Any advise would nice

ParrotLover2001 · Mar 20, 2017

Now that Jordan my lovebird is at her foster home (a couple days early) and my other friend is coming over this weekend to get the others (her sick birds are doing much better now, only 3 out of 7 were sick, and those 3 are on the road to recovery. In quarantine.) and she will keep them separated from her flock until May just to make sure the no one else is sick.
I would like any advise (not rehome, please) on how to care for them properly, how to keep them here and safe. Since I'm now in the basement, my siblings can't get to my birds (locks from the inside). This basement is a completely finished in-law apartment, I now get my own bedroom.
Any advise on giving them a happy, healthy, safe life would be much appreciated. I'd like to do things right the first time around when I see them again. I'll bird proof this basement, each and every room will be bird proofed by time they come back. (Not just the kitchen, which is the only bird proof room currently)

I know a lot of you would like to give advise, a lot of the people on here are really experienced bird owners. I can only get so much information from the breeder I've been visiting.

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israel_gcc · Mar 20, 2017

I'm a new owner, so I'm not really in a place to give general advice... But I do think that you'll get more focused advice from the experienced people here if you could describe the factors like: your schedule, the apartment (how is the lighting in the basement?), and any specific issues you might be concerned about.

Good luck! I'm sure they'll be happy with you

chris-md · Mar 20, 2017

I applaud you coming back for more. You're at least trying. Again, answer isn't what you want, but it's what you need.

You ask the wrong question. Here's the thing - you already know the basics. There's nothing we can tell you that you already don't know. The problem is being clumsy and careless. Attention to detail, and willingnesss to get birds to the vet when needed. That's not something we can help you with. It's a maturity thing. You aren't ready emotionally for it. You'll grow into it, but you're not there yet.

The direct answer to your question - you already know how to care for them. Feeding, love, attention. You already have the important stuff down. You're just too careless with attention to detail right now.

ParrotLover2001 · Mar 20, 2017

By time June or July comes around I'll be able to get them to a vet without help from my parents.
Anyone know of avian certified vets in Maine?

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Oli · Mar 20, 2017

ParrotLover2001 said:
By time June or July comes around I'll be able to get them to a vet without help from my parents.
Anyone know of avian certified vets in Maine?

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Google does. https://www.google.com/search?q=bird vets maine

Kentuckienne · Mar 20, 2017

Birds need sunlight, which they won't get in a basement, so it will be important to have good full-spectrum lighting for a minimum number of hours each day. Also, birds are very sensitive to radon gas which is not uncommon in basements. Most states have free radon test kits, you expose them according to the directions and send them back for analysis. Many other gases are heavier than air, so a furnace in the basement can create enough fumes to kill a bird without you smelling a thing. It's why the miners used to take birds with them - the birds die before anyone else experiences symptoms. So it can be very hard to determine what's safe. At the minimum there should be a radon test, a carbon monoxide detector in the bird room, good HEPA air filters especially if you have oil heat and because dust settles to the lowest levels.

Every parront should plan for emergencies, and since you know how easily these can occur you can take steps in advance. Doors locked is a good thing, but you know those ordinary locks can be opened from outside. If it's a real lock, some one needs to have a key in case of emergency, fire, etc. happens when you aren't home. And it might be hard to keep people from finding the key...not much you can do about that. If you believe that someone would really harm your flock, then you really don't have a way to guarantee their safety.

A good first step is to assemble an avian first aid kit. Get a good first aid manual for parrots - maybe someone here has a recommendation, or at least go online and print some things out to keep in a binder. Find a vet, preferably a certified avian vet, and call them. Find out what the hours are, what to do after hours, and best of all see about bringing them all at once for an introductory well-bird check. That shouldn't be very expensive, and it will get you established as a patient in the event something happens - they will have medical records on hand. The vet visit would be a great time to ask the vet what kind of emergency supplies and reference books to have. Emergency supplies might even be something like bird formula or Pedialyte for hydration etc.

You will find it helpful to set up a separate savings account for the birds. Figure out what they need for food, toys, light bulbs, cuttlebones, basic items and add in the cost of at least one well bird check a year for everybody, then set up a savings schedule for yourself until the account is fully funded for a year. Keep putting money into it regularly, and then if there ever is a big, middle of the night emergency you'll know you can get them the help they need.

Start getting parrot books from the library. Most libraries will get them for you on inter-library loan if they don have it. Read all you can. When you find a book you especially like, look for a copy on eBay or Amazon used books, Alibris. I find parrot books in used bookstores. They aren't all good, especially some of the older ones, so put together a list of recommendations from people here. There may already be a thread for that.

Before you bring any birds back home, ask yourself: how will I know if something is still wrong? Write up an agreement between you and your birds and sign it. You might say, for example, that if there is a single attempt to harm them in any way that you will immediately remove them from the home. So that means there must be a backup plan - where, who, how. If a bird escapes the house, gets hurt in the kitchen, gets attacked by an animal, any of these things is not just a warning, it's an emergency full stop, put the contingency plan into effect. You must swear in your heart and your soul that you will protect them, and then be faithful to that oath.

