A little about me

[raven2013]

Hi Everybody,
My username is Raven but my real name is Donna. I live in Prairie Grove, Arkansas. I am disabled and have been for years. I just finished my associates degree at UOP and had planned on going on and trying to get my bachelor's degree, but I am very sick, so I guess that might not happen.

I am 65 and I have a Yellow Nape. She is the light of my life and has been for almost 27 years. Most people would call me stupid, but I gave $2,300 for her over 26 years ago, and I have never regretted a dime of the money spent. She was worth 10 times that to me.

 

[Bird_Mom_to_Coby_the_GW]

Welcome! I also have only recently joined this forum but everyone seems very friendly and helpful. :0)

 

[ConureCrazy]

Welcome! =)

 

[aliray]

Welcome to the forum and I would say the price you paid for all the love and joy your bird has given you all these years is a very good investment.

 

[Turquoise]

Welcome to the forum Donna~Raven. My real name is De'Andrea (Hi!) & on here I go by Turquoise because it is my favorite color & it is a color on the wings of my favorite macaw~Green Wings.

I for one would never think you crazy no matter what you paid for your Zon. I have been known to pay anything within my money limits for my animals just because I fell-in-love with it. You sound like a most caring person & you obviously have taken excellent care of your YN in these 27 yrs.

We are neighbors of sorts. I am next door in Texas. I look forward to hearing more about you and seeing pics of your darling.

 

[raven2013]

What a beautiful bird. I just now found this reply. I have never been to forums much and I just do not know how to navigate them.
I love reading bird stories so I am sure I will love it here.
I am going to have to sell my bird. It is killing me. She is just like my own flesh and blood and for the first time in my life I know what "my heart is breaking into" really means. It feels like my heart is coming apart at the seams.
I tried to upload her pics but never had any luck I do not think, so I copied them off my server to see if that would work. If they do, you can see pics of her.

 

[BillsBirds]

Hello & welcome. Two things...first, I often say that anyone who believes that money cannot buy love or happiness, has never paid an adoption fee! And, most importantly, are you selling your bird because of your health? If so, maybe you could get in touch with other bird lovers (bird club, vet, etc.) and make arrangements for help with caring for it. And even if your situation is life threatening, make arrangements with someone who can help you to keep it, and then take it after your death. I do bird rescue, and am also disabled, 60 years old, and have health issues. I have a lot of birds besides my own pets. I have made arrangements with bird loving friends to help me when needed. Then, the birds will already know the people who'll take them, if I cannot care for them any longer. Where do you live? Maybe someone here can help you.

 

[henpecked]

What part of the world are you in?

 

[raven2013]

The doctor says "no dandruff". He said that my lungs are flat, could not get any flatter so my life is about gone. So no, there is not any hope of finding someone to care for her in my home. I even thought about having a big window put in the wall from the living room to the bedroom and use the bedroom for her, but I cannot afford now for someone to come and take care of her daily. She would need to be fed and watered and her perch cleaned. She has a nice Menanzita perch but it is impossible for me to clean it. I used to wash it every night and sand it. Then my son started doing it for me. But he is no longer in this town so I have no one to clean it for me. Even if I could afford to pay a lot for her care, the doctor says the dandruff will travel through the vents and ducts and hurt my lungs. My lungs are so raw and sore that it hurts me just to walk and jar them.
Do you know anyone that would like to buy her? I would sell her and her perch for $900. She takes to just about anybody these days becasue I have not been able to give her the attention she is used to, so she fly on just about anyone's shoulder and make herself at home.

 

[raven2013]

thanks. What beautiful conures. I do not know what it is about birds, but they just steal my heart. They have since I was a child. I remember my mama used to buy little tweeties for the henhouse. She would bring them home in a big cardboard box. I would sit at that box and play with those little chickens until she would have to spank my bottom to get me in bed. I would take a pencil and tap it on the box, and all the tweeties would come running. They were soft and cuddly. I have had several types of birds but parrots are my favorite. I had to let my African Grey, Stormy, go because she was destructive and I did not own my own home then. I was told I would be evicted becasue she loved chewing on wood trim and she did a number on the bar. Boy,did that landlord go ballistic. I cried my heart out for months, and now I am going through the same thing again, having to lose another bird. It breaks my heart to have to let her go.

