MAX Has Gone

[Guest Skuffy]

Well i don't know were to start...

It was Saturday 10:15pm 13/9/08,i was putting the rubbish out and as normal my back-door was open,it was a nice night moon was out clear skies.As i was walking back in Max came flying out over my head and landed on my garden bench.I walked up to him talking nice and he stepped up,just as he did a car (boy racer)blasted down my street over the road humps making loads noise and spooked Max.Off he went into the moon light,left my head in bits...

The nxt morning at 5am i got up got my big fishing net out and set off looking for him,i live next to a National park, i thought id have no chance of seeing him.As igot to the main gate i could hear MAX ringing my phone,i walked about looking up in some bloody big trees 100f high and i spotted his Red tail..I climbed the tree got about foot off him,sat talking to him,,c`mon c`mon hoping he would come to me..he didn't he took flight again this time he headed back to my house were i heard him in a garden near me...I knocked the ppl up to get in there back yard and he was sat in a prickle bush were i couldn't get my hand or my net in...I shoed him out were he went up the street and right into my back garden,more big trees.he sat in the top for 2days calling me.I put his cage outside and lots foods,but he was to scared to come down .Tuesday Morning a frantic woman came knocking at my door...YOUR PARROTS IN THE FIRESTATION TREE come onnn hurry..(every-1 knows Max round here)..

 

I went up to the firestation were he was sat in another 100f tree..I asked the firemen for help..One said i have to ring inspector see what he says about using a basket&engine..Inspector came to look, but the officer who rang him,,Rang this though as a job, so when inspector came he charged me £450 to use the engine and basket (WOOT):woohoo:

 

He said If he would of said can we do a training exercise they would done it for free.Any way come back tomorrow and we will get him down as training exercise best i can do for you right now sorry.... MY head was in bits,,,The bloody birds right there if it was a cat they just go up and get them,,Grrrrrrrrrrr...

 

The next morning i went back to see if Max was still sat there but he'd gone,i was heart broken and still am..I rang my vet as he is the only avian vet around here,told him about Max and if any-1 brings him in,,you know his id,,hes lost not a sold bird,,I rang all the pet shops around,,and the sanctuary's left all my Name/Address phone number and all Max id..so i still may have a chance..

 

In the mean time i neede a new Grey so i found a nice little 9mth old called Scoody who cost me a lot of money and hes now here with me loving it..he was just sat in a cage 24/7 and who ever clipped him butchered him,,he was full of oil his feathers were a mess..I got him last wednesday and hes stared to eat right now,,his feathers are looking clean in fact hes a Little fatty now,,putting weight on in leeps and bounds...Hes so happy,,and will let any-1 in my Flock pick him up,,so far in just a few days i tought him to step up..say hello and c`mon,,and hes trying so hard to do my wistle and ring my phone..

 

I'll post a few pic's when i work my new phone out..

{Nature-00020095} <---NEW BABY SCOOBY-DOO

[danmcq]

I am sorry to hear of the loss. Personally, I would have paid the 450 to get my much loved Grey out of that tree using the fire crew while I knew exactly where my Grey was.

 

Whats the difference in purchase price for another versus getting your much loved Grey?

 

It sounds if if you just gave up on him and just went and purchased another.........

 

I don't know about others here, but once I have eye contact on my lost bird, I don't give up and go to bed. I stay and call to them and never lose sight of them. If they fly, I follow. They are just like a true lost human child to me and I would follow them 24/7 until I either got them or they flew so far I could never find them. I would never relent until the latter happened.

 

Now Max is still out, hungry, scared and most likely sentenced to death unless someone finds him and can get to him.............VERY SAD for Max.

[Guest Skuffy]

Thanks for that,,nice reply...what i expected really..

[casper]

I dont know what to say to this post without sounding to harsh!

I ditto with Dan!

I would have been out day and night and paid £1000 pounds if my baby was sat in that tree.

I know you must be hurting Mark but I couldnt have left him there without giving him a chance and you dont rush out and by one thing to replace another!

Im so sad for Max he has no chance of survival on his own, I hope he has been found and well looked after.

My babies are priceless, sorry for saying how I feel.

[Guest Skuffy]

Its not the money,,thats not a problem,,and i did stay up with him,,,even the fireman said he would have a problem getting him,,we don't live in NEW YORK,we don't have the big tall engines,,,,so i would have been waisting my money,,You need to understand that...The night he was in firestation grounds,,they wouldn't let me stay on the grounds,,I had no choise but to Go home and come back early morning...what can i say,,Don't kick a man when hes down for god sack,,,I love max like my own kids..there was no-way of getting him down,,You need to see the tree b4 you cast such nasty judgments..

[LindaMary]

Mark, I am so sorry to hear that Max has flown away! I know you are getting mixed reactions here (especially to getting another grey so quickly), but I also appreciate your describing for us in detail the steps you took to try to recover Max over several days. How infuriating an frustrating it must have been to be so close so often and still not manage to get hold of him! I can really picture myself in that situation, knowing my own probably very-poorly-disguised panic was probably just making the bird more nerovus as well. I myself wonder whether the whole fire-engine exercise would have been to any avail: if Max was so skittish thathe wouldn;t even come to you in quieter circumstances, it's mhard for me to imagine that a stranger on a great big ladder would have much better luck.

