Copyright © September 2001 - 2008 All rights reserved.
Photographs, articles, some backgrounds are the property of LITTLE DARLINGS
This page was last updated on: January 19, 2008
After raising and selling birds for a over a decade now. I have met so many wonderful people who share my same love for birds. It's been so rewarding to help people find their new companion and get them started on the right track. Ordering birds over the Internet can be a bit scary, so I am hoping that some of these comments will help calm your fears.There is some valuable and excellent information on various species characteristics and behaviors stated below! I totally recommend reading them.This site and design layout was made by Darlene Johnson of LITTLE DARLINGS
MAXIMILIAN PIONUS
From: Nel To: little darlings Sent: Friday, December 06, 2002 7:15 PM Subject: Snuggles
Hi Darlene,
Just to let you know Snuggles and I had a good trip home and she is settling in quite nicely. She is eating her nuts and some pellets so is not going hungry..have food in the bottom as well in the other food dish, she likes her toys and right now she is sitting on top of her little tent instead of in it..Hopefully she will catch on to go in it ..LOL She is not making strange at all but is not fond of the dog yet, but that will come. Just love her personality, she is joyful and quite playfull. She loves her basket and has already chewed some of it while I was not looking at her. I am sure we are going to have lots of fun with her.
Nel in Ontario
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Nel To: little darlings Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 6:48 PM Subject: Snuggles
Hi Darlene.
She is my delight in the house. She is a very good little eater and not afraid to try new things.. Latest food is nutriberry and she has a good time with it when she drops it she goes to bottom of cage and will finish it off...LOL
Had a phone call from lady from Kitchener and convinced her to buy a Pionus so she might call you and go on waiting list..LOL I think I did a good job selling as she is convinced that Pionus is the way to go, either maxi or bronze..:)..you might hear back from her.
hugs and tweets from Snuggles she just whispered in my ear..
Nel and Snuggles in Ontario
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Theresa Girvin To: Little Darlings Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 8:46 PM Subject: Re: Our Big News !!!
Klein is turning into a regular cuddle-bear chatterbox. He lets me give head scratches and kisses, no problem!
Theresa Girvin in Alberta
QUAKERS
From: Terri Williams To: mylittledarlings....Sent: Friday, December 22, 2006 4:32 AM Subject: Just a Bird and Miracle Update
Hi Darlene, Miracle is wonderful! I knew that I would love her, but I had no idea how completely she would steal my heart. She definitely is not just a bird. She makes it her job to amuse and entertain Vic. She really likes him, even though she is definitely my little girl. :-) Vic had some popcorn, of course without salt and butter (you said that Vic needs neither of those things--plus, I know that he will not be able to avoid sharing with Miracle when she looks at him with those expectant big, sad eyes.). LOL Well, she has discovered popcorn, and NOTHING will deter her!!! She has learned to open her cage door to let herself out. Vic thinks it is cute, so he makes sure that the additional safety measures are released so that she has the opportunity. She hears and smells it before ever seeing it. She becomes very excited long before Vic has popcorn in hand. Since Miracle's arrival, Vic eats popcorn far more often than he ever considered eating it in the past. I would say that Miracle definitely has him wrapped around one of her little toes. I have been trying to teach her the Quaker song that someone shared on a Quaker list I visit. Miracle will come in and say Quaker and stout, then when I sing the phrase, "Open my door and let me out.", she follows out with three OUT,OUT, OUT!!! of her own. Then she starts dancing. I think that she has an attention deficite disorder. :-) She would rather be loved on or eating than singing, at this point anyway. She is a very sweet baby. As always, Terri and Vic in Ontario~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "Dee LeClerc" To: littledarlings Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2004 7:20 PM Subject: Sméagol
Hi Darlene: He is so well adjusted . I am really surprised ... He very rarely bites and has become very good at step up and step down. We also have been putting his bath tub in his cage daily and then misting him every other day because he wouldn't use it. This morning I was playing in his water in his tub and he just scooted right down to the bottom of his cage and went right to town. He had a blast! He loves swinging! Loves popsicle sticks! We are so pleased that we searched and found you . He is a great little guy!Take Care, Denise, Ian and Sméagol in P.E.I.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "Dee LeClerc" To: littledarlings Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 3:48 PM
Subject: You have received photos from Adobe Photoshop Album
Hi Darlene: Just a little note to let you know that Sméagol is doing great! He is such a little "ham"! We are so enjoying him!He can say "Hello" very clearly and is doing very well on his "step ups" and "step downs"... He is enjoying his playtimeon his play gyms. He also sleeps a good 12 hours every night ... !
