Today I found a very tame, friendly cockatiel outside. It obviously is (or at least was) someone's pet, so I placed found ads. When I found it, it was not near any houses or people. I took it to the vet to be checked out for health and boarded for now (compliments of my back account.) There is no way I can keep it myself. So, if the owner doesn't come forward, any tips on how to place it in a good home? Are there any cockatiel rescue groups? I'd rather try to keep it for a short time myself and place it in a home instead of taking it to the SPCA. Thanks!

9/4/2009 8:42:07 PM

http://www.cockatielrescue.org/rescue.phtml

They've got a few bird rescues/sanctuaries on there. None of the listings on the front page for lost/missing birds are in NC.

9/4/2009 8:56:23 PM

Sonia is TWW's resident cockatiel lover. I know that has good information on placing it in a good home and she may know of some local rescue organizations.

9/4/2009 9:11:06 PM

I'm resisting the urge to adopt it. My husband says eight is enough but let me know if you can't find a home in a few weeks.

Recoup some of your vet/Cheerios bills with a ~$50 adoption fee. Let the area avian clinics know that you've found the bird (Dixie Trail, Avian & Exotic) in case their owner checks in at the vet's office. I don't suppose they found a microchip in it?

9/4/2009 9:18:09 PM

Yea, check with some avian vets. When I found one I posted EVERYWHERE and someone happened to see an ad in the paper looking for theirs. Good luck, I never owned one but they are much quieter then a sun conure!

9/4/2009 9:43:34 PM

I will find out more about the bird in the morning. I dropped it off at Avian and Exotic this afternoon, but they were swamped with all the rush before the long weekend, so they are keeping it overnight and checking it in the morning. I don't think it's hurt, just a bit stressed, and I'm sure they've fed and watered it. It seemed like a very sweet, friendly bird, but I don't think it's a good long term pet for me since we have 2 cats. An adoption fee is a good idea to make sure the person is committed to taking care of it.

9/4/2009 9:49:54 PM

You might also contact http://www.phoenixlanding.org/ContactUs.html

Jennifer White is the RDU area adoption coordinator.

We adopted our Eclectus through them.

[Edited on September 5, 2009 at 7:27 PM. Reason : ..]

9/5/2009 7:21:13 PM

Quote :

"Today I found a very tame, friendly cock outside. It obviously is (or at least was) someone's dick, so I placed found ads. When I found it, it was not near any houses or people. I took it to the doc to be checked out for health and boarded for now (compliments of my back account.) There is no way I can keep it myself. So, if the owner doesn't come forward, any tips on how to place it in a good home? Are there any cock rescue groups? I'd rather try to keep it for a short time myself and place it in a home instead of taking it to the whore house. Thanks!"

9/5/2009 8:44:30 PM

I'm surprised it wasn't banded. Sucks for whoever lost it

9/5/2009 9:15:29 PM

Thank you for the ideas (and the parody in the great tdub tradition.) I will contact Phoenix Landing. No sign of an owner yet, but I've got ads running so that if someone is looking, then they can find her. She didn't have any parasites or other problems that would occur if she had been outside for long, so it's likely that she was recently lost (or dumped, poor thing.) I brought her home from the vet this morning, and they are "renting" me a cage at a very low price.

9/5/2009 10:38:53 PM

Sonia, do you still feel defective?

9/5/2009 11:25:56 PM

I miss my cockatiel .

Mine flew the coup two years ago during XMAS break

9/6/2009 1:01:23 PM

No one looking for their lost cockatiel so far.

She's very quiet, only threeping once in awhile (usually when you are leaving her presence.) It turns out she's a decent flyer. I thought she was a horrible flyer when I found her because I had such an easy time getting her in a box. Apparently she was just exhausted and weak. She's really tame, which helps. She likes to land on your outstretched arm or head, which is fun. She does NOT like to be on your hand and will nibble (not really a bite.) She could use some kindness in that respect, but generally she's a very awesome little bird. She hasn't hissed or done anything rude or aggressive.

Someone is probably missing her. Any ideas for places to post the lost bird ad besides Craig's list, N&O? Avian and Exotic vet hadn't had any lost bird reports but three birds were found near the same area within 2 days. Nice.

9/6/2009 3:09:22 PM

Quote :

"She's very quiet, only threeping once in awhile (usually when you are leaving her presence.) It turns out she's a decent flyer. I thought she was a horrible flyer when I found her because I had such an easy time getting her in a box. Apparently she was just exhausted and weak. She's really tame, which helps. She likes to land on your outstretched arm or head, which is fun. She does NOT like to be on your hand and will nibble (not really a bite.) She could use some kindness in that respect, but generally she's a very awesome little bird. She hasn't hissed or done anything rude or aggressive. "

That definitely is not my old bird. Mine is sometimes loud and obnoxious and tends to bite strangers.



