Bird adoptions? Not common?

[Ravennessa]

I am looking here in the forum, and it looks like we have a few adopters here, but it seems like adopting birds are less rare.. Most people seem set on a baby... Is there a specific reason? Or just that most people get them on a whim and buy a baby bird? and I think you guys have figured out that Im huge on adoptions LOL

 

[JerseyWendy]

Oh we have a whole bunch of folks who have adopted their babies.

Adopted, rescued, saved, rehomed....etc.

 

[Karigan]

All three of mine are rehomes, which I chalk up to rescues since I did help improve their circumstances ;p.

 

[Mayden]

Touchy subject I think. (and rereading it, warning, long post!)

I'm generally all for 'adopt, dont shop'. All my budgie's have been bought (maybe because it's harder to find rescues here in the UK?) but in all honesty, I've never been 'drawn' to a baby bird, just because it's a baby. I've been drawn because of the bird itself. My budgie's ages varied from babies, to an 'older' (age unknown) Brucie boy, who is just amazing.

Merlin I got as a baby, because I'd had my heart set on a senegal for a while and didn't realise my own store (that I volunteered at) sold them occassionally! So when I went in to chat with them, to play with some of the birds etc and found a little senegal sitting in a cage with african greys (in their food dish, no less) I was besotted. I cuddled him and played with him, found out about his splayed leg and that sealed the deal.

Charlie is ten, found him in the same store (I've moved away so no longer help there) and he was being kept in rotten conditions. He stole my hear, there were baby senegals there and sure they were cute, but Charlie wanted my love, my attention, scritches etc. He was going to be sold as a **** bird (I disagreed with this being good for him!) and decided that it was he I needed to take home, not another baby senegal, having to deal with fresh hormones, nippy phases, etc. Personally, I'd take an adult over a baby most of the time, because they're more "stable" in knowing what they like and dislike etc.

My rabbits were all babies when I got them, it was one of those things where we'd been thinking about rabbits for a while, happened to go to our pet store and found ones that stole our heart there and then. We don't regret getting them. Steve our gerbil was a rehome, he was (again from a pet store) who have adoption centres. We found him in one of those, age uknown, formally known as 'Mr Jingles' he is now known as Mr Steve Jingles.

So we've gotten all ours from pet store situations, but each scenario slightly different. Some bought out because we wanted one, some because we felt we had to get them away from a bad situation, some because they needed a home and we had space, and some because they just stole our hearts and we couldn't leave them. Age never really comes into play for us, if we like the character behind the animal, we'll take him.

Some people tend to lean towards babies because they believe they will bond better (don't get me started on buying unweaned), or they can mould them into the bird they want. Personally, I think first birds shouldn't really be babies, so so many mistakes can turn a bird from a quite little cuddle bug, to a nipping (no discipline) loud (reinforcing flock calls) terror because they've just not had the experience. I think having a bird is a learning process and a lot of older birds can teach US how to behave. I'm not saying ALL new bird owners will make the mistakes, but hey, even the 'better' of us still make them, so under the pressure and excitement of a new bird... well, mistakes happen.

Without a doubt Merlin is more bonded to me and Andrew than Charlie is, but I think that's got nothing to do with the age we got them at, but the fact we've had Merlin for two years and Charlie.... a month and a half?

Merlin has a LOT of bad habits, that we wrongfully taught him (and working on); Charlie is sound and well founded and is certainly teaching Andrew a lot. He is well bonded and doesn't like us leaving, but will happily play on his own, wont flock call and just get on with life. Merlin will play on his own, but will scream his heart out for us to come back because during the first year of Merlin's life, I was out of work and so home a lot. He's had to adjust (and still is a year later). etc.

So from experience and from reading about so many others, I believe a baby is not always better than an adult. But that doesn't mean I think people who get babies are wrong to do so, heck if the 'right' baby came along, I'd probably get one too. Same applies to 'baby' anything (pups, kits, etc)

 

[christinereed]

I agree with adopting for the personality of the bird, rather than age.

 

[Ravennessa]

No Im not saying its wrong to get a baby... But when I look around, not just here but in general a lot of people tend to run out to get a cute baby after reading up on what kind of bird they want..

