Hello. :)

[Aquila]

Hello! Frequent lurker, finally signed up.

My first bird, was Berry, my cinnamon green cheek conure. She was a craigslist rescue over the summer. She's roughly 6 years old. Fully flighted, and full of attitude, she's gotten a lot better and friendlier since I've had her.

Two of my parakeets came next, Snowy first and then Ivy, purchased from work, and Kiwi I got this past week from work as well, though I adopted him since he had an injured foot.

Sydney, I adopted nearly three months ago, another craigslist rescue. He's 25 years old, I was told, and I believe he was wild caught, based on his age and open band. He was in very bad shape when I got him. The lady I got him from said he came from a neighbor 6 months prior, who couldn't keep him after a divorce. She had a year old African grey, so I suspect this might have been her old bird.

He had severe bumblefoot, and was unable to perch, he didn't come with a cage and had been living on a small playstand, and was very depressed. He had some bald spots, especially around his vent and upper back. He was also overweight, and from what she told me, he's never been able to fly, and never has since I've had him. He also has a few deformed/bent toes, and quite a few fatty tumors I'm looking to get removed.

I've been doing physical therapy with him on my own, and have socialized him with people at work. His personality is slowly coming out and he's starting to talk more. He loves my conure and always tries to feed her, though she wants no part of it.

 

[MikeyTN]

Beautiful flock you've got there. It depends on the situation, not all birds off craigslist are counted as rescued unless they were in deprived shape. I've taken a few off craigslist that actually came from really good homes but they had extreme allergy and couldn't have them anymore.

Open band does not necessary means wild caught as some home breeders don't use leg bands or like me whose against leg bangs and had them removed. Sometimes in order to identify the birds, you just put a open band on them so you can identify them better. Or the baby was too old to place a closed band on them when the breeder caught it too late. Some states actually require you to band them for identification purposes. IF my state force me to band my birds, a open band would be the way to go so I can remove them if there was any issues.

 

[Aquila]

When I got my conure, her shoulders feathers were pretty much plucked and shredded to oblivion. She had been kept in a corner, with no toys, and no out of cage time. The family I got her from had been given her a year prior by his cousin. The family knew nothing about her and she was just something to look at. I was told he left the cage outside for her sometimes, and that she really enjoyed it. He had no idea what kind of bird she was or anything.

I have no paperwork on her, but I'm tracing her through my job's supplier to see if I can get her certificate. She was very cage aggressive, and I couldn't even change her food and water without being attacked, but now although she won't step up, I can pick her up with no problems, and she lands on my head once in a blue moon.

The major reason I suspect that my Amazon was wild caught was researching the numbers/letters on his band, and again, his age. I could be wrong, either way he's a great bird and I love him. He regularly sits with me at the computer or on my headboard if I'm sitting in bed. He travels well, and I take him to work whenever I get the chance and hand him to everybody.

 

[MikeyTN]

The family with the conure, thats called ignorance! You can't help but feel sorry for their stupidity, BUT you never know, they might be afraid of her....lol.....

For your Amazon, it does sound like he was loved at one point by someone that previously owned him IF he allows you to pick him up and to allow others to handle him. It is sad how some good babies end up in poor homes....

 

[Aquila]

Unfortunately with my Amazon I think there was some ignorance too, as I was told he only ate sunflower seeds for most of his life, which contributed to his tumors I'm sure. Though I've had no problem getting him to eat whatever I give him, the same for my conure. I cook regularly for them all, and Sydney gets all happy and starts talking if I'm even holding food!

Now that his feet are recovering, he steps up much easier and can grip a bit easier. I had kept him on flat surfaces for the first two weeks or so that I had him, since he would regularly fall down off of a perch and I was concerned about him while I wasn't home. He still has issues with grip, and can't hold tight, and I have to trim his nails weekly to keep his back toes' nails from curling under his feet since his toes are bent.

Seems they'res something in my family with birds, at least my mother's side. My grandmother has a green cheek, and my aunt used to have a cockatiel, as did my younger cousin.

 

[Turquoise]

Welcome to the forum!

Great pics & beautiful birds! Sydney sounds awesome to have had some bad experiences & lack of proper care in his previous homes.

Berry will come around once he feels secure & starts learning to trust again. Green Cheeks are amazing little birds & very smart.

Your budgies are adorable too. I had a budgie once with very deformed feet. She was a sweetheart & no one else wanted her due to her feet. I thought she was just beautiful. thanks for the pics.

 

[henpecked]

Hey Aquila, welcome to the forum. I too have rescue/rehome amazons, along with many pet zons. Loads of good info here. See you around.

 

[wenz2712]

Welcome to the forum

Beautiful Birds you have there.

 

[JoSweetDreams]

Welcome to the forum, your birds are gorgeous!