Oh I feel so bad for this wee guy...

[Tinker]

I was looking though the online classifieds for a budgie - not that I've finished the renovations on my house yet. I've still got stuff to do so I decided not to get a budgie till it was all completed as some of you may remember. Anyway.. was looking anyway cos there are lots of cutie cutie babies being sold at this time of year.

Then I found one titled 'Unwanted budgie $5' and it said that they'd had it for 6 months and were moving out of town. Anyway.. there's a photo of this poor wee fellow and he has a yellow head and is blue. He's in a very rusty cage with no toys!!!! He also looks terrified but has his eyes tightly closed! I'm sooo tempted to answer the classifed as he lives not far away.

He's totally not the type of budgie I wanted, but my heart is just going out to him. Do you think it would be too dangerous for him to be in my house with everything being done - painting, carpet laying etc? It's not all happening right now - painting is in a few months. I could put him upstairs I guess by an open window. Would it be too late to finger tame and teach him to talk? I'd really like to be able to teach him to fly out of the cage, but he might be really timid. I'm feeling very torn here about what to do.

[catschair]

I think the worst you would do is better than the little one would have where he is. Worst thing, you will have a wild budgie (I have a dozen wild budgies ) and he has a happy life!

[Tishrei]

Oh, GO FOR IT ... poor little thing. AWWW rescue the little guy and give him a chance.

[Valo's Moirana]

go for it.... with patience, the little one will come around and be able to live a happy life with you...

[itsjustpam]

They say there are more final regrets in life caused by the good things we didn't do than by the bad that we did. If nothing else, you take him and find him a proper home. JMHO

[Tinker]

I've sent the owner an email asking for more information about him. His $5 start=reserve auction doesn't end till tuesday.

[vldean]

I completely understand your dilemma! I was looking for a female Parrotlet a few weeks back. I found an add for one but they didn’t know for sure if it was male or female but thought it was a female. I arranged to pick her up the following afternoon. When I got there I could tell right away that “she” was in fact a “he”. I didn’t really want another male as I am trying to pair up my other 2 extras....But when I saw the condition of the house and the other caged birds I was literally sick. They had 3 Cockatiels in a cage that was so small I wouldn’t even put 1 finch in it and it was mildewed and hanging sideways from the ceiling. The Parrotlet was in a huge cage but holy cow!! It was rusted and had an old rusted license plate blocking holes that used to be used for the mildewed dishes sitting on the other side of it. His toys were mildewed, even the perch he was standing on. His water was black and his food had gross stuff in it. I bought him and as soon as I got home I threw that cage to the dump toys and all. He still doesn’t realize that millet is a treat and never touches it or his cuttlebone. It was so sad to see those birds in that condition and I could never have left him. I wanted to take the other birds but didn’t on the grounds I would probably be arrested. I don’t understand why people get these birds and feel they are doing them a favor by abusing them.

[tielz]

I would say to rescue him.

When it comes to the renovations, you will just have to be careful. I painted my house with the Sherwin Williams low VOC Duration Home or Harmony paints. Just put the bird in a seperate room and open the windows in the room you are painting.
For carpet, I would be more careful, not putting the bird in that area for quite some time. Or, maybe you have a friend or family member that can take the bird for that time to let it offgas. Since you live in NZ, then you can even do an outdoor aviary for that time.

:)

[Lori~D]

If you wanted a budgie and he NEEDS this rescue I say go for it. Keep him separated from the fumes with fresh air and you know when I was a kid I had budgies. I would just buy them randomly no matter how old they were. Take them home and clip their wings and use food rewards to train them to stay on my finger. I didnt know any better and they all became tame because I simply insisted and assumed they all could be tamed. It seemd to have worked real well. wing clipping will help the taming process and once he learns to trust you and that sitting on you wont hurt him...you can let his wings grow back and allow him flight. I cannot do that here because a bird would not survive our climate if it did get loose - I cannot risk that demise.

[ltbigman]

Jump right in there and give that wee baby a nice home. They know when they are rescued, and have people to love them. I have rescued several birds, and they all have been wonderful pets. It takes time and patience and lotsa love, and they all become love bugs sooner than you would think. Lotsa positive reinforcement, and praise is the beginning of a wonderful relationship in my home. Working with them on their terms helps, I start slow, and within time they all come around.
Viki Kent
ltbigman@seidata.com