Pao-pao, a colorful parrot from Banciao City in Taipei County, can not only dance and understand what its owner says, but is also a fan of betel nut. Such is the bird’s love of betel nut, that it has astounded onlookers by eating it directly out of its owner’s mouth.
The bird’s owner, Tsai Ching-chuan, says that his parrot’s IQ is similar to that of a child, and that the bird has formed a strong bond with him. However, Pao-pao doesn’t like to eat bird food, preferring instead to feast on betel nut.
Tsai has had Pao-pao for seven years now, and in the beginning he fed it regular bird food. But one day when he was chatting with friends, he popped a piece of betel nut into his mouth, only for Pao-pao to put its beak in his mouth as well. Everybody was surprised, and initially thought that Pao-pao was trying to kiss him. Eventually they realized that Pao-pao was in fact trying to eat the betel nut, and is actually something of a betel nut aficionado, only eating it when it’s fresh.
According to Tsai, local betel nut stand owners all know that Pao-pao is a betel nut-loving parrot. Whenever he goes to restock on betel nut, the stand owners give an extra piece for Pao-pao. The bird then performs a little dance to show how much she enjoyed it.
A city representative surnamed Shih, who is an old friend of Tsai, noticed the bird’s popularity. Now she plans to take advantage of it by taking Pao-pao with her when she goes to meet voters.
Tsai said he was offered NT$200,000 to sell Pao-pao, but he and his wife are really attached to their pet. Pao-pao also brings good fortune to Tsai and his wife. Whenever it squawks “Mama fa-tsai” (mama makes money), Tsai’s wife goes out and buys a winning lottery ticket. (LIBERTY TIMES, TRANSLATED BY TAIJING WU)
台北縣板橋市民蔡清全飼養十二色吸蜜鸚鵡，不僅聽話、愛跳舞，還喜歡吃檳榔，有時等不急就直接伸頭到他的嘴裡搶，宛如「人鸚接吻」，畫面令人噴飯！
蔡清全說，鸚鵡智商和小孩差不多，會和飼主產生感情。不過，「寶寶」平常不喜歡吃飼料，竟以檳榔果腹。
蔡清全說，寶寶已養了七年多，剛買回來也是餵牠吃飼料，但有次和朋友聊天，才剛把檳榔放進口中嚼，寶寶竟把頭伸進他的嘴裡，大家都嚇了一跳，以為這隻母鸚鵡要和他接吻，後來眾人才發現，寶寶原來也是喜歡吃檳榔的「紅唇族」，且只吃「菁仔」。
蔡清全說，現在連檳榔攤老闆都知道寶寶是隻愛吃檳榔的鸚鵡，只要去買檳榔都會多送一顆給寶寶，牠還常吃得開心跳舞。
市民代表石一佑和蔡清全是多年好友，最近她也看上寶寶的吸睛效果，打算邀請寶寶陪她跑攤、拜票助選，相信走到哪都會很受歡迎。
蔡清全說，曾有人開價二十萬元要買寶寶，但他和老婆都捨不得割愛，且寶寶有時還會開金口招財運，只要牠一喊「媽媽發財！」蔡太太當天買的樂透就會中獎，屢試不爽。（自由時報記者蔡偉祺）
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