My name is Shannon and I adopted an 8 year old RB 5 months ago. Everyone called me crazy for a couple of reasons...
#1. I am a first time bird owner.
#2. The bird spent the first 8 years of his life in a barn with about 15 other birds. Very little human interaction. ( not tame at all)
#3.The breeder decided to get rid of him after his girlfriend flew away. She also told me "adopting him was not a good idea".
Yet, when I looked into that little nameless bird's eyes I saw something in them. I handed her some cash, put him in the carrier and off we went. The beautiful thing was, he didn't know me, and I had no clue what to do with him. I had done a ton of research on too's, but there is not much info on "breeder birds" becoming "pets". So I winged it...lol
I spent the first week just sitting by his cage and reading to him. I'd pull is cage into my room and we would watch TV. My kids thought I'd lost my mind. We moved very very slowly. Which turned out to be something we both needed.
I named him Happy (after a Sons Of Anarchy Character) the personalty fits.
Today... Happy is clicker trained, he steps up on my hand, and can do about 7 tricks. He spends most of his day in my room forging on his tree stand. He learned to say "thank you" and "huh". His wings have grown back, so I'm training him to fly to me, when I whistle.
Happy has trained me too... mostly in regards to patience. We have good days and bad days. His beak still freaks me out. Sometimes, when I see people with their cuddly baby too's I wonder what if... but that feeling always passes.
Happy is a constant reminder that second chances and proving people wrong... is extraordinarily satisfying. LOL
Oh yeah... I also have 2 kids (who still think I'm crazy) and a dog (who has a love hate thing going on).... and a husband (who "doesn't get the whole bird thing" but gives him treats when no one looking) .
#1. I am a first time bird owner.
#2. The bird spent the first 8 years of his life in a barn with about 15 other birds. Very little human interaction. ( not tame at all)
#3.The breeder decided to get rid of him after his girlfriend flew away. She also told me "adopting him was not a good idea".
Yet, when I looked into that little nameless bird's eyes I saw something in them. I handed her some cash, put him in the carrier and off we went. The beautiful thing was, he didn't know me, and I had no clue what to do with him. I had done a ton of research on too's, but there is not much info on "breeder birds" becoming "pets". So I winged it...lol
I spent the first week just sitting by his cage and reading to him. I'd pull is cage into my room and we would watch TV. My kids thought I'd lost my mind. We moved very very slowly. Which turned out to be something we both needed.
I named him Happy (after a Sons Of Anarchy Character) the personalty fits.
Today... Happy is clicker trained, he steps up on my hand, and can do about 7 tricks. He spends most of his day in my room forging on his tree stand. He learned to say "thank you" and "huh". His wings have grown back, so I'm training him to fly to me, when I whistle.
Happy has trained me too... mostly in regards to patience. We have good days and bad days. His beak still freaks me out. Sometimes, when I see people with their cuddly baby too's I wonder what if... but that feeling always passes.
Happy is a constant reminder that second chances and proving people wrong... is extraordinarily satisfying. LOL
Oh yeah... I also have 2 kids (who still think I'm crazy) and a dog (who has a love hate thing going on).... and a husband (who "doesn't get the whole bird thing" but gives him treats when no one looking) .
