Junior Jacob Oleshchuk loves to help his sister Abigail take care of a unique pet, a nine-month-old Eclectus parrot named Finnegan. Their family is part Irish so they felt that Finnegan was a strong name for the new family member. Finn can greet people by saying hello or confuse them by saying meow.

“When I heard that my sister was getting a parrot I was excited because the aspect of having a bird that would repeat the one word that we didn’t want it to repeat was pretty interesting to me,” Jacob said.

Abigail wanted a parrot since she was young. But she knew she needed to find a parrot that could fit her general lifestyle: A bird that wasn’t too big like a Macaw and didn’t scream daily like a Cockatoo. After a few months of research, the Eclectus parrot caught her eye. She spent three years learning all about the species and how to take care of it.

“Parrots are very sensitive animals and require specialized care,” Abigail said. “So I wanted to make sure that I knew what I was getting myself into and that I could provide for him properly.”

Finn has to be out of his cage for at least three to four hours each day and he requires a specialized diet. Parrots need new toys each week to keep themselves entertained while they’re caged.

“We were a little surprised that she picked something that would live so long, Abigail’s mother Ellen Oleshchuk said. “But we knew she could handle it.”

During the school year, Finn lives with Abigail in Columbia.  She is currently a student at Mizzou and is going through the veterinary program. But while Abigail is home, Jacob takes care of Finn most days while Abigail is at work. He’ll often refer to Finn as a toddler still growing up.

“He does get noisy at times because being a toddler, they throw tantrums,” Jacob said. “So sometimes he’ll scream and that can get annoying but we learned to deal with that because it happens every once in awhile, it’s like caring for a child.”

Finn can live to be 40-60 years old. Parrots tend to be very loyal to their owners and grow a type of bond because both the parrot and the owner watch each other grow. Abigail is looking forward to watching Finn grow over the years and always making her laugh.

“He is such a joy,” Abigail said. “I didn’t realize when I got him how attached I would become. He makes me laugh with his silly antics, I love taking him on hikes with me and he is so clever. He always brightens my day.”