Ask Ash

assisted by Crista Kangas
Winter 2003

Welcome to Ask Ash!
This is the place to have your avian questions answered. In every newsletter, Ash will answer selected questions submitted by you, our readers.

Dear Ash,
I am interested in getting a bird. My problem is that some of my family members are afraid of birds and we have small children. How can I find out which kinds of birds are good with children and how can I get the rest of the family to get over their fear and accept the bird?
Thank you,
Tom

Dear Tom,
Your whole family should be eager to welcome a bird into the family before you consider getting a bird. Otherwise, neither the bird nor the family will be happy. I think the first step is to go to your local library and find books about the species you are interested in and learn some general parrot care requirements. Two inexpensive but excellent books you might find helpful are: Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot by Mattie Sue Athan and A Guide to a Naturally Healthy Bird by Alicia McWatters.

For more species-specific information check out email lists and web sites such as:
http://www.parrottalk.com/mlist1.html
http://www.birdsnways.com/
http://www.toolady.com/

Other lists can be found by searching the major search engines. (Yahoo or MSN) Many of the people on these lists have personal experience with your concerns.

The best way to help the person who is fearful of birds is through education. I think you will find the more each family member knows the less apprehensive he or she will be. Make sure to take them to a bird store or two for some direct exposure.

Best wishes,
Ash

Dear Ash,
I want to open up my home for birds that need to be rehomed or fostered. I have several parrots of my own and they are the love of my life. I do not work out of the house so I am with them at all times. I have a lot of love to share with other little guys who need some new brothers and sisters. How can I help?
Sincerely,
Alex

Dear Alex,
I asked Shauna Roberts for some insight, since she writes the rescue column of the HolisticBird Newsletter.

We both feel your birds are very lucky to have found such a loving person as yourself to care for them. As you know, it takes a lot of time and effort to learn about the needs of each bird, and also to provide vet checks, toys, healthy diet, and spacious cages. Since you are already caring for several parrots of your own, you must realise what a large responsibility it will be to shoulder an additional burden of care.

Here are a couple of things you need to know about foster care for parrots:

First, not all birds surrendered to rescue facilities will ever be placed in homes again. This decision might be made if it is determined that the birds have already have been through so much or have such huge behavioral problems that it would be unfair to the birds and to potential owners to place them.

Sometimes, such rescue birds, technically known as sanctuary birds, will be placed in foster homes only if it is felt they might do better with an individual person than at a facility. However, ownership still belongs to the rescue facility.

In other words, you could be a temporary home for a bird while a forever home is being sought, but there is a downside to fostering.

• First, a foster home is just another temporary place for the bird to live, which means it is a revolving door of sorts.
• Second, every bird coming into a foster home exposes the resident birds
  to potential disease. The more foster birds that come and go, the larger
  risk to your personal flock.  To lessen health risks, birds in the
  foster home should be kept up to date with vet checks, and any bird
  entering the home should be thoroughly vet checked, tested, x-rayed etc and
  kept in strict quarantine for 2-3 months. Fostering birds properly is very expensive and a lot of work. Even with precautions, diseases such as PDD can strike. 
• Third, foster birds that come and go can be extremely disruptive to a flock. This can occur either when a new bird enters or when one leaves...How a current flock or new bird may react cannot be predicted.

The ideal situation for any bird needing a home is to find that bird a
permanent home right away and if need be educate the new caretaker, rather than go that in-between step of foster care.

There are many ways to help with the problem of needy birds. You can help by educating others, donating time or finances to rescue organizations, or even sponsoring a bird. You have a big heart with plenty to give. Be careful not to lose sight of birds already in your care. They should always come first and foremost.

Here are some links about bird rescue and how to help:

http://www.avianrescue.org/index.html
http://www.petsforum.com/petcaretrust/PCTNR11.htm
http://www.parrotchronicles.com/spring2001/lend.htm

Best wishes,
Ash