I have to say after finding Jacob and how good he is, I think that if I ever get another bird, I will go and find an adoption group and see who likes me Lol

But when I spoke to the rescue group in my area, they said that they almost never get calls for adoptions... Just relinquishing... and sun conure being the nr 1 bird...

So it sorta made me curious..

 

[getwozzy]

Jackie was an adoption/rescue... it was on the whim too. I had NO clue about amazons, but if I were to get another fid down the road I would definitely adopt again.

 

[SoCalWendy]

I was very happy to adopt a 5 year old Senegal hen from a rescue. Unfortunately, like I said in another thread, it was more like an interrogation than an adoption. I understand not wanting the bird to end up in a bad home, so there are going to be some requirements, but here it's rediculas. And there isn't even a guarantee that after I meet "their" requirements I'd even get that bird. Crazy!

I have an fibromyalgia, I have my good days and my bad days just like anyone else, but they wanted me to attend 3 seperate seminars at my expense, volunteer, do a home check, and pay fees. I didn't have a problem with the home check or the fees.

I can understand being interviewed, yadda yadda, but I felt overwhelmed by the seminars and the volunteering. It felt like would have taken me forever to meet all their requirements because I don't know when I am going to have a bad day. I definitely am not reliable as an employee, how could I volunteer? However, I can clean my birds cage every day or every other day, provide plenty of toys, food, water, and love everyday.

Anyway long story short, I ended up going with a private party. Yes, the breeder talked to us extensively, and he watched how all of us interacted with Rio. We even ate dinner with him and his family.

I'm not saying all rescues are like this, but from my experience with them here, no thanks I will pass.

 

[Mayden]

I was very happy to adopt a 5 year old Senegal hen from a rescue. Unfortunately, like I said in another thread, it was more like an interrogation than an adoption. I understand not wanting the bird to end up in a bad home, so there are going to be some requirements, but here it's rediculas. And there isn't even a guarantee that after I meet "their" requirements I'd even get that bird. Crazy!

I have an fibromyalgia, I have my good days and my bad days just like anyone else, but they wanted me to attend 3 seperate seminars at my expense, volunteer, do a home check, and pay fees. I didn't have a problem with the home check or the fees.

I can understand being interviewed, yadda yadda, but I felt overwhelmed by the seminars and the volunteering. It felt like would have taken me forever to meet all their requirements because I don't know when I am going to have a bad day. I definitely am not reliable as an employee, how could I volunteer? However, I can clean my birds cage every day or every other day, provide plenty of toys, food, water, and love everyday.

Anyway long story short, I ended up going with a private party. Yes, the breeder talked to us extensively, and he watched how all of us interacted with Rio. We even ate dinner with him and his family.

I'm not saying all rescues are like this, but from my experience with them here, no thanks I will pass.

I quite agree! I have ME/CFS and will be forever illegible to adopt a dog too because of this as I would not be able to properly care for it. (Despite having a partner who can assist.) Jumping through countless hoops is horrible, most rescues here make you sign a contract saying the bird is still theirs (and so they can take the bird back at any time and rehome). So Id rather just buy a bird and have that as mine, no questions asked. The only legal battle I may have to face is if me and Andrew disagreed on a breakup who got what pets. Which is part of the reason I got Merlin and Charlie as I did, the pets are all MY purchases, so legally mine. Adoption, purchase, rescue or rehome. Adult or baby, if you're giving a bird (or any animal) and care for it properly then all is well

(Not getting into breeding ethics here)

 

[Pajarita]

Well, you don't need to go to a rescue to adopt. You can easily do it through CL because there are soooooo many parrots given up nowadays -something you NEVER EVER saw years ago plus there are now bird rescues all over the place (even in Alaska!) and they are all full so, obviously, the number of parrots out there has increased greatly. And that, basically, is the best reason for adopting - why buy a baby from a breeder when you can help a homeless animal? All my animals are rescues, adoptions or rehomes and they are all wonderful (well, with the exception of the idiot golden retriever -LOL)

 

[SoCalWendy]

