Unexpected Nanday

I had been considering getting a sun conure, but when I saw an ad for a Nanday in my area I decided to go visit her.

The people selling her had a baby and were scared of landing on the baby's head or something, so she was rarely let out of her cage, which was tiny, had one toy, and was dirty. Water was mucky and her diet looked to be sunflower-heavy seed mix. She is five, and that was at least her second home.

I was about to leave without buying her... I didn't get much impression of what she is like and I did not feel qualified to rehabilitate a bird, so I figured I would not buy but would look for someone with experience to do so. But, they said "well why don't you take her home, and if you like her, pay us then." In the heat of the moment, I said yes.

Anyway, she looks pretty good, but malnourished. Lackluster colours, cruddy beak (lines through it, if you know what I mean). She also has one claw with grows UP instead of out but I assume this is a birth defect. Her claws are long but not crazy. She is also moulting.

She is really sweet though! She likes rubs (she is covered with pin feathers on her that I am helping her with), she danced with us a bit yesterday, and she readily accepted pellets (and fruit and veg, as long as I ate some first). She can be very loud but not very often. She has no idea what to do in her relatively large cage with toys, but she is starting to figure it out. She makes cute baby and baby toy sounds.

I think that, ultimately, I am going to keep her. How can I send her back to that?? Part of me has a bad feeling, i think because I was really tired yesterday when I went to visit her, and I felt pessured (by my conscience, I mean) into it. As opposed to it feeling like a choice, you know? And because my other two birds will get a bit less attention for the nex little while as we have to split our time between them. Ultmately though I feel I am working toward a good goal!

Not sure what the point of this thread is LOL... Guess I just needed to share my feelings with fellow bird-folk.

She is a bit poofy... I do not think she likes the ipad! I think you can see ber weird claw in one of them, too

She's very cute. It also can take time to really get to know a bird, and them you, so don't feel like you have to rush it. If you felt way too much pressure in to taking her, well, then you can just take her back. It's not the most ideal situation, but still. I hope she takes to you!

Also, people who get birds and then decide after the baby is born that they don't want the bird anymore irritate me. I had 2 - TWO - African Grey's when my daughter was born. One died due to illness, the other was rehomed for her well being (long story) but I never ever ever used my daughter as an excuse! You have 9 months to prepare for a child, which means you have 9 months to make adjustments and changes that can be suitable for the entire family, including the bird! And the bird was not likely to land on the babies head, good lord!

Sorry, just sick of that excuse. It's how Sugar ended up with me. They had a baby. Sugar wasn't even a year old and they just got rid of her like she was disposable, even though they had to have known they were having a baby when they got her.

She is eating veggis with us right now. She is still trepidacious but happy.

Yes, i agree, about the kids! It makes me so mad. DH and I neither can have, nor do we want kids of the human variety but even if we did, I would never, ever give up my pets.

The worst one I saw... A woman got a sun conure because she wanted a "child". Less than a year later, she got pregnant. A month into pregnancy, she decided she would not have time for her bird baby

Congratulations on your Nanday! I'm glad you gave her a better home!

wenz2712 said:

I dont think it is always a case of people just giving up their Bird because they would have no more time for them once a Baby arrives, or that they simply dont want the Bird anymore. Some may just worry that the Bird could attack the Baby, which, in some cases could happen, as obviously alot of attention would be focused on the new Baby, which could possibly cause jealousy, and rather than this happening, they think it best to find a good Home for their Bird.

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While it isn't always the case of them not having the time and some valid concern, that is usually the reason. They lose interest in their fur/feathered babies, or hear wild, rarely-occurring stories that frighten them and they decide that the pets are disposable. To me, rehoming a pet because of a pregnancy or a new baby, is like deciding to put your older child up for adoption or handing them over to Foster Care because you're having a new baby.

Yup. To me it is exactly like giving up your first kid because you unexpectedly got pregnant or something. When you had a pet that cares about you, its for life, except for some very unique and rare cases.

Fiji, as we have named her, is in love with my husband apparently! I am a bit jealous... But it is so cute.

KatherineI said:

wenz2712 said:

I dont think it is always a case of people just giving up their Bird because they would have no more time for them once a Baby arrives, or that they simply dont want the Bird anymore. Some may just worry that the Bird could attack the Baby, which, in some cases could happen, as obviously alot of attention would be focused on the new Baby, which could possibly cause jealousy, and rather than this happening, they think it best to find a good Home for their Bird.

