I am now a Learner Birdie Momma!

[captain]

Well, well, well .......... where do I start.

I thought I should let you all know that I have "rescued" a Rosebreasted Cockatoo (also called a Galah) - called Jo.

Story:
A few weeks ago I went to a 40th birthday party, and after much chatter, overheard someone mention they were looking for a home for their parrot as they were doing renovations and "it is just in the way"! :mad:
The lady who held the 40th (Viv is her name) has 2 budgies, and a beautiful kitty cat called Sophie - so she said she could not take it, so I jumped in (of course, after asking my hubbie), and said that if they wanted to get rid of it, we would take it. At this time, I did not know any of the history of how they treated the bird.

When they left, Viv told me how horrible they are to the bird (and all their other animals). They seem to be "trophy" owners - you know the sort - once the novelty has worn off, they get rid of or ignore the pet. :mad:. They had Jo from young, and at about 6 months, decided she was in the way, and relegated her to the outside aviary, with no human contact for the next 4 and a half years!!!!!. Disgusting! :mad:

ANYWAY, last Sunday, they dropped off the bird, her outdoor aviary and her perch. They were at Viv's house when I went to collect everything. WHAT A BEAUTY she is!!!
Whilst I was there, the current "owners" husband kept hissing at her ........... I nearly punched his head in! :mad:

We took the aviary home, and ........... oooooo even more :mad: now - all she ever had in there was 2 OLD SMOOTH branches and one BROKEN parrot toy!!!

Now she has :
1 x very clean aviary with so many natural branches and perches in it she doesn't know where to perch!
1 x brand new HUGE parrot cage for indoors (which she is in now - whilst she gets used to us :) )
5 x new toys (had to STOP myself!!)
Gourmet parrot food
Gum and Eucalptus branches to "rip" apart

AND

2 spotty dogs who cannot believe we brought this interloper home!!!
Captain stares at her all the time, and Ruby doesn't really care either way - UNLESS she makes a noise!!!

So there you have it.

THANKS to popcornbird for giving me advice!!! :) and to anyone else - THANKS IN ADVANCE - any advice appreciated!!!

I will start with some of her antics soon!

P.S. There is a downside - SHE DOESN'T HAVE SPOTS!!!! :D

[Jessica12345]

omg yay! im so excited! rose breasted cockatoos are just gorgeous. :) I cant wait to see pics! does she have a name? she seems like she is one spoiled birdy after going through all that! You are just an angel for rescuing her. thank you sooo much! she must feel like she is in heaven!:eek: :D


some people just piss me off though:mad: They dont understand that pets are alive! agh! :mad: :( poor thing. she must have been traumatized. :( :( four years without human contact? whoa! :( does she trust you? if not im sure she will in time, but god, people are way beyond cruel. :mad:


I wish you much much luck with her and i hope she brings you joy for many years to come. Congrats to you for getting her, and congrats to her for finding you!:)

[mugsy]

Another animal saved from a rotten situation!! Thanks for saving this bird!! Nice story! Welll....yucky story with a happy ending.

[Cincy'sMom]

Congratulations on your new rescue!!! Another life saved!!!

maybe you can paint some spots on!!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Cinder & Smoke asked...

"Whut'z a RozeBrested Koka2 look like?

Answer:

http://www.plannedparrothood.com/shows/y2001/01dusty.jpg

NOTE: This is NOT Michelle's newly adopted "Jo" ~
It's the first RoseBreasted that google.com popped up with! :p

Hopefully Michelle will take a pix of the *real* Jo and post it.

[captain]

Thanks Phred for showing Cinder and Smoke how beautiful my birdie is!!!!

I am going to take some pics - but only when she is out of her cage. Don't need any bars in the photo!!! :D

[tikeyas_mom]

you are a good hearty person to step in and take responsibility for the birdy like that :) i am so happy you did that for her.. Did you have to pay for anything, that bird is like a 3,000$ bird right?

[captain]

Nope tikeyas_mum - did not have to pay anything for her. They just wanted to get rid of her :mad:

would have paid anyway!!!

[tikeyas_mom]

well that is god that they didnt charge you, they really wanted to get rid of her hey? thats sad.. :(...

Most ppl who dont like their birds or dont want them sell them for half the price they bought them for. :( that makes me mad..

[popcornbird]

Originally posted by captain
Nope tikeyas_mum - did not have to pay anything for her. They just wanted to get rid of her :mad:

would have paid anyway!!!