Well, you don't need to go to a rescue to adopt. You can easily do it through CL because there are soooooo many parrots given up nowadays -something you NEVER EVER saw years ago plus there are now bird rescues all over the place (even in Alaska!) and they are all full so, obviously, the number of parrots out there has increased greatly. And that, basically, is the best reason for adopting - why buy a baby from a breeder when you can help a homeless animal? All my animals are rescues, adoptions or rehomes and they are all wonderful (well, with the exception of the idiot golden retriever -LOL)

While this may be true, it's not always that easy. Here in San Diego, I answered two ads for Senegal re-homes off of CL. Neither of them had phone numbers to call, so I had to email. Neither of them even took the time to answer my email, until finally after emailing 3 times, I asked if they didn't have the bird anymore to please remove the CL ad. One bird ad was removed. Finally, I got a response from the other who basically told me that he didn't want to sell his bird to me. Huh? He never met me, never spoke to me, nothing. So I emailed him back asking was it something I said? Never got a response. This was all before I got Rio. Then I answered an ad on Kijiji when I found the 5 y/o hen, that was the rescue, they emailed me back on what I had to do and how much the fees would be. The fees weren't the problem, I was shocked with their requirements, and gave up. Then on Kijiji I saw an ad for baby Senegals. I traveled 2 hrs, one way just to go and see them. I really didn't want a baby but ended up working out that way. All of this was over a span of about 3 months. I've had Rio 2 months now. And it was only just recently when I looked on Kijiji ans saw that the 5 y/o Sennegal hen was no longer listed. I'm glad she got a home.

 

[Ravennessa]

Im upset to hear that you can't adopt a dog because of that reason Mayden, that is absolutely idiotic... Who says you wouldn't hire a dog walker when you have a bad day? Even if you didn't have a partner.. Besides there's a lot of dogs out there that has a couple of years of them that would not be an issue for you at all.. What stupidity.. Sorry /end rant... btu yeah...

Im sorry to hear so many nutty bird rescues too.. The one that I called to about jacob (we report to them with found and lost birds in this area), when she heard what I was doing with him, and what I had read etc.. and how much time I do have over during the day.. she told me if his owners stepped up, and I wanted a bird in my life after she'd fast track my adoption... And mind yo I told her I have a dog, and 7 lizards.. She did know my vet though, so the fact that I am fairly close with him might been what did it too... When I brought Jacob in, he said: HA, you chose the right person! LOL (yeah the one who has sucker on her forehead).. so it's sad that people are soooooo hard here..

But, I aint gonna lie.. They adopted out a dog to a family, and I was concerned cause the dog (not aggressive but will kill any other animal she sees) is also very hyper, wont really listen (she's busy looking for a cat or squirrel to kil), and they had a younger kid in the house 7 or so.. I would have nixed that adoption or recommended a calmer dog (I wanted them to take Play who had impeccable manners).. But they took Mama, and low and behold they made an amazing dog out of her, a year later they came back and adopted another pit for her to play with..

So.. I am guilty of it.. but in this case I was worried about energy level and her hurting the kid just by accident.. I wasn't gonna nix them do adopt all together, I just felt there was more suitable dogs than the one they fell for.. But we also told them, if you get stuck let us know and we come and do supportive training or you can trade for a calmer dog if it don't work out.. That way they don't dump the dog somewhere else and they feel they have options and support.. But I admit I was wrong.. (not oftenI am though but this time yes)..

I have gotten to learn to have a little bit more faith in the humans...

 

[SandyBee]

Both our little feathers are from a rescue. After we decided we wanted parrots we decided rescue was the way to go, there are so many birds waiting for good homes. We are very lucky that the rescue here is so easy to work with and uses common sense.

Most people want baby birds for all the wrong reasons IMO. There is no guarantee that baby will bond with you, or pick someone else as it ages. You have to be able to train that baby too. I didn't feel qualified to train a baby bird, I knew nothing only what I had read. I feel more confident now that I have some experience but I would still go with a rescue everytime.

