gonna send my parakeet home to parents

[Skittys_Daddy]

I don't even bother to argue with Skittles when he gets stubborn.

I've had a number of people call me to take budgies and cockatiels as well. But all the cases of those that I've dealt with it was because the owner died or didn't want them anymore because they were 'messy'. Welcome to life with a parrot. I live in a town with about 40,000 ppl and so many know me as the 'birdman'. It's flattering in a way, but hard in another. I can't care for all the birds people ask me too. I wish I could. If I had more money and my own house - I would. In a second. But that's not the case for me at the moment.

 

[Nakiska]

????? All this, simply because she wouldn't eat pellets????

Whoa...

 

[riddick07]

Hahaha if I ever have my own house and enough money I would never want to do parrot rescue. It takes over your life and even then it's never enough. I wouldn't mind managing one from a distance but in my own house day to day type thing no way!

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

For me, that's exactly why I would want to do one! I am soo used to being with Skittles that I find it hard once I put him to bed.

One day, I had actually gone shopping with a friend shortly after waking up. So I hadn't had a lot of time to spend with Skittles. When my friend and I were walking down the candy aisle, I started tearing up. My friend asked what was wrong and I said "I miss Skitty". Luckily, her reaction was 'well, then we better hurry up so you can get back to him'. Skittles is so central to my life, I can't imagine it without him. God forbid I should ever have to leave him for a few days.

Some folks say I depend on him to much - that I limit myself and my activities because of having him. Truth is, I can do a lot more with him than people realize. Sure, I could go on a cruise around the world - but I'd be miserable without him.

I'm happiest when I'm at home cuddling with Skittles. Nothing even comes close.

 

[Mariar]

Back in April, doolie was still alive. My bf and I went on a cruise for seven days...every day I texted my pet sitter and asked how is doolie..sometimes twice a day..I get it. Since I rescued sissy all my time is spent with her, I bring her everywhere in the house with me.i could go out and drink with friends or hang out at the pool, but I feel I've done that already and am super happy at home.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Yeah, exactly.

I'm thinking about maybe taking a road trip someday (if I ever do get my license, lol). I've mentioned that to a friend and she asked me what I planned on doing with Skittles. I told her, take him with me. He and I could travel around the country together!

Not sure if that'll ever happen - but I haven't been home for the holidays in years. Not since I got Skittles. I'd rather spend Christmas with him than with my human family. I know that sounds mean, but if you met my family you'd know why. lol. To give you an 'idea', when my mom first saw a picture of Skittles - her immediate reaction was 'yes, he's beautiful but I wish he had more red and less yellow'. I took my mom on a cruise to Bermuda with my inheritance after my dad died back in the late 2000s. She complained the whole time. She told the casino attendant to go **** himself when he wouldn't give her back the $10 she 'claimed' the slot machine stole.

 

[riddick07]

Hmmm I guess if you can keep it low around 50 birds you might have the time to do other things like socialize your own birds.

I usually take Kelly with me when I go babysit A Helping Wing. He literally sits on a stand all day and I might remember to say hi as I rush by him. But as of right now they have over 200 birds, so there really isn't much time to do anything besides food, water, cages, fresh food, clean all the bowls....and maybe socialize one or two rescues for 30 minutes each. Luckily they are doing some part time workers right now so things aren't quite so time consuming but usually when I babysit the house is all mine to take care of along with food and water for the other buildings. Even if you want to play with your own bird at the end of the day you just pass out. I really don't know how Jeanne does it every single day. Though for some reason I tend to end up with only one person helping me....not sure how that happens almost every time...Jeanne tends to have a little more than that...

But if you can actually do it more respect to you. There are definitely a crazy amount of birds waiting for a spot to open in a shelter!

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I was just saying if it were different circumstances I'd like to do that - but in my current one - I can't. I struggle to make time for myself as it is with Skittles, much less a whole room full of them. But if I had, say a farm, I could do it. I could also hire birdlovers to help with the care. Like they do at FosterParrots.

 

[getwozzy]

You also have to keep in mind that every bird is an individual despite the "norm" for their species.... My Galahs are like night and day from each other. One is calm and quiet, the other is loud and active....and they're only 2 and 4 years old lol

Having high expectations will get you nowhere fast in the bird world, especially if you expect things to go quickly.....It took my Amazon (rip) months to open up to me.... It took my budgies about 6 months to start eating fresh foods and ONE YEAR before they decided to try pellets.

Patience is a virtue....and a necessity with birds.

 

[4dugnlee]

WOW...really?? Thank you for rehoming your parakeet.

 

[riddick07]

I was just saying if it were different circumstances I'd like to do that - but in my current one - I can't. I struggle to make time for myself as it is with Skittles, much less a whole room full of them. But if I had, say a farm, I could do it. I could also hire birdlovers to help with the care. Like they do at FosterParrots.

I'm sorry if it sounded like I was attacking the idea! I was just commenting that even in the right circumstances and a love for birds it takes a certain kind of person. I hope you are one of them and someday everything can line up to make it happen where you could open your own big rescue or even do a small operation

A Helping Wing has some crazy hot 3 amazons to get you started should it ever happen:54:

 

[tijya]

It seems to me that you decided to give up your parakeet before you even got the conure. In a case like that you are not going to have the same amount of patience. I feel bad that it was replaced by the conure in your affections but glad you are rehoming it as it's best for the bird.

However, please do not make this about mental illness. Many people like myself are happy with a variety of pets. I don't have expectations of them. It's my job to meet and exceed *their* expectations.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I was just saying if it were different circumstances I'd like to do that - but in my current one - I can't. I struggle to make time for myself as it is with Skittles, much less a whole room full of them. But if I had, say a farm, I could do it. I could also hire birdlovers to help with the care. Like they do at FosterParrots.

