Thinking......

[pagie]

I'm keen. Would so love to help.

 

[OOwl]

Actually, while that's really sad, I kind of admire the guy for the method he chose to ensure that a re-seller didn't just take the bird because it was free. Not saying that is your motive, which it's obviously not, but perhaps if you offered to give him vet reference and maybe parrot club reference and donate a small amount to the church that he would allow you to adopt the bird. You could also agree to pay that out to the church in donations over time. If I was adopting out a bird I had inherited, I'd probably ask for a donation to a charity, as well. Animal re-sellers on Craigs List abound and that bird could end up in a bad situation. Sorry for your agony. I do hope it works out. Seems like you'd give him an awesome home.

 

[Echo]

No admiration here sorry. I would totally agree to a donation to a church or such if the bird was well taken care for and the guy wanted to make sure he went to a good home. But look at it! Not even a toy? Obviously he doesn't give a damn about the birds welfare. He should be asking for donations to his own bird!

Hopefully we are more than 2 to feel this way....

 

[Rio Mom]

Oh I only do HATE when money is the important part to rescue an animal!!! Especially when you involve a church as an excuse! Sure they tell people that there's no rehoming fee then slam them with church money crap! Is he really gonna give it all to the church? I have my doubts!

They should be paying YOU to care for that poor soul! Well here is maybe a solution : if 50 of us donate YOU $10 then you can get the bird! I will gladly donate to rescue him! A lot of people belong to this forum and what's $10 to a lot of us. Goes to a good cause!

Could start a thread with $10 donation for the Grey with his picture included. He needs our help. Am I alone in thinking this? I really hope not Rio Mom.

With Paypal it could be quick and you could get him by the week end!

What do you all think??

Wow echo! Thank you so much for offerng to help me help this bird! Before I knew of this donation thing, I had hoped to get him before they left and had told the guy that. But then he said he thought it would be best to wait til after their vacation (after labor day), I just hated the thought of him alone that long. There is also more than just me interested in him, I emailed him again saying $500 was a bit too high (his messag did say $500 or whatever is appropriate) so maybe he will accept less. The best I can probably do myself is $100. If he seems ok with a bit less, I wil ask about making several smaller donations.

 

[Rio Mom]

I'm keen. Would so love to help.

Thank you for offering to help!

 

[Echo]

He is problaby waiting to see who will offer the most......

 

[merlinsmom13]

Hope it works out for the best. He really needs a loving home.

 

[ebohacek]

I am in, Are we doing this ?

 

[Rio Mom]

The owner is still on vacation for another week. He said when he returns he will decide who he is going to let adopt Gilbert. Thanks for offering to help!

 

[Mayden]

I'm in (shh, don't tell the other half), hope you get him. x

 

[critterman]

Rio Mom I say go get it if u really want it. Looks like he needs someone special to love him like you. Just remember they probably won't get along at first but with time they may learn too. Just show them both lots of love and attention and let them out at different times till they get used to each other. I have 2 African Greys and I love them both, they are such great birds. Mine are very quiet and affectionate they think I am their mate and they woo and coo at me all the time and try to feed me recycled food..........lol I don't mind it at all. I also have 4 dogs that I love very much also I consider all my babies to be my children and I would do anything for them. So enough said GO GET THAT BIRD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Critterman

 

[Mayden]

Go give him a good home

 

[Rio Mom]

I am truly overwhelmed at the outpouring of love and concern from all of you! I would have loved to have been able to adopt Gilbert. I have had weeks of heartache over worry over him, and sadness over not being able to adopt him. I have learned though, that KBEquine,a forum member here, is going to go meet him this weekend, and if all works well, will be adopting him. I am really happy to be able to know it looks like he's going to a good home. It will ease my heart to be able to see how he progresses and not just have to think of him being out there in the unknown.

I think I'm done with responding to ads though. This was the sixth ad I have replied to from various sites/various birds, with no success. Reasons varied, already adopted, no reply (even though the ad was reposted), prices higher than what my breeder charges for babies, etc. Actually, there would have been a seventh try mixed in there for a green cheek in a tiny cage, but the ad was gone before I could reply. There aren't any rescues near me. The closest is an hour and a half away, and they won't travel that far for their home visit. As much as I would love to give a home to a needy bird as second flock member, I think that when/if I get a second bird, I will just go through a breeder again. Everybody know though, that I hold no ill feeling towards the potential adopter. I am happy to know that if Gilbert goes with them, he's going to have a good home, and that's what's most important - that Gilbert gets a good home that he deserves!

Thanks again for all the love you all showed me!
Gretchen

 

[Mayden]

As long as your happy about where Gilbert goes, then I trust that. Wouldn't worry about going through a breeder, one will just fall into your lap when it's ment to be!

