My Moluccan Cockatoo

[shunt66]

Hi. I'm new here. My name is Susan, and I have a M2 named Jazzy. She is the
sweetest bird ever. She gives kisses, says, "Whacha doin'", "hi", "up" (and
knows when "up" is appropriate) and a kiss sound perfectly. I've had her since
she was 15 months, and she is 9 now. She is very sweet and attached to me, and
insecure without me. So, here's the problem. The dust and screaming has caused
a big issue between me and my husband. He said I could keep her in the basement
(where I spend time painting). Well, with 4 teenagers and several other pets, I
sometimes don't even see her except for a couple of minutes a day. The guilt is
overwhelming. I've tried coming up with solutions, but there just isn't one. I
know most parrots go through more than one owner, but I wanted to be the
exception. I also have wondered if giving her away to someone who will give her
tons of attention is better or worse than keeping her here where I know she's
safe, but alone a lot. I gave her to someone I trusted last April, but after a
week, she wanted me to come get her. She wasn't used to all the parrot issues,
such as volume. I know of a great sanctuary that would keep her forever, but it
is across the country and I'd have to put her on a plane, which would kill me.
I've heard horror stories about people who do all the right things to check
references, etc. when they give their bird to someone and then see the bird on
Craigslist the next day. I really want to find someone, fairly close, who has
other parrots that get tons of attention. She loves other parrots. We had an
eclectus that died and a gray that I gave away, thinking I could concentrate on
Jazzy. I lucked out there. He is in a wonderful home and we are friends now.
Is there anyone nearby in the Northern VA, DC metro area who would be interested
in taking her. PLEASE only contact me if you are dedicated to your parrots,
keep them in the middle of all the action in your home and have tons of
patience. She is NOT a plucker. Her only problem is she doesn't trust many
people and she screams when she's ignored. If you can help, please contact me.
Thanks, Susan

 

[Molcan2]

Thats sad. She does need to go to someone who understands toos. Shes not going to understand why she has been taken away from her flock. The new home def is going to have to put up with an unhappy M2 for a long time. I know this decision hasnt been easy for you but its going to be way harder for her. You do Have her best interests at heart. No bird, esp a M2, should be removed from the famliy and banished to the basement . It just saddens me for you and the bird. I understand and respect your decision to rehome her but is there no other option? You've had her for nine years, why now? Im just curious, sorry if I offend you, i dont mean to. This type of thing happens to so many birds, esp toos, after a while you start wondering if there is some sort of resolution that doesnt result in rehoming the bird. Maybe if you let us in a little more, we could help find a different answer.

As far as the husband, has he been there longer than the bird or have you had her longer than him? Either way he was aware of her importance to you. I tell Tommy all the time that he can put up with Rome for the hour or two that hes home when shes inside because i have to put up with him a lot more than that. Have you thought about maybe an aviary outside for the day, so shes mentally more stimulated while your gone? They really only need three hours or so a day. Rome rides on my shoulder while i clean the house, shes with me when i garden, when i study etc. Whatever im doing, if im home Romes doing it with me. Even if its not one on ome time they still get to be with you. If your ultimate decision is going to be to rehome her, then you have come to the right place, we all love our birds very much and im sure you'll be able to find her a good home here.

 

[ann]

you could train her to scream less and socialize her with the family. this way she can interact with everyone so she isnt lonely. Molucan 2's idea for the aviary is great too! If new york is closer than the other sanctuary, their is an amazing sancuary she could go too here. its called The Priceless Parrot Preserve. Please pm me, i can help you with the training but i cant type it all now because its very late and i have school tomorrow :/. Dont give up, like Molucan2 said, this is a wonderful forum and we will help you out with your bird . and dont feel guilty, your doing it out of love, I'm sure Jazzy would appreciate that whatever the result.

