Ajilon

As I posted in one of my other threads, I took over as rescue director for my local avian society. My first task was handed down 2 days ago and wow... was it ever hard! We had a Citron Cockatoo in foster care that hadn't been doing well. Let me give you the backstory here, which is quite long. As per club rules, no one who is not a member is approved to foster incoming rescue birds. In addition, they must sign a foster agreement identifying their rights and obligations and the ownership of the bird. In this agreement, they understand that rescue may remove the bird from their home for any reason. Our problem began when we realized that Foster Agreement was never signed and unless she willingly allowed us access and handed the bird over, no one could legally retrieve it. Not even with a court order. No one in the club could gain access to the woman's house to remove him. Several have tried and failed repeatedly to the extent that she would not let anyone in as long as they were affiliated with rescue. I talked to the woman last night for more than 2 hours, gained her trust and made an appointment with her this morning. I've dealt with people like her before, so I knew how to handle the situation. I picked the bird up this morning to take him to the vet. He's lost weight, plucked himself to the point of bleeding and smelled horribly of cigarette smoke. Needless to say, he will not be returning to the foster parents. Poor thing. He's in rough shape and declined this poorly in just 4 months. He's safe now.

I think I've spoiled Zazu rotten. Even though I'm involved in rescue and taking care of birds outside my flock, I make it a point to ensure I spend a little quality time with every one of them every day. Zazu and I play together, one on one, just before bedtime every night. he's always the last one to get put in his cage. He really seems to enjoy our time together. Sometimes he'll just want to cuddle and sometimes he wants to play. We play a game where I touch his toes and say "I'm gonna get you, Zazu!" and he'll shriek and them try to catch my hand with his beak. If he gets me, he'll laugh. If not, he'll playfully yell at me. We the other night, I didn't get to play with him long. I'd been battling the flu and really just felt awful. All I wanted to do is sleep. But Zazu wanted to play and protested for 20 minutes about going to bed. It took me everything I had to put him up. I felt so bad for him. In the end, I wasn't sure if I had a CAG or an exotic spider! So just to make you guys laugh too, here's a video that we managed to capture. it's not the greatest quality, as it was from an iphone, but it was all that was readily available at the time. so.... do you think he loves me? :lol:

Jan, that's a good question. Regret is a hard thing to live with. However, it's too bad. Even if Larry were to remain available for that long (which he won't in his perfect and awesome personality), he signed a contract that he cannot get the bird back once he handed him over. After 15 years, I don't think anyone could make me give up my pet. How heartless! On the other hand, I have a great bird to foster who keeps me constantly entertained. It's a win-win for me. Someone is going to get a fine CAG in the end!

I want to thank everyone for their support. Being the Director is a tremendous amount of work and the same as a full time job...only I'm not paid to do it. It's strictly volunteer. I spent my first week getting familiar with the paperwork that existed and creating new forms and guidelines when dealing with our birds in foster homes. You can imagine, with the number we've been getting in, foster homes are at a premium. I do have a team that was put together to take some of the pressure off though. However, the bulk of the job is mine. My position acts as Intake Director and Foster Liason. I'm the point of contact for the owner and their first option for assisstance. My first line of defense is to try to work with the owner to resolve a problem so they don't have to give up their bird. Typically, if it's a behavior problem, it can usually be resolved so that the owner can have their pet back. This only works if they truly want to keep their bird though. If they're insistent, I just pick the bird up. Once they're in, I assess their situation and needs, arrange a vet visit for a complete checkup and place them in foster care by selecting a qualified home. Now there's where things get tricky. I can't put an aggressive macaw in a home with only conure experience. Once the birds are in place, I physically have to check on them every month and evaluate their progress, work with the foster parents in handling any behavioral or medical issues and determine when that bird is adoptable so he can be listed on our website. It IS a lot of work, but the rewards are plenty. However, my house has filled up FAST as a result of it. I have 8 parrots living here. 2 macaws, 1 severe, 3 amazons and 2 CAG's. "Social hour" amongst them is interesting! I'm so glad I have an ipod!