Thanks so much for everything!Take Care Denise, Ian and Sméagol in P.E. I.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "Jess Adams" To: littledarlings Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 12:00 PM Subject: It's a boy!
Hi there, My little quaker is amazing... the smartest thing ever. He turned out to be a boy and now his name is Kokomo or Koko for short. His vocabulary is very large. Already he's saying: step-up, Good boy/good girl, Hi, Koko, what cha doin?, poo, kiss and pretty wings.
Thank-you so much for such a perfect bird.Sincerely, Jess in Ontario~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "Reaume, Cathy (C.)" To: littledarlings Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2004 7:30 AM Subject: Update from Windsor
Hey guys,
Cathy Reaume here from Windsor. (Chico's mom). Just thought I'd drop you a line to let you know how things are
going. He's really doing good and is a total sweet heart. He doesn't care for strangers too much, but loves me and Ed. I have a huge cage for him that has an open door policy. The door is only closed at night when we cover him up but he sits
on top of it or crawls around it all day. The weather is almost nice enough to bring him outside again.
He's got his own tree of dead branches (about 6 feet high and 3 feet wide) that he loves to crawl around in. We had a ton of baby toys hanging from the different branches so he can keep himself amused.
I just wanted you to know he is having a wonderful life and he sure enhances mine.
Have Fun,
Cathy Reaume in Ontario
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "ann" To: littledarlings Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 4:20 PM Subject: hello
Hi Darlene, You may remember me: I purchased a green Quaker from you in 2000 which I named Dumas. He/she is doing very well and is extremely spoiled and very sweet. I get comments all the time from bird owners about how well socialized and well behaved he is. He really has a way of stealing people's hearts.
Ann Michelle in British Columbia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: ann To: Little Darlings Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 3:15 PM Subject: Re: hello
Hi Darlene, I have forwarded the information you sent me to my friend (Mike). Whichever bird he picks will be as lucky as Dumas (and undoubtedly as spoiled). I'm going to help him raise/socialize the baby. Dumas loves other birds (and people) and has yet to demonstrate any signs of jealousy. I took care of two feisty Parrotlets over the x-mas break and Dumas was just thrilled. He let them play on his playgyms and followed them everywhere they went. So I don't foresee any problems with bringing a baby Pionus into the picture - though the bird would be a visitor/cousin and not a family member per se (unless I should decide to get a Pionus too!). Anyway, Mike and I have been doing alot of research to ensure that he finds the right family member for him/his lifestyle. Naturally, he is willing to wait for as long as it takes for the right one to come along. Dumas turned out so well socialized and healthy and, well, it was obvious someone had put alot of love into that bird before I got him, so you are naturally at the top of our breeder list. I know you will take good care of the baby and that it will get the right start in life.
Thanks again for being such a great bird mom! Ann Michelle in British Columbia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "ann" To: "Little Darlings" Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 6:07 PM Subject: Re: Dumas
Hi Darlene, Dumas is doing well. He is constantly learning new things. Also, I should tell you that in many ways he does not fit the description of a Quaker. I have read that they can be raucous and nippy. He really is quite quiet. He chirps sometimes when I leave the room but never screams ( we sorted that out right from the outset ). Sometimes he chatters in the afternoon, but nothing obnoxious. He doesn't bite, either. Sometimes, when he looks like he might ( people liketo try to pet him when they see him - good think he's not aggressive ), I tell him "only kiss" - he listens and gives kisses instead. Of course, he is fearless and loves attention, so in that way he is very much a "Quaker."
