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How I got Started in Bird Rescue - Part1


Skyplume

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blog-0721758001359048344.jpgResponding to @SCS's questions is a good start.

 

WARNING: There may be unpleasantness in this post. I speak of the happy and the unhappy sides of rescue and pet ownership, so if you're sensitive, you might want to avoid certain parts that are set to a spoiler format.

 

"How did you get started doing this?"

Because of Clifford the Cherry-headed Conure with funny feet (splay-legs)...

 

5576_100586653285763_1257305_n.jpg

 

I had a Dusky Conure named Elly*. I got her from Petco.

At the time, I wasn't too fluent in the ways of larger birds and the concept of animal adoption.

 

Many people aren't, and actually, that's why I do what I do - I teach people in order to give better lives to both the pets and the pet owners.

 

I've had misc. pets all my life, but never really a social, goofy,

that wants to cling to you and give kisses. I had mostly doves, quails, fancy pigeons, budgies (which are actually very smart with cuddle-potential, I was just too young to embrace this fact), and because of this, I wasn't going to get an animal I wasn't going to take care of.

 

Many people don't take to that concept unfortunately (again, why I do what I do).

Many people get a pet on impulse, then they loose interest and

dump it at a pet store, lock it in a closet for years when it gets too vocal (

), let it starve (story I heard from a guy who let his daughter neglect it), or even illegally set it free...

 

 

So Elly got me hooked to the cuteness that was conures. So I wanted one as wallpaper for my work computer. I was linked to petfinder.com. I saw they had conures for adoption. I thought "Who would want to get rid of their conure?" That's when I saw Clifford.

 

He had a heart next to his name, indicating he was a Special Needs pet.

My mom's home all the time, so if there was a special need that had to be monitored, she was there to tend to the buddy when I wasn't.

 

I got more information about him from the wildlife center and went to pick him up... or so I thought.

I had to fill out thorough, but necessary, paper work. I even needed to have a home inspection. This was very unlike Petco where all I had to do was sign a paper I didn't read. I had a pre-visit with him, and all was well.

 

That's how I learned about proper adoption protocol. This is to make sure animals aren't given to breeders, hoarders, people who smoke excessively, who have anything that could effect their sensitive respiratory systems, kids that want to poke and prod the poor thing, and so on...

 

I had to get him a shorter-yet wider cage, low set bowls and perches, bird toys, and I had a towel I would have to change and clean often to keep his booty and tummy clean.

 

Funny thing: We didn't tell my dad about getting Clifford, but when I finally got cleared, Dad came home, and instead of the usual, "Why did you get that? We don't need it." He smiled, pet his head, and asked "Aw, how you doing little guy?"

 

I had discovered my dad's weakness. He was a bird person.

 

*More about Elly

She ended up being adopted by my dad when I moved out because she's madly in love with him and now likes to pinch my finger and do her evil laugh. This sometimes happens when you get younger birds and after age X (depends on the bird) they go all hormonal and prefer one human gender or another - aka stuff pet stores don't make you aware of.

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