 

[Pajarita]

Well, you don't need to go to a rescue to adopt. You can easily do it through CL because there are soooooo many parrots given up nowadays -something you NEVER EVER saw years ago plus there are now bird rescues all over the place (even in Alaska!) and they are all full so, obviously, the number of parrots out there has increased greatly. And that, basically, is the best reason for adopting - why buy a baby from a breeder when you can help a homeless animal? All my animals are rescues, adoptions or rehomes and they are all wonderful (well, with the exception of the idiot golden retriever -LOL)

While this may be true, it's not always that easy. Here in San Diego, I answered two ads for Senegal re-homes off of CL. Neither of them had phone numbers to call, so I had to email. Neither of them even took the time to answer my email, until finally after emailing 3 times, I asked if they didn't have the bird anymore to please remove the CL ad. One bird ad was removed. Finally, I got a response from the other who basically told me that he didn't want to sell his bird to me. Huh? He never met me, never spoke to me, nothing. So I emailed him back asking was it something I said? Never got a response. This was all before I got Rio. Then I answered an ad on Kijiji when I found the 5 y/o hen, that was the rescue, they emailed me back on what I had to do and how much the fees would be. The fees weren't the problem, I was shocked with their requirements, and gave up. Then on Kijiji I saw an ad for baby Senegals. I traveled 2 hrs, one way just to go and see them. I really didn't want a baby but ended up working out that way. All of this was over a span of about 3 months. I've had Rio 2 months now. And it was only just recently when I looked on Kijiji ans saw that the 5 y/o Sennegal hen was no longer listed. I'm glad she got a home.

I don't know about California but here in the Northeast, you get ads for parrots all the time. Of course, sometimes it takes a bit of a while to find the one you want but sooner or later, there is an ad and, going by my experience, if the owner really wants a good home and feels you are it, they don't even charge you a penny for it. I had been searching for a mature LSC as a companion for the one I took in months ago and I found one advertising a 20 year old one for $300 which I answered but, when it came time to go pick up, I found out the cage was not coming with the bird and that, as a favor, they would let me have it for another $200 so I told them I couldn't afford it (the bird was going to need complete vetting and that would have put the total expense at $800 or more) and to please repost with a firm $500 for both the bird and the cage and explained that it would be unfair to rehome the poor thing without his familiar housing and left it at that. Less than two weeks later I get an email saying they want me to have the bird AND the cage for free because they loved the bird and felt I would be offering him the best home of all the other offers they had considered (I had given them vet references and sent them pictures of my birdroom, my birds, told them about the schedule, lights, diet, etc). Same thing with an Amazon male that was aggressive, the man wanted to get rid of the bird and period but he still didn't want the bird to end up in a bad situation and, when he brought the bird over (I always invite them to come and meet me and see my birdroom and birds) and saw my set-up and my other zons, he said to just give him $100 for him and he is a beautiful, young male YNA! And he is NOT aggressive!

You have to go into it knowing it might take a while to find the right one, to travel a bit if necessary and be willing to offer more than just money for them but, if you do, you find it.

 

[SoCalWendy]

I just checked Kijiji and come to find out Kito the 5 y/o Senegal hen I was talking about is still being advertised. She has been listed on there since January.

This is her: http://sandiego.ebayclassifieds.com...gal-kito-small-adult-female-bird/?ad=25555249

 

[Mare Miller]

Pajarita, the same type of experience happened to me when I found Sassy on CL. The owner was asking $400 for her and before she even allowed me to meet the bird, she wanted to meet me and see where Sassy was going to live. She and her daughter made the drive out and she decided to give us Sassy for free. I think a lot of people ask money to re-home their birds, on CL, because they want to make sure we are serious. I thought it was a good move on her part, also, to check us out.

 

[Mayden]

Okay, this might seem a bit aggressive, for that I apologise. This isn't aimed at anyone in particular, just the stance that 'adoption is the only way to go'.

Preloved | parrot birds for sale UK and Ireland

Plenty of birds around, not all are suitable, not all are affordable, not all are within a distance we can travel. etc.

I think I already mentioned the trouble with most rescues here in the UK. Most are either sanctuaries (that will not let a bird leave, after they've arrived) and other rescues all seem to have a contract saying that bird is forever theirs and not yours.

I say I'm "adopt, don't shop" but if you look at how I've acquired my pets, only one has been an actual adoption, the rest are store bought. If you've got the chance to adopt, I'm all for it, but I'm by no means against people using stores either. I'm more against people breeding, but hey, I know breeders too. I don't think they're bad people either.

