I contacted a woman that has over 30 years experience with rescuing and rehabilitating Australian wildlife this morning to discuss my issues with Opal. After spending a couple of hours talking over the situation with her she recommended that we rehome her ASAP as she is suffering from increasing levels of stress. This is why I am unable to progress with taming her. The combination of my dogs, living on a busy main road and being able to hear the other birds are making it impossible for her to adapt to my home. It is too noisy and too busy for her to relax. We have discussed it as a family and have decided to follow her advice. It would be selfish to keep her in an environment that she finds distressing, ignoring expert advice, to keep trying to tame her.
It is with a heavy heart . .
- Thread starter Talven
- Start date
Flboy
Well-known member
- Dec 28, 2014
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Oh man, that’s a tough move!
Not so sure I would call that expert advice you are receiving, but advice commonly received from a wildlife rehabilitation center. Plus, it sounds like it maybe the advice that you need to hear.
Follow your heart...
Follow your heart...
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Sorry to learn of this, but good on you for putting the parrots best interests first.
Just a note, didn't you just adopt a blue Quaker?
Just a note, didn't you just adopt a blue Quaker?
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RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
Very sorry to hear this outcome, hopefully you will find Opal a wonderful forever home.
I don’t like trying to guilt people into keeping a bird they don’t want fir whatever reason, as this usually leads to a bird stuck in a cage stuck in a back room or garage or outside sbd sbd given food and water but not much in the way of a life.....
But a bird that is so smart and social and has needs for physical activity being stuck in a cage. That’s going to lead to screaming and other less desirable behavior.. some birds won’t learn step up from a cage, but actually need to be worked with outside of the cage. Us humans are smart enough to come up with ways to do this, till the cage into a bed room, remove things that might get knocked over, set up perch areas , have a hand held perch, slowly work on shaping behavior in small segments, do this when you can take time to fool with getting them back in the cage we you are done. Also I think this species has need for burning off a lot of physical energy.
There are always ways to make things work, just like there are always excuses for why they don’t.
It does raise red flags that you took in another bird while you were and are dealing with a difficult burd situation... cockatoo are one of the more difficult species to meet the needs of sbd are often rehome because if that.... unfortunately Quaker’s are often re homes too because if the same reasons,, they to will act out and self destruct without plenty of attention activities and out of the cage time... truly Quaker’s are re homes in the thousands in my area , I myself have taken in two that didn’t fit in people’s lives, they are loud and can easily become screamers and pluckers due to them being extremely social smart and active species.... I do hope the Quaker is a better fit fir your household, and that you are able to meet his needs..
I hope the right placement for your cockatoo is found. And that you very actively share your experience and the difficulty with this species with others , especially others thinking of taking on this challenge. All species if parrots are nit easy pets... but some species have a much more difficult time dealing with the limits of captivity. People who are determined to have them, should be prepared to have the time and extra effort required to meet there needs, possibly including having an outdoor aviary fir them to spend some time in daily burning off energy.
Even my Quaker’s could benefit from an outdoor aviary, and I hope to make that happen. They are free flightier and out of their cage fir 8 hours a day.. but there are days I can see they need more.
But a bird that is so smart and social and has needs for physical activity being stuck in a cage. That’s going to lead to screaming and other less desirable behavior.. some birds won’t learn step up from a cage, but actually need to be worked with outside of the cage. Us humans are smart enough to come up with ways to do this, till the cage into a bed room, remove things that might get knocked over, set up perch areas , have a hand held perch, slowly work on shaping behavior in small segments, do this when you can take time to fool with getting them back in the cage we you are done. Also I think this species has need for burning off a lot of physical energy.
There are always ways to make things work, just like there are always excuses for why they don’t.
