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How did you meet your feather friend

webchirp

Joyriding the Neighborhood
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Joined
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Messages
17,760
Location
Ohio
Real Name
Chandra
I'll stay on those that are with me...cause I'll likely cry talking writing about Hachi my heart bird.

Onward...

Let's see, being involved with rescue has gotten me many cheekie connections. I'm full but I do kind of have a waiting list if a spot opens.

Happy has been with us since he was 1.5 years old in 2001. Adopted from a rescue in Parma, OH. He HATES little boys and wants to kill them. The owner had small boys so likely he was teased.

Chya was at a pet store and I did not want a sun conure after hearing the calls of a previous pair. But she wooed me and it was apparent she wasn't eating...I finally bought her after they even lied and said she hadn't been on sale just the week before. She was very sickly for the first year or so of life. Regressed and had to hand feed her. I let Happy join in and that created a bond between them although they didn't share a cage for a while. I thought Chya was a boy until she laid eggs. Then the egg laying makes her sick...oiy. That was 2003...

Kari came from one of my daughter's friends. Teenage drama ended with the girlfriend saying to come and get the bird or she was throwing her outside. (Ohio, winter time.) So here comes Kari tucked in a coat with nothing of her own. 2008 I think.

Giggie was with a bird flipper...I had never seen a bird flipper...awful cages in the garage. I went to see a Hahns...Gizmo looked so sick and terrified. It was awful. I only had $200 and it was a week before Christmas. I saw Giggie in a tiny rusted finch cage clinging to the bars flitting her wings for me. The guy said..."$100"...I thought well, I'll ask if he'll take a posted dated check since it was christmas and I was now broke. I actually thought he wouldn't. He asked how long he had to hold the check...a week and the deal was done. She is my naked, separation anxiety bird now. I always feel like I broke her....sigh.

Carlton...free CL bird who is now bonded to Giggie and fuzzy because of her styling habits.'09

Zephyr was at a pet store...love at first site but then they told me he sleeps outside of his cage at night, clipped with a straight drop to the side in a koi pond. So of course my brain is saying he's going to drown.

Rocco and Jewel both came from friends. Certain though that Jewel and Zephyr are clutch mates that had been sent to different pet stores, one in columbus and one in lima.

Zia is from a rescue in WI. I drove six hours one way because of the heart strings pull. Actually the rep laughed and said the person who looked at my application said I was a cheekie hoarder. Since she had nine poi's she thought maybe we were like minded and went ahead and checked my vet and other references. She said she wished they could all be so easy.

Boober, Tosh, Amada and Rue are from the 51 akron green cheeks that came into rescue. I think I fostered 22 initially and then a few more after I placed some. I will admit though that I had a spot for Boober but I really wanted him to go with a friend and he was my third favorite of the fosters. My other two favorites that were placed passed in different homes from accidents. I decided to keep him and a friend...Tosh. Amada was one beat up cheek when she came in. The flock had really roughed her up and she likely had heavy metal poisoning. She was really sick for a bit.

Julip is from NY. I saw her posted and the rescue said they were closing (although I don't think they did) and her beak was very overgrown. She is a hot little mess in the liver and lung department but hanging in there.

Moki came from a friend and is an "old breeder bird"...she is sweet and recently lost her mate one of the akron cheekies, Lola.

Tuck is from rescue. He was bounced due to mate aggression...although the first home may been just a normal mate plucking thing. Then he injured a flock mate in one of the other homes. He doesn't do well with other males. Jewel added him to her harem or is that a reverse harem? Made him flip his lid one day and I came home to a hole in his leg. Moved him out of the bird room and into my bedroom with Rue in another cage. They eventually bonded. I think Tuck has nerve damage or something because he plucks that leg now. He is on meds to try and keep him stable.

Bitty was an elderly bird that the owner dropped off to put to sleep. The vet said he had too many years left and called rescue. Rescue said I came highly recommended and trusted me to take care of him. It was just one of those things that the stars aligned. She was going to visit one of the MI rescues. I drove out there and picked him up. He was a healthy bird and has only just now after three years become elderly looking. He's likely closing in on 25...over 20 when rescue got him and I've had him three years. He is really starting to show his age and sleep a lot. Lots of meds for heart and arthritis too.