 

[KBEquine]

As long as your happy about where Gilbert goes, then I trust that. Wouldn't worry about going through a breeder, one will just fall into your lap when it's ment to be!

Actually, Gretchen & I had contacted Gilbert's owner at about the same time & I only found out we were both interested in the same bird when I saw one of her posts on another thread & she pointed me to this thread. But I didn't want to post then - I loved all the outpouring of good thoughts to Gretchen, even though I was silently thinking, "Hey. I'd be a great home, too!"

And I also recognized that if I hadn't already started down the path to Gilbert before seeing the thread, I would definitely have been on the sidelines, cheering Gretchen.

In fact, I am still cheering her on - I know the right bird WILL come along at the right time.

And who knows - if Gilbert chooses to NOT come home with my husband & me for any reason (or if his guardian sees something he doesn't like) then she could have already found the right guy for her. And if that happens, the situation will be reversed & I will be happily reading her posts about him.

 

[KBEquine]

We (Gilbert, my husband & I) are driving home, even as I type. I'll add more of an update later.

 

[Mayden]

We (Gilbert, my husband & I) are driving home, even as I type. I'll add more of an update later.

Oh! So we will get good updates on gilbert after all - a shame not with Gretchen (for her, not for you!) But thanks for giving this baby a home!

Pictures and lots of updates would be nice!

 

[KBEquine]

Hi Mayden. I feel a little guilty because I know Rio's Mom would have been an excellent home, but still happy to have Gilbert here.

We got home a couple hours ago & are letting Gilbert settle in sans pictures (because it is fair to say he was a little nervous being taken from people he knows, so I don't want to make it worse by taking flash pictures, given the time of evening we got home).

But he is settling in. His cage is where he can tell there is a flock, but where he can't get near the flock (for quarantine purposes).

He came with a macaw-sized cage, plus a 3' x 2' cage, and a new playstand (new because he is afraid of it so hasn't used it) & a ton of lovely new toys (ditto, being afraid of toys & that's probably why in the pictures earlier in the thread, there aren't many toys in the cage). His prior human told us how he tried laying the toys in sight, moving them toward the cage, etc., to introduce them slowly & Gilbert would have none of it. Same with the playstand, that stood next to his cage for almost 2 months & apparently, Gilbert stayed at the far side of the cage the whole time. If Gilbert continues to avoid the toys & the playstand, I suspect I know an amazon who will love the hand-me-downs from his new little brother.

Gilbert's first human, who would have been his forever home had he not passed away, was a chef with a quirky sense of humor (I have been told I will probably hear Gilbert talk in his first owners voice saying, 'I taste like chicken!") For the last 2 years of his prior owner's life, Gilbert all but lived on his shoulder (and I suspect he isn't as knowledgable about toys because his 1st owner WAS his toy for most of his life). Anyhow, when he joins the rest of our flock, I'm sure Paul-E, the amazon, will show him how to play. That's Paul-E's mission in life . . .

I would think a chef would have fed his CAG interesting fare, so we will see what Gilbert will eat (I tried calling him Gil, but my husband Bill kept answering "Hi Gil . . . no, not you Bill" Think we'll stay with the whole name for Gilbert). Right now he's got a small bowl of veggies & fruit & a larger bowl of mixed pellets, nuts & grains (he came with a huge container of peanuts & a small container of mixed seed/pellet. I don't know if that means he ate more seed/pellet mix & has the peanuts left, or if it means he gets more peanuts . . . but it doesn't matter - he'll get fresh fruits & veggies & everything everyone else eats. (The Pionus wouldn't touch a pellet until he saw the 'keets getting them & then they were the most coveted things in the world . . . and I'll be happy to sit in front of Gilbert's cage eating fresh fruits & veggies until Gilbert thinks THEY are the most wonderful thing in the world, too.

While I am not 100% sure of his diet, I do think the family did their best for him, including looking for a 'bird home' when they decided they weren't it.

Right now he is sitting on top of his cage door, casually preening himself. (He is still a bit plucked, but not AS plucked as in the earlier pictures, so there's a positive thing!)

 

[KBEquine]

Resurrecting this VERY ancient post because, well, people have asked for updates in the past. I have had 3 birds rehomed to me via this particular site (all several years ago) & thought it would be interesting for people to see how it turned out.

Gilbert was the first to arrive and it was a good enough experience that we were happy to welcome Goose-the-Green Wing and Kiwi the Panama Amazon, too.

I haven't been in touch with the folks who placed Gilbert with us for about a year, then heard from them today. So I thought I post part of the email I'm sending them, so others who were following Gilbert or considering placing/adopting a bird via this forum can see one outcome:


Hello:
Good to hear from you - . . .

Gilbert is doing well. He grew all his feathers back and then turned around & clipped most of them off, again - and now is starting to grow them back another time. I think I see a pattern here . . .

