Foster parronts?

We haven't had very good results looking for a bird for us. Both rescues we filled out paperwork for never responded, even though they give you a time line of when they will respond. They only have email addresses so we have no other way to reach them. Then the Macaw we agreed to adopt, well we have yet to hear anything back.

So today we did what we said we wouldn't and stopped at the local pet store. Imagine our surprise when 80% of the birds were rescues looking for homes. After talking to the owner at length we are now on the list of possible foster homes for future birds. It's kind of intimidating that you may know nothing about a bird's past but at the same time if we end up way out of our depth we aren't on our own.

I'm curious how others have gotten into fostering and any advice.

I volunteered at the rescue... so, I was on a list, and they called me...

Occasionally I went out and picked up birds, and brought them in.

In terms of not knowing the birds history, frankly, half the time what the former owner tells you isn't true, and frequently there are errors of omission that quickly become readily apparent when you interact with the bird...

So, having a history, and having an ACCURATE history are two completely different things. It's usually largely BS.

But then, most of the reasons for giving a bird up tend to be, I either didn't know how to train it, and/or provide for it properly, or the novelty wore off and I just stopped doing it... [so now the bird - insert problem behavior here] and then make up some other lame excuse as to why it's happening... or pretend it doesn't happen, or you don't know...

"Oh wow, now that you mention it this bird really is missing all it's chest feathers. I never noticed that before..."

Stop me if you've heard this before...

My advice was always go and meet with the bird, assess the situation for yourself, and see if you're comfortable taking the bird on as a rehab project.

There is USUALLY some sort of behavior mod required.

I got pretty good at figuring out which one simply by sheer repetition.

Its hard not knowing a birds past . They somehow let you know themselves over time . Birdman interesting you brought that up about previous owners not giving you the whole truth. Im so irritated at my hybrid Macaws owner giving me a huge line !! She was obviously cage bound . Ive had her almost a year and shes just starting to really like being out.

I always assumed that around 75% of what they tell you is going to be B.S.!

Some of these people DREAD getting judged harshly for what they've done... and a fair number of them are afratd you won't take the bird if you knew how bad the behavior problems were.

Most of them knew they were being neglectful... but somehow the bird was always to blame. So you got this whole song and dance, designed to deflect criticism and blame. (I wasn't there to judge. I was there to pick up a bird, and try and give it a better life.)

Usually there were "CODE" stories you heard over and over again, which I interpreted to mean something different - like the ever popular "We just don't have the time he/she needs - (roughly translated means this bird has been cage bound for quite awhile.)

RARELY do you ever get the truth, or even anything close to the truth...

If it was cage bound, you could tell, usually just by looking at it. If it was a screamer, you could tell that too. Plucking? That's obvious.

Haven't been bathed in awhile, inside a dirty cage with no toys, green water, crappy food in the dish, and stress bars all over the feathers... YEAH, TELL ME ALL ABOUT HOW THIS BIRD HAS ALWAYS BEEN YOUR BABY!

I always relied on MY ability to rehab a bird, and then it came down to was I up for this challenge, as to whether or not I kept the bird on as a foster. Usually I worked with them down at the rescue, and either (1) became so attached to them, that I had to take them, or (2) was the person the bird really responded to.

You can tell when a bird has been well loved. (KIWI for example... that bird was well loved!)

And it's also obvious when it's been lacking in their life for some time.

And getting them out of that situation, with good food, good toys, regular bathing, and regular out time... usually did wonders for a bird's attitude. THEY RESPOND TO PROPER CARE...

That whole birds with baggage stuff is over-stated. You do the behavior mods, set boundaries, bite pressure train, and they usually respond to it.

All my fosters have come to me in different ways, for me its usually a phone call from someone who knows I have birds and wonders if I can help out a friend of theirs, or getting tagged in a facebook post.

I had to stop taking budgies. I had over 20 budgies at one point, mostly from people who thought they were basically fish with feathers and didnt need anything and would be easy.

I personally think fostering is a GREAT way to get started, rather than getting lulled into a false sense of security only to get hit with a shock when puberty strikes. But don't feel like you need to take every foster that they ask you to. Be selective, meet the bird, and be VERY BRUTALLY HONEST with yourself and them about what you can handle. For example in my last home I had a house made of cinder blocks, and I babysat children. I could take in problems like screaming and plucking, but known unpredictable biters were not a good fit. Now I live in a condo and don't babysit. Bring on the biters, but known problem screamers are a definite no-go.

I actually went out for a walk with my macaw, and someone a few blocks over had one that bites, and screams, and makes a mess... YOU WANT HIM?

