Friday, July 30, 2010

Meet Mason

Mason is a bronze-wing pionus. We adopted him out several years ago, but he was returned to us because his family lived in an apartment and he was too noisy.

Pionus are often touted as good apartment birds, but we are finding that not to be the case. These guys are a lot louder than their reputation!Mason is a bit cage aggressive, but is very sweet and tame once he's out of his cage.

We're now looking for the perfect home for him again -- one without shared walls since he's a lot louder than he looks!

Stop by to meet him if you're interested in adding a pionus to your family!

Another Gizmo Update

I know we've been posting pretty regularly about Gizmo, the iguana that will be up for adoption sometime later this summer. Yes, we mostly do parrots, but she has just captivated us with her wonderful personality!

Yesterday, we put her harness on her and she went for a walk outside.The sunlight is wonderful for her, and it's great for her to get exercise. In her cage, she's still learning how to balance without her tail, but on the ground, she doesn't have those issues!



After her walk, she got sprayed with a water bottle -- notice how she positions her head just so in order to get the water where she wants it:

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Polly Update

We introduced you to Polly a few months ago. She's still here, working on getting healthy so we can put her up for adoption and she can find a home.

She is just so beautiful!
Like many macaws, she has definite preferences of people that she does and does not like. Polly does not like the person who took these pictures of her. When Polly saw this person, she started saying "Bye bye" in an attempt to get that person to leave.

When that person did not leave, Polly decided to take things into her own hands (wings? beak? "hands" just sounds right!) and show her dislike:
What a ham! When she's up for adoption, we'll post here and let you know.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Attention, gardeners! Part 2

A few months ago, we put out an appeal for gardeners' extra produce. We'd like to thank those of you that have provided us with fresh veggies for the parrots, and put out a reminder now that harvest season is in full swing that we can always use more!

Last week, one of our volunteers spent over 8 hours food processing donated vegetables!

Among our donors was Gary, from Gary's Market. He is at the Menomonee Falls Farmers Market Wednesdays from 8-4, and has a wide variety of baked goods and human treats in addition to delicious fruits and vegetables.

Gary had about 30 pounds of green beans that he knew he wouldn't be able to sell, as they needed to be eaten that day or they might go bad. Perfect for our situation! Our volunteer was able to process everything and freeze it to feed to the parrots later (mixed up with other vegetables, of course!)

It just worked out perfectly -- the food didn't go to waste and it will help to feed the birds in the weeks to come.

Thanks again to those who have helped us, in any capacity, and remember us when you have more zucchini than you know what to do with!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Ditto Update

We've written about Ditto before, as she is so full of life that she has plenty of stories to tell, plus she's been with us for several years, waiting for that perfect home.

Last week, she was working the cash register in the retail area of the store; however, she might be scaring off potential customers:She played peek-a-boo a bit with the volunteers:
Her wings really do fold in to her body!
One of the volunteers was eating a yogurt parfait, and Ditto kept looking at it and making yummy noises, so the volunteer offered Ditto a taste:


We love how she pushed the fork out of the way to help herself!

Monday, July 26, 2010

Gizmo Update

Gizmo had surgery about 10 days ago to remove her tail. The break wasn't healing, and our vet was worried that serious complication could occur if her tail wasn't removed.
She is recovering well. She is not yet up for adoption, as we need to make sure that her surgery site has completely healed. We'll keep you updated on her progress!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Meet Buzz

Meet Buzz, an orange-wing amazon. He was surrendered to us with extremely corkscrewed nails, which indicates that he hadn't been held in a long time. He is consequently a bit afraid of humans, but we are working with him to help him lose his fear so he can live a happy life!We can tell that he has a great personality -- we just need to crack through!
Buzz is not yet up for adoption, but he will be soon. However, you can still stop by and meet him. The more nice people he interacts with, the better.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Meet Morgan and Rikki

Meet Morgan and Rikki, two young lovebirds that are up for adoption. They are up for adoption separately, but we're mentioning them both in the same entry since their story is the same.