Maui was posted on CL with an injured beak...we thought we could fix it but Dr. O said the upper "hinge" is likely damaged. She just requires beak trims which I have learned how to do.

Maks...pet store and I walked away initially. I kept thinking about him and then weirdly my husband kept bringing him up and teasing me about him. So we went back and got him.
 
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Nobirby

Jogging around the block
Joined
6/27/18
Messages
711
My mother had a dusky conure for years, so when I saw someone was looking for a home for a GCC they had found in a parking lot, I ask her if she might want him. I was joking, since she has nine cats.
She offered me her cages and told me to go get him for myself. That was June 2017. Jesse is so loved, and spoiled!
 

Clueless

Joyriding the Neighborhood
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Sandra Gibson

Walking the driveway
Joined
8/8/19
Messages
165
I grew up with parrots, including E.T., a DYH Amazon Parrot, and a Grey-Cheeked Parakeet named Yoshi. I also got to spend the day with my mother's friend's Cockatoo once. Yoshi was my bird, but she eventually passed away. I always knew I wanted to get parrots, and I specifically planned on adopting two African Grey parrots when I had a large enough home for them and the means to do so. I know their species will be a great fit for me, and they are my dream birds. That said, I never expected to get Emery. Emery is one of my dream birds, I just didn't know it yet.

I had been researching parrots for about two and a half years before adopting Emery, because I wanted to learn as much as possible to prepare myself, since there's so much new information about them and their dietary and safety needs available now. Throughout this time, I so badly wanted to just go out and get a parrot, but I knew it wasn't the right time. The wait was extremely difficult and painful as I had wanted a bird so much. When December 2018 came around, I had a dream with a cockatiel in it. It was a lutino cockatiel, and in the dream, I was holding him and getting ready to take him home. I had loved everything I'd read about how sweet-natured cockatiels can be, and the bird in my dream reminded me of that. The dream felt so real that when I woke up, I was devastated that it had only been a dream. After thinking about it, I realized that it finally felt like it was time to adopt a parrot, and that the first parrot I would adopt wouldn't be an African Grey Parrot, but a Cockatiel.

I started my search on Hoobly, Craigslist, and AA for a tiel in need of a loving home. I found a male tiel on Hoobly that I was supposed to meet and take home with me. The owner and I had even arranged a time and day for me to do so. I was so excited. I remember looking at his pictures frequently as I waited for the few days to pass before I was set to go meet him. Then, only a day before I was supposed to go there, the owner decided she wanted him and her other parrot to be adopted as a pair. The other bird was a Conure. I love Conures, but I didn't think a Conure was the right fit for my living situation or me at the time. I was heartbroken, but I reminded myself that it wasn't meant to be, and that there was still a bird out there just waiting for me.

I resumed my search, still feeling sad over the news I had received, when I found a nearly one-year-old cockatiel on Craigslist that was about two hours away from where I live. I messaged the person who listed the ad, and he said she was still available. I asked a few questions about her diet, health, and temperament before setting up a time to go meet her. I decided not to get my hopes up too high this time, to avoid the same pain that I had felt last time in case he changed his mind or let someone else adopt her before I got there.

The night before New Year's Eve, I made the long drive to where he lived, and got caught in a bad snow storm on the way down. When I finally arrived, I met a small female tiel who clearly cared very much for her owner, and him for her. He was heartbroken to have to rehome her, and my heart broke for him as well. It was clear that she had been very loved. He told me a sad story of why he had to rehome her, involving someone in the home hating her, something I witnessed with my own eyes, along with hearing from this individual how much they really did hate her. Emery, who didn't hiss or lunge at me, a complete stranger, hissed and lunged at the individual who hated her. I felt there had possibly been some mistreatment going on toward Emery from this person. It was then that I knew I could not leave her behind.

