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Pre-requisites

There are many well-meaning bird owners willing and ready to take in a second-hand bird. However, without realistic expectations and some knowledge of how to deal with behavioral problems, as well as a readiness to do so...no matter where that leads...this can lead to disappointment. I do not agree with the concept of taking in second-hand parrots on a conditional basis. This is unrealistic, and therein presents the real challenge in taking in such a bird - making a commitment to an "unknown." However, this is leap of faith will actually go furthest in insuring a successful outcome to such a commitment. Any problems a parrot has will only be made worse by the stress of first being given up and having to leave it's home, adapting to conditions in his new home and starting to form new bonds...only to be taken back to the first place where he wasn't wanted either. This simply isn't fair.

I readily urge bird owners to take in second-hand parrots, but only if they have been successful first with one or two young parrots, understand the behavioral differences between a sexually mature parrot and a baby, are willing to seek out assistance from professionals when this is needed, and have a deep sense of commitment that will carry them through the very difficult times.

Committing to the Unknown

When you contemplate taking in a second-hand parrot, there is really no way to know for sure whether or not the bird has behavior problems. Unfortunately, the majority of parrot owners are those who never do get the information they need to be successful with a bird, but who remain forever impressed with the initial financial outlay that was required for what has become a most disappointing pet. You see the ads in every newspaper, placed by such individuals who hope to recoup some of their financial "loss." They are not about to admit that the reasons they are giving up their beloved Amazon are because the bird screams non-stop during the evening hours and the wife is just now healing from the ten stitches she required in order to reattach her ear. Many owners wishing to unload a parrot are not 100% honest about their reasons for giving their bird up.

Second, there are many parrots who certainly did have behavior problems in their last homes, but whose problems resolve when placed in a more benevolent, parrot-friendly environment. These birds, who have such a poor track record, often become exceptional companions if given the chance.

Third, when a bird changes homes, there is usually a "honeymoon period," during which they are very well behaved. This lasts about two weeks. Being a prey animal, any parrot will automatically be more careful about his behavior when in a new and unfamiliar living situation. Thus, it can take some time to understand the new parrot's problems, which will only manifest once again when the parrot has settled in and begins to feel safe in his new surroundings.

Some Bring No Problems...

Lastly, some parrots have no behavior problems and lose their homes for no reason other than lack of commitment on the part of the original owner. My seventeen-year-old Timneh Grey, Wanda, is a good example of the latter situation. He was left in a pet store in New York City for boarding. His owners never returned for him, and he eventually made his way to me after staying in two other homes. Wanda has been with us for over a year, and as far as I can tell...has no behavior problems at all. He's an even-tempered, affectionate parrot, but is not perhaps as glamorous a companion as his owners might have hoped. He talks only a little, and is rather reserved. His charms are of the subtle variety.

Some Bring Resolved Problems...

As indicated above, other parrots who had behavioral problems in their last homes only had the problems because they were fed a poor diet, or were provided with an inadequate environment, or did not get enough attention. Many of these never exhibit the problems that made them lose their last home when they are placed in a more benevolent environment.

Topper, our Goffin's Cockatoo, is a good example. We were his seventh home in his nine years when we took him in two years ago. Topper, like any cockatoo, can be a noisy bird. However, with enough stimulation - and not too much - and a good diet and lots of things to do, he is quite a manageable bird. I can't say I've really even worked with Topper to overcome any behavior problems, other than the fact that I had to find the best location for his cage. Many cockatoos think of themselves as sentinel birds, and Topper is one of these. I first placed his cage next to a window, but this was a mistake. Every time a butterfly flew by, he had to alert me to the danger. When we moved his cage away from that window he became a much quieter bird.

Topper does tend to bite when he is hormonal. Sexual maturity is a time in a parrot's life when they often lose their homes, because their owners don't understand that some aggression is normal during these years. So, we have all taken our share of bites from Topper, but these occur sporadically and we don't consider them a problem. The fact is that adolescent parrots will become more aggressive and moody during certain periods of the year and this is not a behavior problem. This falls under the category headed with the words, "Undomesticated Behavior." Any parrot is a wild creature, and will act like it at times. My job is to avoid the bites by becoming more informed and careful around him, and to understand that he will outgrow this phase. This is behavior that simply needs to be managed and the trick is to accommodate ourselves to the parrot during these years, not expect things to be the other way around.

And Then There are Others...

Then there are the parrots who obviously were tremendous problems in their past homes, and you only find this out after the initial two weeks in your home. Golding is a good illustration of this type of situation. My son won Golding, our Blue and Gold Macaw, at a bird mart raffle he had entered with ten dollars.

For the first two weeks, he was a delight, and we congratulated ourselves on our good fortune. However, once the first few weeks were over, we got to see the "true" Goldie. If he wasn't screaming, he was biting someone. He would scream and scream and scream, and then tell himself to "shut up" in an angry man's voice. He bit hard and unexpectedly and was very unpredictable. He said things like, "Hey, bring me a cigarette!" Further, it was clear that he did not recognize fruits and vegetables as food, but preferred burritos and crackers, soda and beer.

We realized that we had a real problem on our hands that we had not bargained for. A friend who owns a bird store offered a valuable piece of advice. She reported that half of her staff could handle her Blue and Gold and half of them couldn't, and the difference lay only in their level of confidence. We realized that we had grown afraid of Goldie's bite and he sensed our uncertainty when we tried to handle him. Once we had worked on ourselves to become more confident and asserted ourselves with him, he began to be much more compliant. We also worked to improve his diet, and as we did so his screaming decreased as well. Many behavior problems have poor nutrition as a partial cause, and this can be especially true with large macaws. It is not at all uncommon for them to react to different foods, and this reaction often creates more aggressive and louder behavior.