They were for sale at a bird fair, but didn't sell. Their owner didn't want to take them back with them, so they asked us if we would take them instead.
They were handfed, but not handled much, which means that they do not bite, but they are still a bit afraid of people and handling.In the right home, with patience and love, they will make wonderful pets. Stop by if you'd like to meet them!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Help CARE while grocery shopping!

The Pick 'n Save stores in our area have recently switched to a new rewards program. You can help CARE while grocery shopping! Just stop by the customer service desk and make sure your card is linked to us through their We Care program. Then, the birds get a percentage of your grocery bill. You can help feed them while you feed yourself!

Our number is 832005, though you can have the customer service representative look it up (searching on the word "avian" works well) if you don't have the number with you.

Thank you!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Meet Peaches

Meet Peaches, an approximately 10 year old lovebird. Peaches is extremely tame and loves people!She was surrendered because her owners lived in an apartment and she was too loud. They were told they either had to rehome Peaches or they would be evicted.

She is missing a few feathers on her face from rubbing against favorite toys.She steps up easily and is looking for a home where she will be loved and be an important member of the family!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Meet Corky

Meet Corky, a green-cheek conure.Corky is very sweet and is just waiting for the right home where he can spend the rest of his life. If you have room in your home and heart for him, stop by to meet him!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Parrot outdoor safety

With the warmer temperatures, many people decide to take their birds outside. Sunlight is great for these tropical parrots. However, it is important to do so safely.

Every year, we get in a dozen or more strays from animal control. We suspect that some of these birds were deliberately let go when their owners tired of them, but some were likely accidentally released when they were taken outside.

For a sobering look at how many parrots are lost, check out Parrot 911.

Safe ways to have your parrots outside include a secure cage, a properly fitted and secured harness, or a secure carrier. Unsafe ways include relying on a wing trim or "pinning" the bird's feet with your fingers.

Even with trimmed wings, parrots can fly somewhat. Even if the parrot NEVER flies in the house, a slight spook, perhaps coupled with a small gust of wind, can happen. And the adrenaline released in the parrot might result in the bird flying way out of your sight. It only takes one time. It is a horrifying experience, watching your parrot fly away from you -- I wouldn't wish the experience on anyone.

We've had customers lose their birds when bringing them in, unrestrained, from the car to our Center for grooming. In most cases, we were able to recapture the parrot, sometimes after hours or days of searching.

Our hearts break every time we get a call that another parrot is lost outside. Please take the proper precautions to make sure your birds stay safe this summer!

Just a reminder that we will be having a Clean Out the Garage sale this Friday (TODAY!) and Saturday (July 16-17) from 12 pm - 5 pm. We'll have used cages for sale ($25-$250), used playstands, smaller shelving units, and other miscellaneous items. Stop by for some great bargains! All proceeds directly benefit the Center. Hope to see you there!

Please note that CARE will be maintaining normal business hours, meaning that we will not be open on Friday (today), except for the garage sale. Saturday (tomorrow), we will be open as usual (12 pm - 5 pm; same as the garage sale).

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Rosy bourkes

We have some young rosy bourke's parakeets up for adoption. We've been told that they were handfed, but then not handled much. We are working with them to teach them to step up; however, they are not aggressive and allow you to gently grab them out of their cage.Rosy bourkes are one of the few species of parrot that make good apartment birds, due to the fact that their call is very soft.
If you are interested in adoption, please stop by the Center to meet them!
Just a reminder that we will be having a Clean Out the Garage sale this Friday and Saturday (July 16-17) from 12 pm - 5 pm. We'll have used cages for sale ($25-$250), used playstands, smaller shelving units, and other miscellaneous items. Stop by for some great bargains! All proceeds directly benefit the Center. Hope to see you there!

