Heidi Fleiss: From the Bedroom to the Boardroom

Heidi it looks as if you "get" birds. We live with Sophie a delightful African Grey parrot who has the run of the house a good part of her waking hours and is a gentle and good natured friend to us. Because we're involved with a pet bird we see or hear of way too many heartbreaking situations where birds live with people who keep them not as companions but as decorations or personal mascots or for some other reason and we've been made aware that the pet bird trade is probably the closest thing in modern times to the slave trade. Birds especially parrots aren't easy pets. They're highly intelligent and can be devoted friends. But like children they're smarter than and they require far more attention than a dog or a cat. We obtained Sophie directly from a breeder a very birdsavvy lady who loves animals of all kinds and has won awards for her birds which are raised showing fewer signs of stress than the birds from most other breeders. Don't ever buy a bird from a pet store. Find a breeder who will vet you the same way an adoption agency vets you before you adopt a child. Parrots can be incredible devoted companions but they are also among the most vulnerable and easily abused of all animals kept as human companions.

thanks for all U have done.. HOWEVER I KNOW YOUR INTENSIONS ARE MOST HONORABLE!!!! THANKS AGAIN GOD BLESS THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN THIS EVIL WORLD

Please do what you can to help save the lives of the birds and other animals Heidi. Way to go!!!

I feel helpless because my mom isn't letting me.SOME people can be so creul!!!but only SOME people are creulnot everyone.

My parakeet was fine 'til 4 weeks ago. Had her for 5 yrs. Began sleep often breath fast lost weight. Took her to VET. Did fecal blood test. Nothing but gave 10 days Enrofloxacin .1 ml BID 12 hrs. then she seemed fine. Within a week she was dead. I noticed the sleeping less eating but overnight so began RX H2O to make sure not dehydrated began eating. Her cage cleaned of feces daily all surfaces every 2 days soap water dried perches mirrors toys water cleaned daily. Floor cage wire kind over bottom so never walked in debris. Flew to perch in 1 window daily usual 2x a day fly around room. I had her cage up while out but 1 day could not get her in before appoint. Maybe chewed plant but she never ate the plant. Found bits of plant. She chewed like always just to shred it. Removed plant. She liked greens mostly seeds from peas green beans lettuces.Vitamins in water daily. Water cleaned if pooped in. Zupreem food. Never in draft at night. It has been very humid longer than most years due to more rain all spring summer. August 1st mo. normal rain still humid. Wonder if humidity made her worse. Extra cleaning of mold areas needed this yr. Lost Garden tomatoes. Never before. I washed my hands before touching Sylvester Dave's Pet said she was male. Wrong even if just hopped to my finger 1 min. Always washed hands since I know that's how diseases are transmitted. Did I forget 1x ? Don't know. 'Cause always washed my hands. VET thinks she was older than Dave's Pet store said. Even if she was 6 yrs old too soon to die. What else could I have done? She was my comic relief. Smart. Learned words. Called me Sweetie. What did I do? Sang. She loved Bruce Springstein Nora Jonesjazz. She was beautiful. Sweet fresh silly. Happy. She had a little laugh when playful. What else could I have done? I love Sylvester.