Rolled him home cage and all... with my bird on my shoulder. That one ended up at the rescue, and ended up being placed.

Another time, rolled up to the grocery store with my amazon riding around on my shopping cart. Someone was abandoning an amazon by the dumpster at the grocery store. She was ill. She was going to die. They couldn't afford vet care. They were sitting out there for the longest time, but no one would take her...

THAT'S HOW I GOT PECKER! MY MOST BONDED BIRD EVER... That one stayed with me until the day she died! And she was THE MOST LOVING CREATURE...

Since we both live in the same state: Michigan, and both located 'below the Bridge.' I can get you a name of a Rescue Group in Traverse City Area and another North of the Grand Rapids area.

Let me know here as part of this Thread and I will get a Moderator to act as our go between.

I know and have worked with both.

SailBoat,

We did contact one group in TC and were very interested in a pair they had. We didn't get any response. Personally, I think we are too far away and because of the home check we were just taken off the list. We are about 2 hours north of TC. If you think they would let us be involved we are more than willing.

Birdman666 said:

Another time, rolled up to the grocery store with my amazon riding around on my shopping cart. Someone was abandoning an amazon by the dumpster at the grocery store. She was ill. She was going to die. They couldn't afford vet care. They were sitting out there for the longest time, but no one would take her...

THAT'S HOW I GOT PECKER! MY MOST BONDED BIRD EVER... That one stayed with me until the day she died! And she was THE MOST LOVING CREATURE...

Click to expand...

Are you serious? They left her by the dumpster??? The freakin' nerve of some people!

Taprock said:

We did contact one group in TC and were very interested in a pair they had. We didn't get any response. Personally, I think we are too far away and because of the home check we were just taken off the list. We are about 2 hours north of TC. If you think they would let us be involved we are more than willing.

Click to expand...

OK, let me run this up the old flag pole, but you're likely correct with the distances issue. I know that the North GR group will back away because of the distance. Its worth a try anyway. Hey, I will frame as a way to pick-up a box of fudge, never know. For non-Michigan people, the reference to a box of fudge is a Michigan insider thing! A weak, but perfectly acceptable reason in Michigan for road trip to Northern Lower Michigan.

Spoke with my friends in TC and they commonly seek homes for parrots in your area. The North GR folks work more East and West across the state and rarely go North of Highway 10.

Regarding my TC friends; at present they only have four cockatiels. They have paired down as they have a Wedding in early December and will be gone for a few weeks in early December. Not sure that you are interested in cockatiels.

If you are still interested, I can backdoor into the other TC based group and double check. What I am told is that group has larger parrots and also look for homes into your area. It is very possible that your message may have gotten miss placed. Stuff Happens! So, I would recommend that you contact them again, or if you want, I will. Let me know.

By the way, I rolled the box of fudge story on my friends and they stated they commonly run fudge to their family and friends 'down State.'

Sailboat, Thanks for checking. We are still interested. I guess we are more interested a bigger bird but it by no means has to be a Mac. We had looked at Quakers and conures. I'm not intimidated by size, beak yes a bit, but size no. We also have lots of room. We were talking about a cage in the front room and basement (walkout with huge windows and French doors) and my husband told me I should just turn the spare room into a bird room. I think he regretted it after he said it because I was was way too excited.

Everyone but the locals want the famous fudge! What's funny is we usually avoid downstate and tend to go over to Wisconsin. It always turns into a cheese run and everybody wants some.

I'm traveling today and tomorrow.

Please try contacting your original group again and if you do not get a response, let me know and I will try.

Green Bay?

I went back and filled out the fostering application. It took me a while because I wrote everything I could think of that applied. Now I wait and see what they say.

Green Bay, Appleton and last month I got a new car in Milwaukee.

FYI - If you regularly use a Vet. I would contact your Vet and ask if they would be willing to provide a reference. A solid reference and phone number from your Vet is worth three pages of personal information. Get that to the group and that should rapidly open a door.

In reading another member's Thread. It stated that Michigan is about to be flooded with some 42 parrots. That news will travel quickly and may increase their interest in you and their rehoming a parrot they currently have.

I travel into Wisconsin on business and also enjoy my time there. Love Port Washington. Worth a stop by, just North of Milwaukee along the Lake Shore.

I did include my vet and number. The vets and techs both know us well from our animals and my sons's 4-h. We had lots of time this year when my son's hedgehog had cancer.

I'm not sure what to think of all the parrots that wee rescued. The group originally had birds on their adoptable list but now have none. I wondered if they were adopted before they even made the website.