He is fully flighted and when I am working from home, he spends a little time in the living room in front of the TV where his food dish is, and most of his time at the top of the window in the A-frame part of the house. He is at the top of what would be the 2nd floor, in a house at the top of a big hill. There is a maple tree right outside the window so he basically is surveying his kingdom from on high, just like his wild cousins would. He flies back and forth between the two perches, especially if Bill comes home or if he thinks I've got a nut or cracker for him. Or pasta.

We still hear, "Gilbert tastes like chicken!" [a phrase his original companion taught him] and a couple years ago he added, "Lori tastes like chicken!" [Lori is Bill's sister, who thought it was funny. I was amazed that he figured out to replace a name with a name.] He also says a very dignified, "I am well." in response to my, "How are you?"

Last week when Bill and I were discussing fitting things to do with Cookie, the cockatoo, who was screaming at the top of her lungs, Gilbert said, "Cook the bird!" That was new to us. He adds phrases all the time & now holds conversations with Goose, the Green Wing macaw and Cookie, when he isn't thinking up creative things to do to the poor cockatoo.

Cookie has a limited vocabulary, with "I love you!" and "Hi, Cookie!" being 95% of it. When she said "I love you" I automatically would say, "I love you too." until one day, before I could reply to Cookie's "I love you" I heard Gilbert say, "I love you too!"

He said it a few times & then followed up one "I love you!" with, "Shut up, [expletive deleted]!"]. While I WILL admit Gilbert has heard all of those words in this house, he has not heard that sentence, particularly not directed at poor Cookie.

Anyhow, Cookie, Goose & Gilbert carry on energetic conversations in the afternoon. I listen, but they don't need my participation. Since their ancestors hale from New Guinea, South American & Africa, apparently their only common language is English, so that's what they use.

Gilbert still burps, farts & sings little girl songs. Actually, when he is in the mood, he belts them out at the top of his lungs. Talk about gusto! I hear one of your daughters as a little girl from time to time. It always makes me smile. I also hear a myriad of coughs. He really loves doing coughs.

In theory, he is part of a flock of 9 + Bill and me. But in reality, he & Bill are a flock of two who permit me and the other 8 birds to live in their house. Of course, I still do most of the feeding, cleaning & bird-care & Gilbert permits me to carry him around and sometimes work on positive reinforcement training. Except I am pretty sure he is training me, not the other way around.

I've attached a picture of Gilbert exercising his wings - you can see he has some, but not all, of his feathers.




The 2nd picture is the front window of our house. If you look at the very top of the window, you'll see where Gilbert likes to spend his time. [He once told us, "I'm thinking up here." and he says, "SERIOUS thinking."]



The 3rd picture is Goose and Cookie, just to show you Gilbert's partners-in-crime. [Goose also was placed in our home via this forum.]




I hope you & your family are doing well. It is good to hear from you.

Kim


Anyhow, that's their story. I wanted to add a picture of Kiwi, the cute little Panama Amazon who arrived with Goose, but I need to organize my computer better to find the one I want. Maybe later.

Just a note about the folks who placed Gilbert, Goose & Kiwi with us. They were ALL motivated to find the 'right fit' for their parrots.

Gilbert's original companion passed away. His companion's childhood best friend took Gilbert in. Not being a bird person, he decided what was best for Gilbert was to live with a bird-person. He screened several potential homes (there were good ones other than us) & asked that a donation be made to the church attended by Gilbert's original companion. It was a request from the heart. He recently visited the grave of Gilbert's original owner. There on the headstone was an etching of Gilbert. That is how much this quirky, sweet, smart bird meant to his original companion. And I think he emailed in part so he could tell that companion's loved ones that Gilbert is still honored & cherished - and he is.

While I am always happy to hear from they folks who took care of Gilbert between his original companion & Bill, I NEVER hear from the folks who raised Goose-the-Green-Wing and Kiwi-The-Panama literally from hand-feeding to age 20. Having raised them like their kids for 20 years, they could not stand to watch from afar for the rest of their lives. They needed to do their best to place their heart bird & his buddy in the best possible situation & their expressed intent was to spend the rest of their birds' natural lifespan assuming they are having the BEST life.

It is my job to make it so.

I never talk about this, except I wanted to point out that with a rehome fee or without a rehome fee, with ongoing contact or without. There isn't just one way to find the next good home for a parrot, should the need arise. And that there are good homes out there.

 

[Betrisher]

What a *wonderful* story! Thank you for taking the time to write it for us. Most of all, thank you for taking in those beautiful, beautiful birds and sharing your home with them. I love the photo of Gilbert sitting up on his thinking post - just imagine how great that must feel for him. And how appropriate, too, for a creature of the skies. Your birds are gorgeous and a credit to the care you give them.