 

In any case, I really do hope that all is not lost and that Max will be returned to you! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you! Have you also notified the mail carriers? Put up signs? I'm sure you've read Andrew's article that he put on here after Tui flew away this summer - another heartbreaker.

 

Please keep us posted. Mixed feelings doesn't mean we don't care!

[siobha9]

I really feel for Mark, I can't imagine how it must feel to lose Max. But I have to agree with Dan and Caroline. If I knew my bird was so close I would have stayed there. I would have sat on the wall of the firestation if I had to. Firestations where I live are on call 24/7 so they dont close up especially at night. :unsure:

 

I'm pleased you got another grey, but personally I would have waited. If you get Max back do you intend keeping both of them? Will you have to buy a new cage?

[Talon]

I am so sorry for your loss. As I imagine you felt you did everything you could to get him back, I do agree that the way you wrote your story, it appears that you kind of accepted that your couldn't get him, and moved on. I am sure we are all mis-interpreting it.

 

But what has leaves me the angriest, is it disgusts me and makes me angry when I read stories like yours, and I have read MANY! WHY WOULD YOU BE SO CARELESS AND LEAVE YOUR BACK DOOR OPEN AND RISK THE SAFETY OF MAX? I have 2 fully flighted greys who are out of their cages all day while I am home, free to fly through the house as they desire, supervised, and NEVER do we leave a door open, or even chance it!! I yell at everybody who enters my house to come in quick and close the door as fast as possible, all the while keeping my birds in another part of the house with me or a family member, and keeping the door closed. If that is not an option, then they go in their cages so there is no risk to them getting spooked and suddenly flying out the door.

 

I read your story time and time again, and it infuriates me that people are so trusting in thinking their birds love them so much, that they would never accidentally get spooked and fly towards the first opening they see, familiar or unfamiliar. It happens EVERY TIME THEY GET SPOOKED, and sounds and sights that are so "normal" to us that we don't even give them a second thought, can be terrifying to our birds. They depend on us for their safety, and when we are careless with it because we have such trust in them, it can be a disaster as you have just learned.

 

I hope and pray that Max is found and returned to you.

 

I apologize for my rant, and this was by no means directed at you personally, but I just had to get this off my chest, as I read your story very frequently. :angry:

[Janfromboone]

I know from experience how distressed you were. I lost my cockateil years ago. I read your description of the bird flying away from you when you tried to get him and of you finding him in high inaccessable trees. It was my experience exactly and your "head in bits". Yes!! I know from that experience after hours or days of this frustration you don't think clearly and for years now you will wish you had done more. Even if you did everything that was within reason at the time you will agonize over not doing more. I know I still do if I think about it. In hindsite there always seems to have been more you could have done. you have my sympathy and understanding. Also, I imagine if the bird was so confused that he couldn't come to you, he would have flown away from the fireman, or the ladder or whatever he would have done to get to him anyway.<br><br>Post edited by: Janfromboone, at: 2008/09/26 16:04

[Guest Skuffy]

Saturday night Max flew,he went into Daisy-Nook Wildlife Park..So at that time of night i had no chance of finding him in the dark.Sunday morning I got up crack of dawn went looking as i said in the last post..Yes i did make big pic and put them in my local Newpaper shop and Supermarket with reward..Also rang every pet shop and vets about,,We only have one Avian vet and he knows Max..All the Pet shops around here know me and Max aswell (I have a Senagal had him 10yrs)

 

Sunday when i got him in my garden we also have 4x 100+foot trees in my garden,i put his cage out/foods/toys,,and sat with him,,calling all the time, i only went in to eat my food,even brought my plate out to him because max eats with the family..he would flattern his back flap his wings as to say come and get me,but heres no way up the trees or don't you think i wound have gone up for him,,the 3rd day he went into the firestation tree,I could see they didn't really want to help me as its only a Bird to them..as i heard 1 say...(idiot):evil:

And the inspector ....really he could have said use the engine as a training exercise he would if i was a woman trying to get my bird down,,,I could see he thought it was funny,,It wasn't for lack of trying to get Max,,It was impossible,,,The branches he was on were so thin as you all can imagine,,no-way old a cat never mind a Man in all his fire-gear,..So i did try to get him,,and still am...I bought my Scooby because he DID need a better home than the one he was in,,,,very small cage,,no toys,,only nuts to eat,,Damn,,I had to have him,,now he gets the best..O`well i tryed to explain,,think what you like,,but i tryed

[Guest Skuffy]

I understand the back door being open now,,and kick myself hard,,with having kids in-out all the time,,Max has never EVER made a move to the door,,he sits on my washing basket for hrs sometimes,,door open and never moves,,,This all happen to me at night time,,It was dark outside,,Not in a Million years would i have thought a Grey would fly at night,,or any other bird

,,So it was a simple but silly mistake on my side,,never again...

