Long time dental patient's Siobhan and Bill Ruck (Siobhan
actually painted Doc's name on the glass door 30 years ago!) sent our office
this great photo. They have a
parrot who likes to get his new toothbrush every few months, from Dr.
Presley-Nelson's office...AND USE IT ON HIS BEAK!
Siobhan writes:
"Harlan is an African Grey Parrot, hatched in April
2011. He came to us at three and a half months. He shares his room (but not his
cage!) with Kodachrome, a Sun Conure who is 23 years old and has been with us
since she was six months old. The humans in the house are Bill, a broadcast
engineer, and Siobhan, a bookkeeper (and one of Dr. Presley-Nelson's very first
patients! ).
Because Harlan came to us when he was fairly young - still
being hand-fed - we started teaching him good habits from the start. He was
potty-trained within a couple of months, something that's important for a bird
that's going to spend a lot of time on your shoulder. He developed a
fascination with toothbrushes so I gave him one of his own. He likes to brush
his beak. Beaks don't need the same kind of care as teeth, of course; they are
made of keratin like your nails, and grow throughout the birds life. But it's a
good example for kids, so why not?
And now his beak will be extra shiny for his next singing
performance. He likes improvising vocals with the classical station - maybe he
can get a combo together with Doc's boys!"
Kodachrome and Harlan meet:
The first time Siobhan sent this picture to her family, her youngest brother said they should name the new
bird in keeping with the theme - Monochrome. Not exactly accurate - his tail is
bright red. (A safe light for the darkroom.)
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