rehoming my conures :(

rioandolive

Member
Feb 3, 2021
14
25
I've posted twice about my conures (rio and olive) on this forum and i've received lots of help (thanks everyone who replied) but I've run into a dilemma and don't know what to do.

The conures are not actually mine, my sister is the one who decided she wanted conures and bought them. they'll be three years old this summer and we got them almost three years ago (they were around 2-3 months?). We got olive first and then rio maybe a month and a half later, they instantly clicked and are bonded now. My sister was their prime caretaker, they were more attached to her and spent more time with her too (I spent time with them as well but not as much). However, Last year October my sister and mom went back home to my moms home country, they ended up being there for a whole year and just came back a little more then a week ago.

Not gonna lie, I had a hard time at first, Rio always liked my sister more, Olive just always seemed to poop on me, and I had them out a lot which was hard especially on days where I had exams. But I got used to it, I got used to them and they got used to me and a month in it was fine, some days were hard but it was okay, I started loving them even more then before and man they have such personalities so it made up for the hard days. I'm actually very glad I had them with me. (I was also using my sisters room while she was gone since its bigger so the birds would just chill with me occasionally in the room as well).

They're just so great? they're funny, they dance, they're so smart, Rio isn't the smartest but that only makes him cuter and Olive is too clever, she knows when she's doing something she's not supposed to and literally walks like a dinosaur to seem subtle. They love being around people, they love chilling on top of their cage, they love shoulders, the top of laptops and of course always have to be together.

However, I guess my sister decided to get a kitten there and she got the kitten at around 1.5 months, he's 10 months old now and she's brought him with her (I know this was very irresponsible for her to do as she knew we had birds at home but she thought she'd be easily able to manage both- she was wrong). He's a Persian and pretty docile but we're not taking any risks, we make sure he doesn't get too close to their cage but he does seem to take an interest in them and rio and olive just get closer to the cage doors when he's near. We also don't ever have them out at the same time.

The problem is that its become too difficult and I don't know what to do. With the cat its so hard to manage the birds, I have to make sure they are with me in my room all the time now when we're out, I can't leave my room because the cat might be outside, I can't move around certain things because they get spooked easily (for example moving a pillow), I can't leave them on top of their cage anymore, and it's really hard getting school work done, and my room is too small. Im already so overwhelmed with school and I feel like I cant think. I was considering selling the bed to get a smaller one because then I'd have more space but I recently just got a part time job and classes are going back in person (Im a university student and was home all of last year, but now classes are starting back in person now). So I wont even be home that often and my sister can't watch them both because the cat is very clingy with her.

I really don't know what to do, I feel terrible and I don't want to rehome them because I love them so much but I also don''t want them to be neglected just because I'm being selfish. They have such great personalities and I'm afraid whoever takes them wont be good with them (even though I know ill be very careful with the rehoming process) but honestly more then that I'm just so sad, I can't stop crying just at the thought of it lol but now my families starting to say we have to rehome them and I don't have much of a choice. I don't think its fair since we got them first and the cat is being prioritized but I also know I can't do much. Man I feel like a terrible person, I'm devastated at the thought that once their gone, their gone but I'm really just at a loss and don't see any other options.

Does anyone have any experience rehoming their birds or any advice? thank you for taking the time to read my post.
 

kme3388

Well-known member
Sep 17, 2021
1,059
3,249
Minnesota, USA
Parrots
Eclectus Parrot: Nico (male)
Jenday Conure: Kiwi (female)
I own 2 birds. I also did volunteer at a shelter. These are always tough things for me to read. Birds really do bond with their owners. I've seen the downside of birds ending up in a shelter. Some never bond with anyone else, some feather pluck, some become very agressive, some don't come out of their cages for months on end. I would always recommend to try to work through anything that you possibly can before rehoming a bird.

If you must rehome a bird maybe do a walk through of the home of the person you are adopting your parrot to, or do facetime? ask about the experience that the person has with birds, make sure you aren't adopting to someone who could potentially have a life change (like going off to college, nursing home, or so on) as then these birds will just be rehomed again. Which will put them in a worse situation. The more times this takes place the less likely that bird is going to trust another human. This isn't a good thing as eventually some birds will become so aggressive that they will not be considered adoptable if they end up in a shelter. At that point they go to an aviary, and live out the rest of their lives there.
 

Skarila

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
2021 Parrot of the Year 🏆
Apr 19, 2021
766
Media
86
Albums
5
2,660
Hungary
Parrots
✻Csillam the rescued budgie
✻Pascal the Emma's (Venezuelan) Conure

Previous owned:
✻Archibald the cockatiel (fostered 6 months)
✻RIP - 28 YO Zeleni the mischievous IRN
✻RIP -Sunny the budgie
I'm really sorry to hear you were put in such a situation! I agree - quite irresponsible from your sister.

Now, I did have 2 docile cats and a parrot. My IRN was there first, for 7 years, till we got our first kitten. From the cat's early age it was very easy to teach them that even just staring at the bird was a no-no. My other cat was a dumb, shy kitten, I guess she really did hit her head too hard when we got her (She had a bad accident falling down the stairway and my parents took her in). For the cat's whole life, the bird was untouched by them, even when out. But then again - I'd hardly ever believe any other cat being that dumbly docile as mine were. We also had a dog - now she was a different story and it was really hard keeping them both. We did keep them both, but the bird was always in the cage (this was years ago when I had no saying into anything in my family). And I hear your plea and troubles - Me now having my birds out all day when I'm home (and I work from home) I cannot imagine having not even a cat for various reasons, not just the hunting instincts.