Please note that CARE will be maintaining normal business hours, meaning that we will not be open on Friday, except for the garage sale. Saturday, we will be open as usual.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Meet Skipper

Meet Skipper, a young budgie only 1 1/2 years old. Her previous family took her to a vet, presumably one not used to seeing birds. She is a great cautionary tale of why it's important to take your bird to an avian vet.According to her former owners, this vet was worried that Skipper was too thin, so he gave the owners some medication that would help put weight on her. We cannot even imagine what this medication might have been. At any rate, while giving her the medication, some got in her eyes, blinding this gorgeous budgie.

We have had several blind parrots at the Center before. They truly are a testament to the resiliency of parrots, as blind birds are able to enjoy just as satisfying of a captive life as sighted birds can. They play with toys and enjoy being around their owners.

Some considerations do need to be made, but they are easily done.

She was only recently surrendered to the Center; as such, she is not yet up for adoption. However, if you are interested in bringing her home, stop by to meet her. Skipper will bring great joy to someone, that's for sure!

Just a reminder that we will be having a Clean Out the Garage sale this Friday and Saturday (July 16-17) from 12 pm - 5 pm. We'll have used cages for sale ($25-$250), used playstands, smaller shelving units, and other miscellaneous items. Stop by for some great bargains! All proceeds directly benefit the Center. Hope to see you there!

Please note that CARE will be maintaining normal business hours, meaning that we will not be open on Friday, except for the garage sale. Saturday, we will be open as usual.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Meet Michael

Meet Michael, a Mexican Red-headed Amazon.Isn't he gorgeous? And a still picture does not do justice to him. He's even more beautiful and engaging in person.

He loves attention and is a very happy bird. He makes a ton of amazon noises and does talk a bit, though his words are mostly unintelligible.
He's about 16 years old. He lived in one family for most of that time, without a cage. He had freedom around his house. He then lived in another family for about 6 months. They loved him, but did not know how to properly care for a bird. He was placed in a tiny cage. They realized they weren't giving him what he needed and surrendered him to us.

He is very gentle and loving. He will do best in a boisterous home. He'd love an owner that will put on music and sing and dance with him. He definitely needs to be an important part of a family -- he loves humans and wants to be around us!

Stop by and meet Michael if you think you might be the right home for him!

Just a reminder that we will be having a Clean Out the Garage sale this Friday and Saturday (July 16-17) from 12 pm - 5 pm. We'll have used cages for sale ($25-$250), used playstands, smaller shelving units, and other miscellaneous items. Stop by for some great bargains! All proceeds directly benefit the Center. Hope to see you there!

Please note that CARE will be maintaining normal business hours, meaning that we will not be open on Friday, except for the garage sale. Saturday, we will be open as usual.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Meet Keely

Keely is a young female quaker parakeet. She was found outside, as a stray, and released to us from animal control. Extensive efforts were made to reunite her with her family, to no avail.

As such, we don't know much of her history, only what we've learned through interacting with her.

Keely is one of the sweetest quakers we've ever seen! Like many quakers, she is a bit cage aggressive, but once she's outside of her cage, she is very gentle.
We've working on teaching her to step up -- she's not strong on the concept yet -- but happily allows herself to be scooped up in the meantime.

She's also learning to trust humans again, and can be a bit flighty when in a scary situation. Here, she jumped off of a volunteer's hand and ran to safety under a shelf:We've seen huge improvements in her behavior during the short time she's been with us, and we know she'll continue to make more progress, at the Center and in her home, once she finds one.

Keely is up for adoption; stop by if you'd like to meet her!

In other news, we will be having a Clean Out the Garage sale this Friday and Saturday (July 16-17) from 12 pm - 5 pm. We'll have used cages for sale ($25-$250), used playstands, smaller shelving units, and other miscellaneous items. Stop by for some great bargains! All proceeds directly benefit the Center. Hope to see you there!

Please note that CARE will be maintaining normal business hours, meaning that we will not be open on Friday, except for the garage sale. Saturday, we will be open as usual.

