Update on Honeydew the 18 year old lovebird

[delilahiris]

Well I've had Honeydew for over a week now. He is doing a lot better now, eating a lot more and a little more active. He was coming out of his cage a bit but actually fell off of it and panicked, so now he is afraid to come out. Apparently he isn't aware that he can fly, at all.

Anyways, I learned a bunch more about him from the people who gave him to me. I don't know why they were reluctant to give me much info before I adopted him. Maybe they thought I wouldn't want him if he is not friendly. Which he IS NOT. I tried to get some more pictures of him, but the only way to get some different than what I have already shown, is to take ones of him biting me

So anyways, I got a hold of these people again because they were giving away a bunch of free cages through freecycle.org . So I went to pick up the cages and the guy tells me that Honeydews owner had alzheimers before he died. This went on for some time that he was sick and taking care of his birds. He told me that nobody was even aware that he had any birds. This man had been a bird breeder some years ago, and also worked with a local zoo rehabilitating their sick parrots and such. I was told that when he died they went to his house, and found 40 birds and parrots in his basement. Because of the alzheimers he was not taking care of them.

Poor Honeydew!! I can't imagine what kind of condition he had been in :(

Anyway, at least he is in a much better environment now. We just got a GCC baby yesterday (my mothers day present) so they are in quarantine from each other. Hopefully they will get along and he can see how my new baby trusts me. Just taking it slow with him for now.

[Abby]

I'll be following how you do with Honeydew. I still can't get over that he's 18 years old. The old guy must have been doing something right before his health went off the planet.

[delilahiris]

Yes he definitely was doing something right! That is what is so sad about it. From what I can tell he was an avid bird lover.
The zoo he worked for is called Southwick and they have a TON of parrots. They are kept in great big outdoor aviaries in the summer. Hyacinth Maccaws, and a ton of B&Gs just to name a few. I can only imagine what other kind of birds he must have had in his basement.

[expressmailtome]

Originally Posted by delilahiris

The zoo he worked for is called Southwick and they have a TON of parrots. They are kept in great big outdoor aviaries in the summer. Hyacinth Maccaws, and a ton of B&Gs just to name a few.

Wow I did not know that they had hyacinths! I used to go there when I was little. I may have to go back someday!

Matt

[SuzyCupcake13]

I love that zoo, I'm like 40 min from it :o) Congrats on your Lovie. I'm a mom to peached faced who is just shy of a year :o)

[RubyMuse]

Glad the little guy is in safe hands. Take it slow, give him a choice. He has earned it. He may need to move a lot slower before trusting his environment and if he wasn't flying then his pec muscles are probably not strong enough.

What is up with elderly people having birds that nobody knows about??? I hear of this all the time...