Bongo's sad story

[miloslave]

About 2 weeks ago the bird clinic here gave me a call and told me they have a 35 year old female African Grey coming in for adoption. Her previous owner was a man who sadly passed away two years ago, the wife is in a wheelchair and can not care for Bongo any longer. From this information we gathered also that Bongo has been cage bound for the past two years.

So, a friend of mine decides to adopt Bongo, she already has a 22 year old African Grey named Rascal, and a great love for birds as I have. Bongo has been home for about a week now, and even though the cage door is open when my friend is at home, Bongo has shown no signs of wanting to or planning to come out. But we keep positive, soon she will realize the door is open now, you can come out now.

Then yesterday my friend had a call from the previous owner. Turns out Bongo has been in that cage and left out on a porch since 1980! So basically her entire life. She stated that they did not handle her because they were scared of getting bitten. My friend have had her hands all over the cage and this bird has not showed any signs of aggression at all!

How sad. My heart broke for this little girl. She is not a wild bird though. No flapping around at the sight of a hand like a wild bird would do. But she does seem to walk the same route from one of the perches to her food bowl and back. Only had one old toy and very few perches in her cage as well. She now has some bells she seems to like.

So, old hands out there, any advice will be very appreciated here. How do we show Bongo there is a better life out there? I already advised her to start with target clicker training in the cage, but is this enough to get her to come out?

 

[OOwl]

A life like that. . . and still fully feathered and mind intact and able to be sensible. Parrots are amazing, aren't they? Surviving what a human couldn't come close to enduring. I'm happy there was a change in fate for this bird, and I pray for all the ones out there in the world in similar situations. I hope you'll update this thread with her milestones. They will be fun to watch happen. . . and I'm certain they will.

 

[SilverSage]

Oh my... poor baby... she has spent longer in that cage than I have spent breathing. I'm too sad to even be angry. patience, lots of patience. Once she is really relaxed and settled in a bit I would start moving her food dish around the cage so she gets used to finding it in new places. Then I would eventually put it on the door, depending how the door of the cage works, so that she has to stick her head just barely out of the cage to eat. Leave it at that level for a LONG TIME, and then slowly move it so she actually comes out, and so on. But be careful never to move from one step to the next until she is 100% comfortable and secure at the level you are currently on. And be sure she is eating enough through it all.

 

[Mariar]

So why have a bird if your just going to keep it in a cage as an ornament ? I hope bongo comes out of his shell for your friend..what a pretty boy! Keep us posted on his new life.

 

[WilliamKenyon]

Even after 35 years in a cage watching the years roll on, he still has beautiful feathers . He must be something special!. i hope he has a nice happy life from now on.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Poor baby. Such a life of deprivation.

 

[OOwl]

I went to bed last night feeling really depressed by this story, but as I lay there trying to find sleep, thinking about this poor bird's life, I began to try to see some of a probable silver lining. Perhaps, just perhaps, life on that porch included a window to the outside world, where things happened, wildlife went about their lives, providing entertainment of sorts for this poor bird. Maybe (hopefully) the owners weren't physically abusive; just perhaps they never knew the proper way to care for a parrot, especially a Grey. Maybe they sat next to him on the porch and read to him, talked to him, handed him a variety of foods, that made his life a tad more interesting than just a poor animal sitting in a cage for decades. I have to believe even part of that is true because otherwise I'm just going to dissolve into a mess of tears and anger myself. I mean I KNOW parrots (lots of them) are out there living lives of deprivation and cruel isolation but to read about it first hand like this. . . well, to a Grey lover who shares her life with a Grey that has high status in her life, well, that is just almost too much to know.

It's a new day for this bird and I'm looking forward to the rest of his story, where the next half of his life is drastically different than the first. He'll come out of that cage. I'd just open the door and put a T-Stand there with his favorite food in the food cup. One day, you'll look up and there he will be sitting. Please post pictures.

 

[Allee]

Kudos to your friend for adopting Bongo, it's never too late to change a bird's life for the better.

I would continue to leave the cage doors open and encourage her to come out by offering her favorite treats, fresh chopped veggies, interesting toys, at first put them very close to her cage and make them easy to access, give her a chair or rope perch or play stand that leads to the items she wants. You may want to start with a perch on the outside of the cage right beside the door so she can easily run back to her cage if she needs to. Talk softly to her while gently encouraging her to leave her cage but let her decide when she's brave enough to take the next step. It's a slow process but her trust will grow with each short trip outside the door. She probably hasn't been clipped so she has the ability to fly, the first time she tries can be a scary event. I would cover any windows, doors or dangerous areas in the room until she regains her wings. She may surprise you and catch on quickly that she's safe outside the confines of her cage but if she doesn't immediately, she will eventually. Good luck, Bongo deserves the best of everything.

 

[Nakiska]

Oooh Bongo! Bless your heart!

Oowl I'm with you. I do not believe that Bongo was just cast to the porch for solitary confinement, but rather because these folks thought that Bongo would be happiest outside and I imagine, they too...spent lots of time on the porch with Bongo.

Keep us posted! Does Bongo speak at all?

Toni

 

[miloslave]

Thank you everyone, for your support and advice. Bongo does not speak at all at this point, but does make some of the wild birds's sounds she must have heard. I too, can not wait for the day I can post a pic here of Bongo outside of her cage. She does have toys and more perches in her cage already, and she is in the lounge with the other Grey, also seeing Rascal coming out of the cage, so things are better already. I know my friend is the right person for the job, she has loads of patience where animals are concerned. I will be showing her this tread tomorrow, I know it will mean the world to her and Bongo. Please keep sending positive thoughts Bongo's way. I will let you guys know as soon as some progress are made.

 

[Aquila]

I always liked trying to put treats and toys on the outside of the cage, and maybe you can do the same, just far enough so she can stick her head out the door to reach them. Little foraging toys inside to stimulate her mentally, even a shoe box stuffed with some construction paper and some treats that she can pull out.

You can also try working with your other birds where she can see you, giving them treats for talking or stepping up, and giving them love. I'm sure she'll want to take part soon. I get a little teary just thinking about this poor bird. I'm sure they loved her, but were just misinformed or just not educated on how to handle her, but she'll be okay, don't worry.

 

[Scott]

I fervently hope Bongo's new life will be long and filled with love. What a fundamentally well-grounded bird to have survived a barren existence. My guess is that parrots are supremely keen observers of their environment, and Bongo lived a sort of vicarious life, but who really knows.

It will be fascinating and redeeming to see how she progresses.

 

[miloslave]

Great news! Bongo stuck her head out of the cage on Saturday, and STEPPED OUT on Sunday! Unfortunately my friend could not take any pics as she was alone at the time. But Bongo was out for about a minute before climbing back in!

We are super excited right now!

 

[Sheeji]

Does she let you guys touch her? May be gently scratch her head as you talk to her to get her used to human touch. Poor baby

 

[miloslave]

My friend says that she allows short nie-stakende of head scritches. Since stepping out Bongo seems to build up quite a bit of confidence and starts venturing out further and further. She even climbed on top of her cage! Hopefully she will soon get to the point where she can be picked up and get loved on as much as possible.

 

[Mariar]

Hurray for bongo!!!