Tell me about your animal(s)

I've always been an exotic birds person. I had budgierars as a kid, and a young adult, but, after going for a number of years without any pets, I obtained a Noble Macaw (who I named McGee), and had lots of fun with. He lived roughly 20 years before he died of unknown causes, and I still think about him on occasion.

7.5 years ago, I purchased a 2.5 month old female baby Congo African Grey Parrot after mourning McGee's passing, and doing research on other exotic birds. I settled for the African Grey Parrot. That Saturday, in April 2010, I drove down to a good pet store south of Boston, MA and picked out my Congo African Grey Parrot...or to be more exact, the bird picked me, by attempting to climb up the front of my T-Shirt. I knew in my heart that the parrot and I had made a connection. When I had the African Grey Parrot DNA-tested to find out the gender (my parrot turned out to be a female.), my family and I discussed several names, and my sister emailed me several names that she though fitting. The name Aziza, which means "Gorgeous" in Swahili, seemed the most fitting to me for my new companion, and my sister agreed. Aziza is the name of my 7.5 year old pet Congo African Grey, and I love the heck out of her. Aziza talks, laughs and whistles, and she's great to have around the house. She also beeps, clucks, clicks, and chirps, as well. She can imitate the timer, my touch-tone telephone, a passing car, the microwave, and the sound of a bus or a truck backing off...beautifully. Every year, I have a birthday party dinner for Aziza, to which I invite afew friends, as well.

I had hamsters once.

They kept on dying.

I don't have any pets because I can't afford it right now. However, my next-door neighbors and I are very good friends. They have a 2-year-old, 5-1/2 pound Pomeranian named Tikki, who I call "my little poofball." They both work and I don't so quite often I take Tikki with me when I go for walks. I dog-sit sometimes when they can't take her where they're going (out-of-town wedding, for example). Just today, because the weather here was SO nice I decided to bring Tikki to my house so we could hang out in my backyard since she loves exploring it. At one point, she heard another dog barking somewhere nearby. As you can imagine, Tikki joined the chorus. She barked her cute little head off for a couple of minutes, and then cracked me up when she turned, and with head held high, strutted back over to me as if she was saying, "Okay, I've done my duty now!" What a character she is! Her favorite treat is cottage cheese!

I've had a lot of animals in my time (lol I'm not that old). Birds, rabbits, goldfish, cats and kittens, dogs and puppies, a mouse, a lizard, even a horse. I just love all those little things they do that make them seem...human. Tilts of the head. Looks. Smiles. Their pestering behaviour. Their loving, affectionate behaviour. All those little things that prove they aren't really "just" animals.

Thank you, everyone, for telling me about your animal(s). I laughed, I chuckled, I flat-out enjoyed hearing about all of them.