Re-homes parrot success stories please !

[sunnysmom]

My cockatiel Sunny came to us after his owner passed away. Unfortunately we don't think he had much out of the cage time, if any, for many years but he had been hand tame at one point. He was 15 at the time and I knew nothing about birds. Literally, nothing. Sunny decided from day one though that I was his moon and his stars. I've never had such complete adoration from an animal. It took 2 weeks before Sunny would come out of his cage. And then probably another 3 months before he would leave the room his cage was in. His cage was definitely his security blanket. I never pushed him though and we just kept moving along at his pace. It took months before he would eat vegetables. Months before he would step on your hand. (I used to have him step up on a pillow and carry him around like he was a little sultan. LOL.) But then everything changed. He started exploring the entire house. Started eating all kinds of vegetables. And his favorite thing in the world was just to sit with me. He was such a good bird that we actually let him live cage free during the day. We have pocket doors so we would just shut the doors to the living room when we left and he would spend his days there. At night, we did put him back in his cage. He developed such a huge, wonderful personality. It was amazing to see him transition to this little bird who won everyone's hearts from a bird who wouldn't leave his cage. When he died, it broke my heart.

Now, I help with our local rescue and adopted one of my fosters- Elvis, a goffin cockatoo. Elvis is wild caught. We don't know much about his history other than the 2 years prior to my adopting him, where he had 4 different homes during that time. For about 6 months we had a honeymoon period with Elvis where all he would really do was hang out on top of his cage. He'd maybe come to you for scritches for like 10 minutes but then go back. He'd play with toys but really was pretty mellow. Then he became a "cockatoo", LOL. I call him my Tasmanian Devil. He is into everything constantly. He really can't be out unsupervised. He rides my ceiling fan, opens all my cupboard doors, hops up and down the stairs, and is just a ball of energy. But I wouldn't want him any other way because I realize that's the real "Elvis". Not this timid bird but this silly ball of energy. And he's unbelievably smart. He keeps me on my toes for sure but he's really a good boy.

 

[Begone]

In the beginning my boyfriend said: We have to keep in mind that this could be the situation we will be in forever with her. And even that was fine with us.

I love to read that. And because you didn't have any expectations you didn't have any demands either. They feel that and that is what they need to feel in the beginning for making a good start.

People might not agree with me. But I would say, leave the tricks, like stepping up, for a while. Just let her get to know her surroundings and you. If she wants to be with you, she will come. First there has to be a feeling of safety before you are able to learning.

I have said this so many times, that I never handle new birds. I can't and will never understand why a step up should be so important.
I don't touch new birds either until they begs for it.
I have had 3 rescued that come from terrible homes (both physically and mentally abused) and the last thing they needed was someone that was reaching in to their cage (cage = their home, a place to feel safe and we are not allowed their more then cleaning and give them food and water) and demand them to do a step up.