BeatriceC
Well-known member
- Feb 9, 2016
- 1,351
- 91
- Parrots
- Goofy (YNA), Oscar (Goffin 'too). Foster bird Betty (RLA). RIP Cookie, 1991-2016 ('tiel), Leo (Sengal), Charlotte (scarlet macaw). Grand-birds: Liam (budgie), Donovan (lovebird), RIP Angelo (budgie)
Hi again!
I know it's been a long time since I've been around. Life got very, very busy. I run a very large online support group that's nearly 5000 members strong, and that takes up most of my computer time. I just haven't had time to visit.
So, let's see. An update:
Last I was here, I'd just agreed to care for an umbrella cockatoo for a couple months. A few months after she moved in, I was approached to take another U2 permanently. Lily's human confirmed she still planned on taking her back, so I agreed. Unfortunately, Lily's former human did not live up to her promises. She wound up ghosting me and blocked both me and MrC on all social media platforms. I tried really hard to make things work for months with two U2's, but with all my other obligations with home, kids, and other birds, it just wasn't happening. We were all miserable. I searched for another couple months until I found the perfect new family for Lily. She's ridiculously happy with her new humans. I do feel bad, but I never agreed to take her permanently, and if I'd known what was going to happen with her human, I would have never agreed to take Frankie. There was no truly good solution and I did the best I could.
Speaking of Frankie, he's a mess, but I love him. He's about 25 years old and suffered a broken wing at some point in his life that was never properly treated. He can't fly, but he's a fantastic climber and waddles his little butt all over the house getting into all the trouble he can find. If he sees somebody by the front door, he shouts "bye bye!" over and over. It's the cutest thing ever.
Betty is still here. She's probably here permanently. Her human has made herculean efforts to get into a position to take her back, but it's just not going well for her. Betty is the easiest, most chill amazon ever hatched. She's very happy and very easy to care for. She's learned to fly and loves to break into the kitchen cabinets and steal food. Typical amazon and their love of food.
Liam and Donavan (my son's birds) are doing great. I admit I'm a little jealous that they love my son so much and don't give two hoots about me. If anybody ever tries to tell you that little birds aren't as much fun and don't have as much personality as the big birds, they're liars. These little guys are wonderful. I love waking up to their songs in the morning.
Goofy, the longest term resident is not doing so well. Earlier this week he stopped eating. His blood work and xrays are all normal and the vet is stumped. Right now we're syringe feeding him and keeping him warm and toasty and hoping that he'll start eating on his own again. The vet has him on a broad spectrum antibiotic and anti-inflammatories just to cover all the bases. He'd been staying at the vet's until yesterday, when we got him to accept formula out of a syringe, so the vet was comfortable letting us take him home and feed him that way instead of crop feeds there. He's 34 years old, so he's middle aged. It could be just "old" age. Most YNA's in captivity live a lot longer, but mid 30's is the lower end of the bell curve with YNA age, even with proper care. We just don't know. Hopefully he'll start eating again soon.
The humans are all doing really well. The oldest son is finishing up his first year in fire/rescue (duel certified firefighter and paramedic) school, the middle is on track to graduate from high school on time in June (this was in question for a while, and he's doing a lot better), and the youngest is doing well in his sophomore year of high school. MrC's daughters are also doing well. One of his twins finished her physical therapist assistant school this year and is about to sit for her certification exams and the other daughter had her first baby last month. We are absolutely thrilled to pieces with our new grandson. He's pretty much the cutest newborn alive, if you ask us.
I think that covers everything! Glad to be back.
I know it's been a long time since I've been around. Life got very, very busy. I run a very large online support group that's nearly 5000 members strong, and that takes up most of my computer time. I just haven't had time to visit.
So, let's see. An update:
Last I was here, I'd just agreed to care for an umbrella cockatoo for a couple months. A few months after she moved in, I was approached to take another U2 permanently. Lily's human confirmed she still planned on taking her back, so I agreed. Unfortunately, Lily's former human did not live up to her promises. She wound up ghosting me and blocked both me and MrC on all social media platforms. I tried really hard to make things work for months with two U2's, but with all my other obligations with home, kids, and other birds, it just wasn't happening. We were all miserable. I searched for another couple months until I found the perfect new family for Lily. She's ridiculously happy with her new humans. I do feel bad, but I never agreed to take her permanently, and if I'd known what was going to happen with her human, I would have never agreed to take Frankie. There was no truly good solution and I did the best I could.
Speaking of Frankie, he's a mess, but I love him. He's about 25 years old and suffered a broken wing at some point in his life that was never properly treated. He can't fly, but he's a fantastic climber and waddles his little butt all over the house getting into all the trouble he can find. If he sees somebody by the front door, he shouts "bye bye!" over and over. It's the cutest thing ever.
Betty is still here. She's probably here permanently. Her human has made herculean efforts to get into a position to take her back, but it's just not going well for her. Betty is the easiest, most chill amazon ever hatched. She's very happy and very easy to care for. She's learned to fly and loves to break into the kitchen cabinets and steal food. Typical amazon and their love of food.
Liam and Donavan (my son's birds) are doing great. I admit I'm a little jealous that they love my son so much and don't give two hoots about me. If anybody ever tries to tell you that little birds aren't as much fun and don't have as much personality as the big birds, they're liars. These little guys are wonderful. I love waking up to their songs in the morning.
Goofy, the longest term resident is not doing so well. Earlier this week he stopped eating. His blood work and xrays are all normal and the vet is stumped. Right now we're syringe feeding him and keeping him warm and toasty and hoping that he'll start eating on his own again. The vet has him on a broad spectrum antibiotic and anti-inflammatories just to cover all the bases. He'd been staying at the vet's until yesterday, when we got him to accept formula out of a syringe, so the vet was comfortable letting us take him home and feed him that way instead of crop feeds there. He's 34 years old, so he's middle aged. It could be just "old" age. Most YNA's in captivity live a lot longer, but mid 30's is the lower end of the bell curve with YNA age, even with proper care. We just don't know. Hopefully he'll start eating again soon.
The humans are all doing really well. The oldest son is finishing up his first year in fire/rescue (duel certified firefighter and paramedic) school, the middle is on track to graduate from high school on time in June (this was in question for a while, and he's doing a lot better), and the youngest is doing well in his sophomore year of high school. MrC's daughters are also doing well. One of his twins finished her physical therapist assistant school this year and is about to sit for her certification exams and the other daughter had her first baby last month. We are absolutely thrilled to pieces with our new grandson. He's pretty much the cutest newborn alive, if you ask us.
I think that covers everything! Glad to be back. 
