Adopting a galah

aether-drifter · Dec 30, 2013

Meet Flower, a female galah who will soon be coming home with me. She was hatched sometime in 2011, hand-fed but not very well socialized. Her original owner left her alone too often in a very small cage. He then gave her to a friend of his, because I guess he just lost interest (or maybe realized that he didn't have the time for her). In any case, I found the ad for her, went to see her, and decided she would come live with me.

She's very skittish around strangers (including me, for now), shy, quiet and reserved. I'm hoping to bring her out of her shell and gradually socialize her. I'd like to harness train her eventually, and bring her out with me in the warmer months. She doesn't seem to know how to fly, either. And she looks and feels very overweight. She's on a mostly seed diet now, which I intend to change.

I've ordered her a bunch of toys, a nice big play top cage, and am shopping for play stands now.

I'm going to see her again this weekend; hoping she might let me handle her this time. Though I'm not expecting anything -- all in her own sweet time.

getwozzy · Dec 30, 2013

She's gorgeous!! And she looks like such a sweetheart!! Congrats on your new addition

MarciaLove · Dec 30, 2013

Oh shes so cute good luck!

thekarens · Dec 30, 2013

She is beautiful! Congrats!

Betrisher · Dec 30, 2013

Be patient and she'll come around for you. There's a few of us here with poorly socialised Galahs and it's a slow process, but it gets better every day and it's SO rewarding! Your baby is gorgeous and Flower is a lovely name for her.

MikeyTN · Dec 31, 2013

She's quite pretty!!!! With the new cage, don't put her in there just yet when you get her home. Let her be in her existing cage for the time being if she comes with the cage. Give her a month before putting her in the new cage. Be sure to leave a night light on for her cause she will freak with anything happening around her due to her being in a new cage. She will settle in to her new cage soon enough afterwards. Good luck!

strudel · Dec 31, 2013

She's gorgeous. Good choice of bird

MomtoPercy · Dec 31, 2013

Oh my, she's beautiful! I'd never seen Galah's until I joined this forum and I think they are one of the most beautiful parrots.

Flower is such a gorgeous name too!!

SoCalWendy · Dec 31, 2013

She's a doll. Love her name, flower.

aether-drifter · Dec 31, 2013

Thanks everyone! I really can't wait to have her home. I know I'll have to be patient with her, but that's just fine.

She trusts her current caretaker, whom she's been with for about five weeks now. Steps up for him, lets him pet her and give her head scritches. When I came near the cage, she panicked at first, but a minute later she was bobbing her head and looking at me curiously. So she's not unfriendly, just really not used to strangers. From what the gentleman has told me, he got her used to him by flooding methods. Didn't use that word of course, but he would do things like hold her feet when she tried to fly off. Not something I'd do, but as I said she does seem to like him.

MikeyTN said:
She's quite pretty!!!! With the new cage, don't put her in there just yet when you get her home. Let her be in her existing cage for the time being if she comes with the cage. Give her a month before putting her in the new cage. Be sure to leave a night light on for her cause she will freak with anything happening around her due to her being in a new cage. She will settle in to her new cage soon enough afterwards. Good luck!

'Fraid that's not possible...I'm taking her home on a plane, as I'm only on this side of the country for work right now. I couldn't take the cage with me too. But I'll be taking her one toy and grape wood perch, which will hopefully comfort her. She'll just have to get used to the new cage right away, even though I know it isn't ideal.

aether-drifter · Dec 31, 2013

Oh, and apparently she says her name, which is why I'll most likely be keeping it. I might try to change it to Flora, if she'll accept it, as I like that a bit better -- but it's no big deal. Flower is a cute name. Before I found out that she knew her name, I wanted to call her Sakura (Japanese for cherry blossom).

strudel · Dec 31, 2013

My pets usually get multiple names. I call them lots of different nicknames and different things. You could call her Sakura as a pet name.

I was worried when I adopted my galah that she'd hate me and be stressed about being ripped from her home and family. She accepted the changes without any drama. I think she was just used to different people and wasn't afraid because she'd always been treated well. Also, I think cockies are generally quite "laid-back", they are the type of bird strangers can talk to without them chucking a wobbly. Obviously, everyone's an individual but the cockies I've met and known have been friendly to everybody.

aether-drifter · Dec 31, 2013

True...most of my pets have always had lots of nicknames.

I'm hoping that I can reverse most of the damage done by neglect and under-socialization. Do you think that's realistic? I know she may never be as outgoing as a bird that was socialized well as a baby. But it would be great if she could learn to be more comfortable with people in general, not just me.

MikeyTN · Dec 31, 2013

If that's the case you have no control over. She should be fine in the new cage but night light would help. Good luck!!!!

aether-drifter · Dec 31, 2013

Yep, that's the plan!

aether-drifter · Dec 31, 2013

This is what I have for her so far...

Cage:

Play stand:

Toys:

getwozzy · Dec 31, 2013

Wow!!!! She's one spoiled baby!!

strudel · Dec 31, 2013

aether-drifter said:
I'm hoping that I can reverse most of the damage done by neglect and under-socialization. Do you think that's realistic?

I think it's realistic to try.

I'm no bird expert, I'm a new galah owner, but I expect there'd be a lot of variables as to what the outcome will be - her personality and how ingrained any behaviours have become, how you go about it taking into account how she is, etc. If she's not "too bad" and you do "the right things", then hopefully her past could stay her past and her future will be better.

She's already doing better. Look at all that stuff! Lucky girl.

Allee · Dec 31, 2013

She is really lovely!! What a perfect name. Congrats!!!

aether-drifter · Dec 31, 2013

strudel said:
aether-drifter said:

I'm hoping that I can reverse most of the damage done by neglect and under-socialization. Do you think that's realistic?

Click to expand...

I think it's realistic to try.

I'm no bird expert, I'm a new galah owner, but I expect there'd be a lot of variables as to what the outcome will be - her personality and how ingrained any behaviours have become, how you go about it taking into account how she is, etc. If she's not "too bad" and you do "the right things", then hopefully her past could stay her past and her future will be better.

She's already doing better. Look at all that stuff! Lucky girl.

Well, at the very least I know she can be friendly and comfortable with the people she knows. She can have a good life, even if she doesn't become a social butterfly. I'd just like to be able to take her out on a harness to enjoy more of what life has to offer.

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