What is the Right thing to do?!

[tamaran2]

Ok I wasn't gonna post but....I kept coming back here. I'm not an expert by any means. But I am a mom and a parrot owner. I knew you would get opinions here both positive and negative. So I won't go there. Didn't you know? Could you have done things differently? What have you not tried yet? How could you after having her all these years? And so, so and so on....Well, you get the point.
THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE!

What I want to stress, is what is in the best interest of the bird? If finding her another home is what is best for the bird, then it may be hard for you, yes, but what is in the best interest of the bird? Ask yourself that question and don't ask it with your feelings, your best interest,or your emotional pain...Ask it of yourself what is in the best interest of this bird having the best possible life and you will have your answer.

[hcarey]

Well, I have been spending more time with her, giving her the attention she needs and I love to give it, but as far as my husband and the bird, that I donot ever see changing. He is DONE. Been bitten one to many times and dosen't trust the bird. I have prayed and hoped for some sort of renewed love from him and the bird, but it hasn't and doubt it ever will. Tolerance is about all I can hope for. But it isn't fair for the him or the bird to live this way. Im sure she would come around if he had any change of heart, she is really a beautiful, loving bird, but reality tells me it will always remain this way unless I can give her up.

[Xen]

So I guess getting the re-homing ball rolling is the best for the bird

[sweetpeaches]

i can really appreciate your dilema. i was given a lovebird last year as a birthday present. didn't know she was coming. now my husband is not a big bird person and he really had his reservations about letting me keep the lovie. but i "loved" her so much i wanted to have her. she truly is probably one of the sweetest tamest lovies there are.
but..she loved to chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp...and now i had no idea what it was like to have a parrot..but i certainally read up on everything i could get my hands on when i got her..i believe that's one of the reason's she became such a friendly little bird...but in november my husband retired from his job and works at home on the computer which requires alot of concentration. peaches was not cooperating, as well she shouldn't have been because she's a bird and she was only doing what made her happy...however it was causing alot of stress between me and my husband. like yours, he never said i had to get rid of her...BUT there were too many days i'd come home from work and she'd be covered up!! who knows how long? and i had already relocated her cage to one of our back bedrooms, but would always bring her out when i came home from work...this situation was not fair to her at all and it was really upsetting me, so i have a friend who has other parrots and always wanted a lovie. today i gave her peaches. and let me tell you my heart is broke, but i know peaches is now in a home where she can chirp till her hearts content! i got her when she was 5 mos. old and had her for one year.

she brought so much into my life. and i will miss her. i really feel a lesson to be learned here is that someone should not buy a parrot for someone as a gift, unless they're absolutely sure they know what if any kind of parrot the person would want and how that bird can and will impact a family.

so with all that said...(and by the way..i did not sell my lovie..i gave her away..along with a very nice cage, toys, food, and carrier, i felt that was the least i could do. i was very blessed to have her go to a home where i know she'll be cared for)

i think like the others you have to think of the bird.

[hcarey]

I don't want money, just the best for her. She has 2 cages, toys, stand, swings. The person I took her to meet says I can always come back and get her and I can visit her, but I don't know if that is such a good idea, atleast at this point.

[jenseits]

Oh this makes me so sad. So many people give up cockatoos because of their noise, or because their humans don't have enough time anymore. And this story repeats itself so many times, for each single cockatoo. At some point, I imagine they are stressed, unhappy and angry (why does my family keep going away?) ... and stuck with bad habits that get progressively worse.

Would you consider bringing her to a rescue? That way there would be a little more assurance that she won't get passed from home to home to home just as soon as she gets new owners.

Thank you for thinking about what's best for the bird, and not just selling her to the highest bidder.

Good luck.

[hcarey]

Yes I have been looking. The person I took her to visit adopts birds, and loves birds. And had a U2 there for a long time till the owner missed her and took the bird back after 1 1/2 years. And the bird was testing her out all the way! Hold, me, talk to me, pet me to see if she was a good massager! Played get the ball and talked up a storm. I was impressed. She is such a good bird! Why does this have to be so hard?!

[hcarey]

Also if anyone knows of a U-2 Bird lover who would love my Baby like she should be loved all the time, and not pushed from home to home, I live in the Central Valley of California. I DONOT want her to go through this again! That's one of the reasons why I have held on for so long.

[FLANCE]

i have a 9yr old cockatoo umbrella she was brought to us via friends previous owner was going to put her down. they had her streest to the point where she plucked all i mean all she looked like she was ready for the oven except he was still breathing it is a boy would not give him away now (and to think i thought i was getting a cocotiel OH ya bigggggg serprise) he is getting feathers back and looks good ,oh ya he is spoiled badlly between me and the better half he seem,s to be a happy camper what kind of mixed seed can get he pick at what he wants and throws everything else on the cadge floor,

[Amie]

U2s sometimes have a problem with being very gender specific. I think yours might have decided the women were for him, and men simply were not! We fostered one that was the sweetest cuddle bug you could imagine. . .if you were female. . .any guy walked in the room and he was an immediate demon!

When rehoming, if that is what you decide, try to stress that he prefers females and give him to a female (or mostly female) home with experience with Toos. The lady you were talking about sounds like a good choice.

If you decide not to rehome. . .do you have other birds? He might just need some interaction.