So, I put her in my winter coat and zipped it up to keep her warm, while I walked out to the car with the snow steadily falling along the way. Her, now previous owner, helped me load up the cage he had for her, along with other supplies. Then I got the box with millet and a soft blanket ready to put her into. I promised him that she would be well loved, and thanked him for entrusting her to me. I know he knew he was making the right decision by getting her out of his home and away from that person who despised her, and I felt so honored that someone who loved her as much as he did was allowing me to take her home to call her my own. As she did not know her previous name, I knew she would forever be Emery Rose, a name I chose for her that fits her beautiful, sweet soul perfectly. I rang in that New Year with a smile on my face and my bird in my arms.

Even though I will still be adopting two African Grey parrots that need a new home in the future, Emery is every bit as important to me as they will be. She isn't a "starter bird," she's my family, and she has most certainly stolen my heart. :heart:
View attachment 314581
Emery is so Very Beautiful!!!!
 

Sandra Gibson

Walking the driveway
Joined
8/8/19
Messages
165
I was looking for a Cockatiel and wanted one from the start, I went to our Bird shop here in Miami and they had hand fed Babies, she brought one to me to hold but he was very skittish. I had my Granddaughter with me and she was helping me pick out our new bird. The lady told me we have some babies that are not ready yet would you like to hold one of those instead? She brought out (our now Mango) who adopted us right away with his/her (not sure yet to young to tell), sweet disposition, we instantly fell in love with him. We got to pick him up a week later and he is the perfect Bird for us, he hatched the end of may I got him in August and he is already whistling Wolf whistles and I'm trying to teach him to say hello, we love him he is perfect! I keep saying him so maybe he is a boy but either way he /she is perfect :heart:
 

DoubleTake

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
5/31/17
Messages
1,744
Location
Mission Viejo, CA
Real Name
Brian
Apollo and Lily. Was looking to have a bird again after my CAG(Sparky) passed away. Went to pick out Apollo and some how brought home two... breeder said they were from different clutches. Miss you my sweet girl, fly high. Apollo is still the best but he needs to teach his son some manners.
IMG953862.jpg 20150412_125427.jpg

Cole... well this little turd came in to my life as an egg. He was the only survivor of their first clutch, didnt intend to keep him but he grew on me after having to care for him and taking him to work to feed him.
20160526_085131.jpg 20160614_083937.jpg 20160628_065318.jpg

Lastly Loki. When Lily passed:sorrow: there was a void and I needed a companion. Apollo and Cole had each other and I was the 3rd wheel, I'm sure they were grieving too. After about 3 months I started looking for a lovebird and had terrible luck. I found 3 birds that tested positive for diseases from different locations. I had about given up hope and was about to end my search when I called a store and she said she just finished weaning some "lavender" peach faced lovebirds that got me interested. When I got there, I picked out Loki. She wanted nothing to do with me and now she wont leave my side. She is also the only bird I didn't hand feed myself.
20180620_124142.jpg 20180729_093258.jpg 20190623_135828.jpg
 
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cassiesdad

Ripping up the road
Weather Authority
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Celebirdy of the Month
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3/21/11
Messages
1,000,000
Location
Erie PA
Real Name
Bob Weisman
:shy: :hug8:yes but I have nothing to add to the what's different about me area...it's mostly all birds, all the time. :geek:
...another true expression from a hero..."It's not about me..it's about the ones I've helped."

Like I said, it's a true statement...but we also know that it takes a special person to step in and help when help is needed...most of take the easy way out...true heroes never do...:heart:
 

webchirp

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
8/2/10
Messages
17,760
Location
Ohio
Real Name
Chandra
...another true expression from a hero..."It's not about me..it's about the ones I've helped."

Like I said, it's a true statement...but we also know that it takes a special person to step in and help when help is needed...most of take the easy way out...true heroes never do...:heart:
:sad7: Thank you :heart:
 

LinnieLane

Checking out the neighborhood
Joined
3/7/20
Messages
4
Most of the stories I hear about people buying a bird is that it wasn't planned or they weren't looking for that type of bird, so I'm curious how everyone here decided to bring their bird home.
I met Burt at my local Virginia Beach pet store. I had wanted a bird since my budgies passed, but I definitely wasn't actually planning on getting one any time soon. However, when I went over to the bird area just to look, Burt ran from one end of his play area all the way over to me, hopped onto my hand, and didn't want to get back off. So of course I made the only decision I could and bought him. He was put on hold there while he got off his baby food and I read everything about cockatiels before picking him up. We've been inseparable ever since.
Here's a picture of him watching the hurricane this morning
is the baby picture the same bird?!
 

