Hello from new bird parent

[iracus]

I am currently a dog trainer at a pet store and we received a call from a neighboring store this past Friday to tell us that one of our birds was in front of their store. I was the only one available, and went to check it out.
We already knew we had not lost any birds so I thought I would see a colorful wild bird and they were mistaken. I rounded the corner and found a terrified, adult parakeet. As I approached he made no attempt to fly until I was right in front of him. He had one 40' flight in him and he landed, turned towards me and sat back on his tail feathers - he was done.
I easily and carefully netted him, brought him to the store, gave him a cage, water & food. During the whole process he didn't make a peep. I quickly got him to our vet and found out he is about a one year old male. He's main problems are a sunburnt cere and dehydration and is currently staying at our store's quiet room for ill animals. He has gotten a bit better each day and even gave me a wee chirp this morning.
He should be coming home with me tomorrow or the next day. I am a first time bird owner and will probably bombard you with too many questions, so thank you in advance!

[Wolf]

Welcome to the forums. I hope that you like what you find here.

I do not wish to sound disrespectful, but I would like to know what has been done to find this birds owner? I Know how it feels to have your bird missing and can tell you from firsthand experience that if the bird were mine I would be half out of my mind with worry and grief. I know that I would be walking the streets looking and calling for my friend both day and night. I was one of the lucky ones and I got my bird back. I realize that you don't know about the bonding that occurs between the bird and the owner, but let me assure you that it is very much like the bond between a parent and their child. I can also assure you that this bond goes both ways, in that the bird is just as bonded to its human and this means that the bird that you so kindly rescued from the street is in a state of grieving as deeply as if it had lost its mate. It would be the same as if you lost your wife, this bond is that strong and that deep.
Please for the sake of the bird and its owner, try to find it rightful home. You will not regret it if you are successful.
I will be happy to help you with any questions that you may have concerning this bird.

[iracus]

While your post first felt a bit condescending, I immediately realized that your concern is for the little bird - which is the important thing. I apologize for not reporting my efforts. We contacted our past clients who purchased similar birds, as well as contacting vets/shelters. Last night I also found lost bird websites that I added him to - this is also found this forum.
He will be coming home with me once he is given the all clear - either forever or until his parents find him. I'm pretty sure he'll enjoy my home better than the "quiet room" he is currently in. Sadly, as a large pet store, people do not think through their bird purchases. We educate people and give them info, tell them to research, call if they have questions and also make them sign contracts. Still we often received "returned" birds. We also have heard reports of people just "releasing" birds in our area/parking lot. I didn't get into to all this in my last post because it really upsets me that some people do not take their pet responsibility seriously.
I do understand the bonds our animals develop and I would be at my wits end if I lost one of my animal kids.
Now, no matter the outcome, this little guy has a home and will be cared for.

[Wolf]

Thank you for understanding my concern and again I had no desire to be even the slightest bit disrespectful of you or your efforts. I did want you to know why I was as concerned as I am and had no idea of what you did or did not know concerning these wonderful little creatures. Because of my ignorance as to what you may or may not have known about them is why I included a little bit about how much bonding actually takes place, you may or may not be aware of how many people don't even give it a thought.
I am glad that you have made the effort to find the person who lost their bird, and going by your first post as well as this one, I am relieved to find that he found someone like you to accept him and care for him.
I agree with you on the way some people treat their animals and do not accept their responsibilities as a pet owner. The rescues are overflowing with perfectly good birds needing homes, who are there simply because their owners would not act in a responsible manner and either neglected them or abused them in other manners.
As to you being a first time bird owner and asking too many questions, let me assure you that it can't happen. We will be happy to answer your questions about your bird and it doesn't matter to us how many questions you have. If we can help, we will, so please feel free to ask away. Some of us have a tendency to be quite blunt in the manner in which we speak and thus write but we all are here for the very same reason ,the birds. For us, it is all about the birds.
Thank you for sharing with us and I hope that you find your stay to be an enjoyable one and we are looking forward to you sharing with us.

[Pajarita]

Thank you for taking him in and offering him a home as well as making an effort to find his owner. You are right that a store is not a good place for animals. I hope I don't offend you when I say that, in my personal opinion, selling live animals in stores should be illegal. It opens too many avenues of neglect and abuse.

If you let us know exactly what you would like to know or have doubts about, please feel free to ask and we will do our outmost to point you in the right direction. For now, I only have a few things to offer:
1. Please, don't ever use a net again. It's a hugely traumatic experience for a bird and much more dangerous than most people realize.
2. Make sure you already have proper housing: LARGE cage properly fitted with non-dowel perches (natural branches from non-poisoning trees are best -I do NOT like manzanita), plucking toys (the kind with little things that can be pulled out but not cloth, things like raffia, straw, etc) and, budgies' all time favorite thing: dried yucca -could be in the shape of kebabs or just a big one, it doesn't matter) and a nice big shallow bowl for bathing
3. Adequate food. They don't do as badly as other parrots on just seed, mine get a good budgie mix for dinner, but, for breakfast, I feed mine cooked whole grains and pulses mixed with veggies (they love corn, baby peas, finely diced cooked carrots and baked sweet potatoes) and, very important, a large leaf of green (they love greens and, if you put it on the floor of the cage dripping with water, he will 'bathe' on it).
4. Consider getting him a girlfriend as he will be much, much, much happier if you do.

