• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Thinking of Fostering an Indian Ringneck Parakeet

cpittman

Checking out the neighborhood
Joined
9/22/20
Messages
1
Real Name
Cheryl Pittman
Hello,

I am new to this forum. I own (through adoptions/fostering) a Black Capped Conure and a Canary Winged Parakeet. They were both very timid when I received them, and my Conure had a broken tail, and plucked belly. We got him to the vet and had him checked over to make sure he was okay since he was still plucking. It turned out he was in pain, but was otherwise okay. We gave him meds from the vet for three weeks, and had one tail feather surgically inserted to stimulate tail feather growth because he was landing hard, which was causing the pain. I am happy to say within two weeks he had a full tail back. :) He immediately quit plucking his belly (we found out his old owners kept him caged and covered most of the day). He just wanted to be out in the sunlight and out of his cage. He and his brother (from another mother) are able to be out of their cages from dawn to dusk with the option of course to go in if they want (doors always open). In the past I have long term bird sat (5 years) a Double Yellow Fronted Amazon, and grew up with a Double Yellow Fronted Amazon and two Nanday Conures. I have also had Cockatiels, Quakers, and Lovebirds. I went back to work about 7 years ago after working from home for 20 years, so kept only my Quaker as he was elderly guy. My Lovebirds and Tiels went with my girls when they moved out since they were theirs. My friend came and got his bird as well.

With Covid, I am back to working remote, and will be doing so permanently, hence fostering then adopting my two little buddies. My heart is with birds, although we have two cats (respectful of birds), sugar gliders, and lizards. So I love animals, but birds are thing. :)

While at my local bird store I casually mentioned possibly fostering another bird if they had any birds that have been hard to place. Their usual process is to have you meet with the bird multiple times over a couple of months. Joan, the owner knows me from 15+ years of being a customer with larger and small birds and is willing to place a bird with me immediately. They have a Blue Indian Ringneck whose owner passed. This poor girl, Lucy is 10 years old, and was fostered out to a family with two young children, and dogs. Lucy's prior owner was older and had a quiet home. This family couldn't handle Lucy, and when they returned her to the bird store, she had plucked herself bare. She apparently started getting aggressive to the dogs and bit one of the children. The family stated to Joan that their house was very loud and busy, although that is not what they told her at the onset.

She is a bit high strung, and is no longer tame and has cage aggression. She will only step up from the floor. They started her on a diet that includes CBD which seems to have helped calm her a bit, and her feathers are almost fully back, although she is still rough looking, but much, much better. When I met the poor girl she was shaking, scared, and very wary. I visited with her for almost two hours. She quit shaking after about 5 minutes and seemed to respond to my voice (at least what the other volunteers stated compared to her reaction to them). My heart is big for this poor girl, but I have absolutely no experience with this type of bird. Joan is comfortable with me taking her soon, rather than in a month or two because Lucy is stressed. The shop can get quite loud because they also board birds. I do have the two birds, but they are very quiet (I know, crazy for birds) and pretty mellow. They can fly buy rarely do. They typically will climb down onto a chair and waddle over to my desk, or fly to their free standing perch.

I have all the patience in the world, and she would be placed on my huge desk where I work, so she will be able to be with me as much as she wants. She will have the same options as my other two birds, cage door open, freestanding perch available. Does anyone out there have any pros, cons, and thoughts about this? My husband and I are going to visit her on Sunday. One of the volunteers explained to me that he thinks of these birds as Diva's. You can talk to me, entertain me, I will sit on your shoulder, but don't touch me. He said they are not cuddly birds. I am okay with this, but of course if she would cuddle I would love it. I just want to start this process on the right foot since she has already been burned once. Her original owner who passed was a customer of Joan's for years, and had a loving relationship with Lucy. Joan also had a great relationship with Lucy, although since coming back from the first foster family that too has been strained. Joan takes care of many birds herself that have been abandoned or given up. She just doesn't have the amount of time I would have, hence offering her to me. I just want to be the best foster mom I can to poor Lucy, and am looking for any advice, tips, and tricks you may know about this breed.

Thank you for reading my long drawn out post. I just wanted to give all the info about me and my bird experience and home. We have no small children or dogs.
 

expressmailtome

Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/15/10
Messages
49,992
Real Name
Matthew
Welcome!
 

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,366
Location
Reino de España
Welcome to the Avenue Cheryl 1.welcome signs.gif

You may not have experience with this species, but you do have bird experience, and that is a good foot in the door :)
 

Sparkles99

Biking along the boulevard
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
8/9/20
Messages
6,315
Location
Ontario, Canada
:welcome:
 

sunnysmom

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/16/13
Messages
28,803
Location
Pennsylvania
Real Name
Michelle
Welcome! I don't have any IRN experience but a friend on mine has one (and her son has one). I think what you described is pretty accurate. I think they tend to be fairly independent birds. Enjoy company but aren't big on touching, cuddling. I think you would be a great place for her. :)
 
Top