 

[shunt66]

Thanks guys. Here's more of my story. Jazzy was born with cataract disease, so since nobody wanted her, and I was a frequent customer of the store she was in, they offered her to me to adopt. I jumped at the chance because they had an M2 that I was always playing with at the store. Once she was moved to the basement (along with my other birds), I started thinking she and my African Gray would be better off somewhere where they could be in the center of it all. So, I have been tormented with trying to make this decision for 5 years! I thought maybe an acrylic cage might be the answer, but my husband just doesn't want her upstairs and the cages cost a fortune. We are not doing well financially, so that would be the quickest way to start a huge marital problem. My husband and I have been married 23 years and have two boys and two girls. My oldest is not in college this semester, due to low GPA, but is hopefully going back in January. My second is in her first year of college, and I have two teens at home. My youngest son was in a tiny basement bedroom (we have a nice finished basement above ground), and my art/bird room is significantly larger, so I traded with him. Now, Jazzy is right next door to my oldest son's room. She's not used to the room yet, so she is screaming more than normal. She even screams after I put her to bed and at 6am! So, needless to say, everyone is getting ticked off. More stress on me! The other problem has been an unsolvable one - the dust. I don't have time to disassemble the cage and wash it down everyday, like my friend who has a M2 does (she loves Jazzy, but lives in a condo, so can barely handle hers, so she doesn't want mine). She is single with no kids and only her bird (retired). The destruction isn't really a big deal because once the kids move out, we are taking the boys rooms and making it one big room, so, it'll all be torn out anyway. So, there's my story. My husband is super stressed, working late every day and then he comes home and we fight about this. We had an idea years ago to enclose the deck and make a sunroom for me and the birds, but now he says he's not putting another penny into this house. We have no money right now anyway, and he has no free time to build it, but the house values going so far down the last few years makes it not a smart move. Then he says if he built a sunroom, he want to use it (but not with the birds in there). I'm just so drained. I don't want to say I wish I'd never gotten her because she has brought a lot of joy to my life, but maybe someone else would have taken her who would've kept her forever. I'm just at a loss.

 

[sonja]

I am in the DC area and an M2 is something I've been considering. If you want to talk, feel free to PM me.
I would be interested to see if you can make any progress on keeping her yourself with some of the ideas above.

 

[Boysmom]

I'm so sorry you are going through this stressful situation. I was fostering a Senegal that simply hated my Hubby and would fly to attack him all the time. That caused alot of stress on our marriage until I finally found him ( the Sennie ) a forever home. I kept him for about 8 months i believe and it was constantly an arguement when he would attack Hubby for no reason and draw blood. I have to give Hubby credit he did try to get the bird to tolerate him, gave him treats all the time, but the bird barely tolerated me and would bite me frequently also. His owner had to get it out of the house as he was attacking their new born baby, so I agreed to foster him. I was so relieved when I found him a forever home of someone who understood how aggressive Senegals were. If I were closer I would consider taking your baby, my son wants a cockatoo very badly, but its just too far for me. Good luck and I will say prayers that you can resolve your problem happily.

 

[shunt66]

Thank you. My M2 isn't the type to attack, but if you give her a finger, she'll bite it - except for me of course.

 

[kc_y0]

I am sorry for the situation you are in. It sounds very stressful. I wonder if you could work on her screaming, if that would help her situation? There are many books, websites and videos that can help you work with her to stop the screaming for attention, and with time and effort they DO work. I just thought you might like to try this option before giving her away, as its obvious you love her and it would be a hard decision to make.

 

[Molcan2]

Heres some questions, you don't have to respond but if you are trying to maybe work out a solution to keep her, I would like to offer some help. Going off of how much you have told us already, tells me this is not the normal 'I'm re-homing my bird'. I can tell that you love her deeply. If there were a way to work it out that would be best thing for Jazzy in all honesty. These birds don't do well re-homed, esp if they like their previous owners. I had Rome for almost a year and half, and she still acts like a child abandoned by her parents (if she could talk she would be telling me how her old mommy is going to be coming to get her later and she must just be busy and thats why shes not here - its not my opinion of her, you can just feel that she feels this way). She tolerates being here but shes not truly happy. She was loved in her old home and she wasn't given a choice to stay. I'm sorry for all that I'm not trying to make you feel bad but living on the other side, inheriting a loved Too is about the worst thing I could of done. I would have much rather gotten an abandoned on, seeing her like that kills me. Please try everything possible and only re-home if that is the only solution.

