Rescued Cockatiels

[BanalityBob]

After getting Penelope just over a month ago, I told myself no birds for a long time. I'm bad at keeping promises. A lady from my work keeps telling me about people in my area wanting to get rid of their birds and how I should take them. I kept telling her no until last night when she told me about a guy she knows who just can't seem to get rid of his cockatiels and was going to use them either as food for a snake or just let them go. Now, that got my hackles up, and I drove out to get the birds. Thank God I did.

The guy led me down to his dank, dark basement where the two birds were huddled in what might be a super small rabbit hutch with an inch of poo on the bottom. Their water dish was green and slimy, and their only toys were a cat ball held onto the cage by a bread tie and a rusty bell. I asked him what he had been feeding them, and he handed me a box of Ritz crackers and told me that he also grabbed whatever his mom gave to the wild birds. Needless to say, Benny and Joon (as I have renamed them) are home with me now. The guy gave me a travel sized cage for them (about 18x15x12), which they'll have to endure until ebay ships me a big flight cage (delivery time says Wednesday and it can't be soon enough).

They're both pied cockatiels, and have really good feathering considering. He said they're a bonded pair, but haven't produced any eggs. According to that...man...they're two years old. I got them home last night, and they've nibbled at the birdie bread I had cooked up for Penelope, drank some clean water, and had some out of cage time. Unfortunately, they don't have their wings clipped, and my apartment is large with high ceilings. They had a blast, but I almost died of worry because my apartment is not bird proofed for flighted birds (Penelope is clipped and just waddles everywhere).

Benny seems very outgoing. He even stepped up for me in the cage (then hopped off when I tried to bring him out), but I've been whistling at him, and he sings back to me. When they were out yesterday, I sat very still near them, and Benny came over to investigate until I moved. He's going to be a sweet little boy with some work. Joon just is terrified and stays on the farthest side of the cage from me possible. Hopefully she'll come around, but she seems mega shy.

Quarantine wise, I have them in a well lit back room that comes off my kitchen. Penelope is in my living room which is off the other side of my kitchen, so they can hear but not see each other. Hopefully about 40 feet is a good quarantine distance, especially with a wall in the way, but that's about as good as it gets at my place without putting them in the attic. I've been preparing their food separately and using a lot of hand sanitizer. The only contact they've had so far was when Joon got out of the back room while flying last night and got into the living room. She didn't go near Penelope's cage though.

So, now I have two new, unexpected, formerly abused fids. I hope I can give them the best life possible. The order of the day is going to the pet store to get them some new toys and decent seed mix so I can ween them onto pellets.

 

[Spiritbird]

Big thank you's and high fives to you for getting these two birds. I never ceases to amaze me how people keep their birds. I bet you wished you could have .............. this man for the way he was treating them. I know it will turn out fine for all.

 

[MikeyTN]

I've been watching too much PETA videos....it made my tears come out reading this.... thank you for taking them in. Your like us...no more no more, here comes another....lol....but I have re-homed a few the first day I pick them up, in much better shape and place! Can't keep them too long, have harder time letting go....

 

[BanalityBob]

Update: They now have a new pumice perch and two new toys (yay for Pet Supplies Plus having a sale!). I wanted to get more toys, but there's no room in their cage for the both of them and more than just two. I'll have to hold out until later this week when the flight cage comes in.

Joon is out of the cage right now, staring at me and working up courage to get on the play stand. Benny, however, seems a little uncoordinated this evening. I'm hoping it's just malnutrition, but he can't seem to keep his balance while climbing the side of the cage and is shaky when standing on thin perches or the open cage door. I'm taking Penelope to an avian vet for a checkup next weekend, so I think they're gonna tag along for a checkup too.

They've both been making the cutest little whistles all day, and Penelope screams at them to shut up every time they get going. Both of the newcomers are far more active and vocal than they were even before I ran out to get them new stuff. Benny obviously keeps wanting to come over to visit me, but keeps almost falling off the side of the cage and gets really shy and skittish when I get near him.

 

[Rio Mom]

Thank you for rescuing these birds! They will have such a wonderful home now!

 

[Parrot Parent]

God bless you for helping these little guys! I wish the best for all of you

 

[BanalityBob]

Not much has changed today except for one thing: they are having birdie sex like no-one's business. Seriously. Every half hour on the hour. Honestly, it's creeping me out, because they're both watching me while they do it, making little squeaking noises. In other news, my neighbor, who has had a macaw years ago is thinking of taking them when her daughter moves out, because I'm realizing that I don't have time for three birds, and Penelope is my baby. I wasn't 100% sure of keeping the tiels in the first place since they were more of a shock and horror rescue, but they are staying with me for at least a month to get socialized, vet checked, wings clipped, and re-caged before they get another home. Penelope seems to not be a fan of them at all, and three birds is a lot. I'd rather not split cuddle time up because they can't all be in the same room together.

My neighbor (and by neighbor, I mean the lady in the other half of my duplex who has conversations with me through my walls) is going to be coming over during the socialization process so they can bond to her and get used to her, and already thinks they're adorable. She just had heart surgery, so can't pay for the cage, but I'll take the hit to make sure they aren't in a tiny cage and ebay has some good options. Plus, their current cage will make a decent travel cage for Penelope.