My mom and I go into the pet store looking to pick up pellets for our boy Mike. I walk into the bird room and see a half plucked chicken (Umbrella Cockatoo) sitting on a perch looking regal and beautiful. I go over to say hi to the other two Cockatoos in the room, since my family and I have been interested in them and wanting to take the plunge... First one is a baby, other is NFS rescue they want to keep to try and help others learn about Cockatoos. I make my way over to the young lady in the tattered coat and mumble my good mornings to her. She perks up almost instantly.
My mom comes in the room and sees me talking to her. My mom, who was afraid of birds until Mikey, is in love with this scraggly mess of white feathers instantly. The love was mutual between the two. The lady who watches the bird room comes over to us and says "Wow I haven't seen her light up like this yet." We ask 1000% questions about her, and wish her a good day before checking out. My mom talks about her all ride home while I try and talk her out of it.
Next day we're back to speak with the manager (who has all the information). We walk into the mid morning screaming session, and my mom laughs happily seeing this (then post bath) bird scream at the top of her lungs with the other birds in the room. "It'll be like this a lot." I try and tell her, smiling to myself. The manager says the same, but my mom and I still ask about her, sitting in the room while three cockatoos scream (mostly) unflinching. Her name is JP, she's 12 years old, and a sudden rescue. They want her to go to a good home.
We talk with the manager for almost two hours that day, she says "Come by again and see if its a fit," she takes our phone number but seems hesitant, like we wont be in again.
The next day rolls around and my mom and I pop back in again. The manager looks surprised to see us and is even more surprised when, two hours later we finally leave.
Try has I might to talk my mom out of it, my mom has been looking at all my birdy sources and reading up on Umbrella Cockatoos, and slowly falling in love more and more. We go in almost every day (only missing one) for over a week, slowly meeting every staff member and asking any question that comes to our mind. While they want to hold onto her until mid November (Vet check, and also give her some time to relax in one place before throwing her into another), we know she'll be ours for sure. "We tell people she's just waiting to go home now." The manager says to us today.
I'm filled with a joy in my heart, know that for the next month I'll get to visit with my girl, and in a month or so I'll get to (hopefully!) take her home.
I'm also very lucky that she's safe right now, and my family and I are able to visit with her often.
Also, note: I only try to talk my mom out of her because I know cockatoos are HUGE responsibility, JP has been rehomed 3 times already, we'd be her 4th home. I see the toll it's taken on her, and my other rescue Mike to be rehomed... Of course JP would be "my bird" but I want my mom to know the huge stress a big bird can be. That being said, I work from home full time (not just because of the current situation) and my mom is disabled. Lots of free time on both our hands, which has seemed to help Mikey a great deal. My mom and I are also very close: a "family unit" has the manager put it, with no major life changes happening any time soon. + JP would come first anyway, just like Mikey. (who would want to marry someone who didn't like birds anyway! hehe!)
Thank you for reading all of this!
My mom comes in the room and sees me talking to her. My mom, who was afraid of birds until Mikey, is in love with this scraggly mess of white feathers instantly. The love was mutual between the two. The lady who watches the bird room comes over to us and says "Wow I haven't seen her light up like this yet." We ask 1000% questions about her, and wish her a good day before checking out. My mom talks about her all ride home while I try and talk her out of it.
Next day we're back to speak with the manager (who has all the information). We walk into the mid morning screaming session, and my mom laughs happily seeing this (then post bath) bird scream at the top of her lungs with the other birds in the room. "It'll be like this a lot." I try and tell her, smiling to myself. The manager says the same, but my mom and I still ask about her, sitting in the room while three cockatoos scream (mostly) unflinching. Her name is JP, she's 12 years old, and a sudden rescue. They want her to go to a good home.
We talk with the manager for almost two hours that day, she says "Come by again and see if its a fit," she takes our phone number but seems hesitant, like we wont be in again.
The next day rolls around and my mom and I pop back in again. The manager looks surprised to see us and is even more surprised when, two hours later we finally leave.
Try has I might to talk my mom out of it, my mom has been looking at all my birdy sources and reading up on Umbrella Cockatoos, and slowly falling in love more and more. We go in almost every day (only missing one) for over a week, slowly meeting every staff member and asking any question that comes to our mind. While they want to hold onto her until mid November (Vet check, and also give her some time to relax in one place before throwing her into another), we know she'll be ours for sure. "We tell people she's just waiting to go home now." The manager says to us today.
I'm filled with a joy in my heart, know that for the next month I'll get to visit with my girl, and in a month or so I'll get to (hopefully!) take her home.
I'm also very lucky that she's safe right now, and my family and I are able to visit with her often.
Also, note: I only try to talk my mom out of her because I know cockatoos are HUGE responsibility, JP has been rehomed 3 times already, we'd be her 4th home. I see the toll it's taken on her, and my other rescue Mike to be rehomed... Of course JP would be "my bird" but I want my mom to know the huge stress a big bird can be. That being said, I work from home full time (not just because of the current situation) and my mom is disabled. Lots of free time on both our hands, which has seemed to help Mikey a great deal. My mom and I are also very close: a "family unit" has the manager put it, with no major life changes happening any time soon. + JP would come first anyway, just like Mikey. (who would want to marry someone who didn't like birds anyway! hehe!)
Thank you for reading all of this!
I can't wait to hear more 
Glad you did your due diligence and everyone is still on board. She looks like a sweetheart that just needs a soft place to land that understands her. You should look up 