How often are you home? When does the screaming take place and what is going on when she screams? The cage really doesn't have to be taken apart daily, thats a little extreme. I just wipe mine down with a damp cloth every other day. Are you yourself tired of taking care of her? How often is your husband home while shes awake? Has he ever liked the bird? Is Jazzy really the problem or has she just become an outlet for other issues. In getting rid of her, will it really resolve the problems? If you were asked to move her to the basement (which from what you describe is really just another floor in the house) and you done what he asked then why is she still an issue? If you going to keep her there as long as she has toys to play with she should be okay. Are you not able to have her with you while you clean the house or doing laundry, or cooking dinner, sweeping? Just having her out with you when you do these things will double the time you spend with her and mentally stimulate her. Do you work? Do you pick the kids up from school or take them places to drop them off, if you then why not take her with you?

I'm not trying to sound like I'm attacking you, I'm sorry if thats how it comes off, I'm just trying to maybe help. I'm just trying to maybe find solutions that you may not have thought about yet. I myself, keep a very busy schedule. I work one full time job, I have two part time jobs and I'm still going to college. Aside from that I'm the only income in the house right now and we have a ton of other animals to take care of as well. By incorporating Rome into my routines around the house, it has helped a lot in expanding our time together. If you are sure that you have tried everything and that re-homing is your final decision, just post it and I'll stop and we can refocus efforts to finding a good home. It just seems to me, by your post, like you really dont want to get rid of her.

 

[shunt66]

How often are you home?
I am home most of the time.

When does the screaming take place and what is going on when she screams? When I am not with her, she'll scream off and on, but right now, she's in a new room of the basement, so she screams more because she isn't used to it. This is very stressful because my oldest son's bedroom is just on the other side of that wall. He gets very stressed and unhappy - especially when he's trying to sleep. Another reason she screams is if something is "not right" in her surroundings. Like, in her old room, even with the curtains shut, if the flood light in the backyard came on, or if you forgot to shut her door, she'd scream to let you know what you forgot.

[B
]The cage really doesn't have to be taken apart daily, thats a little extreme. I just wipe mine down with a damp cloth every other day. Are you yourself tired of taking care of her?[/B]

I also have other pets, so I wouldn't always get to keeping her cage clean. It seems like, no matter what, everything is covered with dust again the next day. So, I'm not crazy about that.


How often is your husband home while shes awake? Has he ever liked the bird? Is Jazzy really the problem or has she just become an outlet for other issues. In getting rid of her, will it really resolve the problems? If you were asked to move her to the basement (which from what you describe is really just another floor in the house) and you done what he asked then why is she still an issue?

My husband is a very stressed out, unhappy person. He used to love animals, but I think we have gotten in over our heads, which just makes him cold toward them. He has never liked her much. She won't go to him, so he doesn't even try. That coupled with the mess and screaming makes him want her gone. Would it solve all his problems - no, but we've been trying to make our life a little less complicated, and we're having financial problems, so buying her a fancy acrylic cage is out of the question. He only really complains when she screams or if he walks into the room where she is an it's dusty. He says he doesn't care if we keep her, but then he makes comments to people when they say, "what a great bird", like "you want her? I'll pay you to take her".

If you going to keep her there as long as she has toys to play with she should be okay.
She has tons of toys and rarely plays with them. She also won't eat anything but Roudy Bush, so giving her fruit or vegies is only giving her something to ignore or fling everywhere.

Are you not able to have her with you while you clean the house or doing laundry, or cooking dinner, sweeping? Just having her out with you when you do these things will double the time you spend with her and mentally stimulate her.

I used to keep her upstairs on a playgym a few hours a day while I did stuff. I can't fold laundry around her. As soon as I hold something up to fold it, she "flies" off the gym. She's terrified of towels, shirts, blankets, etc. She also freaks over bright colors, like orange and red.

Do you work? No

Do you pick the kids up from school or take them places to drop them off, if you then why not take her with you? I have a few times, and she poops on me and acts freaked out like she's gonna either fly (causing me to wreck) or bite me. She only bites ME when she's afraid. She doesn't really fly, just jumps and tries - which she is able to get about 20 feet or more before she lands.

 

[Mare Miller]

I would take her in a heartbeat. Sounds like you are just plain old "over it". Spouses can be a drag, especially when they are not happy with themselves. I'm sorry you are going through this, for not only you, but for your bird.

Molcan2, that was awesome advice!

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I'm but a bit ruthless when it comes to my bird, I'd say either let my bird be part of the flock upstairs or leave. She's as much your child as your real children, ,make your family just deal with it and tell them it's a part of you they need to come to terms with.

 

[shunt66]

Thanks. I'm going to think things through and search for solutions this weekend.