newloviemom
02-07-2009, 12:30 AM
So...I went to meet Sydney today...
see previous thread here...http://www.lovebirdsplus.com/community/showthread.php?t=14277
He was not too social with me, and was very nippy and bitey, but he seemed to know to bite just hard enough to hurt a little, but not enough to break the skin. So he wasn't as tame as his parront told me he was...but I also realize I am a complete stranger to him, so I understand him telling me to back off and not invade his space. He did sit on me, and he did let me give him a few skritches.
He absolutely would not let me take him out of his cage. I am not his parront, so why would he trust me to take him out of his cage. Plus--I know they are very intuitive, so I'm sure he felt something was up, and I'm sure he picked up on the great sadness of his mama parront.
She shared his whole story with me...that for the first 6 years of his life, he had a very wonderful loving and caring parront who became ill, and could no longer care for him. It was left up to her adult son to rehome the bird, and he was not very discriminating in choosing a family for Sydney...thus he wound up in this home with all the people, kids, dogs, cats and filth. And he stayed in his cage 24/7. Remember the allergic child...
Then in November-along comes Jackie--his new parront who is soon going to go to school to be a vet, has worked with birds before, loves animals and is very in tune with the psyche of Sydney, and turned his life around...then along comes me.
Several times during the course of our long visit she bacame very sad and teary. It was obvious she does not want to let him go, but wants to do what is best for him. she is worried that between working and going to school, she will not have the time to give him the attention she should. I totally respect her for keeping his best interest at heart. However....I could not take that precious boy...I could not break his heart like that, and I am sure had I taken him...he would hate me as the person taking him from his home that he has become so engrained in.
So I offered her a plan B...They are moving to Minneapolis this spring, and she will be starting classes this summer. Once they move...we are going to get together every week, so Sydney can get to know me. She is going to start school and see how things go. Her boyfriend lives with her, and Sydney likes him as well, and he will be working a regular 8 to 5 day job, so will always be home in the evenings. If, after she starts school, she finds that she really truly feels Sydney is suffering form lack of attention, then we will work on rehoming him with me. But if things work out better than what she thinks her schedule will allow, being that her bf is there too, then sydney will remain in the home he so loves. At least now she has a plan B with someone who is willing to say...I will take him if need be, but lets first see if things will be ok for him at home.
Had I taken him today, It would have been his third rehome in a 2 year period.
I would love to have him, but it's not about me having an African Gray...it's about him having a happy and secure life, and I know with Jackie and her bf, he has that.
She also has an iguana that somebody threw out in the Minnesota cold and left to die. The Iguana is missing all of it's toes front and back on one side from frostbite, but now has a beautiful home with Jackie and her bf. She is a very loving, wonderful person, with a heart and soul for animals who need forever homes. I'm glad I got to meet her. I am not going to look at taking in another bird for now...I want to leave room and time in case Sydney does need to come, but for now he is staying with the mama he so loves!!
Oh--and as I was leaving her home today, Sydney gave me a very sweet and gentle kiss...I think he was saying thank you.
Cindy
see previous thread here...http://www.lovebirdsplus.com/community/showthread.php?t=14277
He was not too social with me, and was very nippy and bitey, but he seemed to know to bite just hard enough to hurt a little, but not enough to break the skin. So he wasn't as tame as his parront told me he was...but I also realize I am a complete stranger to him, so I understand him telling me to back off and not invade his space. He did sit on me, and he did let me give him a few skritches.
He absolutely would not let me take him out of his cage. I am not his parront, so why would he trust me to take him out of his cage. Plus--I know they are very intuitive, so I'm sure he felt something was up, and I'm sure he picked up on the great sadness of his mama parront.
She shared his whole story with me...that for the first 6 years of his life, he had a very wonderful loving and caring parront who became ill, and could no longer care for him. It was left up to her adult son to rehome the bird, and he was not very discriminating in choosing a family for Sydney...thus he wound up in this home with all the people, kids, dogs, cats and filth. And he stayed in his cage 24/7. Remember the allergic child...
Then in November-along comes Jackie--his new parront who is soon going to go to school to be a vet, has worked with birds before, loves animals and is very in tune with the psyche of Sydney, and turned his life around...then along comes me.
Several times during the course of our long visit she bacame very sad and teary. It was obvious she does not want to let him go, but wants to do what is best for him. she is worried that between working and going to school, she will not have the time to give him the attention she should. I totally respect her for keeping his best interest at heart. However....I could not take that precious boy...I could not break his heart like that, and I am sure had I taken him...he would hate me as the person taking him from his home that he has become so engrained in.
So I offered her a plan B...They are moving to Minneapolis this spring, and she will be starting classes this summer. Once they move...we are going to get together every week, so Sydney can get to know me. She is going to start school and see how things go. Her boyfriend lives with her, and Sydney likes him as well, and he will be working a regular 8 to 5 day job, so will always be home in the evenings. If, after she starts school, she finds that she really truly feels Sydney is suffering form lack of attention, then we will work on rehoming him with me. But if things work out better than what she thinks her schedule will allow, being that her bf is there too, then sydney will remain in the home he so loves. At least now she has a plan B with someone who is willing to say...I will take him if need be, but lets first see if things will be ok for him at home.
Had I taken him today, It would have been his third rehome in a 2 year period.
I would love to have him, but it's not about me having an African Gray...it's about him having a happy and secure life, and I know with Jackie and her bf, he has that.
She also has an iguana that somebody threw out in the Minnesota cold and left to die. The Iguana is missing all of it's toes front and back on one side from frostbite, but now has a beautiful home with Jackie and her bf. She is a very loving, wonderful person, with a heart and soul for animals who need forever homes. I'm glad I got to meet her. I am not going to look at taking in another bird for now...I want to leave room and time in case Sydney does need to come, but for now he is staying with the mama he so loves!!
Oh--and as I was leaving her home today, Sydney gave me a very sweet and gentle kiss...I think he was saying thank you.
Cindy