The bird found us!

[Abeille]

Hi everyone! I am currently fostering a parakeet that just flew into the shop where I work. Due to metal chips and fumes it’s obvious that he/she couldn’t stay there. I left my name and number with the local animal control but I honestly don’t expect anyone to call. I am here to research all the things I need to do. I do understand that the cage is too small. This is emergency housing!

 

[LaManuka]

Welcome to Parrot Forums, Abeille, and thank you for taking in this little lost birdie!

It might be worth your while checking the Parrot Alert website for lost parakeets in your area, and you can also list him there as a "Found" bird as it is likely someone may be missing him. Here is the link to their website.....

https://www.parrotalert.com/

It is also worth checking with vet clinics or even pet shops in your area, whether they are bird specialists or not, as many people alert them when birds go missing.

But, if he does become a permanent member of your household, you will find tons of info and many wonderfully generous people here who will be only too willing to help you out with good advice. Welcome again, it's great to have you both on board!

 

[Abeille]

Thank you. I checked a 20 mile radius with 14 day window and nothing came up. Although I’m pretty sure it couldn’t be more than a week. We had 3 inches of snow 6 days ago!

 

[Laurasea]

People often think there us no hope when a parrot escape. Likely lost within 1 mile of you.

I'm glad you are providing a home. Glad you joined us.

Parakeet actually like leafy greens, like romaine lettuce. Try offering some in addition to seeds. Mine love veggies

 

[Scott]

Welcome, thanks for fostering a lost/escaped parakeet! If you are inclined to search a bit for former home, linked thread shares ideas for reunification. Designed to help folks who lost a bird, some aspects work for the reverse. http://www.parrotforums.com/lost-found/49129-bring-them-home-tips-locating-lost-bird.html

 

[Abeille]

Thank you! I’m not sure yet what I want the final outcome to be but I do have choices. First of all, I’m giving the former owner about a week to come asking about it. I’ve left contact information with the local humane society and animal shelter. My choices will be to keep it as our pet or Rehome with a family member of mine. I have lots of things to consider. My granddaughter wants it to stay, so we’ll see. One of my biggest worries is my dogs. Two are golden retrievers and one has a high prey drive.

 

[Scott]

Please be extraordinarily careful with dogs. It is possible to co-exist provided simple, foolproof, and repeatable safeguards are taken by entire family. The best of training cannot 100% override instincts.

 

[SailBoat]

In the meantime, enjoy! They can be true joys to have around!

 

[Flboy]

Welcome to you and your new found sweet pea!

 

[noodles123]

Thank you for caring and trying AND for knowing how dangerous paint fumes are for them! Lots of people wouldn't think about it.


I agree that you must be very cautious with dogs/cats etc (predators by nature).



Make sure you or whoever keeps the bird knows that they cannot use any teflon/ptfe/pfoa/pfcs in the house at all (it can kill them in as few a 5 minutes but if it doesn't it causes cumulative damage with each exposure)-it's common in pots/pans/air fryers, griddles, space heaters, blow dryers etc. Standard cleaners and scented products are also super harmful (esp air fresheners and glade plug-ins).
If you give him to another family member, make sure they know that the cage and perch need to be switched out long-term because some people genuinely don't know that they need more space or non-dowel perches.

 

[Abeille]

Please be extraordinarily careful with dogs. It is possible to co-exist provided simple, foolproof, and repeatable safeguards are taken by entire family. The best of training cannot 100% override instincts.

Yes, I do understand completely. If I think for a second that my home isn't safe due to my dogs, I will find a different home! Golden retrievers are bird dogs and mine have been in the field. I 100% know what my dogs are capable of.

 

[Abeille]

Thank you for caring and trying AND for knowing how dangerous paint fumes are for them! Lots of people wouldn't think about it.


I agree that you must be very cautious with dogs/cats etc (predators by nature).



Make sure you or whoever keeps the bird knows that they cannot use any teflon/ptfe/pfoa/pfcs in the house at all (it can kill them in as few a 5 minutes but if it doesn't it causes cumulative damage with each exposure)-it's common in pots/pans/air fryers, griddles, space heaters, blow dryers etc. Standard cleaners and scented products are also super harmful (esp air fresheners and glade plug-ins).
If you give him to another family member, make sure they know that the cage and perch need to be switched out long-term because some people genuinely don't know that they need more space or non-dowel perches.

Yes. Thank you for the advice! We are giving the previous owners a week to come forward, then we will work on more permanent surroundings! This cage is only for emergency accommodations. I do have one big question. i had a parakeet when I was a kid about 40 years ago. Back then we were told not to use a grid in the bottom. They had a paper that I believe had some sort of sand glued to it. i can tell that things have changed a lot since then.

 

[wrench13]

Welcome and be welcomed.

 

[noodles123]

Thank you for caring and trying AND for knowing how dangerous paint fumes are for them! Lots of people wouldn't think about it.


I agree that you must be very cautious with dogs/cats etc (predators by nature).



Make sure you or whoever keeps the bird knows that they cannot use any teflon/ptfe/pfoa/pfcs in the house at all (it can kill them in as few a 5 minutes but if it doesn't it causes cumulative damage with each exposure)-it's common in pots/pans/air fryers, griddles, space heaters, blow dryers etc. Standard cleaners and scented products are also super harmful (esp air fresheners and glade plug-ins).
If you give him to another family member, make sure they know that the cage and perch need to be switched out long-term because some people genuinely don't know that they need more space or non-dowel perches.

Yes. Thank you for the advice! We are giving the previous owners a week to come forward, then we will work on more permanent surroundings! This cage is only for emergency accommodations. I do have one big question. i had a parakeet when I was a kid about 40 years ago. Back then we were told not to use a grid in the bottom. They had a paper that I believe had some sort of sand glued to it. i can tell that things have changed a lot since then.