 

[raven2013]

Very. She has brought me more joy than I could ever have imagined. We have played games together, she eats right out of my plate with me. I scoot her food to one side and mine to another. I used to rock her and sing to her and she was just real young and it was so funny to listen to her try to sing with me. I guess she thought she was really singing but it was horrible. I gave her a big E for effort though. She picks up on things fast. She used to say, "Will you be right back?" because mom got in a habit of saying, "I'll be right back" when she was running up to the store. It was just next door. She would also tell the children in my daycare to get in the corner when they would fight. It was so funny.

 

[raven2013]

Wow, I think McCaws are so beautiful. My sister had one valued at $10,000, but she went on vacation for two weeks and this parrot rescue said they would watch her. When she came home they told her the bird had died. It broke her heart into. They said they thought it grieved itself to death.
Here is a couple of pics of my bird:

 

[raven2013]

How sweet. I used to put Judy on the handle bars of my moped and she would hang on and we would go around the block. I had to go slow so the wind would not take her breath, but she loved it. Everybody would say, "That bird is going to fly away one of these days and you will be crying your heart out." But you know, I just knew that she loved me enough to never do that, and she never did. One day we were in the game room playing pool and she flew out but she flew out but she just went in a circle and came back. I do not think she would ever leave me on purpose. She loves me as much as I love her.

 

[Turquoise]

Oh my she is a beauty and it is so evident through the photos that ya'll love each other. Maybe you can find someone close to you that would take her in til you can have her again. Or at least could bring her by to visit you.

I do hope all works out as I can truly understand how difficult this is for you. Please keep us informed as to how things are going and if anyone on the forum could be of help.

 

[Turquoise]

I think I was posting while you were too. I didn't see the post where you tell about not being able to keel your YN. I'm so sorry to hear that you won't be able to keep her & you are having so much health issues.

I love your stories you tell about her. I'm sure you must have thousands of them in 27 yrs. I personally think your asking price is very reasonable for such an awesome Zon. I wished I could help by taking her, but at the moment I have depleted my budget getting my Green Wing. Surely someone here knows somebody who is looking for a super parrot to own.

 

[antoinette]

Your bird is too beautiful
There is no price high enough for a bird
They bring so much happines into our lives
You have had almost 27 years of pure bliss

 

[OOwl]

My elderly godfather lives with us and has serious lung issues; however, we manage his health and the parrots with little difficulty and his lung health has actually improved in the last year, but it does take some extra work. It really looks like it might not be impossible for you to do, too. It looks like you love your bird so much. Perhaps you could try some of these things we do. . .

We have an air purifier that runs in his room 24/7. I use a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner (Dyson DC48 Animal), and I clean bird cages every single day, vacuuming dust and dander off of the bars and trays. We have an outdoor aviary on our back porch and the birds that get along together go out there on every nice day. I rotate birds in the shower with me every day, so they get a full shower once or twice a week, and we mist lightly most other days (that helps tremendously with the dust). I have a 20-year-old Amazon hen, too, and she really is the least dusty of my birds.

Lung issues are very difficult (believe me I know from dealing with our very loved family member). What's helped my godfather the most is 3x daily use of a device called an incentive spirometer. They often hand these out in the hospital where you have respiratory therapy during your stay. Most people toss them on discharge; however, those devices, if you continue to use them, REALLY help your lungs by expanding them and keeping the airways open. I religiously ensure that my godfather does his exercises several times a day, and that REALLY makes a HUGE difference in his lung function (and believe me he was at least as bad as it can get a year ago). He also has a nebulizer and inhaler. Now, his lung issues were not caused by the birds, so your situation might be different. I just wanted to share how WE are dealing with living with a lung-compromised family member in a house full of birds, who are ALSO valued family members. I think you'll be happier and healthier in the long run if you are able to somehow keep your lovely Amazon. After so many years together, I really hope you are able to keep her; she would miss you as much as you'd miss her. Please stay in touch and let us know how you're doing. My prayers are with you.

 

[wenz2712]

Hi Donna and welcome to the forum

I answered your PM, but it looks like you figured out the pics after all

He is adorable.

I am sorry for your ilness and I know you are very sad at having to re-home him after all these years.

I wish you all the best in finding him a lovely home.

 

[Merlee]

I saw Raven's post here and in the rehome section. It touched me so much I inquired about acquiring her bird.