Several years ago I was visiting a breeder when something climbed up the outside of my pant leg. It was a blue headed pionus, named Maximilion. Maggie as I called him had been sold twice and returned. No one could keep Maggie in a cage. He was only two years old and cage containment was easily solved for me. I took the bottom out of Maggie’s cage so he could come and go as he wanted. Leaving cage doors open added to the poop on the floor and uninvited guests, which Maggie hated. No, not the poop on the floor, he really didn’t care about that. Anyway, Maggie was content to stay on top of his cage all day unless there were bad storms. Then Maggie walked down the hall, to our bedroom, to my closet and settled in a shoe until the storm passed. He would walk past or over the dogs who ignored him, and on one occasion climb up our bedspread to sleep on my pillow between our heads.
Eventually I moved Maggie to the aviary. He was OK with it but not great. While I was away a waste seed collection bucket was left in the aviary and Maggie tipped it over on himself. The temperature was 105 that day. When found, Maggie was dead. I am still not over that loss. Mags was special, independent, would eat anything and would stand still as long as anyone scratched his head.
I miss Mag.