 

Scooby is 100 times better off with me and my family..And trust me,,I haven;t given up on Max,,,,not 1 bit..The "if only" keeps hitting me hard,,

[bbrew5]

I am so sorry, Hopefully someone will find him.

[Talon]

Thank you Skuffy for your reply. I feel I have a better understanding of all your efforts to get Max back. I have great respect for you in not taking these replies personally and getting angry and defensive at us. I understand you learned a valuable lesson, and please don't give up on Max. Keep calling for him, he's scared, and needs you. He WANTS you to help and find him.

[Guest Skuffy]

Ive been out everyday looking for him,,call in the local pet shops aswell,,just oncase some 1 calls in saying they found a Grey,,You never know,,am living in hope,If some body does find him,,like i explained we only have 1 avian vet in my town,and he will contact me ASAP..same with all the Pet-shops about..I can stop my Grey anywhere and the things i have tought him to say..If any-1 has him,,I hope the ringing of my phone drives them mad and they turn him in..We all miss him so much,cross fingers i do get him back some day..Sorry if i am not very good at explaining myself..But beleave me,,Ive not given up on him not for 1 sec.Hes in my thoughts all the time, every colar dove i see i think it him come home... but its not

[Talon]

I have taught Talon to say our phone number in hopes that GOdFORBID she ever is lost, she will drive the people nuts saying it over and over again. :dry:

 

Keep up the search, and please keep us posted. Max is in my prayers.

[Guest Skuffy]

Yeah!! I remember your post from b4,,I started to teach Max his,,but he got the numbers mixed up..Hes on YouTube if any-1 wants to see him,,search skuffy39 Max on the phone and there's few more...........coin games,,take a lookB)<br><br>Post edited by: Skuffy, at: 2008/09/26 16:42

[danmcq]

Skuffy wrote:

..there was no-way of getting him down,,You need to see the tree b4 you cast such nasty judgments..

 

Skuffy, I do sound harsh because I am.

 

I would have parked myself outside the firestation grounds with a spot light and watched my bird all night. If it flew, I would follow.

 

I know this is just me and how much value I place on a loved pet. Maybe I am overboard on how much I love and feel responsible for my animals and birds, but thats how I am. They ARE considered my children.

 

I do not want to drive you from this forum, but I do want others to know that people do stay out all for days and nights following their birds to rescue them.

 

I want others to know they are not crazy if they do so and to pay no attention to the ridicule they may receive for driving their neighbors and other people carzy at all hours of the night or early morning calling to their Parrot.

 

I did so when my Parrot flew away and drove my neighbors crazy and just told them sorry and why I was out calling my Parrot. Some were outraged, but I did not care......

 

I hope you do find Max and I also congratulate you on your new Grey. :-)

[Guest]

ah Skuffy, I am SO sorry {Feel-bad-0002006A}

[lovemyGreys]

I'm sorry Mark but i also feel strongly on this & Echo many of the previous comments.

I shall say no more as you have taken plenty of criticism & im sure you have beaten yourself up a million times for leaving the door open.

My heart bleeds for Max,i hope one day he is found safe & well.

[Luvparrots]

I am so very, very sorry for your loss. I'm new to The Forum, won't get my baby Tag until mid-November, so I have no experience with parrots and I don't know you or your relationship to others in this forum family, but I do understand why you could get a new friend to soothe the loss of an old friend. I have been spending my time in the greyforums gaining all the free knowledge everyone so generously shares in this website. I don't think anyone was really angry at you, but at the situation and the fear that it could happen to one of them. Your loss has taught me a valuable lesson and for that I can only thank you. I hope Max's comes home.

[Gus]

am so sorry to hear of this happening you must be devastated .

 

 

just watched your you tube clips of max he was lovely (a northern african grey)

 

Post edited by: Gus, at: 2008/09/26 19:03<br><br>Post edited by: Gus, at: 2008/09/29 06:15

[Lanibird]

I feel sick at heart every time I hear a story like this. You must feel awful! I have had my CAG for 15 years and have always been careful to an extreme degree but if I lost her I would surely die from the guilt. Don't give up hope on Max! Keep going out to search, because he must be missing you terribly as well! Many people will learn a valuable lesson from your misfortune. I hope he makes his way home......

 

Lanibird

[Ina]

All i can say is I hope MAX comes home 1 day. What happend to your MAX can happen to our birds as well, to me it is also an eye opener. I wish to you all the best with your new grey. God bless and be strong you are in our thoughts ...

[Ina]

All i can say is I hope MAX comes home 1 day. What happend to your MAX can happen to our birds as well, to me it is also an eye opener. I wish to you all the best with your new grey. God bless and be strong you are in our thoughts ...

[Guest Skuffy]

Wish i never said anything now,,My loss and my fault for telling you all..as for danmcq.Hope u never have a loss........ any i see it<br><br>Post edited by: Skuffy, at: 2008/09/26 20:41