Loving Forever home available in CT

[Alika]

You sound sincere enough to me.

At any rate, weigh the advantages and disadvantages of rescues vs. breeder birds before you make any decisions. You're right about retailers: they do buy from breeders and jack up the price. While a CAG might cost you $1500+ at a pet store, I know breeders who will sell at $800 and you know exactly what you're getting.

If you're looking to save money, buy your cage on Ebay (if you don't still have your old one). I got a decent amazon cage for $125 there, brand new, and they paid for the shipping.

As far as finding a place to rescue... I still can't help you there, I'm afraid. If you go through an organization or a club, you'll pay almost as much in adoption fees as you would if you went through a breeder. Otherwise, you'll just have to watch the newspaper ads and such. You might call shelters and vets and let them know that you're available if anything comes up.

This is a great example of a great rescue group. Check out their CAGs for adoption and the asking price. These are representative of the types of birds you'll be in the market for if you go for rescue.

Again, not saying it's a bad idea or that you're not up for it, just trying to give you a good heads-up. Two of my birds are rescues, and it took a lot to bring them around to where they are now, both physically and behaviorally... and it took a lot more money to get them there than I would have spent on a healthy baby bird from a breeder.

http://www.thegabrielfoundation.org/Home/

and the greys they have for adoption:

http://www.thegabrielfoundation.org/...African%20Grey

Greys are popular, so they go fast.

I know that rescue is in CO and you are in CT. I am just using it as an example.

[dream5866]

I am attempting to attach a picture of my son with Jojo.

[IMG]justinjojo.bmp[/IMG]

[cfulhage]

In regards to the ferret vs. cat issue...My neighbors had a budgie when one of their kids decided he wanted a ferret. Not knowing the risk they were taking, they got the ferret. Not a week later, the ferret escaped from his cage and killed the budgie. Needless to say, the ferret found a new home. Ferrets are rodents, and like hamsters (which I have had many of) are notorious for getting out of EVERYTHING. Yes, cats are predators, and I would NEVER leave my cat alone with Ollie out of her cage, but for one, a cat cannot get into a bird cage, whereas a ferret could definitely find a way. Ferrets cannot be punished. They dont learn from their mistakes. I used a squirt bottle on my cat to teach him the rules around the bird, and now all I have to do is show him that bottle, and he knows. Very rarely does he even look at Ollie now! A ferret would never learn the difference between right and wrong. Dont get me wrong...I would never in a million years trust Grissom around Ollie, but at least I know Ollie is safe in her cage.

[Vankarhi]

Hello dream 5866, I read your post and could not see anywhere that you were asking for a free anything. That aside I have no idea on any other issue brought up. I too am a member of a few forums (mostly bird, but one is a dog forum and another is clicker training) and I use two different names - why? I really do not know, but my real name is the same in both, so most people would be able to see who I am anyway.

I am not an expert but from my readings getting a rescue might not be the cheapest way to go. I would love to rescue a bird, but feel safer getting it from a breeder (the breeder I deal with anyway). I live in Australia so our prices are different to yours, but I have not seen many greys or ekkies (I mention ekkies because they in my opinion sound similar to greys and I own an ekkie also - and you did say a grey or something similar) sell over there for $1500 (don't know where that price came from but I saw it in someones post on this subject). I have seen people selling birds on other forums and I know they screen the prosepective new parronts, so maybe if you are patient and just keep your ears close to the ground you will find the right "fid" for you in the near future.

By the way welcome to this site it really is a good site and we are a bunch of friendly people who really do care about our feathered family.

[dream5866]

First of all, our ferrets have never been able to escape from their cage. It is has locking doors which is why we bought it because we want them to be safe and know that while we are away they wont get out and get hurt. Second of all, if the spacing on the birds cage is appropriate and the doors also lock (which for a large parrot would be necessary because they are just as adept as ferrets at escaping cages) then the ferret would not be able to get into the cage. Third of all, if there is constant supervision when one or both are out of their cages and both the ferrets and the parrots are on totally different floors of the house I think we can be sure that the parrot would be safe. The ferrets have never been able to get at our lizards for the same reason. My son has even had his lizards out walking in front of the ferrets playroom gates and while they came over to see what it was they hardly paid it any attention and went back to playing. THey did not try to find a way to escape out of their playroom. I am constantly changing it around and adding new things so they are never bored. I even made them a rice and a biodegradable packing peanut box to keep them from getting bored. No, I would never, ever leave the ferrets out of their cage (even in their playroom) with the bird out without knowing that I or my husband would be constantly supervising. The ferrets would be downstairs in our basement family room where the kids spend all their time and the parrot would be upstairs in our living room (which is open and viewable from the entire 1st floor) where my husband and I spend all of our time. It would never be out out site and there is a door to the downstairs that I can close to be extra sure. Believe me I am not making this decision lightly or without considering all the consequences and taking all the precautions. I would never want to put an animal in danger and just like with a cat, you are taking a risk knowing that there may be somethings that you can not account for. Even though you are extremely diligent with your cat and bird, there is still ALWAYS the possibility that your cat will kill your bird faster than you can react, so please do not judge me when you have a cat. Also, ferrets can be trained. THe same way I trained them to go in the litter box, to stay away from my plant, to give kisses. They are not just dumb rodents as you say. If you know the dangers and you are careful then they can co-exist just like other pet relationships that I have seen and you yourself are experiencing.

