, degu, dog, gerbil, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, rat, or other non-human creature, you share your home with a human calling themselves a writer - yes, blogging counts - and you'd like to be our guest, please get in touch. To find out how, go to the "Friends Of Furkid Friday" page, where you can not only learn how to get your turn in the spotlight, but also meet all the friends we've introduced you to in the past. In the meantime, don't forget to share this post around, and invite your friends to get in touch with us too.
Squeak soon,
Mollie
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