I'm sorry if it sounded like I was attacking the idea! I was just commenting that even in the right circumstances and a love for birds it takes a certain kind of person. I hope you are one of them and someday everything can line up to make it happen where you could open your own big rescue or even do a small operation

A Helping Wing has some crazy hot 3 amazons to get you started should it ever happen:54:

Not at all! I totally understand where you're coming from. See the thing for me is, I'm incapable of getting 'mad' at my birds. I may get frustrated with them at times but my frustration is more from trying to understand them and help the situation than it is anything else. That's why I think I'd be great at it if I were ever in that situation. Caring for rescue parrots really is not about a job or even a hobby - it's a lifestyle. It's not something you can do when you have free time or stop when you punch out the clock. It's a 24/7 thing.

If Skittles were every going to be re-homed, it'd have happened by now. He destroyed a $200 winter jacket, a $30 lamp, three spice racks and countless t-shirts. But I never got mad at him. It's not like he knew what they were. He just wanted something to chew. I blamed myself for not supervising him more closely when those things happened.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

It seems to me that you decided to give up your parakeet before you even got the conure. In a case like that you are not going to have the same amount of patience. I feel bad that it was replaced by the conure in your affections but glad you are rehoming it as it's best for the bird.

However, please do not make this about mental illness. Many people like myself are happy with a variety of pets. I don't have expectations of them. It's my job to meet and exceed *their* expectations.

The thing for me is - 20 yrs ago, I was with my birds (at that time) where ConurePower is with his budgie and conure. I too have struggled with mental illness my whole life. But that isn't a crutch we can use to avoid responsibility. These are innocent living things that we take into our care and if we can't handle the responsibility - we should pass it on to someone else. I hope that ConurePower can do some soulsearching.

@ConurePower Because I've been where you are - I feel comfortable saying this. You need to take a good long look at yourself and your situation and decide if you really are in a place where you can care for another living thing. I think it's great you're looking out for the budgie by rehoming him. But what about the conure? Are you going to throw in the towel the first time he disappoints you? I'm not trying to be mean, I'm trying to help. I've been where you are. Don't make the same mistakes I did. I'll try to help as much as I can.

 

[MyFlock]

For all the little birds!

 

[aquariusrising]

Okay.. I read most of the replies, mostly because I am new to the forum (and to conures) and didn't want to come across too strong. My opinion hit me fast and hard but I wanted to see what others though before saying anything, and my opinion hasn't changed.

While I am new to the forum, and to many kinds of birds, i'm not new to budgies. I don't want to use the word disgusted but no other word is coming to mind. Shocked maybe for many reasons.

I currently have budgies (I assume you mean budgies when you say parakeet) and a conure. I have kept budgies for a long time, and always wanted a conure. My conure is new but I don't love my budgies any less. They are very smart and not hard to keep at all. I can't believe all of this over pellets?

You adopted the budgie and that was a commitment. I am glad you are rehoming her if you really hate her so easily, but your parents didn't choose to adopt her, you did, and are they even prepared for the commitment? Are they willing to get her out and play with her and provide all of her needs including social needs?

It is really hard for me not to think you got the budgie, wished you had gotten a conure, went for it, and may even eventually be just as tired of the conure. Nothing bothers me more then the way you talked about your budgie.

You get what you pay for? Budgies don't cost less then other birds because they aren't smart. I'm trying to be nice but this is just so unbelievable. I feel like even if you had explained it differently it might have been less upsetting but I just can't get past the way you spoke about the poor baby.

 

[Kyoto]

I've had a lot of small birds, and busgies were the tamest, sweetest, quirkiest of them. They were well mannered and didn't chew my apartment apart. They were silly and so smart.

They a very different from conures, but honestly just that - different. Not better, not worse, different. And if you put enough time into them, they can be amazing. I had one little girl that would sit on my finger and just let me trim her nails like it was no big deal. Every budgie I owned came from a pet store or someone who never handled them. Of the 10 I owned, I managed to bond and be able to handle 8 of them. I think that goes to show they are certainly not stupid.

As far as pellets go, yes it was damn near impossible... But that's no reason to rehome them.

 

[SilverSage]

Reading that post made me physically sick to my stomach. That kind of attitude makes me afraid for any pet you own. Your poor budgie, thank goodness she is escaping you and your rediculous accusations.

 

[Notdumasilook]

Its a pity that the birds don't get the opportunity to "rehome/ discard" their owners ain't it. Got kinda redfaced reading the original post. Discarding one bird once you get another.. grrrrrrrrrrrrrr..... Hmmm ill say no more or my post would be flagged...........

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I'm wondering where the OP is. This could be an opportunity for him/her to learn more about caring for birds. I think that while we all may have anger because of the situation they are in, we are also compassionate people who have a deep love of our fids and would help someone to be able to better handle the situation. Having been on both sides of this issue, I'd really like to help.

Sometimes Skittles makes me want to rip my hair out. But re-homing him. Uh-uh. They'd have to pry him out of my cold, dead hands. I put his needs before my own all the time. He goes to the vet before I go to the eye doctor. He gets his 6mo supply of Harrisons before I get my 6mo checkup at the dentist. That's the way it is.

Some people tell me that I 'limit' myself because of Skittles. That I can't go on trips, go on vacation etc because of him. Here's the thing though, I used to isolate badly. I go out more by myself now than I did before I had him. Go figure. A couple of years ago, I couldn't even go into a store by myself without having an anxiety attack. I'm 38 yrs old, and I was still being assisted with shopping. Now, I do all my own shopping. Granted, I did have some extra help day support workers a year before I got Skittles - but it's because of him that I wanted to get to a better place. I want that for "ConurePower" too.