OMG! You are so lucky! Got a $3000 bird for free! I can't get one of those birds because of their cost. Maybe I should look for a rescue one. ;)

You are a hero for this bird, rescuing her poor self from those awful conditions! 4 years with no human contact is horrible. Why have a pet if you're going to have nothing to do with them? :mad: It will definitely take time for her to trust you. For any animal that has been declined human love for 4 years, it would be a long time job that requires lots of patience to get her to love people. Hopefully, she will get over the fear and come to love people, but it may take time. I'm going to go over to the cockatiel board I'm on (that has many cockatoo mommies) and ask for advise, that I will copy and paste for you, either here or in a PM. I hope they'll be able to offer some good advise. Thanks for giving this bird a light of hope, and a new loving home. She certainly deserved a home like this. :)

[CathyBogart]

I am SO glad to hear that you have her now! She is going to be one well-loved and spoiled birdie for the rest of her days! Please keep us posted on how she's doing!!

[anna_66]

If that picture phred showed is what she looks like, you have yourself one absolutely stunning bird!!!!
Some people should never be allowed to own pets:mad:
I'm so excited for you (thanks for letting me know about this thread:))!
I hope you have many, many years together with Jo!

(no spots, I just can't believe it;) )

[Logan]

Oh, Michelle, I just saw this! I am just thrilled for you and for Jo! I will look forward to many, many stories of her life with you!!! I praise you for helping her to a better life!!!! :D

[delidog]

Oh Captain!!!
Congratulations!!!!!!
Thank You for haveing the HUGE heart that you do....
The Kids will get over the new addition in time!!!they will all be friends soon!!!!

What a Beautiful Bird!!!!Stunning....we would love to see pics of your Jo!!!!!!!!
People just continually amaze me!!!!!:eek: :mad:
I will never understand that "Trophy" mentality!!!!!

Again...Thank You and Congratulations!!!!!

P.S.
You can get a Stencil and some food coloring(won't hurt the animal!!;) :) :) )
and Get some Spots on her quick!!!!!

[Dakota's Mommy]

Great to hear the good news! I'm so excited for you! See, you got a no spot animal too so I don't want to hear about Sierra not having spots anymore, LOL! Anyways, with all the spots around our houses, we do need a little bit of non-spots to try to balance it out. Spots are very, very good though!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!! Good luck with the new addition, it's great to hear!

[popcornbird]

Here's another pic of a rosebreasted I found.

http://www.minnichsbirds.com/images/Family/Robin.JPG

Those birds cost $3000 here and their average lifespan is 70 years plus! :eek: Very often, these birds outlive their owners, so if you want a pet for life, a pet that you may not have to see pass on in your lifetime, get a cockatoo or big parrot. They live as long as us! (Some even longer) Oh how I want a cockatoo. :(

[captain]

Thank you all so much {{{{ blushing }}}}

Yes - thanks to Phred and popcornbird - that is EXACTLY what my Jo looks like. Pretty girl ....:D

I could not wait for her to come out of her cage, so last night I took a picture of her in the cage, with the bars, and then ..... I opened the large door on the cage, stuck my head in, and pointed the camera up at her and took a pic.
My husband said he should have taken a picture of me doing THAT!
Jo just looked at me - probably thinking "a well aimed poop could land on her head!" :D

delidog - hmmmm, food colouring ...... good idea!

Will keep you posted!

[Jessica12345]

oh cant wait to see the pic and here updates!:D :D :D

[captain]

Well, finally .......... I have a kindof blurry pic of my Jo ....

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid59/p6d8a5fea5e17c1b6f6739d1c2edf816f/fc5b7b1f.jpg

She is trusting us now ..... but I sure have the BITES to prove she is trying to boss me around!!!! I read on a Parrot site, "if you don't need stitches, it isn't a Bite!!"

Great ........:)

We let her out of her cage everyday, and on the weekend day, we put her in her outside aviary - to get fresh air, and to CLEAN UP THE MESS INSIDE.

More pics will follow soon!

[delidog]

Wow!!! Captain!!!
Jo is Beautiful!!!!!
She(?) looks happy...isn't it great to have an aviery where they can have some nice fresh air and can do what birds do...fly a little!!!!!!!
Glad that she is getting on well!!!!!!!!

(Not a bite,unless you need stitches?!?!?!? are these parrot site people masochists?!?!?!?)

Still looking for the spots!!!;) :) :D

[Jessica12345]

ooo!
aww!
wow!

Jo is gorgeous and beautiful! what a big smile she has there! I love galah's colors. so pretty, just like her.

outside aivery? cool:) do you have pics of that?:D and of course more pics of Jo would be nice too.:p

thanks for sharing her with us! again, she is stunnning.

congrats!

