Newbie

[jjsunlucky]

Hello, I'm new to the forum, but not new to having bird family members. I have had feathered children since I was a kid. They generally were of the smaller variety, but never small in spirit. At present I only have a 'tiel, though I'm suffering the loss of my very beloved Marley, a Quaker. I'm feeling much loss, but feel the need to put my love into another bird very very soon. I'm not sure which species yet to get, but am currently looking into adoption of a larger bird. I am going to visit our aviary vet/ adoption center and see which bird connects with me and vice versa. I'm saddened, but can't wait to bring another companion into our family.

 

[antoinette]

Welcome
Sorry for your loss
You will be blessed again, with a loving beautiful bird
Good luck finding each other

 

[aliray]

I am sorry for your loss but good luck finding a new fid

 

[jjsunlucky]

Thank you so much. I find it so hard that few people I know understand that the loss of a bird to me is truly the loss of a family member, and that I really am going to need mourning time before I can be totally myself again.
However, on a lighter note I now am on my mission to home another. I'm looking into a Yellow Naped Amazon who's name is George. He's about 9yrs old and in need of a forever family. I would love to hear difficulties and wonderful things both about bird adoption. Once I figure out how to use the forum, of course, hahaha.

 

[jjsunlucky]

It looks like I am going to go to my avian vet/rescue on Friday (appointment schedule pending), to visit with some parrots, one of which could be a wonderful, very welcomed companion to our family. My spirits are uplifted in the thought that I may be able to give a loving home to a bird who needs me as much as I need him/her.

 

[MonicaMc]

Sorry to hear about Marley!

It's hard to say how a second hand, plus, parrot will react. Some birds are rehomed because they are difficult birds (screaming, biting, mutilating, etc), some are rehomed simply because the owner has no time for them (bird ends up neglected, may have health problems, etc), and other birds, through an unfortunate event (owner died, owner moved, owner has to decide between feeding them/their families and keeping a beloved pet, etc) end up in shelters and sanctuaries. So really, you could meet narcotic birds that no one can handle, birds that can only be handled by certain people, and birds who love attention from anyone!

The majority of my birds are second hand, plus, pets. My cherry headed conure, Noel, came to me as an older bird (assumed 9-11 years old, but he could have been older than myself at the time!) that couldn't fly, was slightly blinded by a ferret (who knows if the ferret might have caused some sort of brain damage), a mutilator and some internal health problems (couldn't pinpoint it, but I'm pretty sure it was kidneys). Although he wasn't very hands on, he was a very special bird to me! It's been a few years since he passed on now, due to health complications. The last few years of his life, he developed cataracts, so was going blind, not to mention he'd have a stroke or seizure that made him unaware of his surroundings and unable to see momentarily, so any movement would freak him out.

I had one cockatiel, Kiwi, that had liver problems, and she passed on earlier this year, I suspect due to infections that would not respond to antibiotics, even though her liver was being treated.

Her mate, Pistaciho is still alive and going strong! He's since paired up with another hen, Faye (although tentatively - funny as she used to swoon over him after she had been without a mate for a year, then joined my flock!) and has been doing well after he mourned for the loss of his previous mate.

Faye had at least three homes prior to mine, and although not completely tame, she's a sweet girl! Unlike Pistachio, who's skittish, she really does have a sweet personality.

Tomi Girl, another tiel, and one I probably saved from death's door, is a quirky tiel. I don't know how many homes she's had prior to mine, but at least two, since the previous people that had her found her in their yard. She was kept on a poor diet, in a tiny cage in a smoke filled home over-run by sick cats. When I took her in, she was nearly 50% underweight. Six, nearly 7 years later, she's still going strong! Albeit, quirky!

And Charlie, my mitred conure. He lived with one man for 10 years, lived in a petstore for about a year, then in foster care for about a year. He's noisy, hilarious, bratty, nippy, cuddly, goofy, picky, and so much more! If it were up to him, he'd be attached to my arm! His only physical issue is that he has a damaged beak (his fault for trying to bully a macaw several times his size!). He actually demands the most attention from me, even though he's the last addition of my flock atm! I've had him for 6 years and a couple months now. The rest of the birds have been here longer than he has, but he acts as he owns the place! :18:

Not to mention the bourke, but she's not really a hands on kind of parrot... I've had her since she was at least 5-7 years old, and that was 10 years ago! Actually, come next month, that'll be 11 years. She's passed her life expectancy, so there's no telling when she'll kick the bucket! But it's great to still have her around! Bourkes simply have some of the most gorgeous voices I've ever heard, and I love to hear them fly!



All of my rehomes have come through their previous owners or someone temporarily fostering, but not through an official adoption/rescue/sanctuary kind of situation. Vet bills have been out of pocket, rather than the birds being checked out healthy prior to me adopting them - except for Charlie. He got to visit the vet twice for surgery on his beak!