Finally, a question: how did the vet determined that he was one year old? Because, as far as I know, if they have no leg band, the only thing you can tell is whether they are under or over 6 months of age (eyes, molt). After that and unless they are much older (legs and feet), you can't tell at all.

PS I don't know what you found condescending about Wolf's post. I re-read it after I read your comment and couldn't find a single thing wrong with it.

[iracus]

The poor bird has exposure burns to his cere and feet that seem to be healing now.

1- I only used the net once I knew he was flyer. I netted him on the ground then cradled him back. I just didn't want him to get hurt in the parking lot or go into the street.
2- I researched and I got him a 20x20x30 cage. Someone at work is gifting me a large flight cage on a stand next week. The current cage has 4 different sized java wood perches, two foraging toys, a sleep hut, mirror, pull toys with colored papers/robes, 2cuttle bones, wood pull toy with bells.
I will get the yucca kabob today and a bathing dish - thanks.
3- I have the "all living things" parakeet daily diet food. There is also a treat perch for him to pick at. The other foods you mentioned I have and will use when he gets home.
4- the girlfriend is the ultimate goal once he is healed and no one claims him. Do you recommend the same color (he's green) or a different one?

I was teaching a class at the time of the vet visit so I do not know specifically what was said, but hope to talk to the vet today.

I have been talking and singing (poor bird) to him while he is recuperating. What else should I do? I am not making any other contact with him because I don't want to scare him. He is very quiet and has only made one little cheap yesterday. When I visited him this morning, he dig hop towards the front of the cage instead of the back

Thanks!

[Wolf]

Excellent!! He is lucky to have found you, I understand why you netted him and under the circumstances it may have been the best if not the only way to go, which is why I didn't say anything about it. Pajarita is correct about the effects of netting on these birds though.
Your cage setup sounds good and a flight cage is the best way to go for the bird. I think that I would remove the mirror, I would inspect the bells closely to make sure that there is no way that your bird can get the clapper to come off, I would keep a close watch on the hut thing and discard it if he chews on it very much or when it starts to show signs of wear as the string produced by chewing on it or by wear can kill as can the rope things when they start to fray.
When it comes to choosing a mate for him, I would bring him and let him or the female choose. Most of the time it is really the female who will choose the male, although you will want to be observant so as to make sure that they will get along and that the female won't hurt him as she will most likely be the more aggressive of them. I don't think that the color is all that important but sometimes the male or the female does have a color preference or so it appears to me.
all of this is new to him and so he is likely to be somewhat scared of the new surroundings and will be the same way when you take him home( a little scared ). Talking and singing is the best thing you can do for him to help him through this time of changes. They really do appreciate the effort when you sing to them and are pretty much non critical of you ability in this field. My singing can wake the dead and scare them back to death, but my birds love it anyway.
When you take him home it is important that you be aware that many products that are used in the home are toxic to them. Check to make sure that you do not use anything coated with Teflon as it will kill your bird in seconds, hot vinegar is toxic to them, Teflon is used on non stick skillets and on some other items such as some irons and heaters. Many house plants are also deadly to them. It is important that your bird be banned from your kitchen as it is just simply too dangerous for them, there is the risk of landing on or in something hot as well as the exposure to air borne grease. Make sure that it can't get to any electrical cords as they will chew on the cords. You will find plenty of homework needed to insure your birds safety. Oh never give your bird avocado or un cooked beans or things like apple seeds and if the bird is going to chew on or eat the skin of fruits make sure that you wash the fruit really well.
Hope this will help you some.

[Harpmaker]

Welcome to the forum, iracus and friend! You don't need to actually have a bird to hang out here. I'm sure we would be happy to have such a caring animal lover on board, even if your friend's people take him away.

You should know that Wolf's first post is as diplomatic as we get around here (I didn't see anything wrong with it either), but I'm glad you seem to have figured that out.

[Pajarita]

Wow! You seem to have everything very well thought out and have already sent the ball rolling in the right direction. Wolf also gave you good points on the housing although, personally, I would remove all the bells UNLESS you know for a fact they are all made of stainless steel (I've never seen a budgie-size one made of SS, their toys all seem to have the cheapie kind that can give them metal poisoning).

As to the girlfriend's color, I don't think they care. With budgies, it's the vocalizations that do it but even when they don't mate bond (I doubt they would not been than birds are quite pragmatic when it comes to mates), they all seem to like one another (if there is no competition for a hen, of course).

Harpmaker is right, though. Wolf is VERY tactful on his postings -me, I am like a bull in a china shop -LOL

[Wolf]

I don't know that I would be considered tactful, by any means. But I guess that I may be considered tactful, interesting. Since I consider tact as the art of calling you a SOB and having you like it because it was your idea, it is something that I don't have much use for it.
I do try to extend to others the same respect that I would appreciate being accorded to me, that is about as far as I intentionally go.