I'm sorry I've been away for a while. Life has been interesting to say the least. My best friend was the Rescue Director for our local Avian Society. Her life has taken quite a few turn of events, including the recent loss of her M2. Because of these issues, she's resigned from Rescue and I've taken over in her place. I can't believe the number of birds that are being given up. In some ways, it's overwhelming. I guess people are losing their homes and jobs all over the place and their pets are being given up as a result. I have a good bit on my plate, including increasing the number of available foster homes I have. At the moment, I'm fostering 3 rescue birds - a 25 y/o RLA, 13 y/o BFA and a 15 y/o CAG. I got a call tonight. I need to pull one of our rescue birds from his foster home, but the foster parent is refusing the give the bird back. *sigh* I'll have to work on this issue tomorrow. In any case.... I wanted to tell you about Larry. Larry is my 15 y/o CAG rescue. He came in with the BFA as an owner surrender. The "new wife" didn't like the BFA and for some reason that I didn't even bother asking her to elaborate, they both had to go. I walk in to meet them and Larry immediately loks at me and says "Well HELLO there!" I responded with "hello". Then he says "you wanna come here?" I said "ok", and walked over to his cage, picked him up and proceeded to have a complete conversation. He looks at me and says "Wanna take a bath?" I recanted with "well not right now sweetie. Maybe tomorrow." So he replies with "Wanna eat". I said "Ok. Lets just get you home and safe and we'll do that." Later that evening, after he was all settled in, I put him in his cage and he looks at me and says "Goodnight. See ya later!" I had to chuckle as I walked out of the room. Such an interesting little guy! Just for posterity, I've included pictures. I'm sure you're all wanting to see...

Get an ipod and load it up with your favorite music. When she starts screaming, strap it on and pretend the bird isn't there. This is what I did and it works like a charm. Be persistent. Don't even look at her. Just go about your day like normal. When she's quiet. Lavish affection on her, give her treats or her favorite snack. Make sure her cage is equipped with lots to "do". Greys need different toys than other birds. They like to figure stuff out and solve puzzle. Cater to that intelligence and you'll enjoy your time with her a lot more.

Thanks Judy. I just hate seeing people get taken advantage of. I hope this helps him at least get his playstand, if not, definitely his money back.

ok... More info! found this =) Danielle Thomas, CEO PollysPerch.com 800-971-6858 http://www.pollysperch.com mailto:danielle@pollysperch.com My work here is done <br><br>Post edited by: Ajilon, at: 2008/12/30 04:28

I've been doing some digging. It appears the company is in Massacusetts, however they're hosted here in Utah. The hosting company can be contacted here: BlueHost.com- INC 1215 North Research Way Suite #Q 3500 Orem, Utah 84097 United States Phone: +1.8017659400 Fax..: +1.8017651992 Email: mailto:whois@bluehost.com I'm still digging for info. Hopefully I'll come up with a contact number for the company next.

Out of all my birds, my CAG is probably the most demanding of my time and attention. It's not a light responsibility at all. I had to evaluate my long term situation before adopting Zazu. If my lifestyle should change, he would suffer. And as a baby, the attention I give him is even more critical. These birds are smart. They need to be handled as often as possible and provided the same amount of mental stimulation you would provide a child. Imagine locking a 4 year old little boy in a cage with the same toys to play with day after day. Think VERY hard about whether you can do this. Ask every question you can think of and arm yourself with knowledge. It will make the difference between a good companion bird and a bad one.

People that come to my house know better. I make it very clear that you must ask before picking any of my birds up and I make it clear which ones are likely to bite at that moment. You can tell by what kind of day they've had. If they pick up my birds without my permission, they're more likely to get bit by me before my birds. Besides, with 3 macaws, 1 mini macaw, 1 AG and 1 Amazon, I can't take the chance. The bigger guys will do alot of damage.

I use GSE (grapefruit seed extract) diluted 60 drops/32 ozs of water. It's amazing stuff. GSE has the same disinfecting properties as bleach but no odor, no chemical and no dangers to your birds. I use this to clean my house, counters and walls. Even without having birds, I've saved a TON of money on commercial cleaners. One little bottle of GSE goes a long, long way. I put mine in a spray bottle and have one on every floor. I spray my cages, rub the poop with a brush and then rinse and let dry.

I'm not sure what I plan on doing with Zazu. I just play with him, see how much he'll let me do and take things as they come. He does seem to enjoy our playing. As long as he's a willing recipient, we'll play. It's hard to believe I've only had him a month.

He's trying to get your attention. I know it's annoying and frustrating, but this is what all parrots do. I don't know any that are quiet. Noise? OMG, I have 3 macaws, an amazon and a Grey. You should be here during social hour. I swear to God the windows rattle and the house vibrates. Unfortunately, he's also going to feed off your attitude. If you have a negative attitude, he's going to react to that. How about keeping a pocket full of his favorite treat and every time you walk by his cage and he doesn't scream, give him a treat. He'll make the connection eventually. At 5 months old, he's a baby. he doesn't know any more than what you've taught him. Greys need ALOT of time and attention. If you're in the room, they think you should be holding and playing with them. Can you move him to another room where he can't see you all the time? It might help.

Thanks! hubby is working on my website. I think he just has a few little things to do and it'll be live.

I've only had him for a month, but he learns fast! I tell him "where's my dead bird?" and he'll roll off my hand backwards and land in the other one. I can't wait until he starts talking!