The funny thing is, this the same advice I'd give to anyone thinking of getting a bird. How will it live, how will it be cared for, how will it get vet care, what does it need to eat, what kind of attention, how can every danger be anticipated and defended against, and what will happen if the bird needs a new home. I'm old, much older than Gus, so I assume he will outlive both me and my husband and we are planning for him. Part of that is making sure to leave money for his care, and part is finding the right person to either take him or to find him a good home and make sure he's being treated well. So you see, none of this is personal, except that you know some of the things that happened in the past and must be guarded against.

Think of bringing them home as if this were a new thing, a decision being made for the first time, and be sure that you will be able to give them a better, safer life than anything else they would have out there. It's a lot to think about and do, so it might be helpful to start making a written plan with checklists, and then execute that plan as earnestly as you've ever done anything in your life. That's my advice, for what an old fart's advice is worth. Oh, and also, be sure to treat yourself with kindness and love, because if you don't love yourself you won't be able to love any other being. If you make your decisions out of loving kindness you may not always be right, but you will never be wrong.

BeatriceC · Mar 20, 2017

Your two biggest issues right now are

1) Safety: Your parents' home does not really appear to be safe for animals. Your siblings, whether through immaturity, malice, or lack of parental supervision, or a combination of the above, do not respect the living things in your home. Until that issue is resolved I would never condone bringing birds back into the picture.

2) Access to vet care: You say you will have a driver's license in a few months, but will you have the funds to keep a car on the road. It costs me about $200/mo to keep my car on the road. That's gas, insurances, and my annual average repair bill figured in. That's pretty low because I'm a 41 year old woman so my insurance rates are low, I pay for my vehicles in cash, so I don't have a car payment (and it also reduces my insurance rates a bit), and I do all the maintenance and repair work on my own cars, so repairs are only the cost of parts, not the cost of a mechanic's time as well (to give you an idea of how big of a difference that can make, I just spent $4 on an engine seal that would have cost $1500 for a mechanic to do because or the amount of labor required to get to it). Also, will you be able to pay for emergency vet care once you are in a position where you can actually get them to a vet. Over the last week I've spent $965 on Leo, and he's not out of the woods yet (and the only reason it wasn't more is because my vet took pity on me and reduced charges where he could, saving me a couple hundred). Is that something you can do should the need arise?

So here's my advise. Wait. As much as it hurts, wait. Focus your energy on putting yourself in a position where the answer to all of our questions is an unqualified yes. Get a job at a fast food joint this summer and stuff every penny you earn into a savings account to build up an emergency vet fund. Keep that job once the school year starts so you have your own transportation. Keep saving every penny you can, so the moment you're able to, you can move out and create a safe environment for birds. One day, you're going to be an excellent parrot owner, but that day is not today, or probably anytime before you graduate from high school. It sucks, but life sucks sometimes. You'll get there eventually, I promise.

ParrotLover2001 · Mar 30, 2017

Kentuckienne said:
Birds need sunlight, which they won't get in a basement, so it will be important to have good full-spectrum lighting for a minimum number of hours each day. Also, birds are very sensitive to radon gas which is not uncommon in basements. Most states have free radon test kits, you expose them according to the directions and send them back for analysis. Many other gases are heavier than air, so a furnace in the basement can create enough fumes to kill a bird without you smelling a thing. It's why the miners used to take birds with them - the birds die before anyone else experiences symptoms. So it can be very hard to determine what's safe. At the minimum there should be a radon test, a carbon monoxide detector in the bird room, good HEPA air filters especially if you have oil heat and because dust settles to the lowest levels.

Every parront should plan for emergencies, and since you know how easily these can occur you can take steps in advance. Doors locked is a good thing, but you know those ordinary locks can be opened from outside. If it's a real lock, some one needs to have a key in case of emergency, fire, etc. happens when you aren't home. And it might be hard to keep people from finding the key...not much you can do about that. If you believe that someone would really harm your flock, then you really don't have a way to guarantee their safety.

A good first step is to assemble an avian first aid kit. Get a good first aid manual for parrots - maybe someone here has a recommendation, or at least go online and print some things out to keep in a binder. Find a vet, preferably a certified avian vet, and call them. Find out what the hours are, what to do after hours, and best of all see about bringing them all at once for an introductory well-bird check. That shouldn't be very expensive, and it will get you established as a patient in the event something happens - they will have medical records on hand. The vet visit would be a great time to ask the vet what kind of emergency supplies and reference books to have. Emergency supplies might even be something like bird formula or Pedialyte for hydration etc.

You will find it helpful to set up a separate savings account for the birds. Figure out what they need for food, toys, light bulbs, cuttlebones, basic items and add in the cost of at least one well bird check a year for everybody, then set up a savings schedule for yourself until the account is fully funded for a year. Keep putting money into it regularly, and then if there ever is a big, middle of the night emergency you'll know you can get them the help they need.

Start getting parrot books from the library. Most libraries will get them for you on inter-library loan if they don have it. Read all you can. When you find a book you especially like, look for a copy on eBay or Amazon used books, Alibris. I find parrot books in used bookstores. They aren't all good, especially some of the older ones, so put together a list of recommendations from people here. There may already be a thread for that.