LinnieLane

Checking out the neighborhood
Joined
3/7/20
Messages
4
I grew up with parrots, including E.T., a DYH Amazon Parrot, and a Grey-Cheeked Parakeet named Yoshi. I also got to spend the day with my mother's friend's Cockatoo once. Yoshi was my bird, but she eventually passed away. I always knew I wanted to get parrots, and I specifically planned on adopting two African Grey parrots when I had a large enough home for them and the means to do so. I know their species will be a great fit for me, and they are my dream birds. That said, I never expected to get Emery. Emery is one of my dream birds, I just didn't know it yet.

I had been researching parrots for about two and a half years before adopting Emery, because I wanted to learn as much as possible to prepare myself, since there's so much new information about them and their dietary and safety needs available now. Throughout this time, I so badly wanted to just go out and get a parrot, but I knew it wasn't the right time. The wait was extremely difficult and painful as I had wanted a bird so much. When December 2018 came around, I had a dream with a cockatiel in it. It was a lutino cockatiel, and in the dream, I was holding him and getting ready to take him home. I had loved everything I'd read about how sweet-natured cockatiels can be, and the bird in my dream reminded me of that. The dream felt so real that when I woke up, I was devastated that it had only been a dream. After thinking about it, I realized that it finally felt like it was time to adopt a parrot, and that the first parrot I would adopt wouldn't be an African Grey Parrot, but a Cockatiel.

I started my search on Hoobly, Craigslist, and AA for a tiel in need of a loving home. I found a male tiel on Hoobly that I was supposed to meet and take home with me. The owner and I had even arranged a time and day for me to do so. I was so excited. I remember looking at his pictures frequently as I waited for the few days to pass before I was set to go meet him. Then, only a day before I was supposed to go there, the owner decided she wanted him and her other parrot to be adopted as a pair. The other bird was a Conure. I love Conures, but I didn't think a Conure was the right fit for my living situation or me at the time. I was heartbroken, but I reminded myself that it wasn't meant to be, and that there was still a bird out there just waiting for me.

I resumed my search, still feeling sad over the news I had received, when I found a nearly one-year-old cockatiel on Craigslist that was about two hours away from where I live. I messaged the person who listed the ad, and he said she was still available. I asked a few questions about her diet, health, and temperament before setting up a time to go meet her. I decided not to get my hopes up too high this time, to avoid the same pain that I had felt last time in case he changed his mind or let someone else adopt her before I got there.

The night before New Year's Eve, I made the long drive to where he lived, and got caught in a bad snow storm on the way down. When I finally arrived, I met a small female tiel who clearly cared very much for her owner, and him for her. He was heartbroken to have to rehome her, and my heart broke for him as well. It was clear that she had been very loved. He told me a sad story of why he had to rehome her, involving someone in the home hating her, something I witnessed with my own eyes, along with hearing from this individual how much they really did hate her. Emery, who didn't hiss or lunge at me, a complete stranger, hissed and lunged at the individual who hated her. I felt there had possibly been some mistreatment going on toward Emery from this person. It was then that I knew I could not leave her behind.

So, I put her in my winter coat and zipped it up to keep her warm, while I walked out to the car with the snow steadily falling along the way. Her, now previous owner, helped me load up the cage he had for her, along with other supplies. Then I got the box with millet and a soft blanket ready to put her into. I promised him that she would be well loved, and thanked him for entrusting her to me. I know he knew he was making the right decision by getting her out of his home and away from that person who despised her, and I felt so honored that someone who loved her as much as he did was allowing me to take her home to call her my own. As she did not know her previous name, I knew she would forever be Emery Rose, a name I chose for her that fits her beautiful, sweet soul perfectly. I rang in that New Year with a smile on my face and my bird in my arms.