I have a friend that has a cockatoo with both feet turning in. He perches just fine and without any problems. It just looks a little funny. If it's something from a young age, he'll learn to function with it. Because of that, I'd be leary to trim his nails too much. Maybe just file the sharp points off.

Typically, rehomed birds will honeymoon for a period of about 3 months. During this time, they'll be on their best behavior and anything you allow will be acceptable later. So it's VERY important that you not start bad habits. I know it's hard because you're overjoyed to have him home after all this time, but whatever you do now will be considered normal later and can cause problems that are harder to reverse. For instance, if you won't have 6 hours a day to spend with him later, don't give him 6 now. A sudden decrease in attention can cause stress, depression and lead to plucking. Set playtime at the same time every day and for the same period of time. This will give him something to look forward to. My birds are on a schedule. Their cages gets rearranged every weekend. It keeps things interesting for them and because of that, change is normal and not something to be afraid of. As far as getting a new cage is concerned, I don't see any reason to wait too long. He seems to do well with changing circumstance, so chances are he'll readily accept a bigger house to live in. I'd transfer all his toys and perches to the new cage just to keep something familiar and one at a time remove the ones that are too big over a few weeks. Don't put any new toys in the bigger cage just yet. Give him a week to adjust. I got my female B&G a gigantic stainless steel cage and she literally wasn't herself for about a week. Now she loves having so much room and appreciates that I don't beat up her tail putting her back in. Of course, when she steps out of line, I get in her cage with her and get in her face. She's not sure what to make of that yet.

I have 5. There's a pecking order around here. The one that got here first is the one that gets attention first. The macaws seem to enjoy being around each other and chatter amongst themselves. When it comes to holding and playing, well... it's up to whoever happens to be behaving at the moment. Those who aren't, get to watch all the fun from their perches. I got Zazu, my AG as a companion for my amazon. They coexist together, but aren't really friends. I can perch them on the same playstand but I have to watch them. Believe it or not, the baby Grey beats up the amazon! However, neither one of them seem too upset at the other's existence. I say just go slow, make the introductions slowly and then integrate them into the same room over a period of time. You still have to monitor their play and pay extra attention to Woody in front of the new one. You're going to have to reassure him that he's not being replaced, but he'll be ok. Eventually, he'll appreciate the company.

I think when Zazu's grows back out I'm only going to clip the first 3 and see how he does. I don't mind him flying and I know he was properly fledged because he tries to do it all time. I'm just worried he's going to break that keel bone when he dives off the playstand. I have an amazon like yours. He's a blue front and nothing will stop him from flying. He gets a full clip and can still fly. However, I've come to realize if I hold him high on my hand and sail him through the air, that seems to satisfy his needs for a while.

Awww! It sounds like he does remember you! I'm glad he's settled in quickly. It took more than a week for any of mine to become social. Some longer than others. They are enjoyable to be around aren't they? I couldn't imagine my life without mine. They all make me laugh in their own way. Last night, Ty, my B&G macaw was sticking his tongue out of the cage and flicking it. I think I pulled a muscle laughing so hard.

A baby clip is ok though isn't it? I don't want Zazu to be fully flighted. He's well fledged and knows it. He tries to fly all the time. With my kids constantly running in and out, he'd be gone for sure. He's not smart enough to know he needs to stay in the house. While I don't want to risk his safety, I also don't want to risk his loss.

Brenda, Even though you shared a connection 15 years ago, you probably need to treat this like it's a new encounter. Give Timba a few days to settle in before trying to interact with him much. He's going to be fairly confused at what's happening. Select a permanent spot for his cage and try not to introduce any new toys at this time. Let him settle down first and get reacquainted with your home and the noises that surround it. Sit by his cage, read a book to him, talk softly and wait until he responds. Find out what his favorite treat is and offer that to him when he does. Take things VERY slowly and at his pace. He'll let you know when he's ready to accept you again. Is he stick trained? Have you visited him over the past 15 years? Congrats on getting your baby back and welcome to Greyforums

I have a harlequin macaw that belongs to my husband. This bird totally hates me and because of his attitude, the feeling has become mutual lately. I can't walk by him without him lunging. I try to feed him and he's biting through the cage. Whatever it takes to get to me. Lately, I've taken to just pretending he doesn't exist. If he lunges, he doesn't eat until my husband comes home. PERIOD. He's too big a bird with too harsh an attitude to make me want to take that risk.

Zazu is clipped. I won't be fully clipping again though Only the first 3 flights. I have to watch him closely and if I can't be with him, he's got to be in a cage. He'll dive from the top of his playstand straight to the tile kitchen floor. Many times I've hit a rage of panic wondering if he was ok. That's quite a fall. Greys weigh more than other parrots their size. I've learned that if you clip too much, they'll drop like a rock in water. Not a good idea. While I'm worried he'll get out and fly away, I'm willing to take other precautions to prevent that, including training for a harness.