New Galah owner!

[Marayks]

Hi everyone - I found a tame Galah in my back yard and after two weeks of having him sitting on a makeshift perch in my lounge room and putting up found notices without response I've taken a big leap of faith and bought a great cage and perch so now he's mine! He's clearly tame and just loves to dance - he especially loves it when I sing along... I've named him Sheldon and he doesn't talk but will occasionally babble a bit - and considering I've only had him three weeks he seems to be bonding well - however being completely new to having a bird - let alone a Galah - any and all advice on which books to read, bonding, caring, feeding etc all extremely welcome!

 

[lene1949]

Someone out there are missing their bird... When I lost my Corella, I posted flyers everywhere, as well as the RSPCA... I would try harder to find the owners...

 

[Marayks]

Hi Lene - I agree with you and I keep looking at local lost pets sites and local newspapers - however what was I supposed to do in the meantime? Should I ever find the rightfully owner I would immediately return this lovely bird and get a baby one - in the meantime I can't help bonding with him and will take good care of him - and I'm hoping for advice on this forum

 

[Oedipussrex]

Hi! There are probably other galah owners in the Cockatoo section on here, and many related topics to look at.
lol i cant really point you at any specific information, when i got pickle i just researched all i could, and im still learning new things, i don't even remember where half of it came from. Are you new to birds in general, or just galahs?
> i think there are posts about lost and found birds on here as well, with useful links to online sites where you could post digital flyers as well, get a broader coverage (but don't be too specific, leave some things up to people who contact you to confirm, you don't want to waste time with people who just want a free bird)

 

[Marayks]

Thanks Oedipussrex - I've already learnt such a lot over these last few days of intense research - for instance I was feeding him only bird seed - now know better and started to introduce veggies and getting used to everything being hoicked out of the bowl and onto the floor... Have learnt that I'll have to be very patient and celebrate small wins - like getting him back into his cage... And yes new to birds, not just the Galah, there was a cockatiel when growing up but was scared of him and didn't go near him - must say the galah is much more appealing, such a character....

 

[PortaPerch]

You can join Lost and Found Parrots / Birds - Parrot / Bird Reporting and Alerting Register and advertise there.

Chewbaca earned her name by chewing everything. That's the downside of never having her caged. She doesn't talk at all.

This is where she likes to ride. They did fine on a 2200 mile trip recently.

She always draws admirers.

Yes, flight feathers are trimmed.

 

[Adinafloyd]

This bird could have traveled a long way, I am glad you are still looking for his owners. I am also very glad that you are doing your best to make him healthy and happy. You are doing all the right things for him by studying and researching. Good luck to you and Sheldon.

 

[Marayks]

Ok - I've been looking on parrot alert since I found him but now I've posted a found message - I'm just about to do that in other local lost and found sites - I'm beginning to understand that parrots are more like children and cannot comprehend the lack of lost messages anywhere about this bird.

 

[Adinafloyd]

I cant understand that either, I would have notices around several states and all over the web. If no one responds look likes you have a new addition. As I said before I am glad you are trying to give the lil guy the best care. Thank you for all you are doing

 

[lene1949]

I didn't know about parrot alert, when I lost Cory... That's why I used the RSPCA... I had many calls from them about lost Corellas in the week he was missing, and traveled wide and far to look at the found birds...

I don't know where you are in the world, but I think in Australia the RSPCA is the first port of call...

 

[kc_y0]

Thank you for looking after the bird until (if) you find his owners. If not, then you have yourself a new little friend! What are you feeding him at the moment?

 

[Marayks]

Re: Sharp claws...

Ok, I've now placed 4 found notices around the internet and so far nothing.

In the meantime Sheldon and I are bonding well and now have questions - wondering if anybody can help?

Firstly he's sitting on my hands well now but boy are his claws sharp! My hands are being ripped and he quite likes nibbling on the scabs - I know he needs sharp claws for hanging upside down as he likes to do but can they be filed or something?

Secondly I went to local bird place (has been around for 40 years) and the owner told me I didn't need to take him to an avian vet as Galah's are very hardy - any thoughts and if I should is it very expensive?

Ah yes and today during a bonding session he crawled up my chest and started nibbling on my lips, not hard, and is keen on my teeth as well. I'm not much of a germaphobe but is this ok? Does everyone share spit with their parrots or should I stop him from doing this? He seems to really really like it however....

 

[kc_y0]

Okay, for the sharp nails, try a pedicure or sandy perch. It will help grind off the little sharp bits. Also a vet could clip them for you, which brings me to my next point, all birds need to see an avian vet. And if you've found him in the wild, its definitely good to get him checked out as he may have picked up bacterial infections, or anything else from wild birds. Vets can be pricey if there are other problems that need to be attended too. Where are you from? In Australia my vet charges $80 for a consultation fee for the first visit, and then $20 for a fecal check (which checks for infections). If an infection is present they will do a couple more tests and it will start to get pricey.
The Human mouth does contain bacteria that can be harmful to birds, so its best advised he doesn't touch your teeth or come in to contact with your spit. My bird is fascinated with my mouth too and sometimes when I talk she'll go straight for my teeth, but best to avoid letting him do it. Hope this info is helpful.

 

[PortaPerch]

A friend phoned me from Oz the other day, and said he would gladly send me some galahs, as he has hundreds where he lives in the hills of Victoria. He says they're not near as destructive as the big white ones with yellow crowns, which arrive like a plague of locusts.

Chewbaca's nails are not sharp. We get her and Greybeard trimmed for free about every six weeks at the bird store where we bought them. Well, it's not quite free; wifey always buys food and toys for them while we're there.

 

[Marayks]

Thank you for your advice - yes I also thought that I probably should take him to a vet - I live in Adelaide and there are reports of a good one not too far away. As for the spit issue, so he is more likely to get sick from me then the other way around - that's not what I expected and will try to curb his delight in my mouth... As for feeding him - I stared him on seed only - which I quickly realized was not good for him - so now in the mornings he gets sprouts, broccoli, grated carrots, a bit of lettuce, grated apple or a bit of strawberry. Most of it get thrown out of the bowl but as I've drastically reduced the seed component there slightly more interest. I've also bought some pellets and I think he eats a few of those mixed into the seed - I'm taking out most of the sunflower seeds and using them for training - this works well. I've researched China Prairi sprouting system and it looks really good - I did in fact try to order this but not sure if they ship to Australia - got an error message and have emailed then but no response as yet? Is the China Prairi system as good as they say? Anybody use it? Loving this forum by the way - on a steep learning curve and it's great to hear experienced owners opinions!

 

[lene1949]

I use the ezy sprouter from the Parrot Shop... It's over $41 + GST per unit... So I got 4 from the USA - the sprout people - and the unit price was $22 (I bought 4) including postage...

I really like this little unit and it works great...