((PKG)) PARROT STORE
((Banner: Feathered Pets))
((Reporter: Maxim Moskalkov))
((Camera: Sergei Moskalev, Sergii Dogotar))
((Adapted by: Martin Secrest))
((Map: Falls Church, Virginia))
((Banner: “Parrots, Parrots, Parrots, Just Parrots” store is owned and operated by Ed Willis))
((ED WILLIS, STORE OWNER, Parrots, Parrots, Parrots, Just Parrots))
Well, I bought my first parrot when I was 18 years old. I’ve had a parrot continuously since then. My last parrot I had for 35 years. I like the fact that they’re, it's a unique partnership between a parrot and a person. They are independent, but they’re still needy. They’re happy to see you when you come home. It's just a, it’s a really special pet relationship.
((NATS))
((ED WILLIS, STORE OWNER, Parrots, Parrots, Parrots, Just Parrots))
And then, we also have outcall services. It’s not just about training the bird. Sometimes we have to train the owner as well. So, we have an associate that will go to your house, work with you, show you how to handle the bird to make the bird a friendlier, more social bird.
((NATS))
((ED WILLIS, STORE OWNER, Parrots, Parrots, Parrots, Just Parrots))
So, Snowball is not really a typical cockatoo. He’s actually very quiet and very friendly. A lot of the cockatoos are known for being extremely loud, and he has not been, so a lot of people are interested in this bird. But this bird is my daughter’s bird, and I can’t let anybody have my daughter’s bird.
((NATS))
((ED WILLIS, STORE OWNER, Parrots, Parrots, Parrots, Just Parrots))
And you can see that, like the baby up front, he’s got a lot of yellow under the wings.
ED WILLIS: (To bird) What are you doing out?
REPORTER: How old is Snowball, do you know?
ED WILLIS: Snowball’s about three years old now, yeah.
((NATS))
((ED WILLIS, STORE OWNER, Parrots, Parrots, Parrots, Just Parrots))
When you handle birds, inevitably, you’re going to get some wounds, OK? So I’ve got, I have a lot of scratches and a lot of little nips from birds, where they’re not really trying to hurt me. Sometimes it’s just playfulness, and sometimes they’re scared, or they fall, and they grab hold. This guy is a classic example of this. The scarlet macaw likes to just nip for fun. He thinks it’s great fun. If he likes you and he’s having fun, he’ll just bite you.
((NATS))
((ED WILLIS, STORE OWNER, Parrots, Parrots, Parrots, Just Parrots))
Bird ownership can be a little bit more liberating than dog ownership. So, you’re not quite as tied to the home as you are with a more traditional pet. You have a little bit more freedom and flexibility, because the birds can fend for themselves a little bit better than a dog or a cat.
