Looking to adopt in Hawaii

birdsftw

New member
Sep 20, 2016
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O'ahu, HI
Parrots
Red-bellied parrot
We are looking for an addition to our family. We are patient and looking for the right fit for us, as well as the bird. We currently have one bird who is bonded to me. We are looking for a companion for my husband. The addition does not need to get along with our current bird and we are ready to keep them separate at all times if they don't get along.

Our ideal addition would be small-medium in size and on the quieter side of parrots, such as Senegals (and other Poicephalus) or Pionus. We understand all parrots make noise but some, like Sun conures and cockatoos, are too much for us. We would like to avoid smaller birds, like green cheeks and lovebirds, and anything larger than a Pionus. As much as I adore lovebirds, my husband would like a bird a bit more substantial in size but nothing larger than a Pi due to the size of the cage. No cockatiels because we learned while fostering them that hubby is allergic to their dander. Sex doesn't matter. Age doesn't matter. Prefer fully tame, since husband is wanting a companion, but he is willing to work with semi-tame.

Our two-person household (no kids) is very experienced in parrot care. I have 16 years and my husband has seven years experience. Our experience ranges from lovebirds to African Greys. No smoking, perfume, cologne, air fresheners, Teflon pans. No other pets. We take excellent care of all birds we have been lucky enough to live with. We have a dedicated bird room with two custom made Expandable Habitats stainless steel cages and all toys are purchased from Avian Stainless and Things for Wings online (they are the BEST!). We feed Harrison's pellets and Avian Organics treats, fruits and veggies, mash, birdy bread, etc. We have four Java play stands and two Wingdows so there's always a place for the birds to play. We have King's aluminium travel carriers to bring the bird with us out and about. Our Avian vet is Dr. Furutani at the Mililani Mauka Vet Clinic.

We are not looking to buy a bird. We believe in true adoption rather than buying. Our current bird was given to us because the owner believed we could truly give her a great life when they no longer could and we adopted my husband's last bird (a Poicephalus as well) for a very nominal adoption fee of $50 because the owners felt we would be an excellent home. Rather than paying a lot for the bird itself, we believe the money would be better spent on the bird's CARE. And anyone who knows proper parrot care knows it's expensive in itself! We are more than willing to do multiple interviews, provide photos, and have a home visit done to give peace of mind that the bird will be well cared for. With my current bird, I am in constant contact with the previous owner and send her photos almost weekly.

If you (or someone you know) are looking to rehome your bird for one reason or another and think we would be a good fit, please contact us. Thanks very much!
 
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birdsftw

birdsftw

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Sep 20, 2016
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O'ahu, HI
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Red-bellied parrot
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Yes, I did and I responded that I wasn't sure why you referred me to it... The person is trying to sell their cockatiel and we are looking to adopt. Also, as written in this thread, we can't have cockatiels because my husband is allergic to their dander.

Thanks though.
 

Flboy

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Dec 28, 2014
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Greater Orlando area, Florida
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JoJo, 'Special' GCC, Bongo, Cinnamon GCC(wife's)
Yes, I did and I responded that I wasn't sure why you referred me to it... The person is trying to sell their cockatiel and we are looking to adopt. Also, as written in this thread, we can't have cockatiels because my husband is allergic to their dander.

Thanks though.

Ah, now I slowly am beginning to understand! Early out this way!
 

Allee

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Oct 27, 2013
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U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
Best of luck to you, I hope you find the absolute perfect bird to fit your cage and lifestyle. If you do find a true adoption, free of charge, I'd like to hear the story. I hope some needy bird has the opportunity to take advantage of your experience and resources.
 

SilverSage

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Sep 14, 2013
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Columbus, GA
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Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
I saw your craigslist ad, I'm located in Hawaii as well. For me personally adoption is about the needs of the bird rather than the price tag. I have adopted several birds who had price tags that would put a pet store to shame :(

Are you a member of the local bird clubs and Facebook pages? They often have adoptable birds that never get advertised beyond an email to club members.

I would also suggest joining the local military pet pages. As much as I hate to say it, a LOT of military folks buy birds and ditch them when they move.

Have toy tried Bruce "The Bird Guy"? He often has people literally dumping birds on his doorstep, and might be able to help you find the right match.