Thanks again for making Dumas such a nice pet.Ann Costa in British Columbia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "ann" To: "Little Darlings" Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 3:08 PM Subject: Re: Dumas
Hi Darlene, Thanks for the info. After all the information I get about Quakers from their owners and magazines, I know better than to believe everything I hear. I keep getting told that my bird is "an exception", but what I think that really means is that I took the time to socialize him and teach him how to behave. Also, he is only ever in his cage when I'm not around and I go out of my way to take him with me, if I can. He's a happy ( and very spoiled ) little guy, and, yes, I must say, he's really wonderful - and everyone who meets him thinks so too.Thanks again, Ann Costa in British Columbia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Trevor & Gail To: Little Darlings Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 8:43 PM Subject: Obeau
Hello Darlene, Obeau has adjusted very, very well. We are all so pleased. He seems very happy. He is so lovable and responds so well to all in the family. Today he has mastered the step up command. I couldn't believe how fast he learned it and how eager he is to learn and be handled. He is eating all the time but is very slow to try any veggies that are new.. but that is okay. Starting yesterday he started making noises that sounded like he was trying to talk all ready. It wasn't a chirp or a squawk, but it sounded like he was really trying to say hello. Maybe I'm just too proud, but he really is a beautiful blue bird.
I wanted to let you know that he has settled in so well and is much loved by all..
Take care, Gail in Ontario
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Louisa Chapman To: Darlene at Little Darlings Sent: May 25, 2002 11:03 PM Subject: Pepe
Dear Darlene, I just wanted to give you an update on Pepe. He continues to grow more dear to us all the time, if that is possible. He is such a lively little character. It is hard to imagine what our lives would be like without him. He gets into everything, checks out everything and everybody in the house and quickly establishes that he is not to be taken lightly. I know this sounds like a mixed endorsement, but it isn't! We love him wholeheartedly. I can see where he might be too much for some families, but he fits right in with ours and we can't imagine having a more docile bird. He is just for us. My sister was visiting at Christmas and she was a bit afraid of Pepe. Finally they made friends and Pepe fell head over heels for my sister. And she was smitten. He cooed to her, said all his best words for her, nuzzled her and my sister suddenly understood why we like him so.We love our little goober bird. Thanks a million Darlene.The Chapmans in British Columbia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "Sandra Matthews" To: littledarlings Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2002 6:53 PM Subject: Re: Laboratory Report # 8308
Hi Darlene, So sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. I am not surprised Loki is a boy. He is quite the character. Affectionate, loves (demands) attention and he loves his cage. He still won't do a step up from a perch but he will now do them from your finger perch to another finger. He loves praise and is quite the conversationalist. We don't understand most of what he says yet, but he has many different intonations as well as a very loud squawk and a gentle purring noise that we all get a charge out of. He is saying "hello", "up" and "hi". We are quite in love with little Loki who loves petting and will lie on his back in your hand and let you tickle his tummy. Thank-you so much and we'll keep in touch. Sandra Matthews in Alberta
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Ann Costa To: littledarlings Sent: July 15, 2002 6:33 PM Subject: Re: the baby
Hi Darlene, Thought I'd take a minute to let you know that everything is going just fine with the baby bird. I gave him a literary name: "Dumas". He is very healthy and cuddly - though he prefers chewing watches, necklaces, zippers, rings etc. to sitting still and being petted ( unless, of course, he is feeling tired ). Also, he is very expressive ( euphemism for strong-willed! ) and there is little doubt about what he likes and does not like. He definitely does not like being in the cage - though he spends so little time in it, he hardly has reason to complain.Thanks for making him such a nice little companion!Ann Costa in British Columbia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "ann" To: "littledarlings" Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 1:50 PM Subject: Re: Dumas
Hi Darlene, Dumas is still very cuddly though he does have a fascination with hair, especially facial hair, and will pull it out given the chance. He is doing very well and is very healthy and spoiled. He is not the greatest fan of fruit, but he likes his veggies - especially almost anything else that I'm eating, because if I'm eating it, he thinks, then it must be very good. We often take trips to "the Bird Store," a store called West Coast Bird Studio where he goes exploring - the jungle gyms are of particular interest, and it's hard to take him off them once he has found a comfortable spot and a good audience. He just loves attention. Of course, everybody who comes into the store asks about him - he's just too cute and cuddly.
