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@neoow I remember you posting about wanting the best for Alfie and considering what to do. You love your guy as I do mine -- you get wanting your guy to be happy. It's one of the reasons I've loved this forum - like minded people. People who continue to love and treasure their parrots. For us, parrots aren't just a novelty -- they are a lifetime commitment!

I have no doubt how hard that decision must have been but I'm glad you have such an amazing sanctuary that you know and trust for him to go to. Years ago I was trying to make the decision about whether or not I was the right human for Alfie. Life had taken over and my free time was limited so I wasn't giving Alfie all of the time and attention he deserved. I agonised over the options of whether to rehome or not and it was awful to have gotten to that point in the first place. Thankfully it all worked out- I made changes and dropped some commitments plus I moved house and had a better space that worked for the both of us. I'm also very lucky in that Alfie is a resilient little guy and has been pretty quick to adapt to changes over the years. We all just want to do what's best for our birds at the end of the day and sometimes that comes with some heart-breaking decisions! I'm sure Snickers will adapt to his new environment and at least you know exactly where he's going and what level of care he will receive. It'll obviously take time for you to get used tot he idea of him going there and adapting to not having him around and I really feel for you for having to make that decision/change.

@Greytness Yup. Parrot freedom has its costs. Ours has enclosures where a large corner (picture a 15-20 foot triangle with that clear greenhouse-style roofing material) is affixed on top and sides with extra perches beneath it. Gets them out of the sun, wind, rain, etc.. That said, while they may prefer to sleep in that corner together at night -- they actually prefer (daytimes) being out in the open even in rain, wind (even snow - which is rare here, but it happens every few years). They just acclimate like the outdoor birds. Hence they accept no new parrots in hot summer or winter -- parrots must arrive in spring or fall to acclimate. That's why Snickers will go mid-April. Though overall, it's a mild climate here. Late/early placements often end up indoors until temps are good. We had crazy unusual cold temps here a week after I placed my first parrots there in April 2017 -- Ces ended up removing them from the sanctuary and taking them inside for a week (he actually took them into his own home). There is also an indoor garage area in a true emergency (hurricanes (sort of rare here) or such) but it is a HUGE deal to move all the parrots indoors -- must be a true emergency to do so. I used to have a cool picture of the hundreds of cages in that garage one year when we got a hurricane (which thankfully turned out to be no big deal). But what a chore they had to move all these guys indoors for it.

I wondered about what they do for the birds whenever it gets super hot or cold there. The aviaries didn't appear to have any places where they could find shade or warmth as needed.

Awww, thanks for some support. Overall, I feel good about my decision. It's sort of less about concerns re: Snicker's happiness - I truly believe he will get a good life there. And he can fly -- I don't clip him. So, um, yay for freedom! It's really more about selfish me missing him. If for whatever reason his sanctuary placement doesn't work out -- he will be cared for and at least be around other greys even if in an enclosure on his own. But I have a feeling he will probably fit in well though, and gain many friends (or perhaps even a girlfriend) there. The owner of the sanctuary once took in a severely self-plucked parrot he ended up having to keep in his own home -- no parrot there gets poor treatment regardless of their ability to adapt at the sanctuary. This guy (Ces) is a big-time parrot lover. Very empathetic and sensitive to parrot needs. There will be super hot days and super cold days when I will question my decision to place my guys (and worry for them) -- but I have to make my decision based on the norm days, when he will have friends and eat well. I didn't really mean to come off "I've been through this and know the deal more than you guys" but I have been through it before, and am needing to go through it again with Snickers. That's all I meant, no offense to anyone. I just ended up with poor health earlier in life, and had to reach this point sooner than many. Thankful this is years away for most of you. Love, huggs, good wishes to others here. And PM me if you want to know location and more details about my local sanctuary. I write so much because my mind is spinning and thinking about Snicker's placement 24/7. And about how much I will miss him.