I'll keep you in mind if I hear of anything. Sometimes my house seems full of foster birdies but I don't have any right now (although that cockatiel linked above may get the better of me; again I don't see price as an indicator of adoption vs. sale).


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birdsftw

birdsftw

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Sep 20, 2016
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O'ahu, HI
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Red-bellied parrot
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Best of luck to you, I hope you find the absolute perfect bird to fit your cage and lifestyle. If you do find a true adoption, free of charge, I'd like to hear the story. I hope some needy bird has the opportunity to take advantage of your experience and resources.

My RB was one. She belonged to a client of ours (we did a mobile nail trimming business with selling toys/perches) that we visited every six months for a few years. What happened was they had found a male RB in their garage and no one claimed him so they kept him. Against our advice of not getting another bird FOR their bird - we told her she needed to get another bird because she wanted one because there's a 50/50 chance they will or won't get along. They bought a baby RB from another island and they didn't get along. Their male HATED her. But it turned out okay because they bought another cage and just kept them separate, but that meant double the work.

Then the client had another baby and felt bad that the female was getting neglected. The male wasn't tame and didn't want to interact with the family anyway so he was fine. But the female, who was tame, wasn't getting enough attention. When she heard my lovebird passed, she offered the female to me. I declined because I was nowhere near ready for another bird in my life. My lovebird was the light of my life and I loved him more than my now-husband (and hubby knew it)! Anyway, over the course of a year or so we would touch base and she'd again offer her bird to me. Over a year passed and I thought maybe I was ready but I couldn't be 100% sure and knew I'd never know for sure so I took her on a trial basis. That trial turned into her living here permanently.

Our client is really happy she's with us and I send her weekly pics (as long as I don't forget!).

So this is the kind of thing we want for my husband. Not the same situation, but to encounter an owner that can't keep their bird anymore for whatever reason and wants the bird to go to a loving home rather than to whoever can pay the "rehoming" fee. It's not that we can't afford it - we bought custom stainless steel cages for crying out loud (LOL) - we just don't want to be buying a bird from someone trying to recoup costs or make a profit. We might as well go to a breeder or pet store if that's the case.
 

SilverSage

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Sep 14, 2013
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Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Those people drive me nuts! It's a pet not an investment! Now, where did you get your SS cages? I have tried and TRIED to find some that would ship here but no luck!


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birdsftw

birdsftw

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Sep 20, 2016
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O'ahu, HI
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Red-bellied parrot
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I saw your craigslist ad, I'm located in Hawaii as well. For me personally adoption is about the needs of the bird rather than the price tag. I have adopted several birds who had price tags that would put a pet store to shame :(

Are you a member of the local bird clubs and Facebook pages? They often have adoptable birds that never get advertised beyond an email to club members.

I would also suggest joining the local military pet pages. As much as I hate to say it, a LOT of military folks buy birds and ditch them when they move.

Have toy tried Bruce "The Bird Guy"? He often has people literally dumping birds on his doorstep, and might be able to help you find the right match.

I'll keep you in mind if I hear of anything. Sometimes my house seems full of foster birdies but I don't have any right now (although that cockatiel linked above may get the better of me; again I don't see price as an indicator of adoption vs. sale).


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We just won't do it based on principle. Our personal preference is not to help people recoup the cost they spent on the bird and supplies. So we're patient.

We used to be members of a bird club and were extremely active in the local bird community but we left because they are crazy and are bird hoarders. Not all of them, but a lot of them. Man, the things we've witnessed... And now the crazy is split between two bird clubs that hate and compete with each other. We're not about that BS. If there was a local bird club that was drama free, we'd love it. Unfortunately it doesn't exist.

I have joined the FB military pet pages, as well as the O'ahu one. :)

As for Bruce, I don't like him. He's lost more birds over the years than I can count, I've seen him try to barter birds for woman favors, sell birds as "great gifts" (pets make terrible gifts!!)... all the things I know about him that I can't mention - I just don't want anything to do with him.

Thanks for keeping me in mind if you do hear of something. I appreciate it.
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SilverSage

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Sep 14, 2013
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Columbus, GA
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Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Trust me, I'm PAINFULLY aware of the club drama :( I just figured I would mention a few options since I don't know you or your experiences.


