Meet BeBop, the African Grey Parrot

BeBop is a permanent resident here at Tropic Zone, and he's had an interesting life. BeBop hatched in the mid-1980s and spent the first few years of his life in a meth house. He was rescued by a loving family that brought him here to Phoenix. We heard it through the grapevine that on their cross-country drive, they were kicked out of a motel because BeBop was making very loud, adult-type noises late at night. He's a Grey, so anything is possible.

BeBop belonged to Angel, the daughter of our hand feeder, Lexi. They had a love-hate relationship. Lexi loved BeBop, but he hated her. Lexi started hand feeding birds for Chirp n' Dale's 27 years ago, and carried on when we moved to our current location and became Tropic Zone. Lexi passed away in the spring of 2021 after a short illness, and Angle brought BeBop to live at Tropic Zone while she attended to her ailing father. Now that Lexi is no longer with us, BeBop always seems to know when we're missing her, and he will let out a cackle that sounds just like her. It usually happens when a bag of food mysteriously falls off a shelf when no one is nearby. It's like Lexi is back in the store, causing a ruckus.

BeBop is not picky about his food, and will eat just about anything we give him. He enjoys his fresh chopped veggies each morning and will usually shove his face in the bowl as soon as it gets put into his cage. He's also fond of wooden toys that he can break up into slivers, and he's not above snacking on a finger, so be careful around his cage.

BeBop is very vocal and makes a lot of sounds. He doesn't really say words, but he does bark like a dog, as well as a spot-on imitation of our telephone. It's not uncommon to be on the phone with a customer and they ask if we need to put them on hold while we answer the other line. It's not the phone, it's just BeBop. In typical African Grey fashion, BeBop is very fond of rude noises. He's like a teenage boy who loves toilet humor. He waits until customers walk by his cage, and then he belches loudly. More than once, a woman has turned to her husband and chastised him for belching or passing gas in public, only to find out he was the innocent victim of BeBop's sense of humor. If you've encountered Kiwi, the Umbrella Cockatoo, you've probably heard the crying sound he makes. Orlando, the Greater Sulfur Crested, started imitating Kiwi with the same sound. Now, BeBop does it as well. In the late afternoon, all 3 of them will get going, and we're not sure who is making that noise.

We don't believe BeBop ever learned to fly, and considering his early life, it's no surprise that his chest is so thin. He also has a bare spot on his chest, but he is not a plucker. One of the veterinarians from Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital volunteers her time and provides our resident birds with free wellness exams. BeBop might be a grouchy old man, but he's a healthy one.

Stop by and say HI to BeBop the next time you're in the store, but don't take it personally if you are accused of being gassy. That's just BeBop saying Hi to you in return.