Rehoming a Rescue Parrot.
I have thought long and hard for quite some time about
rescue birds. There really are some horrific stories out there and people
really should be locked up for some of the treatments extended to so called “pet”
companion birds. One of our Cockatoos once was scared stiff of newspaper. It
became evident that when the bird used to scream in his previous home either
his cage, or worse still, him, was hit with a rolled up newspaper. He was also
scared stiff of slippers so we thought perhaps he had had slippers thrown at
him in a previous home. It was heart-breaking to think someone could treat a
bird this way just for doing what hand-reared Cockatoos do – shouting for
constant attention. Had the previous owner only done some research, he would
not have avoided the most important point on all Cockatoos – that they are
liable to be noisy at times – very noisy! Over time he gradually lessened his
fear of slippers and newspapers but never actually lost it completely. It is
very difficult trying to re-earn trust from a previously mal-treated or abused
(yes, abused isn’t too strong a word) pet parrot but also very rewarding.
So, if you want to get a parrot, having done a lot of research into the various species and decided which species you want, why not consider re-homing a Rescue Bird? Some of them, it is true, need an expert to rehome them as there is a lot of work to do but some of them simply need time (lots of it mind!) spent with them. If you are serious about having a parrot, you MUST have lots of free time and, in this case, you could be an excellent foster carer for a Rescue Bird. A couple of good rescue organisations are:-
Birdline (http://www.birdline.org.uk)
Safe Haven Parrot Refuge (http://www.safehavenparrotrefuge.co.uk/)
I am sure if you do some research you could find more. Rescue centres try to match birds to homes. They will interview you and assess your home before offering you any bird but when you are offered a bird you can be sure it is suitable for your home life and situation. Apart from doing a bird a favour and offering him a better forever home than he has had in the past, think how rewarding it can be for you to actually do this and earn the trust of your new bird.
Have I ever rescued a bird? Yes I have. Sydney was a rescued bird. His owner was going abroad and couldn’t for whatever reasons take her with her so I stepped in. Sydney has developed into a superb bird – very trusting and absolutely great company. She is a bit of a mischief at times but this is only to be expected – I mean, a parrot is like a 2 year old child who never grows up and you show me a two year old who isn’t a bit of a mischief at times! In a sense, whenever I get a new parot it is like taking on a rescue bird. I am simply rescuing it from an owner who, for whatever reasons, can’t give it the type of home life it deserves and so simply by buying the bird it is a sort of rescue. Phoebe is another clear rescue bird. Her previous owner was ill and just couldn’t spend the time with her that she had been used to and she reacted in a way a lot of parrots do – she started plucking her own feathers or self-mutilating. I took Phoebe on without even handling her as she refused to step onto me but there was just something that stuck in my mind and made me agree to take her. Once home and put back in her old cage she quickly settled in and the following morning stepped up to come out of her cage. From that first move we have gone from strength to strength. She is by far and away one of the nicest natured birds I care for and I am so pleased to have her. I love her to bits and will always do so even without feathers! However, if you read about Phoebe under “Birds” you will see we are trying to overcome her plucking habit. If (and it is a big if) we are successful, think how rewarding that will be for all of us. What if we can’t cure her? Well if she continues to pluck she will still be loved just as much, for who she is and not what she looks like.
We have just taken on Jasper, a Goffin's Cockatoo. Jasper was a hand-reared baby owned by a couple for 6 years until one of them died. Jasper was then passed to another family member who, unknown at the time, suffered from Obsesive Compulsive Disorder and hated any mess. Jasper is a parrot - they always come with mess! So Jasper was confined to the garage where he was put in a budgie cage and fed budgie seed for 4 (yes, four!) years. Then the RSPCA were alerted and there was a mass recovery of animals, including Jasper. Jasper ended up with a relative of the rescue organisation for 6 months but her love is Ferrets so she wanted to rehome him. Through a friend of a riend we were put in touch and Stacey and I went to meet Jasper. It was love at first site and Jasper, who was out of his cage, was happy to fly straight to us. So we ended up rescuing Jasper albeit all the really hard work in rehabilitating him had already been done! We like to think Jasper has found an exceptional forever home and he certainly seems happy with us.