He says a garbled "Dumas" and "hello", and makes a rolling "r" sound and a series of other peeps and whistles. I've had to stop taking him to work ( it's too cold and rainy - he really hates the rain ) but I recently moved to an apartment with a big window that looks out at the mountains. Dumas is only too happy to listen to the radio and watch the people, dogs, birds and whatever else comes into view. Although, as he prefers being outside the cage and with me, as soon as you put him in, he will try to be as cute as possible so that you will let him out. Most times he will raise his head and lean toward me and say "hello!" At other times he will go into his happy hut ( which he is not a great fan of but knows I like it when he goes in it - makes me feel like I haven't wasted my money ) and make rolling "r" sounds. He really is very adorable, even if his antics don't always get him what he wants.
Cheers, Ann Costa in British Columbia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "Nancy Warner" To: LittleDarlings Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 3:53 PM Subject: Jesse
Hi Darlene Jesse is doing great. She chatters away like crazy - some of it we can even understand. She says "step up", really clearly and "Hello" and sometimes I swear she is barking - she sounds suspiciously like Dieter, our 7 lb. poodle. She's just so much fun!! She is a constant source of amusement for Mom and I and for all who have come to meet her. We just love her!!!
She's a real joy and a terrific addition to "the family/flock".
Nancy Warner in Ontario
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Louisa Chapman To: littledarlings Sent: December 27, 2001 12:03 AM Subject: Pictures of Pepe
Dear Darlene, Pepe has turned into the most wonderful little pet that anybody could ever hope for. He is a joy and a bundle of life and energy. Everybody in the family loves him. He is a good speaker and can say some words very clearly and other words not so clearly, depending on his mood. He always says 'Step Up' very clearly and he says it when he wants us to step him up. He says, 'cheerio', 'poopoo', 'hello', 'peekaboo' and a few others and is working on several others. But beyond speaking, Pepe is such a character, he pokes his little beak into every, always wants to know what is going on, doesn't like to be left out of anything, can be sweet and affectionate, loud and demanding, talkative or quiet and introspective. In short, he is a real little character with loads of character and we love him to pieces. Pepe is fearless and has a tendency to charge people who are frightened of him. If they flee, he is really pleased. However, he is very good and gentle with people that he knows. We are trying to discourage him from trying to frighten off strangers, and as he gets older, he seems to be losing that tendency. He has turned into quite an adventurous eater. There doesn't seem to be anything that he won't try and we have to discourage him from some things. He still loves to play blanket and makes a wide array of jungle noises when he has a blanket tent. When he is happy and quiet, he talks away to himself, speaking most clearly. When he is excited, words don't come out as well.
In short, Pepe is a most wonderful little creature and he has fit very well into our family. We thank you for preparing such a wonderful little fellow for us. He has really captured our hearts.
Thanks Darlene!!!
Yours truly, The Chapmans in British Columbia
SENEGALS
From: Andy Smart To: mylittledarlings Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 7:34 PM Subject: Hello Darlene..
Hi....just a letter of Thanks!!
Joey helped!! His parts are the ones were he's bragging about himself!!
All the Best.