Now this IRN of mine was a very hard, damaged bird and was driving me mad at times. I have a whole story of him written down on this forum. And back to your question about rehoming. If you really fear that the birds must be rehomed, despite they like your sister very much, I'm afraid that might be the best option for them. Or the cat goes, that's also an option.

Because the birds are bonded with each other, it will be much easier on them as they will still have each other. My IRN was rehomed because his way too strong unhealthy bond with me was destroying my eardrums, and simply my relationship with my partner, was he was driving us both mad with the constant shouting and him attacking my partner in the face from 2 meters away. I have to mention I grew up with that green loud grinch and loved him so much, but he couldn't stay with me. Took us well over a month to find the perfect family for him. Many wanted him for breeding purposes for which I declined. Finally, I settled him in a family who had a whole flock of IRNs and Alexandrines in their own flat and were always free, and few other species. The guy was a wild bird rescuer, knew really a lot about birds and always had an avian vet at hand, due to often injured wild birds he took care of.
I'd ask for updates from the guy, and I got to learn that my old boy was the main clown in the family, and has bonded with a very old Alexandrine, and after his passing to another IRN boy. I guess I was his only gal in life..! Zeleni (my IRN) passed away this spring, 4 years after I rehomed him, since he was a really old bird.

Kme said it well what to watch out when rehoming - someone who is already settled would be really good. I almost had my Pascal rehomed, and since it's a conure, we were looking for people who potentially have big flocks already - you just know these people are committed to these beings. And also because conures work really well in big flocks. I always asked for pictures, current situations, how many birds and what kinds of birds. I always and immediately crossed those who had dogs or cats. I even crossed aviaries as my birds were hand tame.

I rehomed a couple of rescues as well as my own lifelong friend - and it was never easy, tears were shed every time. Also do not feel terrible - usually the reason of rehoming is wanting the best for your bird which is selfless. I wish this stigma of rehoming would be washed away one day, at least for those who just really want the very best life for our birds.
 

Emeral

Well-known member
Sep 16, 2021
209
628
Parrots
Hanhs Macaw
Please Wait.....is there a real need to panic?
Is there a real need to talk about who is right and who is wrong? Because you may be able to say that she is wrong while she may be able to say rehome the birds. So let us focus on the present, the coexistence present.

For Rio and Olive, we must stop all emotions and think clearly. Most importantly, be flexible, be kind to one another, no more finger pointing. Also, please be kind to the cat as we want others to be kind to the birds too.

Before deciding anything such as rehoming RioandOlive, wouldn't it be better to keep them and ask for help?
Share some tasks, to someone may make it possible to keep them. It is crucial that all resources are identified and exhausted......


Sharing out the tasks by draw up a list of all the tasks that have to be carried out and whwhenfor both cat and birds.
How many members in your family?
Which members can share/take turn to care for Rio and Olive? Sharing time and financial aid?
How many rooms can you rotate the birds to?
Can the cat be kept in certain zone for a few hours each day? So Rio and Olive can fly freely?
let's focus on personal scheduling of each of your family member so you can work out a creative solution.

Of course, step back and consider all possible options should coexistence become impossible, before making any decision.

1) reschedule the free roaming time of cat vs birds , for example, perhaps the cat can stay in your sisters room while the bird's are out for 1 to 2 hours per day.

2) long term bird sitter, maybe some classmates that love birds can take them for every week end, like time sharing concept.

3) rehoming the birds....is sad

4) rehoming the cat...is sad too


What will be best for Rio and Olive? Every one in your family taking turn to play and spend time with them. And this very same thing is also true for the cat. So instead of thinking which is to be rehome (putting the opposite person in a defensive position), let's think how to work together to care for both birds and cat. This could bring opportunities to share experiences and a joint commitment.
 

Littleredbeak

Well-known member
May 27, 2020
622
870
Get a cat cage and give the birds out time while the cat is in a cage or room. This is what I do and it's pretty helpful. Cats are not in the cage for extended periods of time and they really like it (they get fed in there and have their hammocks there). Rooms are a little tricky because someone can open it and let the cat out (or have smart cats who open the door). I haven't read the other replies so sorry if someone already suggested this.
 

fiddlejen

Well-known member
Mar 28, 2019
1,232
Media
11
1,156
New England
Parrots
Sunny the Sun Conure (sept '18, gotcha 3/'19). Mr Jefferson Budgie & Mrs Calliope Budgie (albino) (nov'18 & jan'19). Summer 2021 Baby Budgies: Riker (Green); Patchouli, Keye, & Tiny (blue greywings).
As others have stated, it would be a great thing IF it could be worked out to avoid re-homing the birds -- but -- the situation you have described is indeed the type situation that really can warrant rehoming.

It is hard on birds to be rehomed, but it is worse to keep them in an un-safe situation, which it sounds like it currently is.

Given the ages and responsibility levels of the people involved, rehoming might be the best choice.

All the advice given so far is really good, especially what to look for when re-homing. Take your time seeking a good home, pray about it if you pray, or meditate about it otherwise.

Or IF any of the suggestions above for helping keep the birds, are workable in your situation, you could implement them as possible while still slowly seeking a re-home. As you work on Both purposes it may become more clear as to which will be the better path.

Your love for the birds is clear, so IF you are able to keep them SAFELY, and withOut limiting your Own Life to your bedroom long-term, then keeping them would be great -- again, if you are able to make that work.

BUT if indeed you find you need to re-home them, do Not feel any guilt about it. It is clear that you love them, and whether to keep or rehome them, you are going to make the best choice for these birds that you are able to make.
 

Most Reactions

Top