As I said, all of our birds were in a way, Rescue Birds. They were all bought off of existing owners (except Oscar) who wanted to get rid of them for a variety of reasons that meant the birds could not have as good a life with them as they now do with us. Just that thought alone, is so rewarding. Those of you who know me know I am prone to stress and depression and I have to say the parrots are a real tonic to me. I now feel that because of all the pleasure they bring me, I have to offer that level of pleasure to a less fortunate bird and am actively seeking another Amazon from Birdline. Watch this space!!!
So, if you want to get a parrot, having done a lot of research into the various species and decided which species you want, why not consider re-homing a Rescue Bird? Some of them, it is true, need an expert to rehome them as there is a lot of work to do but some of them simply need time (lots of it mind!) spent with them. If you are serious about having a parrot, you MUST have lots of free time and, in this case, you could be an excellent foster carer for a Rescue Bird. A couple of good rescue organisations are:-
Birdline (http://www.birdline.org.uk)
Safe Haven Parrot Refuge (http://www.safehavenparrotrefuge.co.uk/)
I am sure if you do some research you could find more. Rescue centres try to match birds to homes. They will interview you and assess your home before offering you any bird but when you are offered a bird you can be sure it is suitable for your home life and situation. Apart from doing a bird a favour and offering him a better forever home than he has had in the past, think how rewarding it can be for you to actually do this and earn the trust of your new bird.
Have I ever rescued a bird? Yes I have. Sydney was a rescued bird. His owner was going abroad and couldn’t for whatever reasons take her with her so I stepped in. Sydney has developed into a superb bird – very trusting and absolutely great company. She is a bit of a mischief at times but this is only to be expected – I mean, a parrot is like a 2 year old child who never grows up and you show me a two year old who isn’t a bit of a mischief at times! In a sense, whenever I get a new parot it is like taking on a rescue bird. I am simply rescuing it from an owner who, for whatever reasons, can’t give it the type of home life it deserves and so simply by buying the bird it is a sort of rescue. Phoebe is another clear rescue bird. Her previous owner was ill and just couldn’t spend the time with her that she had been used to and she reacted in a way a lot of parrots do – she started plucking her own feathers or self-mutilating. I took Phoebe on without even handling her as she refused to step onto me but there was just something that stuck in my mind and made me agree to take her. Once home and put back in her old cage she quickly settled in and the following morning stepped up to come out of her cage. From that first move we have gone from strength to strength. She is by far and away one of the nicest natured birds I care for and I am so pleased to have her. I love her to bits and will always do so even without feathers! However, if you read about Phoebe under “Birds” you will see we are trying to overcome her plucking habit. If (and it is a big if) we are successful, think how rewarding that will be for all of us. What if we can’t cure her? Well if she continues to pluck she will still be loved just as much, for who she is and not what she looks like.
We have just taken on Jasper, a Goffin's Cockatoo. Jasper was a hand-reared baby owned by a couple for 6 years until one of them died. Jasper was then passed to another family member who, unknown at the time, suffered from Obsesive Compulsive Disorder and hated any mess. Jasper is a parrot - they always come with mess! So Jasper was confined to the garage where he was put in a budgie cage and fed budgie seed for 4 (yes, four!) years. Then the RSPCA were alerted and there was a mass recovery of animals, including Jasper. Jasper ended up with a relative of the rescue organisation for 6 months but her love is Ferrets so she wanted to rehome him. Through a friend of a riend we were put in touch and Stacey and I went to meet Jasper. It was love at first site and Jasper, who was out of his cage, was happy to fly straight to us. So we ended up rescuing Jasper albeit all the really hard work in rehabilitating him had already been done! We like to think Jasper has found an exceptional forever home and he certainly seems happy with us.
As I said, all of our birds were in a way, Rescue Birds. They were all bought off of existing owners (except Oscar) who wanted to get rid of them for a variety of reasons that meant the birds could not have as good a life with them as they now do with us. Just that thought alone, is so rewarding. Those of you who know me know I am prone to stress and depression and I have to say the parrots are a real tonic to me. I now feel that because of all the pleasure they bring me, I have to offer that level of pleasure to a less fortunate bird and am actively seeking another Amazon from Birdline. Watch this space!!!