Yesterday this beautiful Sun Conure and I became fast friends at the pet store, and I am really fighting the urge to bring him home to Philly and Brutie. Since our visit I've done some research and Sun Conure's only live about 30 years - not the 80+ years with the need to write other parrots in your will like the pet store dude claimed. I can handle 30 years! They can also learn pretty awesome tricks, like playing dead, going night-night, and barking like a dog. OK, that last link isn't a clip of a Sun Conure, but it makes me smile. My wee birdie is the cutiest, cuddliest thing, I can't believe I'm a bird person. He actually rolled over on his back so that I could rub his belly, and was cocking his head at me when I called him pretty and whistled quietly in his ear. He was grabbing at my finger and engagement ring so gently too, I couldn't believe how sweet and affectionate a bird could be. But the responsibility of owning a bird has set in. The whole covering them at night, cleaning a bird cage, and needing to set time aside to play with Brutie, a Birdie, AND my husband every day is too much stress.

I think I'll name him Sunny and visit him at the pet store often.