It does raise red flags that you took in another bird while you were and are dealing with a difficult burd situation... cockatoo are one of the more difficult species to meet the needs of sbd are often rehome because if that.... unfortunately Quaker’s are often re homes too because if the same reasons,, they to will act out and self destruct without plenty of attention activities and out of the cage time... truly Quaker’s are re homes in the thousands in my area , I myself have taken in two that didn’t fit in people’s lives, they are loud and can easily become screamers and pluckers due to them being extremely social smart and active species.... I do hope the Quaker is a better fit fir your household, and that you are able to meet his needs..
I hope the right placement for your cockatoo is found. And that you very actively share your experience and the difficulty with this species with others , especially others thinking of taking on this challenge. All species if parrots are nit easy pets... but some species have a much more difficult time dealing with the limits of captivity. People who are determined to have them, should be prepared to have the time and extra effort required to meet there needs, possibly including having an outdoor aviary fir them to spend some time in daily burning off energy.
Even my Quaker’s could benefit from an outdoor aviary, and I hope to make that happen. They are free flightier and out of their cage fir 8 hours a day.. but there are days I can see they need more.
MikeD91
New member
I sorry to hear what you have said. I've had my birds for just a couple of years and I can't even think of giving them to someone else. I don't care how much my family get unhappy about them screaming, they have never seen or experienced what I have with my birds. Sure I get upset when they interrupt something important, but after being with them I can't part. I'm sorry for your situation.
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Deciding to rehome a bird is never easy. and I'm so sorry that you are going through this.
Sadly, sometimes finding a new home is best and I applaud you for putting Opal's needs first. I hope you are able to find a wonderful new home for her.
Sadly, sometimes finding a new home is best and I applaud you for putting Opal's needs first. I hope you are able to find a wonderful new home for her.
- Thread starter
- #9
I took on a barely tame Galah thinking I would be able to build a bond with her like I have been able to do with smaller parrots. Smaller parrots that had been hand raised mind you. I was very very wrong.
In my arrogance in thinking this, all I have managed to do is get a Galah to a point where she is now causing injury to herself. She has gotten to the point where anyone coming near her cage will cause her to run around on the floor and try to force her head through the gap in the bars. In the past few days she has stopped bothering to slow down but is running full speed into the bars face first. She doesn't bother to climb down her perches any more either. She just lets go and drops 3 - 4 feet to the floor, last night managing to cut herself on the chest.
I tried leaving the cage door open for Opal over the the past several days and moving away so she would have a chance to come out but she had gotten to the point where she was too scared to come out. She would be at the back of the cage as far away from the door trying to force her way through the bars.
I don't want to rehome her, especially so soon after losing Ari, but keeping her because I feel guilty would be a greater tragedy than it already is. I failed in building a bond with her. In the end all I ended up doing is causing harm. I freely admit that I made a mistake. For those who disapprove of me rehoming her feel free to do so. I am certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that rehoming her is in her best interest. I refuse to watch her injure herself because she finds living here too stressful.
I will never again take on a bird to try to tame under any circumstance. It's obvious to me that I lack the ability for it.
I was the one to be working with Opal to tame her. As for the quaker, my wife refused to leave him. He has taken to her very well and is happy to come out of his cage and go on his play gym. I only have a small part to play with him so he should be fine.
Nothing I have said was targeted at anyone. I'm not suggesting that any one who has responded was "disapproving". I doubt I will have much to say on here for a while as I have things to sort through.
In my arrogance in thinking this, all I have managed to do is get a Galah to a point where she is now causing injury to herself. She has gotten to the point where anyone coming near her cage will cause her to run around on the floor and try to force her head through the gap in the bars. In the past few days she has stopped bothering to slow down but is running full speed into the bars face first. She doesn't bother to climb down her perches any more either. She just lets go and drops 3 - 4 feet to the floor, last night managing to cut herself on the chest.
I tried leaving the cage door open for Opal over the the past several days and moving away so she would have a chance to come out but she had gotten to the point where she was too scared to come out. She would be at the back of the cage as far away from the door trying to force her way through the bars.
