60yo Amazon getting ready for the final departure

[Blu]

Thats so sad I hope they let you take him

[liz]

Tickling their belly isn't good as it is an erogenous zone.

I tell her belly but I really tickle her chest. She can say belly but not chest.

[Pajarita]

You can touch him just wash your hands after. The easiest is to stroke his belly. I use the word tickle before I touch so they know what I am going to do. Myrtle really likes tickle feet.
He probably never learned to fly so I would not be afraid of leaving the cage door open for him to see freedom. Just put some things outside the cage to interest him.

I would take him home and see if I am right that he needs love and hope. Give him a couple of days to adjust to you, love and freedom before taking him to the Vet. He has probably never been to one.

Liz, there is no way on this green earth that this bird doesn't have serious medical issues. Love and hope don't cure disease or correct conditions, he needs a vet asap. I am not trying to put your comment down but there are too many people with birds out there that think that 'loving' them is enough - and it's not.

[liz]

Then I would take him to the vet on my way home. That way she only extends the time a little on his travel.

I rescued a ferrel kitten and stopped at the vet before I would bring her home to the others.

[Pajarita]

Exactly right! This way, he is stressed out only once.

[patti]

Sorry for the late reply... i wrote this then misplaced it before i could post, but here's an update:

I went back to the store, but could not take him. He is not in the ideal situation for sure, but he was not open for adoption. The people taking care of him did not have his cage in the ideal location, but he was at least on a great diet.

After talking with the clerk I found out that his main problem is kids... yelling, hitting the cage, etc. They come in after school. Turns out that I had showed up last time right after a group of kids came into the store and had just finished banging on his cage and otherwise messing with him. So when I came in he was in a panic. From my experiences at the ice skating rink i know the pervasive negative consequences of this generation's permissive parental practices... including one time i watched a kid beat on his mother for a quarter, which she then *gave* to him! perhaps she thought that the extra video game time would help him "find himself." anyway, enough of my ranting.

the amazon appeared much better when i went back... not as dishevled or heaving back and forth, and the clerk said this because the kids had not come in. still in a bad state though. He doesn't want to come out of his cage or perch, because he doesn't feel safe outside of his cage. i stuck my finger in the cage to point to his bowl of gloop and he completely freaked out. watery poop. the bird is in a constant state of stress. the clerk mentioned that the kids are a constant problem and they have not found an effective way to deal with it. i really really wish i could take him. its awful. awful.


I am now having this issue with a different bird. i went back to petco where i got lily and charlie the sun conure is still there. he is about 10 mo, and in a terrible terrible state. the store is killing him. they never take him out of his cage. and now his feathers look so terrible they have him 25 percent off. he is scared and lonely. i can't take him, and i am leaving in a week and not coming back until january. the most i could do is buy him and take him to a rescue. what should i do? what options do i have? for now, i will stop and spend time with him every day after skating.

i know that they will just replace him with another bird and treat that bird the same way. i was torn about getting lily there too. but most dont spend too long there. charlie is so perfect and he doesn't deserve the life they are setting up for him.

[liz]

If nothing else put in a complaint to animal control. They have to investigate and maybe that would wake the owner up.
So why can't they move the 60 year old to the window with their parrots?
Give them the parrot forum website.

[Pajarita]

Yes, I really don't understand why they don't do something about the kids. It's not that hard, for heaven's sake! All they have to do is put an enclosure around his cage so the kids cannot reach it and signs warning them of dire consequences if they do and closely supervise.

As to Charlie, Animal Control cannot do anything. As long as the bird is not in constant physical pain, is sheltered from the elements and has food and water (regardless of whether it's the right kind or not), they are complying with the law.

I don't know what to tell you... have you contacted local rescues to see if they would be willing to take him? Maybe help with the fee? Mikaboo is in that area and they have excellent foster homes for them... Do you know any other parrot owner that would take him if the price was 'right'? I hate that they overcharge so for them in these stores, it makes in impossible for most people to take these poor animals in.

[patti]

Thanks. I am going to buy Charlie if I can place him with someone. Is Mikaboo a username? Couldn't find that person. On the advice of a friend, however, I am not going to buy him until I find him a home. I could keep him for only a short period of time. I have contacted three area rescues and tomorrow i will drive to visit a fourth. I am going to post a new thread with pics of him in a more prominent place on these boards, so try and find someone.

I can't afford him, but I think i can convince them to lower the price. the manager admitted that NO ONE has been interested in him at all in the 6+ months that he has been there and the manager also recognizes that he has to find a loving home before he will start to improve. They dropped him from 600 to 500. I can afford 300, and hopefully they will take it.

[marie83]

Mikaboo is a rescue or rehoming center (not sure which) so if you google them they should come up