Post by aokhere on Nov 3, 2014 23:07:38 GMT -5
Let me begin with a hopefully succint idea of where I and wife/daughter are coming from, please (makes it all the more special, IMHO).
Around March of 2013, we decided to take the lifelong commitment of 'rescuing' an Umbrella Cockatoo. Owner's daughter was allergic to a U2's dander, so Louie (about 4 years old) needed rehomed sooner than later. Owners treated him well (third owners, had him a few months before allergy issues, etc), and they agreed we were up to taking care of him. Had a WONDERFUL time with him before he died in wife's arms about two months ago from toxic-metal poisoning. Full vet care, but no chance in end. No idea how he got it as he was super-sneaky in finding things (battery, IMHO), but we all get weepy when talking if him. Been working on a nice 'sitting area that is bird friendly' around his grave in backyard, and will keep doing so - that special of a friend. forever... :-(
Having fallen in love with avians overall, and the absolute crushing emptiness we felt without Big Lou playing 'peek-a-boo' or whatever, we contacted rescues in range of us to see if we could help out with overbreeding (another subject, for sure!), we ended up with a Nanday about a month and half ago who is a true rescue. We've got him stepping-up more often than not and he loves snuggling his head against us, etc (yeah, I know about not stimulating, like no rubs below shoulders, etc, fwiw). It was hard to hear his known name was Louie, same as deceased bird, so we call him Lil' Lou. He was, before we gave him his forever-home, he'd been mostl kept in cage with little interaction, per rescue-lady (in Tulsa, OK, fwiw). He still stays in cage and in getting more comfortable coming onto tree perch kept within climbing distance. We;re doing OK with him, I do believe.
Now, for my point (finally, 'eh?) Around two weeks ago, a friend of a friend let hre know she had a 'tropical green bird' to 'sell'. The woman we were contacting had taken bird (ane decent-enough-for-now cage from another person who was simply going to abandon the bird. We heard of the need for 'rescue' and jumped at saving ANY bird - sight unseen. It was difficult to get any details since the woman in possession was ignorant of details, but an animal-lover, bless her heart.
The next day, we went to pick up what I immediately saw was a Quaker - in the filthhiest, nasty, feces-coated cage ever seen by my eyes. I could not put bird/cage in car fast enough as it was soooo hard not to ask how they could even let the water bowl be fecal-brown! Regardless, we got home an hour later w/ him and eventually learned his name is Keiko (sp?) and he is VERY defensive towards women in general.
Keiko is fully-flighted (plan to change that with living conditions we have) and will step-up reliably for *me*, but treats women *wife/daughter) with extreme prejudice most of time. If I am troking their hands as they come to scritch him (which he LOVES), he occasionally will walk onto their arms, but hell arrives once it gets past that point....ugh. I know its a process, and so do the ladies. We're working on it, of course. Prolly has somw past issue with some woman, I bet. Trust shall be gained, I say!