Before you bring any birds back home, ask yourself: how will I know if something is still wrong? Write up an agreement between you and your birds and sign it. You might say, for example, that if there is a single attempt to harm them in any way that you will immediately remove them from the home. So that means there must be a backup plan - where, who, how. If a bird escapes the house, gets hurt in the kitchen, gets attacked by an animal, any of these things is not just a warning, it's an emergency full stop, put the contingency plan into effect. You must swear in your heart and your soul that you will protect them, and then be faithful to that oath.

The funny thing is, this the same advice I'd give to anyone thinking of getting a bird. How will it live, how will it be cared for, how will it get vet care, what does it need to eat, what kind of attention, how can every danger be anticipated and defended against, and what will happen if the bird needs a new home. I'm old, much older than Gus, so I assume he will outlive both me and my husband and we are planning for him. Part of that is making sure to leave money for his care, and part is finding the right person to either take him or to find him a good home and make sure he's being treated well. So you see, none of this is personal, except that you know some of the things that happened in the past and must be guarded against.

Think of bringing them home as if this were a new thing, a decision being made for the first time, and be sure that you will be able to give them a better, safer life than anything else they would have out there. It's a lot to think about and do, so it might be helpful to start making a written plan with checklists, and then execute that plan as earnestly as you've ever done anything in your life. That's my advice, for what an old fart's advice is worth. Oh, and also, be sure to treat yourself with kindness and love, because if you don't love yourself you won't be able to love any other being. If you make your decisions out of loving kindness you may not always be right, but you will never be wrong.

Thanks, we did a radon test back in January, and there is a carbon monoxide detector in each room in the basement. There are lot of windows in the basement so light won't be a problem, also a glass door (double door) so that is even more light. I have been getting a bird first aid kit together, but all I have in it is, bird nail clippers (Trim nails), corn starch (In case I cut into the quick), a pair of pliers (to pull broken blood feathers), a syringe (Just in case) and a piece of paper saying "Get more supplies" (Because I suck at remembering to buy things). I do have a written plan and checklist, and I already have a backup plan in case some tries to hurt them when they come back. I don't use my current Savings account, So I can use that for my birds.

Is there anything that I might be missing? Besides a vet phone number and more responsibility?

BeatriceC · Mar 30, 2017

You need a plan. These are my vet bills for the last two weeks, with one sick bird. This does not include any grooming, toys, or vet bills for other birds (of which there's been about $400 over the ones I'm posting). What is your plan to pay for something like this should one or more of your birds get sick?

ParrotLover2001 · Mar 30, 2017

BeatriceC said:
You need a plan. These are my vet bills for the last two weeks, with one sick bird. This does not include any grooming, toys, or vet bills for other birds (of which there's been about $400 over the ones I'm posting). What is your plan to pay for something like this should one or more of your birds get sick?

My plan for when one or more of them get sick or injured, I'm working on that. I'll be putting money in my savings account for the vet bills, but I still need to find an avian certified vet. I'll go and search for an avian vet now.

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BeatriceC · Mar 30, 2017

Good. Create a savings plan. We can help you work out the details if you want. I have some ideas if you'd like.

ParrotLover2001 · Mar 30, 2017

BeatriceC said:
Good. Create a savings plan. We can help you work out the details if you want. I have some ideas if you'd like.

Ok, thanks!

I found two vets, I'm going to call in the morning to make sure they actually take birds.

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BeatriceC · Mar 30, 2017

That's a start. Do you know how to look them up and read their CV's?

ParrotLover2001 · Mar 30, 2017

BeatriceC said:
That's a start. Do you know how to look them up and read their CV's?

No I don't.

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BeatriceC · Mar 30, 2017

I'm going to assume you don't even know what a CV is. It would actually be surprising if you did, considering your age.

A CV, short for Curriculum Vitae, is what academics use instead of resumes. Doctors are generally considered academics. A resume generally lists only a person's education, work, and relevant volunteer experience. A CV has all those things, but also lists the person's research history and any publications in which they've been a listed author. Reading a vet's CV will give you an idea of how expert they really are in Avian medicine. Their research, internships, and publication will include avian medicine and not just general veterinary stuff. The same would go for a vet specializing in horses, farm animals, other exotics, wildlife, etc. I go even further and actually look up any articles listed and read them. Now, that might not be possible for you just yet. I happen to have access to a whole lot of journals through various friends in various academic positions, so I can generally get access to any journal I want. That's not usually possible. Plus reading and understanding those articles can be tough, even for a person who's well educated, if they're reading in an area not their own. For your purposes, you would just want to read the titles and see if there's a decent amount of stuff that's avian in nature. Most vets list their CV's or a shortened version on their websites. Academics like to brag. We can't help it.

Doublete · Mar 30, 2017

I didn't know what a CV was either lol

Oli · Mar 30, 2017

Edit: accidentally posted

Any advise would nice

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Hello Everyone - I've Got Alot Of Reading To Catch Up On !

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