Tiny parakeet, big dive: Iowa man's DIY underwater capsule lets pet tag along in the Bahamas

An Iowa man built a clear life‑support capsule for his six‑inch white‑winged parakeet, Bebe, powered by a paintball air tank and an oxygen monitor, to accompany him about a meter underwater for 15 minutes off a Bahamian reef; tested at home first, the bird reportedly swam beneath the surface while the snorkeler stayed close, the footage went viral and sparked online debate about animal safety and even AI‑generated footage, which the creator later addressed with a follow‑up showing the capsule’s valves and cylinder.