Even though I will still be adopting two African Grey parrots that need a new home in the future, Emery is every bit as important to me as they will be. She isn't a "starter bird," she's my family, and she has most certainly stolen my heart. :heart:
View attachment 314581
Beautifully written story... i felt like i was in the middle of a novel by my favorite author!
 

JaeBae

Meeting neighbors
Joined
11/26/19
Messages
42
Location
South Korea
Real Name
Jaehee
Me and Sprouty met last year at around my birthday. I was at a parrot shop and I had the choice of 5 IRN. I saw Sprouty and instantly became attached to him. The shop owner suggested I play with the other birds but I did not want to. I only wanted to play with Sprouty. I knew he was the one when I laid my eyes on him IMG_1316.jpeg
 

hrafn

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/17/16
Messages
3,875
Location
Canada
I grew up with birds, and always wanted a cockatiel after knowing and loving my dad's and sister's 'tiels. I picked out Kraziffir at the pet store as my fourteenth birthday present from my mum, and he's been my buddy ever since.

Taco macaw I found while scrolling idly through the Kijiji pet section, as I am constantly wont to do. He was bedraggled and crouched and frightened-looking, in a filthy cage with a bowl full of sunflower seeds and a pricetag of $1500. I was aghast just looking at his photo, disgusted to my core, and immediately decided that I needed to get him out of the situation he was in; at the time I figured I'd take him in, get him healthy and then adopt him out to a suitable home, as I didn't think I could possibly handle a macaw despite B&Gs being my dream bird, and so I scrounged up the money, borrowed my friend's truck, and went out to the boonies to get him. He was an absolute mess and at first I was afraid of him, as he was thrashing and biting and screaming at his owners, but the moment I got him back home he was as sweet as could be and warmed up to me in record speed. I fell hard and fast, and now we're stuck with each other and I couldn't be happier.

Kamara I met at the Humane Society, shortly after I lost my beloved and beautiful CAG Rafiki to a stroke. Kamara had been found outside in a tree and caught by peace officers, and she was a terrified, flighty, bitey ball of rage with mangled feet who I loved at first sight. She's still anxious, and has a lot of phobias, but man if she isn't the bravest and sweetest little grey.
 

fashionfobie

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
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Joined
1/4/19
Messages
5,246
Location
Qld, Australia
Real Name
Natalie
I saw his face on Craigslist.

I went and met him the next day and brought him home :)
Lucky little guy for 100 obo, I can only imagine if someone else picked him up first.
 

PufF

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
5/15/19
Messages
1,039
Location
Singapore
Real Name
Sam Chan
I was originally interested in cats as my friend was a cat person and I had nothing better to do with my life then. I never had another pet before except for two dwarf hamsters when I was young,ignorant and had my parents care for them instead. They did live a happy and old life of 3 years old.
Then one day I was dragged to my friend's tuition center to submit some random form and beside it was a bird store.
I had birds before that and was immediately interested in that shop and a quick glance inside I fixed my eyes on that Amazon chained to a PVC pipe.
After my friend handed in the form I went there and stupidly reached my arm out as I was still too new for a bird.
Got bit obviously but a week later I could sratch his head. Fast forward to ten months later he is now in a hardware store (I am not as lucky as you all are so he doesn't get to stay but I know that one day we shall finally be together) while I anticipate our 1 year anniversary.
He is indeed the sweetest bird that I have seen. He still goes on full attack mode to his current owner (who had forcefully pulled his leg through the cage bars (he got transferred into a cage later)in the previous pet shop to trim his nails and hook a SHORTER chain on his leg while he screams and I weep at the side.His leg was bleeding the next day I went to find him since the owner gave me Puff's address) but is fine with other strangers or staff around,as long as you don't get to close.
I guess. This is life. Would really like to raise awareness on this kind of situation. It is just depressing. They are definitely not decor. I will be seeing him tomorrow so anticipating that too.
Here is my Instagram for his updates.It also has my YouTube account linked on my account bio-https://www.instagram.com/puffypuff1534/
 
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