Lost Senegal Parrot (West San Antonio)

[Transylvania]

My female Senegal parrot, Ripley, got spooked this afternoon on my patio and caught the wind, flying down the road into a clump of trees.

I was out there trying to find her all day to no avail. I heard her vocalizing at one point in the forested area of a 9-acre farm next to my apartment complex. My roommate and I were able to convince the property owner to let us look for her, but by that time it was after dark and she stopped making sounds.

I'm extremely worried about her. She's only 1 1/2 years old and only has 3 primary feathers on each wing, so she's a very clumsy flier. There's a busy road near where she was, and temperatures are getting down to the mid-40s tonight. At first light tomorrow morning, the plan is to go out there again and try to listen for her, but the property owner of that area is not very friendly and most likely won't let me look for very long again.

I know this is a longshot. But if anyone on this forum lives in the western San Antonio area (she got lost on Rogers Rd between Culebra Rd and Wiseman Blvd), please be on the lookout for a Senegal parrot.

She has a single yellow feather on the top of her head. No metal band. Responds to R2-D2 sounds and other whistles.

Email: [email protected]

 

[Flboy]

I understand the fear and am bumping you up 1

 

[Scott]

I wish you and Ripley a quick reunification in the morning! Given her feathering it is not likely she would venture far, unless the winds are really howling.

Have you shown the farm owner pictures and/or videos of Ripley? Perhaps by personalizing the situation or even bringing a cake/pie you'll receive better cooperation?

Some standard notifications include informing local animal shelters, vets, police stations, pet shops, and of course local residences. You'll find these and a host of other ideas in this wonderful thread: http://www.parrotforums.com/lost-found/49129-bring-them-home-tips-locating-lost-bird.html

Good luck to you and Ripley, please keep us updated!

 

[Transylvania]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the quick responses. I went out there again at sunrise and heard her calling back to my whistles. At around 8:15 she caught the wind and flew back toward my apartment building. I sprinted after her but lost visual when she turned the corner. My roommate and I walked around the general vicinity for a while, making sounds to try and hear her again, but we completely lost sight and sound of her. Unfortunately, today’s a windy day, so she could have gotten carried anywhere.

I put the word out to my leasing office and they’re going to distribute the information to all the apartment complex residents, so maybe if she turns up on someone else’s balcony they’ll know who to call. I also put out notices on Craigslist and 911 Parrot Alert.

For now, I’m going to sit on my patio (I put her open cage out here) and keep making sounds. Hopefully she’ll circle back around and see me or the cage.

I pray she turns up before the end of the day. It’s supposed to get even colder tonight (36F).

I’ll keep you guys updated.

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

Uggh I always tell people to never take their precious birdies outside without a harness, even with clipped wings, because this is what ends up happening. I’m so sorry you lost your baby. Hopefully you will never take chances with your fids again.

 

[Transylvania]

I know, I was being very stupid. I didn't think she'd get so easily spooked on my shoulder. I really hate myself right now. I've got constant headaches from all the crying I've been doing. My face and arms are all scratched up and my legs are covered in thorns from the thickets and cactuses I've been running through.

I walked around the whole complex playing her favorite sounds, but not a peep. I filled the bird feeder on my patio and also put a bowl of seeds on the ground; maybe she'll see other birds eating and that will entice her to come over? I also have the window open and am playing the cartoons I usually play for her. I don't know what else to do other than make some flyers and get the word out. I'll keep walking around the complex too.

 

[wrench13]

Poor little thing. I know what you are going thru, i sincerely hope your outcome is better then mine. Keep trying, expanding your circle of notification and wanted posters. Good luck.

 

[Transylvania]

UPDATE:
I got a visual. She was on the third-floor balcony of a nearby apartment. The resident wasn’t home. I called the leasing office to see if they could contact the resident and give me access, but then she spotted me and took off to another set of apartments across a gorge. Lost sight and sound of her again. I should’ve stayed hidden...
The apartment complex just put up a lost-pet ad on their Facebook page.

 

[dhraiden]

It sounds like Ripley is active and flying, so keep playing those R2-D2 sounds and walk around with a lure of some sort -a familiar travel cage with food, whatever's feasible.

Make use of those daylight hours, enlist any available friends and family to cast a wide net and employ as many sets of keen eyes as possible.

Good luck, and I hope everything turns out OK for her and you.

 

[Transylvania]

Thank you.

I shared a public post on Facebook, so lots of my friends and coworkers are boosting that. And a couple coworkers came over and helped me look. We all work with animals for a living, so it's nice to have lots of people available with that knowledge.

I've been going door-to-door to the apartments around mine, showing residents her photo and asking them to keep an eye out. I also called the nearby pet shops and vet clinics and gave them the information.

