November 2010
Dear Elephants, Humans and Birds,
I am sad. I did a bird re-homing that left me feeling truly sad and depressed. A woman felt she had to give up her pet parrot because of her own physical infirmities, but the bird, unfortunately, was not in agreement with her decision. The bird loved her so much that he clung to her and would not go to anyone else. I think that there is going to be a very hard transition period for that poor little guy. His original owner agreed to take him back if he does not work out in his new home, but we have to wait and see what ensues.
I think that people do not realize how sensitive these little creatures are when we get involved with adopting them into our home. If they did there might not be so many re-adoptions. This woman was very nice and cared deeply about the bird and the new
owner, too, was a very caring person. I don't think, however, that the bird was into any of this or how they felt. All he saw was that he was losing his home; he was confused, scared and, I believe, terribly frightened.
I know that there is a great school of thought about anthropomorphizing animals. I know that there are people who deny that animals feel at all, but I think that if most people have animals the credit of feeling then they would have to treat them differently. We know that other people feel the way we do, they feel fear, pain, loneliness, sadness etc. Even, dare I say, children feel. You should, however see what goes on in schools. So, it is no wonder that so many are so unkind to animals, they are unkind to humans as
well.
I hope, after all this, that that poor bird makes out well in his new home. I don't usually get this sad and depressed about placements, but this bird really loved his original "mother' and clung to her and did not want to go to a new human. This stuff is really getting to me.
On the home front, Aristophanes (scarlet macaw) is being a good boy. His sinus allergies are still bad and they drive him and me crazy. The benedryl helps, but only for a little while. Emma is doing well, but is in one of his more moody episodes. Emma (nape) would not come to me to do a program at Sullivan County Community College the other night. He kept running down the back of his cage and there was no way he would go. Emma does that sometimes. Zeke is wonderful, flies all over the house and is happy as can be. I still maintain, if you want a bird, get a cockatiel.
I was going to tell everyone about the program that we presented at the college the other night. Matt came with Mecca (African grey), Debbie brought Sammy (blue and gold macaw) and Lucy (Senegal parrot), Judy and Robin came with Sammi (Molluccan cockatoo) and since Emma would not come, I brought Aristophanes. We talked about each bird and what makes that bird special and different. We taught about each species of parrot, where that species come from and how good it would be for all of them to still be there, in the jungle where they belong. Unfortunately, we also explain that these birds could never live in those jungles because their life is here and they could not survive. Our programs serve the public. We try to teach people what parrots are all about, what is happening to them in the wild and the greed of the pet industry who will sell to anyone who pays.
One of the most important people in the life of a pet parrot is his/her doctor. Tonight, we have such a doctor. He is noted avian veterinarian, Dr. Don Factor, who is going to do a power point presentation on feather pulling. This is a problem with which, unfortunately, too many of us are all too familiar. I had an African grey parrot, Moonflower, who after 20 years, suddenly began plucking and pulled every feather out of her breast and thighs. Dr. Factor was on of the original speakers at our bird club many years ago and we are delighted to have him back. His office is in Newburgh, at 41 Fullerton Ave., tele: 565-0804.
Next month is our covered dish holiday party and penny social. We will start that meeting at 7:00 because we will be having dinner together. Please bring something
really good to share, be it main course or dessert. We always have a great dinner when we all eat what everyone prepares; it helps provide us with the good layer of fat we will need for the winter that is coming.
Be generous with the things you bring for the penny social tables. Don't bring stuff you want to throw out, just stuff you think that people will like. We will also have a silent auction this year. Matt got some items donated for the show that never happened and feels that they will make for a nice silent auction. That meeting will be held on December 9th.
Enjoy the meeting, be good to your birds, your elephants and every other living thing.
Until next month..........
LOVE,
RICHIE
I am sad. I did a bird re-homing that left me feeling truly sad and depressed. A woman felt she had to give up her pet parrot because of her own physical infirmities, but the bird, unfortunately, was not in agreement with her decision. The bird loved her so much that he clung to her and would not go to anyone else. I think that there is going to be a very hard transition period for that poor little guy. His original owner agreed to take him back if he does not work out in his new home, but we have to wait and see what ensues.
I think that people do not realize how sensitive these little creatures are when we get involved with adopting them into our home. If they did there might not be so many re-adoptions. This woman was very nice and cared deeply about the bird and the new
owner, too, was a very caring person. I don't think, however, that the bird was into any of this or how they felt. All he saw was that he was losing his home; he was confused, scared and, I believe, terribly frightened.
I know that there is a great school of thought about anthropomorphizing animals. I know that there are people who deny that animals feel at all, but I think that if most people have animals the credit of feeling then they would have to treat them differently. We know that other people feel the way we do, they feel fear, pain, loneliness, sadness etc. Even, dare I say, children feel. You should, however see what goes on in schools. So, it is no wonder that so many are so unkind to animals, they are unkind to humans as
well.
I hope, after all this, that that poor bird makes out well in his new home. I don't usually get this sad and depressed about placements, but this bird really loved his original "mother' and clung to her and did not want to go to a new human. This stuff is really getting to me.
On the home front, Aristophanes (scarlet macaw) is being a good boy. His sinus allergies are still bad and they drive him and me crazy. The benedryl helps, but only for a little while. Emma is doing well, but is in one of his more moody episodes. Emma (nape) would not come to me to do a program at Sullivan County Community College the other night. He kept running down the back of his cage and there was no way he would go. Emma does that sometimes. Zeke is wonderful, flies all over the house and is happy as can be. I still maintain, if you want a bird, get a cockatiel.
I was going to tell everyone about the program that we presented at the college the other night. Matt came with Mecca (African grey), Debbie brought Sammy (blue and gold macaw) and Lucy (Senegal parrot), Judy and Robin came with Sammi (Molluccan cockatoo) and since Emma would not come, I brought Aristophanes. We talked about each bird and what makes that bird special and different. We taught about each species of parrot, where that species come from and how good it would be for all of them to still be there, in the jungle where they belong. Unfortunately, we also explain that these birds could never live in those jungles because their life is here and they could not survive. Our programs serve the public. We try to teach people what parrots are all about, what is happening to them in the wild and the greed of the pet industry who will sell to anyone who pays.
One of the most important people in the life of a pet parrot is his/her doctor. Tonight, we have such a doctor. He is noted avian veterinarian, Dr. Don Factor, who is going to do a power point presentation on feather pulling. This is a problem with which, unfortunately, too many of us are all too familiar. I had an African grey parrot, Moonflower, who after 20 years, suddenly began plucking and pulled every feather out of her breast and thighs. Dr. Factor was on of the original speakers at our bird club many years ago and we are delighted to have him back. His office is in Newburgh, at 41 Fullerton Ave., tele: 565-0804.
Next month is our covered dish holiday party and penny social. We will start that meeting at 7:00 because we will be having dinner together. Please bring something
really good to share, be it main course or dessert. We always have a great dinner when we all eat what everyone prepares; it helps provide us with the good layer of fat we will need for the winter that is coming.
Be generous with the things you bring for the penny social tables. Don't bring stuff you want to throw out, just stuff you think that people will like. We will also have a silent auction this year. Matt got some items donated for the show that never happened and feels that they will make for a nice silent auction. That meeting will be held on December 9th.
Enjoy the meeting, be good to your birds, your elephants and every other living thing.
Until next month..........
LOVE,
RICHIE