[Edited on September 6, 2009 at 3:55 PM. Reason : l]

9/6/2009 3:52:11 PM

how long do these things live?? my mom has had one since i was in 5th grade. we knew someone who had to get rid of it for some reason and he was already an adult when we got him. still going strong.. about 15 years after we adopted him! and living in a house with 2 cats no less

9/6/2009 5:20:05 PM

Quote :

"She does NOT like to be on your hand and will nibble"

I thought nibbling was a sign of affection. Our parrotlet used to do that to our shirts, which was annoying since eventually we would end up with little holes in the shoulders.

9/6/2009 6:11:29 PM

Quote :

"I'm resisting the urge to adopt it."

also, was anybody else slightly offset by the use of .phtml extension on that cockatielrescue site? /nerd test

9/6/2009 10:42:44 PM

Hmmm, maybe you are right and the nibbling is affectionate. It doesn't seem intended to inflict pain, but she prefers not to be on a hand. She really likes shiny things and keeps trying to pluck off my jewelry.

She can't stay here too long, as one of my cats is actively and obsessively stalking her, so she has to stay in the bathroom in her rent-a-cage. I have let her out to fly around the room a couple of times just being sure to keep the door shut, but it is only a matter of time before some mishap occurs and the cat gets her. As I type the cat is sitting watching the bathroom door, and the bird is in there sound asleep. At the same time I am getting attached already and I just bought her a bird toy and a cuttlebone. I'm giving her current owners until the middle of the week to speak up before I move on to finding her a new home.

HUR, I'm sorry you lost your bird. Even when they are being pushy, it's hard not to like them.

9/6/2009 10:49:10 PM

If you still have the cockatiel, my parents are looking to get another after theirs recently passed away. PM me with your email or preferrably phone number.

9/7/2009 6:49:23 PM

We still have her, but I'm about to give up on hearing from an owner. She is an awesome little bird, so it's their loss. Thank you to those who have offered her a home; I will work on that this weekend.

9/9/2009 3:43:07 PM

I got this weird phone call yesterday from a lady who said it was her bird, but then when I pressed her to give me more description (beyond just parroting back the little bit I'd told her), she admitted that she hadn't actually lost a bird. wtf? Then she said she knew someone who could give it a home. Umm, no thanks, crazy-fake-bird-losing lady.

Then today I get an email from someone looking for a lost bird with pretty much the vague description I gave the lady yesterday, but not much more. So, I've responded asking for more information or ideally a photo. There is tremendous variation in the precise feather patterns and how these birds look. I hope it is true this time, and not just the same lady from yesterday trying again. That would really piss me off just when I was started to think that maybe people don't totally suck.

9/13/2009 12:15:26 AM

Breeders.

9/13/2009 10:25:54 AM

i know this is gonna sound differently, but i am totally serious:

sadly, no good deed goes unpunished.

if random liars are starting to call, i'd take the bird to some sanctuary or rescue place or whatever and get rid of it safely while you have the chance. if the real owner comes forward, you can refer them to the place you left the bird. hell, they've had plenty of time to call around.

i can easily see this becoming first a police and then later a civil matter. even if you are 100% in the right, you'll still have to prove otherwise... and it's gonna take more than just showing them the vet bill. when crazy people like that don't get what they want, they use the police to fight their battles for them...

read the turtle thread for what happens to the bird while litigation is pending and the government takes care of it

9/13/2009 10:36:36 AM

^Yes, the turtle thread is pretty sad.

Thanks to avian and exotic vet, I know someone with a kind heart and one pet cockatiel who will give this bird a good home, and and I kind of put her off until tomorrow just in case this latest email is from the actual owners. I got another call today (this time from a man), and after I told him it wasn't the bird he described he kept asking more questions about what she looks like. I couldn't figure out if he really thought it might be his bird or if he was the evil collaborator of crazy lady. He did sound like a breeder, though. Good call on that one. He wouldn't tell me where he lost his bird. Seemed to know a lot about markings and thought the coloring of mine was "rare." Great.

I think I'll call the good home lady tonight and give up on the owners.

9/13/2009 3:32:21 PM

Did I not read in some Chit Chat thread that someone saw a notice up about a missing cockatiel?

9/13/2009 11:15:56 PM

If you havn't already you could try the birdie boutique in Durham to see if any clients have lost a cockatiel. The number is 919-490-3001

9/14/2009 2:07:45 PM

I'll take it!

9/14/2009 2:57:21 PM

Thank you for all of the offers to give her a home. She has one now with a nice couple and another cockatiel. They had a pretty posh set up for their other bird, so I'm feeling good about it.

I have learned that Craigslist and N&O classifieds might bring the nutcases out of the woodwork. You probably already new that!

9/14/2009 7:08:49 PM

Try placing a car ad on craigslist. That brings out the nutjobs too for some reason

9/14/2009 11:16:12 PM