Yes- they have changed a lot. They now say to avoid that paper due to the fact that it can cause blockages, but also because it's hard on their feet. No idea why they said to remove grate (other than parakeets are ground foragers) but they can still forage on a grate and then at least their poop doesn't get all over them and their food. They still should eat out of dishes on the sides, but I mention the ground forager thing because that is the only reason I can think that they might have suggested that. Under the grate you can use paper towels or butcher paper--- black and white (non color ink) newspaper can also be used. You don't technically even need a liner under the grate but cleanup takes longer-- I removed the paper because my bird was shredding it and getting all hormonal and nesty when she would pry it up and shred it down there.



Pummice perches for feet and beak are fine, but they should only have a few others (manzanita, dragon wood, or custom-made by a someone like parrotwizard) which should be a proper diameter (with some variation) for your species which would be roughly 1/2" -1" (but not uniform all the way across, as this can lead to bumblefoot over time). They should also have wooden chewing toys (bird safe woods of course).


I have a copy and paste that includes all of the stuff I wish people knew (but sadly, so many people at pet shops etc don't talk about this stuff). I will post the link--- see my response to the poster (it's long but worth reading, whether you keep this bird or find him/her a new home) http://www.parrotforums.com/new-members-welcome/89685-new-member-irn-owners.html <---there you go

 

[Abeille]

Very informative! I went to PetSmart today and bought a high quality pellet to mix in with the seeds. It’s beginning to relax and be more comfortable. Very happy in the cage and doesn’t seem to want out. We were pretty worried about the first 24 hours. I’m sure it was extremely stressful for a bird. Thank you everyone for being so helpful!

 

[noodles123]

If you can allow her out safely, do try to do so, as a bird in a cage too long can get cage-bound. I am not saying reach in and get her, nor am I saying let her fly free if she will go crazy, but if there is a safe way to allow her to enter and exit without having to be toweled or frightened, do strive for that. Also, if you can monitor weight, that is ideal, as you need to make sure she is eating enough. Some healthy (non sunflower, and ideally, non-peanut) seeds should be offered with pellets, as budgies do need some seed. They just don't need as much as they tend to get...Make sure your seed mix isn't fortified with added stuff if you are also doing fortified pellets.


You are smart to take it slow and build trust though-- they take a long time to get comfortable and build trust with new people and places.

 

[fiddlejen]

... i had a parakeet when I was a kid about 40 years ago. Back then we were told not to use a grid in the bottom. They had a paper that I believe had some sort of sand glued to it. i can tell that things have changed a lot since then.

As Noodles noted, avoid the sand. No sand paper (budgies do not need grit), and no sand perches. Regarding the grate, I leave mine in, and originally I put paper Under the grate, but now I put it on TOP of the grate. You can use clean white paper towels (although that can get expensive!), or any newspaper. (I take a handful of grocery flyers on Saturdays, since my store puts new ones on Sundays. DO sniff any printed paper you use, and make sure it's not giving any fumes or odors.) The Budgie most Likely will Not chew the liner paper. (IF it does - then you will want to use only white or only black-white printed.)

The budgies generally have less drive to shred their lining paper than some of the larger bird (such as Noodles' 'too). Putting the paper OVER the grate will make cleanup a Lot easier for you - just change the paper daily. Then you will not need to clean the grate & the drawer of the cage daily.

Also make sure you change the food daily, even if it Looks like it's full. They leave the husks behind which float to the top of the bowl, making it Appear full, and they can actually starve to death quite easily. (Well, you probably know this since you had budgies before.) Also make sure to add in the pellets SLowly. If the budgie is suspicious of the pellets, it may pretend-eat them... and again, can starve. However it is best to start that changeover now, as it is new environment, probably hungry, great to begin introducing the pellets now.

I think someone else has mentioned this already, but, IF you or family member do keep the birdie, you will want to get a checkup with an Avian Vet if possible.

Good luck with the budgie. If someone is looking for the little birdie, then I hope you find the owner. Otherwise, I'm glad it found you, and best of luck with getting it settled and happy and healthy! Thank you for caring for it.

 

[noodles123]

If you do end up keeping the bird, (and even if you don't) you might want to start shopping around for an avian certified vet (either for your sake, or for the sake of a local adopter). All parrots should get a check up once a year, and having come from the great outdoors, it's going to be super important for this budgie to get checked by someone who knows what he/she is doing (regular vets and parrots do not mix well in most cases).



Another important thing- if you give the bird to another family that has other birds, make sure they are aware that quarantine for 45 days to 3 months in a separate air space is important. If you can't keep the bird for the quarantine period, they should make sure the new bird is housed in a totally separate room from their other birds. This is due to the risk of asymptomatic spread of certain dangerous diseases that could put the new and old birds at risk during periods of high stress/transition when viral shedding is common. Regardless of a vet check-up, quarantine still matters, as ABV, PDD , PBFD and many other viral diseases are not routinely tested for in asymptomatic birds (but it's not uncommon for birds to have these diseases with no signs of illness).



Psittacosis/chlamydia in parrots is tested for more commonly by breeders, but you will definitely want to get this bird tested, as it was out with wild birds.It is not an expensive test (unlike the others) so this one is fairly standard.

 

[Abeille]

Yes, I’ll do that! We are more relaxed today and actually chirped a little!

 

[noodles123]

Aw! I'm glad you found this bird and not some random person without a heart. The fact that you tried so hard to find the owner is a seriously good thing (and many do not do it because they just can't imagine the owner responding).