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LRex
Starting Member
Canada
2 Posts |
 Posted - 10/05/2006 : 22:04:34
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Hi,
My Name is Laurie and I live in Nanaimo BC Canada.
My husband and I play host/slave to a house full of adopted cockatoos, 2 B&G Macaws,(yes, I do know the dangers of keeping Macaws with cockatoos - and we are doing all that is humanly possible to keep them safe) 2 Amazons and several smaller species as well. All of our birds are "second hand"  Mostly straight adoption, some REAL rescue and others were "ransomed". They are the light of our lives. Unfortunately, the problem of unwanted parrots of all persuasions (but sadly mostly cockatoos) has become so huge that it became apparent that we could not take them all and we help to found a group called FEATHERS. You can look at our site if you like www.feathersbc.com My husband and I both work full time and recently took over a business from a friend - one that our birds can appreciate LOL
A friend of mine sent me to this site to read the articles on sleeping/roosts and expanded play areas and I was so impressed, I had to join this group. I had no problem agreeing to the terms - not at all since it seems to echo how I myself feel.
Personally, I am very stongly opposed to breeding cockatoos! They do not make suitable "pets". It is very difficult to keep the truly happy in most homes. You have to really, really work at it. But, not to offend anyone, you have to really, really work at it for all species.
I am so looking forward to finding some time to read through all your posts and learning lots from your experiences
Laurie
P.S. I like the part about signing your name....On another list I belong to it all seems SO anonymous.
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Toy
Top Gold Member
USA
390 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2006 : 18:19:20
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Welcome Laure:
Bless you for taking these unwanted parrots. It's not easy work living with one or two or three, but many are a major handful.
I have a African Grey, Umbrella Cockatoo (both purchased at a pet store at age 6 months) & a B&G Macaw (got her at age 2 used & abused).
My U2 is phobic. Took me a long while, many tests, etc to finally figure out it's hormones causing it. As soon as I hold her she pants. So I let her alone, meaning I don't force myself on her, so she can deal with it herself. She comes to me when she chooses too & we may have a few short minutes of U2 normal behaviour & then she instantly goes phobic & takes off running to her cage.
Our CAG is bonded to my Huz & if he shows her any physical attention she plucks, so he must avoid her. They're (U2 & CAG) housed in my living room so they get to be with us. I can handle the CAG & he handles the U2 so they do get some physical one on one, but not allot. We let them choose when they want handled.
My B&G (housed in dining room)is another story. She is awesome :). I think Angie has some of her story on the main page. She's bonded to me, allows my Huz to move her about, she won't let anyone but me touch/pet her. She also will go into full attack mode if Huz gets between us. She's a major clown in a feather suit & invents games/things to make her life as fun as possible.
As for making parrots happy...life for them needs to be FUN. They need to be included in a "flock", be it other parrots or humans. They need to have things to toss/rip apart/swing on & have an adventure with.
The most important thing is to remember they are still wild & always will be. This is why so many give them up. They refuse to let them be who they are...a wild animal living in your home, a world not meant for them. They need to scream each day, get into things, destroy things & make a big mess. All of this makes for a happy parrot :).
Finding ways to keep them occupied isn't easy, but can be done. Include them in house chores, yard work & other daily activites all helps to make them feel included & burn off energy they'd use up each day in the wild. An outside aviary really can help allot to use up daily energy. I live in PA so we only get about 5 months of outside time, but my birds love it. They go out as soon as it hits 70 & we bring them in each night before dark.
Sadly so many don't have a happy life. Educating new owners on how to give them a happy life is important. New owners need to know up front what it's like living with a parrot. Not how cuddly they can be or how much they can talk, etc...but how loud they can be, how much damage they can do to our home, how expensive it is to feed them & keep them healthy, keep them in toys & clean up their daily messes & how LONG they can live.
Hopefully Angie's site has offered you some ideas on how to help the birds you have taken in & also ideas/suggestions you can pass on to any respective foster parents as well.
Toy
Life is too short to sweat the small stuff. |
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New Member - just want to introduce us