I don't want to rehome her, especially so soon after losing Ari, but keeping her because I feel guilty would be a greater tragedy than it already is. I failed in building a bond with her. In the end all I ended up doing is causing harm. I freely admit that I made a mistake. For those who disapprove of me rehoming her feel free to do so. I am certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that rehoming her is in her best interest. I refuse to watch her injure herself because she finds living here too stressful.
I will never again take on a bird to try to tame under any circumstance. It's obvious to me that I lack the ability for it.
I was the one to be working with Opal to tame her. As for the quaker, my wife refused to leave him. He has taken to her very well and is happy to come out of his cage and go on his play gym. I only have a small part to play with him so he should be fine.
Nothing I have said was targeted at anyone. I'm not suggesting that any one who has responded was "disapproving". I doubt I will have much to say on here for a while as I have things to sort through.
- Nov 9, 2018
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I just read this and don't know if you have take her to the vet?? The vet might give her some medication for her stress. There is medication for this matter and it will work and will help her while you are still looking for a home for her.
- Thread starter
- #11
I just read this and don't know if you have take her to the vet?? The vet might give her some medication for her stress. There is medication for this matter and it will work and will help her while you are still looking for a home for her.
Due to severe COVID-19 restrictions here in Victoria, Australia I am unable to get to my Avian Vet. I am not allowed to travel that many suburbs away. My local vet's main surgery is in a locked down suburb so again I can't get there.
I’m sorry you both are in such a difficult situation. I feel for you both.
Is she going to an aviary or a wildlife rehabilitation place? I hope the best situation is found for her.
Sometimes we are a transition, perhaps she needed you to get her to the right spot.
It takes a maturity to realize we have tried, and to accept that we can’t succeed , or aren’t the right option. I’m glad you are stepping up and working on a solution. I do have empathy for you.
Years ago I had gotten a new little puppy as a friend for my other young pup with sever separation anxiety. After 3 days of having the cute new pup, half the people st my job wee laid off, and we were told more people would be let go and the company sold. I was fearful I would be next, sbd be unable to pay for puppy shots and neutering. So I re homes him to the most amazing couple , who had been searching for a year for small breed puppy who could travel with them. I got to watch him grow up to be the absolute light of their lives. I was the go between that was needed to get them all together... but it was very hard st the time to give up this one pound cute puppy, that I had spent a lot of time searching for myself... when things settled with my job I found the puppy I was meant to have! He was one ugly duckling as and he had behavior and health issues... everybody thought I was nuts
He turned into a stunning gorgeous adult and we worked through everything else. We wee ment for each other every bit as much as the other pup was ment for that couple.
It’s hard to hear that and think of all the parrots poached in the past for the pet trade, her story makes me think how those poor birds suffered....
Is she going to an aviary or a wildlife rehabilitation place? I hope the best situation is found for her.
Sometimes we are a transition, perhaps she needed you to get her to the right spot.
It takes a maturity to realize we have tried, and to accept that we can’t succeed , or aren’t the right option. I’m glad you are stepping up and working on a solution. I do have empathy for you.
Years ago I had gotten a new little puppy as a friend for my other young pup with sever separation anxiety. After 3 days of having the cute new pup, half the people st my job wee laid off, and we were told more people would be let go and the company sold. I was fearful I would be next, sbd be unable to pay for puppy shots and neutering. So I re homes him to the most amazing couple , who had been searching for a year for small breed puppy who could travel with them. I got to watch him grow up to be the absolute light of their lives. I was the go between that was needed to get them all together... but it was very hard st the time to give up this one pound cute puppy, that I had spent a lot of time searching for myself... when things settled with my job I found the puppy I was meant to have! He was one ugly duckling as and he had behavior and health issues... everybody thought I was nuts
He turned into a stunning gorgeous adult and we worked through everything else. We wee ment for each other every bit as much as the other pup was ment for that couple.
It’s hard to hear that and think of all the parrots poached in the past for the pet trade, her story makes me think how those poor birds suffered....
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