Think before you bring me home

Please proceed with caution when looking for a "pre-owned" bird. My advice comes from many bad experiences with people getting unwanted birds off of sites like Craigslist, Hoobly, Newspapers and other sources of similar interest.

Disclaimer: This doesn't mean there aren't honest people on these sites, with big hearts... it just means proceed with caution.

Before thinking about acquiring a bird that has lived with others before you, consider what you might have to deal with.

You’re re-homed or rescue bird will come with baggage that you might not be aware of.

1. They may be very happy with their home and be upset that they have been uprooted and moved. This can cause them to not trust you or not want to be your buddy right off the bat.

2. They may have been unhappy in their old home and not trust you because of their previous experiences.

3. The unwanted parrot/bird may have behavioral problems, like screaming all the time, or biting everyone, or throwing stuff out of the cage, ringing bells constantly, feather plucking and so on.

4. The bird may not be healthy because the person didn't do regular health exams or didn't keep a clean living condition for the bird.

5. The bird could be completely frightened of coming out of a cage because they never knew freedom with the previous owner.

6. The bird maybe a Macaw housed in a cage for a Quaker. So adjustment to a new larger cage can be quite frightening for the bird.

7. Your home environment WILL be different then what the bird is used to. This adjustment will be scary for a bird as well.

All of these things are just a small insight into what a pre-owned or rescue bird has been through. The important thing is that you figure out if you are willing to deal patiently with the problems this bird brings to the table.

The other thing to realize is that when the typical person chooses to rehome an animal, they usually make this decision after they have allowed the undesired behavior to develop to extreme levels. For instance, a family decides they need to rehome their African Grey because she chatters too early in the morning, in the mid-day or while they are trying to watch T.V. So instead of trying to find a home at the first sign of unwanted behavior. They simply ignore the bird, leave it in the cage, or even remove the cage to a more secluded part of the house. This creates stress for the bird and she yells louder and more often. Then they start to yell at the bird, or punish the bird in other ways. Now, they are so tired of the bird, they stop cleaning the cage as regularly and possibly stop feeding the bird as often. Which of course causes her to SCREAM LOUDER! Now is the time they decide to actually start to rehome the bird. So the post ads... tell about how wonderful the bird is or could be. (this is an extreme situation)

So, you see the add and want to help or you think "Man, I have always wanted one of these". There are some questions you need to ask yourself and the owner first.

1. Do you believe the person is telling the whole truth?
2. Are you willing to deal with an extreme behavioral problem appropriately? or are you going to get frustrated and pass the bird on as well?
3. Do you have the money to invest in vet bills and private training lessons if necessary?
4. Is everyone that lives with you on board with your train of thought?

Next questions are for the owners:
1. What is the reason you are rehoming the bird?
2. May I come see her in your home?
3. If not, why? Seeing the bird in her current condition will help you know how to handle her and if you really want her.
4. What does she eat?
5. What is her routine?
6. What kind of toys does she like?
7. If the bird is a type that can talk, what does she say?

These questions can give you some insite into how much the owner is involved with the bird. The more vague the answer the less the owner really knows about the bird, or the more they have to hide.

Remember, meeting the bird before hand in their current environement will tell you alot about how the bird is taken care of.

If you go into a home and the cage is spotless and the area on the floor around it looks really clean, the likely hood that the bird actually stays in that area is slim. But if it is on carpet, look for fresh vacuum marks, that just means they wanted to clean before you came. Fresh cage feet marks means they just moved the cage. Just be cautious.

So you have decided to bring this troubled bird home. Now what?

My suggestion is the following:

Before even getting the bird settled into your home:

Have a Quarantine area set up with an appropriate size cage ready for the bird (unless you are bringing home that with the bird). I would do this even if you don’t have any other birds in the house. This way they have a quiet place to listen to the new noises of the house but not be placed right in the mix. It will help with the adjustment period. And give you a place to sit quietly and let the bird get to know you without distractions.

Have a vet appointment scheduled for the day of pickup. Have the bird vetted and groomed before they enter your house. (unless the previous owner has proof of recent vetting, if this is the case call the vet prior to picking the bird up to check out the bird's health and how often the bird was brought in) My thought on this is, the bird is stressed, don't bring it home and remove it immediately to go to the vet. Just get it all over with so once she gets to your house, she can focus on learning the new environment and settle in to your habits.

When bringing the bird home:

Place the bird in the new room and/or cage and let her settle in after the stressful day.
If the bird is in a cage that is too small, then place that cage beside the new appropriate sized cage but don’t immediately put the bird in the new cage. This can cause added stress.

Allow her to settle in for a few hours or overnight. Then start with your normal routine of giving food, water, playing with toys in or around the cage. If the bird is scared, then just open the cage door and let her explore while you read aloud to her. I find that reading children’s books are a great way to “talk” to your new bird in a soothing voice. Remember she doesn’t know you and needs to get used to everything about you. This includes your voice, your movements, your smell and your body shape. If you want her to be social with the entire family then everyone that is old enough needs to spend time just chillin' with the bird. Small children should be supervised.

Give it a few days or even weeks before you try to handle the bird yourself. Really let her get used to the routine of the house. If you want her in the family room with you, find out if she is ready. If not then take it slow and slowly move her cage closer to the busy parts of the house. I also find that having a “sleeping” cage in a quiet part of the house and a play gym in the busy part of the house is great for my birds. They can hang out in their cages for some quiet time, then come socialize with the family for a few hours… then back home. This gives them a sense of security and “home” all the while getting that special one on one time with family. This is helpful if you have more than one bird in the house.

Remember, your new bird is scared and doesn’t know whether you are trustworthy. So if you don’t think you can have the patience to help them, DON’T bring them home.

Don’t punish with yelling, flicking the beak, rough handling, or anything of that nature. This will encourage some larger birds to continue and could hurt any bird.

The main point is to really think hard before you bring a previously owned bird into your home. They will come with baggage and will required time, patience and dedication on your part. ALOT of Patience!!! You also can’t be sensitive when they don’t just love you right off the bat. If you want that my suggestion is to get a hand-raised baby from a reputable breeder.

I hope this helps you make a decision on what to do with that desire to rescue. It is hard work and is not an easy task to convince these smart lovely creatures that YOU are different from others they have known before.

This article was written by Carrie Baum-Lane