Sincerely; Andy & Linda
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The One Year Old
This is a True Story. It is about a Senegal Parrot named Joey who today turned "1". To say that we are pleased that we have this little guy as part of our Family, would be likened to what any parent would say about a child. Sure, we know that he is a bird ( he doesn’t ), a pet so to speak, and a child is a child. But, we also have children / with children and when we speak of Joey to our friends or Family, it is as if we were talking of a child that lives ( rules ) our house. They ask the same questions; how is he? does he talk yet? does he roam around the house? is he trained to go to the bathroom in a specific place…etc etc. So I ask you, are these not the same questions of a new child??
When we went looking to ‘adopt’ this child, we were fortunate to come across a place of business; yet I don’t like to call it a business, it is more of a place of Love of animals. I am not an overly religious man, yet I do believe in God, and I know when he looks down on Earth at times, His eyes smile as they pass over Embro. This is where "Little Darlings" is located. It is where a wonderful caregiver called Darlene raises Little Angels ( that truly do have wings ). From the moment their Parents snuggle to each other, until the little ones leave their ‘nest’ to go to a Loving home, they are cared for, caressed, fed, exercised, taught and above all, Loved by this wonderful Lady.
During our many visits to become adjusted with our new Family Member, we learned many things that can’t be read, watched on video, or surfed on the web. We saw things that one remembers, because they are actual interactive moments of Love shown to a baby bird. Whether it was our bird, our possibly someone else’s being weaned, the same equal amount of time, precious handling and playfulness was shown to all.
If you are fortunate enough to be able to adopt your new ‘child’ from Darlene, you will notice the things we have mentioned. If your own "Little Darling" wants to stay with her a little longer than normal length of weaning, consider yourself lucky. Lucky to have found a Breeder that doesn’t force feed your little one, or lets it fend for itself until it has to eat or starve, just in order to get it into your hands and your cheque into theirs !!! The weaning process can be the most critical time for the little one to understand what a Human is and thus the bonding to these big mammals will go easier through that fear barrier that Mother Nature has already built for them.
Joey turned out to be a talker; already he mimics about a hundred words & various other sounds in our home ( some of them Man made, ..don’t go there )!! Yet if he hadn’t talked we would Love him just as much. He is entertaining to the point of tears running down ones face, entertaining to the point of "what in the world" is he doing now?? As well as many things that he makes his Humans do that I’m sure are utterly ridiculous to him!! During our time with Darlene, we could not help but notice that some people would be "interested in buying" a Parrot species and would use this as an excuse to find out more about "buying" one of these ‘little Angels’ than they would about raising one!!! Then they would reach into their wallets at a Pet Store, or other not as well maintained facility to the fact that they maybe had saved a "dollar". Well, their Loss!!
If you intend to buy one of God’s little creatures with what’s in your wallet rather than with what’s in your Heart, then you should let your eyes look at Darlene’s face holding one of these ugly little hatchlings right out of the egg!! You will see not dollar signs; but you will see admiration, Love, warmth, protection…all those other words associated with anyone holding a helpless child for the first time.
So, when you go "shopping" for your "new pet"….remember a small village in Southern Ontario called Embro. There you will find what we found….a Family that doesn’t sell birds; but raises small winged creatures for people who care about such things on this earth. A Family that cares where these little ones end up and how they will be cared for and allows you into their Home weeks on end to acquaint you to be with your new Friend.
Yes, like everything these days, money will be involved…but you know something!! As I wrote Darlene a cheque, I realized that the money wasn’t for Joey…it was for the mist in Darlene’s eyes, the late night feedings, the playtime, the learning toys, helping him from his egg, keeping him warm in the incubator, cuddle time, hugs-kisses & so many other things that she gave up to be with our Joey... just so we could adopt him!!! ………..Not a bad deal my Heart tells me!
Thank you Darlene; for our Joey!!
From: Andy & Linda Smart in Ontario
and from Joey…a "X" & "O" ( hey, you taught him how )
