The Self Appointed Protector

Last night when we were watching TV something startled Alex and he flew across the room. That startled Gideon, who jumped to the bird room floor from the perch inside his cage. He doesn’t always choose to come out, so we don’t insist. When I picked him up I realized he needed a toenail trim – his nails were sharp as needles and kept getting caught on my shirt after we sat down. We took him back to the bird room, wrapped him in a towel and I held him as Mark trimmed his nails. Gideon was a little angel about it, like he knew he needed it. That is not normally the case; the birds hate it and scream like they’re being murdered, all the while trying to take a chunk of flesh out of their tormentors. Many times they’re successful. You wouldn’t think it would be that hard to keep a bird wrapped in a towel, but it really is tricky.

Even though Gideon didn’t scream at all, just the sight of Mark cutting his nails sent Classy into a fury. Early on he appointed himself the official protector. But he only protects the other birds from Mark, he thinks nothing of going after them himself! With an indignant Amazon scream and lots of angry clucking chirping, Classy jumped off his cage and came running at us at full speed with his wings spread out. Oops – we knew better than to do this without locking him up first, but we forgot again! I managed to keep Classy from biting Mark’s feet, just by blocking him with my foot. He’s less likely to bite me, although if he feels I’ve crossed the line I will get a good pinch. We finished Gideon’s pedicure with no problem. Classy even stepped up on Mark’s hand afterwards, which he never does.

After Mark returned Classy to his cage, Class must have decided that Mark got off too easily. He jumped off the cage again, even angrier than the first time, and proceeded to chase Mark around the bird room and out into the TV room. He does not stop until I pick him up. The sight of a bird about the size of a crow (or smaller), all puffed up and angry as hell, chasing a full grown man is really hilarious. Classy didn’t actually bite Mark this time. The last time we trimmed the grey Mark wasn’t so lucky. Classy chased him around the bird room while jumping up and biting at Mark’s calves.

Thank God that Mark is such a good guy. It’s not everyone who would take the kind of abuse he does and keep coming back for more.

Cathy