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birdsftw

birdsftw

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O'ahu, HI
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Red-bellied parrot
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Thanks, SilverSage. Back when we were part of the bird club we were the youngest adults members and everyone else was like 20+ years our senior. It didn't really feel like a bird club because all they did was talk about their personal health issues and such. Then there was a huge blowout from an issue that was festering between a group of people and we had enough. Just stopped showing up. Then the second bird club was created by some of those people from that crazy drama group. So... no thanks to joining that. And then you're apparently FORBIDDEN to join the other club if you're a member of the first? Childish. Steering clear with a ten foot pole. I could tell you so many stories, guuuuuuuuurl. LOL

As for our cages, they are from Expandable Habitats in Ohio. Shipping was somewhere around $700/cage?? So total for both cages with shipping came out to about $6000. Unfortunately our experience with them wasn't stellar (and you expect stellar for that amount of money) and parts had to be shipped back to them for not fitting properly. In the end, both my husband and I had to use all our strength to push and pull pieces of the base so they would align. Unfortunately this means we can NEVER, EVER, take the base apart or we will probably never get it back together again.

That being said, they are still my dream cages because they will last forever and the doors are so big I can fit my body into it. I also had them place the side doors in a way where I can change out the perches attached to the back bars alone. With the wrought iron flights we used to have, my husband always had to help me with the back perches.

The reason we went with EH in the first place is I heard good reviews from a couple of people who ordered them on the mainland. Plus, when I inquired about ordering cages with the few companies that actually make stainless steel cages, none of the other ones would make a cage with 1/2" bar spacing! 3/4" is just too large for a lovebird, which I had at the time. EH was the only one willing to custom make 1/2" bar spacing. After making ours, though, they told us it was just too difficult to do and said they probably won't be offering it as an option anymore. Don't know if that's changed or not since.
 

SilverSage

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Sep 14, 2013
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Columbus, GA
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Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Frustrating. Well I can't afford that currently.

And the new club managed to stay relatively drama free for a while (was great when I arrived) and then exploded in a cloud of hate. So I'm not part of it anymore. It was very frustrating and honestly quite scary for someone like me who had no idea what was boiling below the surface. Then everything came out in the open. Yuck. I found horrendous accusations being thrown at ME based on who my friends were ( and what they had supposedly done... Which I had no idea about let alone knew if they were true) and a bunch of stuff. I just mentioned them because of the rehoming aspect :) I know both clubs take "great pride" in their ability to rescue and rehome.


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birdsftw

birdsftw

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O'ahu, HI
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Red-bellied parrot
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We've witness first hand what their "great pride" in rehoming looks like. It went just like this:

"We received (insert parrot species here) that is looking for a home. Who can take it?"

*At least half the club eagerly raising their hands*

"Okay. So and so can take it."

-----

No interviewing, no home visits, nothing. It's like they assume just because you pay $20 for membership it automatically makes you a fit parrot owner. It always made my husband and I sad to see that kind of thing.
 

SilverSage

New member
Sep 14, 2013
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Columbus, GA
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Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Yeah. I won't go into my personal stories because I don't want to be killed in my sleep. But yeah.


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SilverSage

New member
Sep 14, 2013
5,937
94
Columbus, GA
Parrots
Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Yep, and in the end we would both just be even more bitter :p


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birdsftw

birdsftw

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Sep 20, 2016
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O'ahu, HI
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Red-bellied parrot
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For me it'd be more like continuing to be thankful I'm not a part of that scene anymore. The only thing I was bitter about was that they ruined what could have been a great experience. I wanted to feel like I was part of a community of like-minded people. To just talk about birds and share stories about our birds and not have the other person get bored. My regular friends don't want to hear about my birds (but they can sure go on about their children). Birds are just birds to most people. I wanted to become friends with people where birds are their FAMILY.

My husband and I thought to create our own club after we left the old one but we knew most people weren't willing to get current vet checks just to come to a gathering - and we didn't want to expose our birds to others that might be sick. So that idea had to get scrapped.
 

SilverSage

New member
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Columbus, GA
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Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Yep! Especially with the recent PBFD scare!


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