upatsix.com - Your Source For Pet Bird Information

How long have you had your cockatoos? How long have you had parrots? How many do you have? How many did you get as a baby or how many did you adopt?

Bev

It's as I suspected. So many people have dumped their cockatoos, there is nobody left to post. LOL

Seriously, most of the people that were on this board when I first came here, no longer have their birds. I suspect there are many reasons but usually it was because they created unwanted behaviours in their birds, blamed the bird and then dumped the bird. Whenever a parrot has an unwanted behaviour such as screaming, biting, etc. it is always the humans fault. Fortunately, that can be turned around with some hard work. Too many people look for quick fixes but sadly there is no such thing. As long as we blame the bird and do not take responsibility for causing the behaviour, we will not be able to reduce/eliminate it. And we have to stop thinking of birds as children because they are not. Parrots are highly intelligent animals that should be respected for just that and treated accordingly.

The good news is there is always a solution for problem behaviours based on "the most positive, least intrusive" methods.

Bev

ZazuSally wrote:It's as I suspected. So many people have dumped their cockatoos, there is nobody left to post. LOL Seriously, most of the people that were on this board when I first came here, no longer have their birds...

Since this forum had only 4 new threads started in July, it might be that the 'too parronts have gone elsewhere. I don't doubt though that 'toos are one of the most frequently abandoned birds. Much too pretty for their own good and too sweet as fledglings. It's a shame so many are still being bred for lives in cages in too many places where they are considered noisy destruction machines.

Hi BE:

No, a lot of the people I was referring to that used to be here have dumped their birds. Some of them still have their birds but most don't. They didn't move to another board. My first post was "Help, First Time Bird Owner" and that was in 1999. Some of those people are on other boards but most of them simply got rid of their birds because of 1. the bird bit 2. the bird screamed 3. they got married, husband doesn't like the bird/s 4. they had a baby. Like any of those reasons are the bird's fault. I just think it's so sad for the birds.


Bev

Let's hope the early UASers' birds are in places now where they're loved and well cared for. My 'too went to live with my ex. He's very loved, completely spoiled in the best birdy way, and his future is as ensured as humanly possible by a well-constructed and well-endowed trust. They should all be so fortunate. Of 23 in my current flock, 6 came to me as adults, and not one is regretted in the least But I do feel they are better off with me, being loved, than where they were. Birds adapt to a lot, but when the love is not there, they shouldn't be either if a loving alternative is available. JMO

Did you see Steph's and Lupe's posts down below? They're UAS oldtimers who still have their 'toos!

I did and she hit some rough patches with Bhakti but she stepped up to the plate and worked it out. She didn't dump him. And I know where Lupe hangs out. She's getting married soon. Seems her fiance loves her birds. That doesn't happen too often.

Bev

Have you always been here? Have you always posted under Bluesbird Exotics. Do you breed birds?

So many questions, so little time. LOL

I've lurked many places since 1995, and was a breeder until 1998. BE was the name of my aviary. I remember poor Bhakti's rubber chicken Some of us live and learn. Some just live. Some don't We're the lucky ones, Bev

BE, have you considered taking the LLP course or have you already taken it?


Bev

Do you ask because you can see I'm interested or because you see problems with the advice I give? If problems, I'd greatly appreciate feedback. I've done 1-day seminars with Susan Friedman, Steve Martin, and Barbara Heidenreich, plus other shorter ones with some of Steve's trainers. I try to apply only positive reinforcement to all avian situations. I'd love to take the full course, but have a greater need to decrease my time online, so I keep postponing it.

I ask because I see you are interested. I absolutely love Applied Behaviour Analysis. I took the LLP course in 2004. It was the best thing I ever did for my birds and for me. Some people take the course and don't really get that much out of it and some people take the course and it changes their life so they try to help others. The army is growing. I think you could be a part of that army. LOL

Bev

Thanks! I'll give it renewed thought.

ZazuSally wrote:It's as I suspected. So many people have dumped their cockatoos, there is nobody left to post. LOL

I still have my birds! I just haven't been checking into the board as much lately. I've been really busy with work, my grandmother passed away, and summer is such a busy time. The yard needs mowing, the garden needs weeding, etc.

I got both my Greys as handfed babies from the same breeder. I did not plan on getting another Grey. I had one and a Triton Cockatoo at the time, and I was content. I kept in contact with the breeder to let her know how Nelson was doing. Although we weren't related, it turned out that we had a relative in common by marriage. When she was retiring, she had one last clutch of Greys. She wanted me to take the last one, her favorite. At first, I said I couldn't, but then she made me an offer that was too tempting to pass up.

My Triton was a rehomed bird. Her owner became severly allergic to her. She came to live with me when she was six years old, and I only had five years with her. Unfortunately, she started having seizures and would fall and hurt herself. I took her to three different vets, hoping that something could be done. I ended up having to euthanize her. I still miss her terribly.

I also have a Rose Breasted Cockatoo. He was a rehomed bird and came to live with me when he was five. The person who had him was downsizing because they had too many birds.