[Logan]

She is lovely, and must be so happy to finally have someone to pay attention to her! Birds are so cocial!! She will bring you much joy, I'm certain!!! :D

[Karen]

She may not have spots on her, but I bet she's got a spot in your heart already!

Congratulations, good job!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr at her former owners.

[luckies4me]

Congratulations!!! She is a beautiful bird! I am glad she is comming to trust you so quickly, having been in that horrible situation with her old owners, if you could even call them that!


You are very nice to have rescued her. I am sure she is one spoiled birdie!:D

[popcornbird]

OMG! She is BEAUTFUL BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! I just LOVE pink birdies! :D

Can I have her? ;);)

OMG! I just can't get over with how cute she is! A rose-breated cockatoo on PT! My absolute FAVORITE of the larger parrot species! I want a rose-breasted SO bad now! She's so cute and even has an adorable tiel-like crest! :D I'm glad she is trusting you now! So how are you liking the world of being a birdie mom? ;) Fun isn't it? ;) Gosh, I just LOVE your birdie! You are so lucky to have her and she is so lucky to have been rescued and brought into a wonderful loving home like your's! Congrats on your new sweetie and her improvement, and more pictures please! :D Tell us more stories about her and what you think of life with a feathered friend!

[RubyMutt]

WOW!! :eek: Jo is absolutely gorgeous!! That is so wonderful of you to take her in! :) She is such a stunning bird :) Keep those photos coming! :D

[captain]

Thank you all so much for your kind words {{{{blushing}}}}

Well, today we have had HUGE rain. Jo was out in her aviary, and I was quite concerned when the rain started and planned to go and get her and bring her inside.

WELL, imagine my surprise when she moved into the area of the aviary which allowed the rain in and proceeded to wash and preen herself in the small amount of raindrops that came in.

SO, my husband connected the hosepipe (IN THE POURING RAIN!!!), I put the nozzle onto MIST, and stood far away and aimed it at her .................

SHE LOVED IT!!!! She preened, and cleaned and squawked .... such a sight!!! When she had enough, she went to the back of the aviary and proceeded to sleep!

What an adventure having a parrot is!

When I went to get her out of the aviary, she came gladly (perhaps happy because she was CLEAN!!???)

Thanks so much to all of you showing an interest in her (and me!).

DeliDog - perhaps she was washing off the spots?????

[Jessica12345]

aw. sounds like she loves it there! do you have pics of the aivery? I would love to see it:) also of course more pics of her!:p

[Cincy'sMom]

Or maybe she was wahing off the dirt, to let her true "spots" show!!!

She is beautiful!!! You guys are wonderful for taking her in when she had such a rough start :( And even hooking up the hose, in the rain!!! That is one spoiled birdie!!!

[green_chameleon_girl]

Awww!! Such a pretty Cockatoo! I have advice for anyone out there (doesnt mean its you) But If people are going to buy a pet they should love it care for it and treat it like its part of your family..they shouldent abuse it..but it because its pretty..they shouldent buy an animal with out any knowledge THEY ALSO SHOULDENT IGNORE IT!! Im very glad you rescued it!!:D Im sure your beautiful new addition is much happier! :D I would be to!!

[Cisco's Mom]

WOW! What a great thing you have done.:D Poor bird. Ya know parrots are very inteligent and this sort of abuse could have long lasting effects. Lets pray that with all your love and care that this bird will come to enjoy the life that it deserves!;)

[anna_66]

She sounds wonderful & I bet it was really fun watching her in the rain:)
Does this type of bird talk at all?

[captain]

Anna,

Yes, apparently you can teach them to talk, but they are not as proficient as the White Cockatoo - takes more time apprently.

She does whistle!!!! I am trying to teach her the "sexy" whistle, and then saying "Pretty Bird" after it. She has got the first part of the whistle, but then just peeters out ........

She has a whistle - like when you see someone you know and you try to get their attention - sound like "Hellooo" but whistling

(NOW I KNOW THAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE .....:rolleyes: ) but I cannot explain any other way.

Thanks for all caring - she certainly has a better home now than she ever did. One of my friends asked if her wings were clipped - and I said No.
She then said - well, she wouldn't want to fly away anyway - she is in birdie heaven! (nice of her to say .....:) )

AND - we bought a digital camera today ....... so I will get some pics of her aviary, and perhaps some of her "washin" next time.

[popcornbird]

Isn't it the best when birdies go in the rain? Its HILARIOUS watching Popcorn and Muffin bathe in the rain! They LOVE it! Whenever it rains, I take them outside. :) Rain is birdie heaven! Hehe!

Ps. That digital camera means plenty of Jo pics right? :D Can't wait!

[captain]

Yes indeed digital camera = MORE pics MORE often!!!