warning this is a long one.
A year ago I found Lola my Catalina at a large bird store. She was about to turn 3 and was in a side room with small birds.
I was there to buy a cage to send off with a cockatoo I was re-homing when I saw her there. I asked what was up with the macaw and they told me she was a kind of a store pet, but there still was a price tag on her . When I approached the cage she headed for the back corner and took the defensive stance. I stayed with her for a while and she loosened up but stayed in the corner.
The manager came over and I asked if she could take the bird out. She said she needed to get the guy that cleans the cages. He came over and with a fast hand snags her before she could move. He obviously had done this before. He handed me the bird and said "she's scared, she doesn't get of much". She spent most of the past two years in her cage.
I took her to a room up front set up to interact with the birds. She freaked the second she couldn't see her cage. After a short flight I got her up front and put her on a perch. She looked great. No signs of any plucking or other mutilation . Her weight was good, maybe a little on the heavy side.
One thing that jumped out is that she was small, let's say "petite". She only measures 28" and that's stretching her and barely 900 grams .That didn't alarm me as I've seen smallish blue and golds in the past . My vets say she fine just small. Anyway I sat with her and after about a half hour or so then had to get going. I told the manager she was up front and asked her to remove the nut bowl from her cage and I'd be back ,she said ok and I left.
Now I have a problem. I didn't need another bird but all I could see in my head was the haunted look on her face. I don't buy birds either. After a spinal cord injury I retired young and started re-homing unwanted birds. I've had as many as 10 here at one time and there is never a shortage of birds to re-home.
I had some spare time the next morning so I went back to the store. When I got there I told a girl working I was going to take the "older" Catalina up front. She said "thats a coincidence she was out yesterday when I got here, she's never out". I went into see her and she headed to the back of the cage but was pretty calm. I opened the cage door and stayed there for a few minutes. She moved to a perch and that was my chance. She was not about to step up.
I reached in to get her with a quick hand and she came without to much struggle but ripped into my wrist. Blood of the decks It comes with the territory ! I took her up front and again she freaked until the cage was well out of sight. I put her on the perch and we just hung out for a while. She was loose ,her stance calm.
The story goes that she was on the "front row" as a baby. As she got older she was moved to make way for more youngsters. Eventually she ended up in the small bird room. After about a half hour I offered a walnut and she snatched it fast with that " I'll take it from you but I'm not happy about it " attitude . I left her alone for a while and she pulled up a leg and took a nap. It was clear that at one time she was well socialized but over time her instincts kicked in.
After her nap I again went in and this time I wanted to see what she would allow me to do. Naturally i start with a step up and she lifts a foot as if to come then let's me have it. This time I'm ready with my first-aid close by. after I patch myself up I go back to her perch and she lowers her head. I really didn't want to fall for another sneak attack but i reach over slow and she let's me scratch the top of here head. A breakthrough ! I worked with her for about a half hour then had to go. They asked if I was interested in the bird and I told them I'd be back .
Again the next morning I stopped by and this time Lola seemed happy to see me. So I opened the door , she just stayed on her perch and she again ripped into me then hopped on my hand .lol I took her up front for a while and talked to the manager. They still has a hefty price on her. I was about to go back to Florida for two weeks so I told them I'll think it over and get back to them.
They made a pitch " she may be gone by then" she said. My reply was "nothing would make me happier than if she got a good home." they know me so that was the end of it.
As I drove home I couldn't get that hollow look in her eyes out of my head. My wife told me to take her after the first day saying we were her best chance. Over the week I decided to buy but not at anything near what they wanted. I do business with them so I hoped to make a fare deal. I knew that she would still be there. Nobody would buy her unless they wanted to get bit up for awhile . So the decision was made.
Upon my return I stopped by the store Two weeks later and of course she was still there. They say macaws never forget and Lola proved it that day. After being away for two weeks as soon as I came in she came up and hung on the door ! The staff told me she just sat there for the last two weeks. I opened the door she stuck out a foot.........and bit me, more blood.
That was the last time she ever bit anyone.
Now it was time to cut a deal for her. The tag on her was close to 2k with her cage, and older dome top. We talked but couldn't get close so I asked to talk with the owner. We went out front where there were no other ears around and talked about price and the bird. This is where he showed what he was made of. With very little persuading he agreed that he wouldn't get that kind of money for her and it would be best for her if she left with me. I'm not going to say the exact figure but it worked for everybody involved.
To be clear this bird was not physically neglected as she was in great health. Her emotional well being was another story but they did the right thing.
I had already decided that this was her forever home. We set her up in the living room so during he day she would be in the center of things. I go to bed early so she got plenty of rest. Form day one the day would start with breakfast and an open door. She ate well but unless forced she would just sit on her perch for hours on end. I would take her to a playpen in my office and she would tolerate it but the cage separation was huge. But she never bit in earnest again, a little nippy but never enough to so much as squash a grape.
After about 4 months of her doing almost nothing she started to move to the open door and look out. Slowly she moved to sitting in the doorway but would duck back inside if we got to close. We let her advance at her own pace. Over the next month she moved to the top of her cage and she would hang out up there for hours. She still never played. She would just stare at foot toys as if she had never seen them before. When she was in her cage she just sat on her perches.
She started to accept me as her person about this time. She would step up and down on command. I also started to work on recall and other skills a flighted bird would need. I used her still cage separation to help reach her the "go back" command.
Another quirk that last to this day is that she's quite. I mean unless another bird gets her going she rarely squaks. I'm not complaining but she's almost silent . She say hello and hola in a tiny barley audible voice. It's strange for such a large bird.
As the months went by the cage separation started to get worse, she couldn't separate herself from it fast enough ! She has become the most amazing bird I have ever been around and I've had birds for forty years. She beyond gentile and loves nothing more than being with the rest of us. She has started to play and we are learning some tricks. Oh and now she goes into her toy box and plays away. She is also obedient and follows all commands .
That brings us to today, her fourth birthday and her first anniversary here this month. I had a CAG for 31 years and when he passed I swore I would rehome but not keep another bird as a companion. It was just to hard when I lost him. Well thank god I took a chance on lola, I don't know how I lived without her. She goes almost everywhere with me. On days the legs are good enough to hold me up she sits on my shoulder , on bad days she hangs on the back of my wheelchair. We are lucky to have found each other.
A friend and fellow bird lover thinks she knows I saved her and is now forever grateful. I don't know about that but I know I'm certainly grateful .
She's the perfect companion !
Below are some pics of her first year "home".
The first day I met her.
Some pics of the days before to took her home.
First day home.
The present.
Be Big,
Alan
You two look inseparable, I'm glad yous have each other!
