HIDDEN GEMS
WORDS BY STEFFY MCCOURT
Bird Fever Bird Fever has been an Indianapolis gem for more than 25 years. At this premier exotic bird pet shop, you can spend an entire afternoon interacting with the many exotic birds for free. (Although, you might just end up with a pet bird — we have two!) The owners, Joanna and Mark Roth, specialize in weaned and socialized baby parrots that can be kept for companionship. Visitors can peer into the shop’s “baby room” of baby parrots, and meet Bart, a Goffin’s cockatoo. Bart’s specialty at the shop is mimicking dance moves. In fact, Bart had me and my family bopping our heads and giggling!
Asking for a tour, or asking to interact with the birds, is encouraged. The Roths are passionate about their birds and love to share their knowledge with others. The highlight of our visit was meeting the giant hyacinth macaws, Jackie and Blueberry. They loved taking a bath and showing off their colorful feathers. They aren’t kept in cages, and it was awesome to be so close to such incredible parrots. If you have never been to an exotic bird shop, then you must make a trip to Bird Fever. It is sure to bring wonder and awe to your day!
5921 E. 86th St., Indianapolis birdfever.com
The adult birds in the shop are owned by Mark and Joanna, and we enjoyed visiting each cage and learning about each bird and its special tricks. One of the parrot’s tricks is to throw its wings into the air and cry “yay” when visitors do the same. Joanna and Mark are a wealth of knowledge, and happily help every customer who enters their shop.
February 2022 I INDYSCHILD.COM
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