I kind of saw the worst in humanity last night when that farm owner turned me away and didn't let me look for my baby when I was so close to getting to her. But today, the outcry of support from so many friends and strangers is incredible. Even though I haven't seen or heard from my bird in 5 hours and it's about to get dark, I'm feeling more optimistic.

An aviculturist friend helped me pretty up my patio even more to hopefully entice Ripley to come over. We strung up some of her large, colorful toys and we put a heat lamp against the cage (which also serves as a nice spotlight). I'll leave lots of lights on out there and will play a recording of R2D2 sounds (until a neighbor complains, I guess...)

 

[Scott]

Thank you for being so diligent! Enlisting friends and co-workers greatly increases the chances of success.

Now is not the time for second-guessing, we are all human and incapable of perfection.

I cannot imagine the insolence of the farm owner. You'd think joining the avalanche of good-will would be contagious.

Continued good wishes, please let us know when Ripley is sighted again!

 

[Transylvania]

I've had lots of friends and coworkers come over to help me scour the general area, but there hasn't been any sign of her in the last 48 hours. I put a notice up on NextDoor and now even some strangers are going out and looking and calling to her for me. The maintenance guy for the apartment complex, who's walking around outside here all the time, is constantly whistling for her and telling other residents about her, and the leasing office staff sent me a message saying that they've got their eyes peeled too. I put a flyer up in the mailroom and on my front door so that more neighbors, mailmen, and valet trash pickup see it.

I've posted dozens of lost-pet notices online and I have a public Facebook post that's been shared over 70 times thanks to my local zookeeper friends.

I distributed paper flyers to the mailboxes of every house in the direction she flew. I also gave flyers to the businesses in that direction. Unfortunately, some places keep turning me away, treating me like a solicitor, so getting the word out with paper is proving more difficult. One of my friends took a few flyers and is distributing them to nearby schools and apartment complexes.

I put lost-pet flyers up at a couple nearby PetSmarts and at Ripley's vet clinic. I also called the other exotic animal vet clinic on the other side of town to let them know just in case. I called up every single animal rescue/shelter in San Antonio and every other pet store and vet clinic in west San Antonio.

I bought a cordless bluetooth speaker so that I can play her R2D2 sounds louder and also have them playing on a loop on the patio when I’m taking a break from my searches. I’m covered in scratches and bruises. I still have thorns embedded in my feet from when she first flew off and I went after her in my socks. I’ve barely eaten or slept. I’ve had one brief shower. It feels like every time I step away to take care of myself I’m losing any opportunity to find her.

I don't know what else to do. Every time I go out searching, I don't hear anything. When she hears me whistle, she always whistles back, so she must not be anywhere nearby. Each search depresses me more and more, and every time I get back inside my apartment I have a breakdown. I've never cried so hard in my life. I just keep thinking, I did this to my baby girl. I did this to her. I'll never ever forgive myself. Every time I fall asleep I dream of finding her.

This was the last time I saw her. I should have stayed hidden so that she would stay on that balcony.

 

[Terry57]

I am so sorry that you haven't been able to find her and bring her home yet. I pray that you either see her again or receive a call that someone has found her soon. Please don't beat yourself up, you are doing everything possible to find her.
I so hope today brings some good news for you.

 

[Tami2]

I have been following this thread ever sine you posted it on the 11th.
I am heartbroken for you ....
I am still praying for her successful safe return to you. :heart:

 

[Transylvania]

Thanks, guys. Your support is so appreciated.

If anyone has any other ideas on where to look or leave flyers, I’ll take any advice. A friend of mine who lost her parrot a while back said that he was found on a school playground, so maybe I should notify all the schools and parks in the area?

SeaWorld is just a couple miles down the road, and I work with the birds there, so pretty much every person in zoological knows that Ripley is lost. So luckily I have that base covered.

I feel so blessed right now in regards to the help I’ve received from friends and strangers alike. Friends have been cooking and bringing me meals, and after it gets dark they’ve come over or invited me over to play games and try to take my mind off of things and de-stress. I’m so thankful for that. Most people don’t understand what it’s like to be a bird owner, so if I didn’t have this social circle of animal lovers, my morale would be much, much lower. On the other end of the spectrum, my parents are already telling me to move on. Sigh.

 

[Scott]

I would suggest leaving fliers wherever there is humanity and a willing recipient.

Parrots are immensely adaptable, so keep the positive thoughts and engage as many folks as possible. Hoping for more sightings and an easy capture.

May be hard for your parents to watch you despair and search for Ripley, but don't let them dissuade you as long as you believe there is a chance at reunification.