Taking in a rescue?

We have been very happy with our first CAG, Cheney, that we brought home in July. which was the last time I was here because I have been so busy! 4 dogs (one a 16 week old), the tortoise, the cat and the CAG take a lot of care. I am home full time, so it's not a big deal and makes me happy.

My oldest daughter has developed a real interest in birds and wanted a couple parakeets that a guy my husband worked with is giving away. I called my CAG breeder to ask and she recommended I do NOT take them for fear of introducing disease.

She called me back after and said that she has a rescue CAG we could have free and a small fee for his cage. For appearances, he would be my daughters bird, but we all know how rare it is for a 13 year old to make a lifetime commitment, so he would really be mine and my husbands. Unless, of course, she surprises me and ends up responsible for him and takes him with her in the future when she leaves home.

His name is Egypt. he was hatched 6-25-2000. He was purchased at a pet store for a young man. The young man grew up and went away to college in another state, leaving Egypt behind. The family were afraid of him, did not handle him and then decided to give him away, but mo one really wanted him because he plucked himself almost bald. My breeder took him in last year as she has quite a few rescues.

She says he is a nice bird, never had any trouble with him biting or anything. He does not eat fresh foods other than a couple things and seems to only eat his Golden Feast mixtures and pellets. she gives him supplemental vitamins.

She said she thinks he may be able to grow his feathers back, but right now he only has "fluff". Her theory is that he needs more time than she can give him with her job and her other 40 birds,plus babies. She thinks in a home like ours he would improve. She said he cannot fly, so we would have to hold him like one would hold a puppy, make sure he doesn't become unbalanced and fall and put him on the low perches in his cage.

This is a big deal so we a thinking about it carefully.

Do you think he could grow his feathers back and what would we be able to do to help that happen? So sad to be a bird and not be able to fly! Poor guy.

Has anyone had a "nekkid bird!" and what are the challenges of caring for one?

Thanks so much for any help, advice and opinions.

I'm glad things are working out w/you & Cheney. I found a link to a woman who has been rehabing a plucked cockatoo for about a year. She has even starting flying. She makes little ponchos for her, very cute. I bet she would be glad to answer all of your questions. Good luck w/the new baby. Welcome to Facebook - Log In, Sign Up or Learn More

i think if your up for the challenge you should for sure get eygpt. my bird hasnt plucked before but my friends mothers bird does because it has no toys or attention i think if you relieve the stress it can grow its feathers back. good luck keep us updated!

I'm always a fan of rescuing, its such a rewarding thing to do. Also your daughter may surprise you. I have a chocolate lab that my parents let me get when I was 12yrs old, then when I was 13 a stray black lab showed up at my parents house, I convinced them to let me keep him as well and they did. Also at 13 my parents got me two horses as a birthday present. I am now 25 yrs old, I still have both of those dogs the first one just turned 13 and the black lab was fully grown when he showed up so we are guessing hes 13-14 yrs old. I also still have my original two horses, that I've almost have had for 11 years now (I've done several rescues of dogs, cats, horses, birds etc. throughout the years but these animals in particular are my originals). My parents were very straight forward, they told me that if I was to have an animal then it would be my sole responsibility to take care of them and that if I couldn't they would find a home for them or take them to animal control (not that they really meant that but at the time I thought they did). They also said that when ever I moved out everything that was mine would go with me. Its amazing how, because I have always put them as a priority, I still have them. There were some years that I lived off of Ramen noodles and worked two jobs but I made it work, they are and always have been considered family.

As far as the feather plucking/shredding. To save length, if you really want to know how I feel then look up some of my past posts on that particular topic. In short, don't ever expect that it will ever fully go away (you can curb the behavior by providing the perfect ideal environment but even that may not deter the plucking). Be prepared to except this behavior for as long as the bird lives. It will be a life long process. To think that you can resolve that issue is common but not only a false but also a completely unrealistic way of thinking. Its a product of the birds past and unfortunately will always be an issue. Don't take it personal when the bird plucks or shreds at your house, because it will do so. Over time you may curb it and you may go days, then weeks/months, sometimes years without a feather touched. Then one day come home to a completely naked bird for no reason. This is just how it is, you cant take it personal and you cant make it your life goal to fix it because it may never truly go away. If you take this bird on then love it for it and forget that it even has feathers at all, if the bird wants to be bald then let it be bald. Provide the best environment possible, hope for the best but don't expect a different outcome from what you already see. There are things you can do for distraction (keeping bird busy, lots and lots of foraging toys, shredding toys, a lot of attention, stable environment etc.) that help, but just don't expect to be able to truly fix it, you'll just end up frustrated, when the problem is with in the bird and has nothing to do with you.

I agree with Molcan, however I have seen birds that seem to have stopped plucking, and haven't in a long time. But, it is a problem of the bird itself. Just remember that a naked bird needs to be kept warm because there are no feathers to keep it warm. Many rescues seem to realize that you are trying to help them, and become loving pets. Do not get this bird for your daughter unless you are willing to take it on as your own. She may love this bird, and become its lifelong friend. But, she may not, in which case it is your bird. I do bird rescue, and have taken in several birds that were bought for someone else, and eventually not wanted by that person, or the family. This poor baby has been through enough. If this is not going to be his forever home, please do not bring him home. The last thing he needs is to bond with your family, and then have to move on. I beg you to consider this birds future above all else.

I talked to my breeder again yesterday about Egypt. My husband was worried Cheney might start plucking because she sees him do it or that he may have some bad habits like swearing that she could copy.

My breeder says he is talking, but she has never heard him swear and that she has also never seen him pluck since he has been with her. He has some feathers on his wings and tail now and his chest and back are white fluff. She also said that he will stay on his play perch all day and not get into things because he knows he can't fly, that he can flap his wings a bit to regain balance sometimes and almost make short hopping type flights like a bird who had a really bad wing clip would do.

I told her we can come pick him up this weekend.

Of course, I will keep him if my daughter proves to not be a good owner or is not in a position when she leaves to care for him. I already have such a menagerie that it would be no problem to take care of Egypt forever.

I will check out that link, but I doubt he will regrow feathers more than he already has. Breeder said he has been in her home a year now and the chest and back are still just fluff plus the wing and tail have not fully regrown. That leads me to think that he probably damaged himself permanently.

Is a heat lamp something I should have for him? My house can get a bit chilly during the winters.