The thing that I found interesting with my cockatoos was that my Triton was my quietest bird and my Rose Breasted the noisiest. I was able to live in an apartment for several years with my two Greys and Triton because she was so quiet for a cockatoo. I live in a house now, and my neighbor told me that she can occasionally her the RB2 inside her house! Luckily for me, my neighbor is really nice and not upset by it. I guess that just goes to show that all birds are individuals and don't always fit the stereotypes.

Bluebirds, you've been helpful with my posts on overpopulation and after reading this thread, I'm under the impression that you help others with their bird problems (or maybe I should say, help the birds with their people problems!). Also, the OP mentions something about a course.
The reason I'm interested is because I did take a plunge. I purchased a 5yo male Rose Breasted Cockatoo that came out of a breeding situation. He had lost his mate this spring and the breeder has decided to cut way back on breeding, since she herself, recently lost her spouse. I decided this would be a good way for me to have a bird of choice that needed a home anyway and since he is not tame, he could have ended up getting bounced around.
I have seen the Womach brothers sales pitchs about their program and have done some of the things, such as getting as close as I can and when Merlin settles, I click the clicker and get out of his space. The thing that has limited me some is that he won't willing get out of his cage. I have gotten him used to stepping up on a perch, then clicking him, but the momment I go to move the perch, he jumps off. Hes even come down the perch a ways to get a sunflower seed, but thats it.
Today, I tried putting a towel over him to get him out. He didn't seem to mind that part, but was nervous sitting on top of his cage, so I just left him and let him get comfortable with the idea.
When hes in his cage, he now allows my hand to be above his head and has let me give his crest a few scritches, but I've also taken a couple of wicked bites!! Hes quite the quick one!
I'm a being reasonable in my expectations of being able to eventually hand train him? Not too worried about the time frame, as I realize he was raised to be a breeding animal and therefor, had limited human handling. I'm also pretty sure he hasen't had any horrible experiences with people other than having his wings trimmed and was recently DNA sexed.
I want to do what is best for him. Hes been a pretty good little guy so far. Hes not noisey often, but when he has been, its more like excited little screaches because he hears my other birds down stairs. I am keeping him in hubby's and mines bedroom for now, partly for the isolation bit of it, but since I just had surgery on my knee wed, I am spending a great deal of time on the bed or I'll sit in the chair next to him and talk to him.
I was also wondering about a cage. The lady I bought him from said that for now, while I'm trying to work with him, he should be in a smaller cage so its not so easy for him to get away and he is never 'taller' I. I got him a few great toys, and some chewy perches and we hang other pieces of wood in his cage every day so he has plenty of 'whitteling' time! I just worry that he might get bored, or not enough exercise in the small cage.
We have also been in the process of changing him over from an almost all seed diet to Zupreem pellets, a mixture of dried nuts and fruits and have offered him fresh as well, but he has turned his nose up at the fresh. He misses his sunflowers, although I do give him a few. I want that to be his extra special training treat!!
Any advice or sites that I can go to would be so greatly appreciated. Also, if the birdtricks.com site and cds would be a helpful resource. Thanks a lot!!

I still have Frances, but I have got to be honest, it has been a real challenge at times. She went through a VERY aggressive phase with me.
Bev is right though, every single time she has bitten me, it has been my own darn fault.

I worked with a behaviorist and with my vet over the aggression and so far the only thing that seems to work is that she has a healthy respect for the water bottle. Usually when she comes at me, I only have to show it to her and she backs off and goes back to being sweet. On occasion she actually gets a squirt - usually while she is hanging off my shoe.

I am much more aware of her body language now than I ever was before. I can always tell when she is getting that look, and now she gets no drama - just toweled and put back in her cage until she snaps out of it.

There was more than one time that I wanted to be done with her, and had the perfect home come along I might have given her up. But I wouldn't let her go just for the sake of freeing myself from her, and honestly, I don't think I could let her go anyway. We've been together for 13 years now. I was lucky enough to marry a man who loves animals and who is patient with her. He's firm on his boundaries with her, but he is patient and loving and I really count my blessings on that one.

Anyway, yeah, it's sad to come back and see so many familiar faces gone. But these birds aren't for everyone. I will actually go out of my way to dissuade someone from getting one.

Whoever said they are too pretty for their own good is right. People see their beauty and let it cloud their judgement.

Hi Rachael. It was so good hearing from you and Frances...I think the lack of education has a great deal to do with rehoming these feathers. People just don't understand the committment that each one requires and deserves. I know there are other extenuating circumstances...so I never say never to anything or any one any longer.
A lot of people strayed from here when the format changed. I hear frequently from a lot of the old folks..Robert, Carolyn (Pink Chicken) Carolyn Baker...and then the rest are on a little private group. So we do stay in touch...just not like the "old" days when we frequented here on a regular basis...I will get back to Victoria one day...How's the Olympic preparation in Vancouver coming along? Hugs to the Frances girl from me.