[The Outlaw]

I will tell you this just so you understand the rescuers point of view: If you house ferrets, terriers and other aggressive breeds, smoke or even have very small children, your application will likely be denied. Just because you may be "more careful" doesn't mean that others are. To allow you a bird and deny others with similar credentials would put birds that have already been in less than ideal surroundings at risk for a second bad or even worse experience.

Those guidelines exist because of problems in the past. Frankly, when your ferrets have passed on and you can safely place a bird in your home, then and only then should you consider a parrot. I realize that pet shops will sell anyone a bird if they have the money to purchase one, but most legitimate rescues want a better home for their charges. We have to always think beyond what we want and whats best for the bird. Those things often conflict.

For the record, it is MY personal experience that rescue birds more often than not come with more baggage and certainly cost you more in vet bills than most hand raised birds from good breeders. Also, most breeders will allow customers to pay as you go on their birds. If you place a deposit now on a clutch, you could probably have it paid off by the time its properly weaned. Free birds usually are the MOST expensive of them all. They usually come with illnesses that result from neglect along the way. Aspergiliosis, giardia, liver disease and many others are pretty much par for the course.

I currently have an 8 year old Aussie sheepdog who is wonderful with my flock. She is their protector. However, once she passes on, that will be my last dog. I just don't think its necessarily a given that the family pooch will love and protect my birds. I simply got lucky.

You don't sound like a bird beggar, but you do seem to not understand what you sound like to the reader here.Your chances of finding a needy bird would increase a thousandfold if you made the changes more conducive to safely housing your bird. In the meantime, I know that I would not consider your application if I was placing a bird, which I often do for members here.

[dream5866]

Then you are passing up a very loving home. I understand and I will not bother any of you any more. I understand about rescues because as I said previously one of our ferrets is blind, deaf and was very malnourished and will parasites that needed treatment. I isolated him and had him treated until the vet gave his okay before I put him with the others. Two of the rescued ferrets were severe biters when we got them because they were severely abused and neglected. I worked non-stop with them every single day to break them of this and prove to them that they were safe and in a loving home and now all of them give kisses and are very loving and happy. I did not give up on them just because they bit violently or were special needs. Again, I understand where you are coming from and will not bother you any more, but that is one needy bird that could have found a very loving forever home with someone who understands special needs. I also have a child with special needs and as he once said to me, "mommy, you would never give up on me for being special needs so we will never give up on an animal for being special needs." Thank you all.

[Alika]

I'm not trying to pick a fight, but for the record, ferrets are not rodents. They belong to a family called mustelids, which includes otters, weasels, and skunks.

I know it's not really relevant in this topic, but it's an old pet peeve of mine; had to clear it up.

[SPJ]

I will tell you this just so you understand the rescuers point of view: If you house ferrets, terriers and other aggressive breeds, smoke or even have very small children, your application will likely be denied.

Sounds kind of harsh don't you think.
If they can provide the care, why not allow them to take in the bird.

I have taken in other animal rescues and was never asked what other animals I had. The questions related to the level of experience to see if I was qualified.

Let me ask you this.

I breed pythons and make pretty decent money from it.

Would I be denied because I keep several breeding pairs of snakes and lots of hatchlings after breeding season before they are sold in my house even though I could provide for the bird?

[cfulhage]

Nancy, the person you quoted, was just stating a general fact, not making an opinion. Plus...this thread was started over 3 months ago...

Birds are different than "other animal rescues." They are the prey, not the predators. If I had to find a home for my cat, and you bred snakes, or ferrets, or had other cats/dogs, I wouldn't hesitate- based on that alone. However, if it was my bird I was wanting to find a home for and you had any of those animals, I would probably pass on you.

Why put my baby in a home shared by her predators, when I can find an equally qualified person to take her who does NOT have those animals. As long as I have the option, she would go somewhere where I know she is safe from other animals.

If you go to petfinder.com and many of the other online pet adoption agencies, most of the animals have little icons by them saying- will not go to family with kids, other pets, smokers, etc. So yes, you would be denied in a case like that, which is what your quote is referring to.