p>Simply better birds started a few years ago when I decided to breed quality Quakers, Green Cheeks, Budgies and Love Birds. My love of bird started over 10 years ago with a small normal blue Budgie called Harley. Like many pet owners I got it all wrong, wrong diet, wrong cage, wrong training, but somehow he managed to be my best friend. Harley survived a stress molt where he lost all his feathers, not one but two trips in a dog’s mouth and the loss of two "wives" one flew away the other one died. I wanted to get Harley a bigger cage and bought an aviary and it grew from there, next thing I knew my garage was converted I was lifting suspend aviaries over my garage roof to get them in my back yard and in September 2008 I met Elmo a 6 month old king parrot who stole my heart.

Everything was going well. In fact I opened a shelter to help unwanted birds. Then it all came crashing down. Elmo got PBFD; Willow (a rescue Eckkie) also came down with it. Elmo dropped his body weight, could not fly and was unhappy and started to self-mutilate and I made the choice to put him to sleep. The last words he ever said to me was "mummy love you mummy" I cried as Dr Phillip Sacks who works with the amazing staff at Burwood Bird Clinic on Highbury road, let me hold him as his heart stopped and my world crashed down. That was a Monday and on Sunday Harley my 11 year old man who could survive anything, who started it all passed away in his sleep.

This happened but I still had the workshop to run and other birds to think about.  On the Saturday after I put Elmo down Willows test results came back positive but as she was physically well within herself I decided to keep her and try and give her the best quality of life I could.  All was going well and then the Thursday before the workshop in 2009 she had a suspected stroke and passed away.  I can tell you that the last thing I wanted to do just a few short days after her passing was to go to a bird workshop let alone run one!

I made it through and thanks so much to all the people who on the day and since then have supported me.  I now am down to only two outside green cheeks and two Budgies inside.  I have painted wall and ripped up carpet, I have cleaned window covering and bought new chair covers.  I have set off bomb in my house and think that I have done enough to remove the virus from my home and now (Jan 2010) on the lookout for a new King Parrot to move forward and create a new bond with and to help other birds that have no home and all they need is someone to take care of them.

So this is who I am, just your average bird lover who lost her birdie soul mate far too early. Who wants to make the world a little brighter and happier for all birds who come into our lives.

I want to thank all those who sent me letter and e-mails and the phone calls during the time.

I want to send a HUGE thanks to Kate (who did the artwork for the site) but also did the MOST AMAZING picture of Elmo for me for my Birthday and made me cry.

I also want to send a big thanks to Highbury Rd Vet Clinic aka Burwood Bird Hospital and all the staff there who have supported me through this process and who continue to support me with all the stray I drag in there every other week. To Ruth Barnett from Springvale Animal Hospital who is always just a phone call away with knowledge and support.

I want to thank my parents for helping me through everything.

And last but not least I want to thank Bugz a scared little rescue rabbit that came into my life the night that Willow died and allowed me to save him as I could not save Willow.  

ELMO 2008 - 2009

Dear Elmo,

You won me over when you emptied my hand bag onto the floor and stole my credit card from my wallet. You won me over as you picked who I was allowed to be friends with. You won me over when everyone said you would not talk and yet you could answer a ringing phone and swear at my father! You always asked what I was doing, you yelled at my sister, you told me you loved me and you only let me touch you when you wanted to be touched. You showed me that King Parrots make the BEST pets even when everyone said I should chuck you in an aviary. You where grumpy and would always let me know when it was time to go to bed. You where my main man, you where my prince and I will never forget you for that.

Love always your mum.