It’s hard to believe Nala has been in our family nine months already.

She is no longer plucking and is truly a very pretty bird— especially where I forgot I was wearing red lip gloss and I kissed her leaving pink overtones on her fluffy white feathers.

When I don’t have new toys for her, I try to recycle parts of her old toys to help keep her occupied— especially since new toys often scare her and she won’t touch them for weeks or even months. Except for her favorite toy, which I always keep in storage for a special surprise (and she destroys it in five minutes or less).

How to occupy a bird— a video of my latest Nala “busy box.”

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I also put her cage closer to the window so she could see out and she ate my window sill. Got bored one afternoon and ate a large chunk out of it.

This is totally my fault as I usually let her sit outside of her cage and since the pandemic hit, she often sits unattended in my bedroom as she doesn’t go anywhere but I learned the hard way like any toddler she can think up new ways of destruction even when I think I have “bird-proofed.” Now she is away from the wood work and peeling the paint off the wall.

The teenager has taught her to “give kisses” and “boop,” maybe I will find a video or film one. She will only do these tricks with the teenager. No one else.

She loves to chase the cats and dogs when they visit. She adores French fries and pizza and an occasional banana or apple.

She can be cuddly. She is always a brat. She likes to groom my hair.

I bought her a perch for the shower and she loves to play in water if I put it in my cupped hands.

And now that her wing feathers have grown back, she can fly. But only if something scares her. And she hasn’t mastered landing.

When this naughty bird can fly… I’m in trouble.

This is her playing: Nala with cat toy

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