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While it isn't always the case of them not having the time and some valid concern, that is usually the reason. They lose interest in their fur/feathered babies, or hear wild, rarely-occurring stories that frighten them and they decide that the pets are disposable. To me, rehoming a pet because of a pregnancy or a new baby, is like deciding to put your older child up for adoption or handing them over to Foster Care because you're having a new baby.

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people who rehome their pets because of a new baby probably didn't fall in love with the pet to begin with... precautions can be taken to separate the bird and the new baby and time can be made to play with the bird. It's just a matter of loving the bird enough to try and incorporate it into your new routines...once you love a pet with all your heart you just never see them as an impediment.

Gratz on your Nanday. I got my two this past Saturday.

I really hope you keep her. I just happen to see the thread with "nanday" and clicked on it. See I lost my Jake year ago last January. Rescued him from a little cage that bratty kids were pulling his tail feathers out at Walmart. I had Jake for 25 years. That's over 1/2 my life. Free flight in the house turned him from a bird to family member. I have a little Bare Eyed cockatoo girl that I should get next month or two when she weans and I hang out in the Too section trying to learn all I can. Strange I saw you're post. After 25 years wanted something that wouldn't all ways be compared to Jake. Nandys are great. You have to be firm and set rules but they will give all there little hearts have. Sure miss my old buddy right now.

shes really cute :3

on the baby topic. i would have thought that anyone getting a parrot would have gone over this with themselves before buying a parrot. They can be quite long lived, and if you think you may/may not have a baby in the future this should always have been included when you think about whether or not you are capable of caring for them for the rest of their lives, which can be from 20-80 years!
its just sad that even with such a long lifespan, some people don't have the foresight or sense before getting a parrot to really think about their decisions.

KatherineI said:

wenz2712 said:

I dont think it is always a case of people just giving up their Bird because they would have no more time for them once a Baby arrives, or that they simply dont want the Bird anymore. Some may just worry that the Bird could attack the Baby, which, in some cases could happen, as obviously alot of attention would be focused on the new Baby, which could possibly cause jealousy, and rather than this happening, they think it best to find a good Home for their Bird.

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While it isn't always the case of them not having the time and some valid concern, that is usually the reason. They lose interest in their fur/feathered babies, or hear wild, rarely-occurring stories that frighten them and they decide that the pets are disposable. To me, rehoming a pet because of a pregnancy or a new baby, is like deciding to put your older child up for adoption or handing them over to Foster Care because you're having a new baby.

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To compare this as putting a Child up for adoption is not in the same league at all! IMO, our Children come first, no matter what!

We are not here to judge people, without knowing the full circumstances! I have known someone to agonize over the decision to Re-Home her Bird, due to the arrival of a Baby, this was purely because she could not spend as much time with it as she did before her Baby came along, so therefore, rather than cause her Bird too much stress because of this, she found him a very good Home, where he would still get the attention he was used too!

Maybe, some people make the rash decision to buy a Bird, without first thinking about , what will happen when Children come along! which is why it would always be best to have your Family first before you bring a Bird into the Family.

I agree, if someone simply gives there Bird up because they cannot be bothered with it anymore or they want to trade it for a different one , then this is a totally different matter and does make me angry!

wenz2712 said:

To compare this as putting a Child up for adoption is not in the same league at all! IMO, our Children come first, no matter what!

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For many people, birds are their children. Arguably, my pets are as important to me as your kids are to you, especially with birds. So yes, to me, getting rid of your bird is akin to getting rid of your kid.

wenz2712 said:

I have known someone to agonize over the decision to Re-Home her Bird, due to the arrival of a Baby, this was purely because she could not spend as much time with it as she did before her Baby came along, so therefore, rather than cause her Bird too much stress because of this, she found him a very good Home, where he would still get the attention he was used too!

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The thing is, most people don't agonize over this decision. They get a bird knowing full well they may have kids in the next few years. Then they get pregnant, and they list the bird on craigslist and get a dog instead or whatever. It's all about priorities; you can make enough time for a bird and a baby just as you can make enough time for two babies. I just think someone's priorities are out of whack when they get rid of their bird because they have a kid.

I never meant to offend anyone. Obviously there are situations where an owner is sadly put in the position where re-homing becomes the more sensible option which is better for them and their bird.

however it is really unlikely that even half the birds on classfields and in shelters have come from a situation like this. Someone who loves their bird will go to more effort to find them a good home, get to know the new owners and what they know, possibly give them a few pointers at least. not just take the money and run, never to be able to be contacted by the new owners again, which is the case with a lot of rescues and sales.

