The Story Of Phoenix

This is Phoenix. He is a Camilla, and turns 2 on the 28th. He is a rescue/rehome willingly turned over by his previous owners to our breeder who originally sold him to them. As it turns out the people had a total of 15 large birds including 6 or 8 Macaws (I can't remember off the top of my head). My breeder was actually upset when he found out they had that many birds, and pretty much went off on them. He said he will never sell them another bird, and would have never sold them Phoenix 2 years ago if he knew they had birds like that. He took in almost all their birds to rehome them. All the others have found good homes. My breeder is very picky on who he sends his birds home with. Phoenix was one of the last big birds that these people got so he has had no real interaction. No one really wanted him because he would run from you, and if you put your hand or arm up by him he would try to attack you. People thought he was mean, but the poor guy was just terrified. I have been going to visit him for 2 months now. After a month he would finally step up on my arm, and my wife's. If you got more then a couple feet away from the perch he liked he would get scared, and start shaking though. Any quick movements or sounds a bird other then a Macaw made he would jump the crouch down. Anytime we would be in the area of the bird store we would stop in, I would go see him, and a couple weeks ago he started taking treats from my wife and I without trying to pinch our hand when he took them (he loves almonds in the shell & dried carrots). A guy called about him, knew his story and wanted to buy him. Mind you like I said the breeder/store owner is very picky on who he sells his birds to. They guy drove 5 hours to buy Phoenix. After being there 15 minutes the breeder said he would not sell him Phoenix. He said the guy didn't ask him the right questions, and he just didn't feel comfortable sending Phoenix or one of his other large birds home with this guy. The guy left irrate, and drove 5 hours back home without a bird. The breeder knew I wanted Phoenix, has been to my house, and knows I spoil my birds. After buying a house, and having own of my sons diagnosed special needs I couldn't afford the lump some that we all knows comes with the initial cost of buying one of these amazing kids with cages & what have you. Well he needs his website done, and doesn't know anything about computers, and his son is trying to start an online business, but doesn't know anything about computers. He knows I am home all the time because I am diagnosed fully disabled. He asked me if I would do the websites, and as part of the initial payment for construction, and part of the first year of keeping this up he is not only giving me Phoenix, but a brand new cage for him. He will come home soon, and will get loved & spoiled like the rest of our feathered, and furry kids. After he comes home it'll probably take a couple months before my sons will be able to really interact with him, but that is fine. My youngest is in the process of being diagnosed autistic, and really doesn't show emotion, but our pet birds, and going to the bird store get him to smile and light up like he used to do. My oldest ( my step son) by total coincidence is in the same process. The birds make him happy though it just hurts his feelings if they decide they don't want to be petted or just left alone at that time.

WOW! Thank you for sharing Phoenix' and your story. It is truly touching!

I take my hat off to your breeder/store owner, as we definitely need more people like that in this world.

There is no doubt in my mind that Phoenix will be in GREAT hands with you. The poor boy was apparently never socialized and has therefore no confidence at all. Such a pity! But I also think that over time he will do a 180 and be the bird he was meant to be. Big, strong, confident, ornery, lovable, and full of himself.

He is GORGEOUS!!! Thank you for the picture.

Phoenix... What a lovely and fitting name. He's starting over, brand new, with a much better life with you. It sounds like he and your family will learn a lot from each other.

He clearly looks happy in that picture, too! He is a very lucky boy.

He is a beautiful bird and with love and patience will be a great addition to your family. That is a win win for you both

Oh yes he will come back around. Even the breeder/store owner is excited about the progress he is making, and how he has taken to me, and my wife. He knows Phoenix will come back around with some face time, but shocked even though we stop by twice a week for a little while he is really starting to take to us. He now even will start to snuggle up to our chest for a kiss which he has only been doing with the breeder.

Sometimes it only takes a special kind of person, or family, to help bring out the best in birds! What a sweet story!

What a great story. I am very happy that Phoenix found the perfect home with you!

Yeah I can't wait. My living room & dining room are going to be crammed with bird cages now lol. I have 2 flight cages for 4 Tiels (yes I know overboard but they're just feather kids), and Lucy my B&G has a huge double Macaw cage all for her self so pretty much the wall going from one end of my dining room to the other end of my living room is bird cages. Just enough room that the big screen can fit there, but it might have to get moved now lol.

Bartering is the best currency IMO. Congrats on ur new baby.

goalerjones said:

Bartering is the best currency IMO. Congrats on ur new baby.

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I'm excited. We are going to go see him tomorrow, and already have almonds for him. They keep him in the area where he has the babies so he has started to want hand feedings again since he sees all the Macaws around him getting it. I am actually hoping he is like that when he comes home for a little bit so we can build that bond with him.

This is a better pic of him I took today. We stopped by the store, and spent time with him, spoiled him with a bunch of almonds, and bought a huge toy for his temporary cage at the store until he comes home with his new cage. One of the baby Macaws kept coming by him when he was eating his almonds, and he'd smack him in the head with his other foot lol.

Phoenix is truly STUNNING!!! I can't get over his colors! WOW!!!!

I bet he was SO happy to see you and your wife.

I hear you loud and clear about the "living arrangements" with the cages. We ended up "moving" the entire dining room to another portion of the house so that the "old" dining room could be turned into our bird room, which is combined with the living room and in clear view of the kitchen, where most of our time is spent.

Oh, and the kitchen bistro table with chairs was moved out of the kitchen as I needed the room for 2 Java Trees. LOL.

Phoenix on the left, and my Blue & Gold Lucy on the right. He officially comes home Friday!!

YAY!!! Only 4 more days!! You must be SO excited to be bringing Phoenix home!!

Lucy is gorgeous, too!!!!

JerseyWendy said:

YAY!!! Only 4 more days!! You must be SO excited to be bringing Phoenix home!!

Lucy is gorgeous, too!!!!

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Yeah I can't wait. I don't even have a part of the website up, and running yet and he is bringing Phoenix with a new cage Friday. I could bring him home sooner, but no one I know has a truck, and a Macaw cage isn't going to fit in my wife's Cavalier lol. He would bring hm soon also, but he just went and picked up some new babies over the weekend, and is having to get settled with them so he said he would have to wait until Friday. You can see part of it in the pic, but Lucy has a crooked beak.

I'm honest, I didn't notice Lucy's beak was crooked. Looks like it's partially open in the picture. Crooked beak or not, she's STILL a knock-out!

She is the camera doesn't do her justice. Phoenix's colors have started to get brighter the longer he has been at our breeder's. When he comes home, and besides spoiling him we will get him on some vitamins which will also help his colors, and feathers. He is a chunk he weighs twice as much as her, and you can see the size difference. Lucy isn't a small Blue & Gold either so Phoenix is a big boy.

Congratulations!...I love this story. It just goes to show you, birds know when us humans fall in love with them...it just takes time and the right person(and your wife)

I thought that was funny that you re-arranged a part of your house for him, ahhhh love

crimson said:

Congratulations!...I love this story. It just goes to show you, birds know when us humans fall in love with them...it just takes time and the right person(and your wife)

I thought that was funny that you re-arranged a part of your house for him, ahhhh love

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Yeah I rearranged, and moved some of my music equipment. My wife was shocked. She said "If I knew that's what it would've taken to get you to move that stuff I would have got another bird awhile back." lol.

Phoenix is such a great looking Mac. I'm sure he will do well with you.