Its neat how Keiko will sit on my shoulder and churtle and make noises similar to what I am doing. I wash my hands, and he makes running water sounds, near-perfect. I open door and he 'squeaks' as door moves. Stuff like that, plus an odd, but funny-as-can-be thing of doing an up/down dance while sounding like an alarm-sound (car-alarm-like, I guess). I am pretty sure he spent time with folks that lived a life of using stay-awake stuff a lot, so to speak. We were told he often told them to "shut your face" or similar rude stuff, so the past likely ain't the best for him. Its over, though. Period :-)
Sorry so long, but wanted to tell our story and will certainly have questions specific to Quakers. Tonight, I spent a good while with a Nanday conure on one shoulder and Keiko on other, with zero squabbling or twrritory-like spats. They even preened each other gor a few moents each!!! They are becoming friends, I do think. Made me feel kinda special to be able to do so, giving Keiko a home much better than he's knnown, afaik. Making a difference - no better feeling, IMHO :-)
TTYL,
Alex
Around March of 2013, we decided to take the lifelong commitment of 'rescuing' an Umbrella Cockatoo. Owner's daughter was allergic to a U2's dander, so Louie (about 4 years old) needed rehomed sooner than later. Owners treated him well (third owners, had him a few months before allergy issues, etc), and they agreed we were up to taking care of him. Had a WONDERFUL time with him before he died in wife's arms about two months ago from toxic-metal poisoning. Full vet care, but no chance in end. No idea how he got it as he was super-sneaky in finding things (battery, IMHO), but we all get weepy when talking if him. Been working on a nice 'sitting area that is bird friendly' around his grave in backyard, and will keep doing so - that special of a friend. forever... :-(
Having fallen in love with avians overall, and the absolute crushing emptiness we felt without Big Lou playing 'peek-a-boo' or whatever, we contacted rescues in range of us to see if we could help out with overbreeding (another subject, for sure!), we ended up with a Nanday about a month and half ago who is a true rescue. We've got him stepping-up more often than not and he loves snuggling his head against us, etc (yeah, I know about not stimulating, like no rubs below shoulders, etc, fwiw). It was hard to hear his known name was Louie, same as deceased bird, so we call him Lil' Lou. He was, before we gave him his forever-home, he'd been mostl kept in cage with little interaction, per rescue-lady (in Tulsa, OK, fwiw). He still stays in cage and in getting more comfortable coming onto tree perch kept within climbing distance. We;re doing OK with him, I do believe.
Now, for my point (finally, 'eh?) Around two weeks ago, a friend of a friend let hre know she had a 'tropical green bird' to 'sell'. The woman we were contacting had taken bird (ane decent-enough-for-now cage from another person who was simply going to abandon the bird. We heard of the need for 'rescue' and jumped at saving ANY bird - sight unseen. It was difficult to get any details since the woman in possession was ignorant of details, but an animal-lover, bless her heart.
The next day, we went to pick up what I immediately saw was a Quaker - in the filthhiest, nasty, feces-coated cage ever seen by my eyes. I could not put bird/cage in car fast enough as it was soooo hard not to ask how they could even let the water bowl be fecal-brown! Regardless, we got home an hour later w/ him and eventually learned his name is Keiko (sp?) and he is VERY defensive towards women in general.
Keiko is fully-flighted (plan to change that with living conditions we have) and will step-up reliably for *me*, but treats women *wife/daughter) with extreme prejudice most of time. If I am troking their hands as they come to scritch him (which he LOVES), he occasionally will walk onto their arms, but hell arrives once it gets past that point....ugh. I know its a process, and so do the ladies. We're working on it, of course. Prolly has somw past issue with some woman, I bet. Trust shall be gained, I say!
Its neat how Keiko will sit on my shoulder and churtle and make noises similar to what I am doing. I wash my hands, and he makes running water sounds, near-perfect. I open door and he 'squeaks' as door moves. Stuff like that, plus an odd, but funny-as-can-be thing of doing an up/down dance while sounding like an alarm-sound (car-alarm-like, I guess). I am pretty sure he spent time with folks that lived a life of using stay-awake stuff a lot, so to speak. We were told he often told them to "shut your face" or similar rude stuff, so the past likely ain't the best for him. Its over, though. Period :-)
Sorry so long, but wanted to tell our story and will certainly have questions specific to Quakers. Tonight, I spent a good while with a Nanday conure on one shoulder and Keiko on other, with zero squabbling or twrritory-like spats. They even preened each other gor a few moents each!!! They are becoming friends, I do think. Made me feel kinda special to be able to do so, giving Keiko a home much better than he's knnown, afaik. Making a difference - no better feeling, IMHO :-)
TTYL,
Alex
I wouldn't dare to let my Quaker and Grey interact. Things here are just not that friendly. My Quaker Peppy has a definite gender preference. We got him at 21, after his (male) person died, and he quickly decided that my husband is now his person. He's an equal opportunity biter, though, so it doesn't make much difference, really. He does not like to be handled by anyone. 