It didn't mean I didn't LOOK for one that needed a home via a rescue, or a rehome. But most places would like you to meet the bird prior to bringing them home, which is not something I could do in each case I was interested in. Also if we didn't click with the bird (prior to meeting) then we're stumped. I'd rather meet the animal, see if we get on, think about it, then bring him home. Which is the case with all mine - except we happened to meet in a store and not a rescue! I don't see why I should deny a bird a wonderful home, with love and care, just because he's store bought.

If you find the right bird, be it shop, adopt, rescue, rehome, whatever. I wouldn't deny it a home purely because I didn't get it for free/cheap from 'the right owners'. But if I think a bird needed to get out of that situation, because I found it abysmal and knew he was going to go somewhere less than suitable, should I turn it down just because it's a store bought birdy?

No. Because I can't save take on every beautiful and wonderful bird (and that applies to most birds I meet!), but I can make a difference to THAT bird, I'm making a difference (a positive one) to his life. Just because he's being sold in a store, why does that make him any less important, or special, any less deserving of a good home with me?

Free, £100, £1k, £1000k. Irrelevent. That birds happiness is what matters to me at the end of the day and if I've found a bird that I've bonded with, 'current scenario' is not going to make a blind bit of difference to me getting it and improving it's life.

If I had seen Charlie through an ad on preloved/gumtree, etc (similar to CL here, as CL isn't widely used.) and then met him, I would have brought him home, because we clicked. But because he's a pet store bird, people will look down on my 'purchase'.

Sorry, not sorry. I've given all my guys a lovely home, with prompt vet care, good food, good housing, plenty of toys, plenty of interaction and lots of love. You tell me my baby boy Merlin doesn't deserve the home I've given him. You tell me my cuddly Charlie didn't deserve a second chance at being a pet, rather than a breeding bird in an aviary. Or that Bruce with his health problems, should have gone to another person who regards budgie's as little more than an ornament in the house.

Just because they're pet shop bought, does not make their lives any less important.

"Adopt, don't shop" is great and I really am all for it because there are so many animals that are in need of good homes, but they're not just in rescues.

Whatever you choose to do, just improve their lives. They're your responsibility now, no matter how you acquire the bird, you have to love it, provide for it, treat it as the most precious thing you own, deal with the ups and downs of parrontship and be grateful for every day you get with your bird. Baby or senior, love them unconditionally.

 

[ShellyBorg]

I have never looked down on any one who has "bought " a bird, be from a store or a breeder. On the other hand I tell every one to look around and see what rescues have and look to adopt. Why? Because sometimes you think you want X and then you fall in love with Y. And if you find a bird that needs to be rehomed thats amazing, but on the other hand if you can not find anything and the local store has "healthy!" birds and you can pay the price and you fall in love then go for it.

 

[riaria]

I think that the most important thing is to make people aware that they do not need to buy a baby to get a "good pet" (and, indeed, to inform them of the challenges that will arise when the baby grows up). Just kinda make everyone aware that there are so many adult birds out there in need of a home (whether it's from a rescue, from a person, or from a pet shop).

I think it's a generally bad idea to buy a sad looking parrot from a pet shop to rescue it, because it'll just get replaced with another. BUT, taking on that individual will mean the WORLD for that individual, and sometimes that's more important than trying to "make the world a better place in the future for other birds", yadda yadda. And if you click with that individual, then that's fantastic and ABSOLUTELY the right choice.

So, basically, my view is that breeders and pet shops selling babies are unlikely to disappear, however much we wish they would. So while I think we should try to support them financially as little as possible, it is more important to look to the well being of the parrot in question, and how well it'll fit in your family, and all that. If that makes sense

 

[mtdoramike]

Well, there is a debate about adoption versus purchasing. I don't look at buying a bird or animal as an adoption, I look at it as a purchase. Now, if I come across a animal like I did with Mac, who had issues and his owner could no longer care for him and offered him to me free of charge, I consider that an adoption. My Senegal was purchased off of Craigslist from an owner who just didn't want her anymore because they wanted a cockatoo and was selling her for $250.00, I consider that as a purchase. But that is just my take on adoption.

But both my birds weren't babies when I got them.