Bird-Birds and People-Birds

There's 2 types of birds.

Bird-birds like the company of other birds.
People-Birds like the company of humans. 

I've run into both and this is where it's important to try to match the right bird to the right family.

Bird-birds would do well in a sanctuary (the next best thing to freedom).

People-Birds would do well being re-homed to a family that will love and appreciate them.

Bird-birds don't require human interaction, and typically need to be adopted paired up with a Bird-Friend.

If you put a People-Bird or a Special Needs Bird in an aviary/sanctuary, the other birds may actually kill them...

I teach you bird things.

Adoptables April 2016

Bonnie & Clyde - Lovebirds

Hilda (The lovebird) & Francis (The English Budgie)

Francis talks a little bit and is mild mannered. Hilda is a nipper-butt, but she only wants to protect her Francis. They both act like goofballs, preen each other, snuggle, and are good for a family that may be on the busy side but wants the company of birds.

Budgie Duo

Amethyst & Garnet

Keeping Wild Animals In Cages

When someone says it's ethical to keep wild animals as pets:

"I take good care of my bird. It's ok for birds to be pets." If you don't volunteer with bird rescue. You have no say.

I devote my life to it. I devote my finances to it. I work 40 hours a week as a graphic designer, I take my off-days to go to adoption events and the museum to educate. I'm making info graphics. I'm trying to make things to sell to pay for vet bills of birds that aren't even my own.
I'm not trying to be a peacock, but I'm explaining how serious I am about the need to educate to save these babies from heart break.
This is the life I choose to live because of all the uninformed people out there. Bird rescuers exhaust themselves cleaning up the mess of those who think it's "ethical" to keep birds as pets.

Did you know birds can FLY!? Imagine that. Now imagine if you could fly and were sentenced to a life living on house arrest.

Doing rescue for over 5 years, I've learned that the same that applies for dogs and cats should apply to birds. Adopt. Don't shop, with the added, "Support Conservation".

All that money you blow on keeping a parrot would be better blown on efforts to help keep wild animals wild, perhaps support ecotourism.

Parrots are wild animals just as tigers, monkeys, and the like. They were not domesticated over 1000s of years, and truth be told, look how we treat those that were (dogs and cats).

Rescuers get the, "I used to have a bird..." stories.

• "Oops, my daughter starved her budgie." 
• "Oops, it flew out the window." 
• "Oops, it flew into a bucket of water and drowned." 
• "Oops, it flew into a pot of boiling water, help. I don't have money to take it to the vet. Oh whatever, it was a 20$ bird anyway." 
• "Oops, my lover got mad that my macaw bit me and threw it against the wall, breaking their upper beak off" 
• "Opps, my dog/cat killed my bird." 

 If you don't actively participate in bird rescue, you don't have enough experience with birds to know what you're talking about when it comes to ethics.

No, don't set companion birds free. Just don't buy them from breeders anymore.
The act of breeding birds is cruel. Yes, there are bird mills. Yes, you break the heart of the parents when you take their baby away, causing them to want to produce more in an endless cycle of cruelty.

No matter how well we treat them in our homes, it could never compare to a life in the wild with their families. *drops mic*

Training Lovebirds

I managed to train a couple of lovebirds to return to their cage after they have had their flutter time.
I used cues, repetition, and reward.

My lovebirds get to fly around in the bird room in the morning and evening. In order to return them to their cages, I originally used a butterfly net to catch them, and set them gently back into their cages.

Before taking out the net, I would clap my hand 3 times as a warning/indicator that the net was coming. They eventually learned that the net wasn't something to be feared and it only came out when it was cage time. Now, Runty & Squirmy wait for me to hold the net out to them, so they can hitch a ride on the rim, and hop into their cage.

They picked this up pretty quick and I thought maybe the foster lovebirds could learn, and they did.

Bonnie & Clyde no longer need me to reach for the net, I just have to do the claps. Jack & Elsa hear the claps, see the net, and they fly to the top of their cage, and stare at me. Then I slowly bring the net closer to them, they take the hint, and crawl into their cage.

After getting in their cages, I tell them what a good job they did, and pop some millet in their cage (reward).

There's probably better ways to teach them how to do this. Instead of using a net, hold a long perch to them, try to get them to step up on it using a treat, and put them in the cage. Maybe have millet already waiting for them in the cage.

The foster lovebirds are often very anti-hands, so the net seemed to be the optimum choice at the time.

I am not a behavioralist or anything like that and I'm open to correction and suggestions. 

Adopted March 2016

Elsa & Jack - ADOPTED

Pearl - ADOPTED

Cheeky - ADOPTED

Finchies - ADOPTED

If you see something, say something (politely)

My Uncle in NY loves budgies. He told me he didn’t like how they were being cared for at a local Petco. He had two that came to him sick, thus returning them for 2 different budgies. One of the new budgies showed the same symptoms (weird poop). So what? Return her for another one?

They’re not moldy bread you switch out for a new loaf, they’re bird-friends. Why don’t they fix up the two and give them back? This was within the 30 days of which you can return them.

This didn’t sit well with me, so I contacted customer service, who got me in touch with the local General Manager, and I politely told him what was happening.
I was not out to get anyone fired, just there to make sure the budgies are being well cared for, and if it possible, that he could return the new sick budgie when she was better. They said yes. 

He went to the Petco and they were very nice to him. They could tell that it washis niece that called up to inquire. He feels better knowing they’re being looked after.
He’s still curious about the sick budgie cage they have in the back, so I told him to be nice, and ask if they wouldn’t mind showing them to him.
He doesn’t have to be ALL up in their business, but since he gives them his business, it’s fair that he feels comfortable supporting them. In order to feel comfortable, he needs to make sure the bird-friends are being cared for…

We have so many options when it comes to buying, companies know they need to earn our patronage.

Moral of the story, consumers have power through social media, reviews, word of mouth, and of course, their money. If you don’t like the way an animal is being treated or looks, politely inquire. Show that you care, inspire them to care, and if they don’t, get squawking on their facebook page, yelp, google reviews, contact corporate, share the information, but do so RESPONSIBLY. Keep your ego out of it and keep it about the animals

New Fosters, Elsa & Jack

They’re former breeder birds. No lunging or chomping, just skittish, which is to be expected when entering a new environment.

I gave them a sample of Flutter Time in the bird room and they hung out on Cody's cage.