Having to re-home a bird must be one of the hardest decisions a caring owner can make, and sometimes it takes even more love and sense than keeping them. I did not mean to generalise.

Oedipussrex said:

I never meant to offend anyone. Obviously there are situations where an owner is sadly put in the position where re-homing becomes the more sensible option which is better for them and their bird.

however it is really unlikely that even half the birds on classfields and in shelters have come from a situation like this. Someone who loves their bird will go to more effort to find them a good home, get to know the new owners and what they know, possibly give them a few pointers at least. not just take the money and run, never to be able to be contacted by the new owners again, which is the case with a lot of rescues and sales.

Having to re-home a bird must be one of the hardest decisions a caring owner can make, and sometimes it takes even more love and sense than keeping them. I did not mean to generalise.

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Exactly my point. I did have to rehome a Grey - but not because of my child. I took every effort possible to ensure she had a good home. At the time, I didn't have any rescues nearby, or I would have gone that route. For quite a while afterwards, I got regular email updates from her new owners and she seems quite happy with them. I agonized over the decision to do it, but it was the best thing for her.

The problem is, as you've stated, not everyone does. Actually, the majority of people don't.

And I AM a parent and I STILL akin rehoming your pet to rehoming a child, especially in the majority of cases where they just decide, "Hey, I'm having a baby. And even though I made a commitment to this animal who has come to rely on me for everything, I just don't want it anymore since, you know, I'm having a baby. Let me see who will buy them from me." They then take the money and don't care about what happens to the animal after it's gone. Much like Sugar's original owners who refuse to give over any information regarding her, and haven't asked about her new home. A GOOD person who has their pets best interest in mind when they rehome, give everything they have over; vet records and the like.

wenz2712 said:

Everyone has their own thoughts on certain subjects and have very strong opinions, but it does not give any of us the right to pass judgement on anyone without knowing the true facts!

Unless you have Children yourself, then you would not know, just how much our Lives are centered around them, and how many changes we have to make! Babies especially need 24/7 attention.

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Pff, I can pass judgement on whomever I want. My brain has the ability to observe, determine, deliberate, see right/wrong and make judgements accordingly. In this case, I could see the writing on the wall - tiny dirty cage, one toy, parents keeping the bird locked up so it wouldn't land on the kid or some nonsense - clearly no attempt had been made to integrate her. These weren't people who tried really hard because they loved their bird but it just wasn't working. These are people who bought a novelty pet parrot shortly before getting pregnant, and then decided they didn't want the bird around anymore. Now they are getting dogs or something. They bred dogs before (backyard breeders) but they got rid of those when they had their kid, too.

And the other people I mentioned? Well, she got a bird last year to be her baby. She was actively trying to get pregnant at the time but I guess she couldn't wait. Then she got pregnant, and a month in she decided she wouldn't have time (she didn't even try) and wanted to sell her bird for "$600 FIRM".

Yep, those people suck.

Yes yes, I know, parents are soooo busy. Incidentally, someone also used this argument about why it's okay for parents to leave a shopping cart in the middle of the grocery store parking lot ("how could I possibly walk the five feet to the cart corral with a two year old in tow?!") There are many awesome parents out there who manage young triplets, pets, soccer practice, full time jobs, keeping house, home cooked meals, etc so forgive me if I am unsympathetic when I see someone dumping their bird a month into their first pregnancy.

Yes, 1 in a hundred birds is rehomed for the "right" reason (as in, there is no other option). But the other 99?

Geez, how did my nanday post turn into this? LOL... I guess this one of my hot buttons!

Back to the original topic of this thread..... have you decided if you're going to keep her??

I have to agree with Zoe on this. I don't have children and I'm not sure if I ever will have any, (whether I want them or not.) But my animals are my 'children' and I would accommodate them as such if I were to have any human babies.

I can't comprehend why a human life is deemed more valuable to someone than an animals life, especially an animal that I personally have gone out of my way to get, look after and love as part of the family. An animal needs you for all the reasons a baby needs you, would you just turn a baby aside too because it's now inconvenient to have it during this stage of your life? How can someone just throw either (point being animal here) that to the side in favour of a different life?

I think this is a discussion that needs to be had elsewhere, as this is about this lovely little Nanday who has a new grasp at life with Zoe, I'm sure she'll settle in great with you