Friday, July 09, 2010

Meet Chico

I know a lady doesn't reveal her age, Chico is approximately 31 years old! Doesn't she look fantastic? You'd never know she was middle aged!She is a blue-front amazon. When I was typing this, my fingers originally wrote that she's a blue-front amazing, and that's not far from the truth for Chico! She is tame and has a wonderful, life-loving personality. And did I mention gorgeous?

If you think you might want to bring Chico home to live with you, stop by and meet her. She'll reward whoever is lucky enough to adopt her with years of singing, laughter, and love.

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Young budgies

We have several young budgies up for adoption. These guys are just adorable. Is there anything cuter? We had placed them inside the basket, and one by one, they all climbed up to the handle.A tame budgie is a true delight, but sadly, also a rarity. They are often overlooked due to their small size, but those who overlook them have no idea what they're missing out on!
Budgies can be a great choice for someone who is looking for a parrot, but doesn't have the space required for a larger bird. Budgies do still require a lot of attention and love!

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Meet Rico

Meet Rico, and approximately 9 year old green cheeked conure. Rico, like Archie, was adopted out once before.He was in a very loving home, but chose to attack the woman in the house. They did their best to work with him, for years, but he wasn't budging on his stance.

Sometimes parrots take an instant like or dislike to a person -- often with no discernible reason.

His owners realized he wasn't happy like that, and decided to give him the chance to find someone that would make him happy.

We're hoping that he will choose his person, when someone comes into the Center for a visit. At this point, we imagine that he will do best in a home with only one person.

If you'd like to meet Rico, stop by the Center!

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Meet Archie

Meet Archie, an adult male African grey parrot.Archie was adopted out several years ago and was a much-loved member of the family. However, once his owners had a baby, they decided they were no longer able to give him the care and attention that he needed, so they returned him to us. It was a tough decision, but this way he can find a new family that is able to give him what he needs.
Archie tends to prefer women, especially redheads! He loves Lori, the director of CARE, and calls to her by name.

Because Archie has been through so many homes already in his life, we are looking for a permanent home for him. He's around 11 years old, which means he could be around for another 30 years or more. He deserves stability and commitment.

He is a very loving bird to his chosen people. He can be quite cuddly and loves getting his head and neck pet by those he trusts. Whoever is willing to take the time to develop a long-lasting relationship with him will be repaid many times over. This guy is a keeper!

Monday, July 05, 2010

Cockatiel love

This picture isn't perfectly clear as it was taken through the acrylic cage front, but these two tiels were swinging together in the cockatiel aviary.We still have many tiels looking for good, loving homes! Stop by if you'd like to meet some of them.

Friday, July 02, 2010

Katie Update

We recently told you that long-term resident Katie was preparing to move into a home -- a milestone we weren't sure would ever happen.

She spent her last day at the Center making an impressive wood pile. This is what $300 in toys looks like when it's been reduced to matchsticks:It's so important to provide parrots with destructible toys. They have a need to chew, and if they don't have an appropriate outlet, like toys, they will seize whatever they can find. Like baseboards, cupboard doors, or antique desks. All of which can be toxic to parrots depending on how the wood was treated.

We are going to miss Katie, but are so happy for her that she has this wonderful opportunity!

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Meet Rocky

Rocky is a lesser sulfur crested cockatoo. His previous owners trained him by using a squirt bottle and a broom. As a result, he is scared. He feels more comfortable stepping up on a towel than on a bare hand. He'll frequently fly off of the towel and on to the ground, but then comes running back to the person who squats down and jumps on the towel again!He spent the past year in a foster home. They were able to make progress with him, but lately had not been seeing more improvements. We're hoping that finding him a new family where he can live out his life will help him to improve even more.
Rocky does not have an aggressive bone in his body, and it is just heartbreaking that he was treated in such a harsh manner by humans! With love and patience, we know he can become a loved family member again.