Center for Avian Rehabilitation & Education

Meet Skittles

2011-12-21T07:22:00.002-06:00

Meet Skittles, a Fischers lovebird. We don't have much history on him since he was a stray.

He does not know how to step up, but he is not aggressive. He loves spending time wrapped in a towel, like above. He also likes being in shirt pockets.

We believe that with some patience and training, he will learn to step up and be a great family pet. If you're interested in meeting him, please stop by. We currently have quite a few lovebirds up for adoption!

Molly Update

2011-12-07T14:36:00.001-06:00

It's been over a year since our last update on Molly!

He's doing really well at CARE, but we'd love to place him in a home. We are just a temporary stop for these birds, who need to find placement in a family.

Here's a video of Molly waving.

He has much love to give and if you've been thinking of adding a cockatoo to your life, please stop by and meet him. It might just be a perfect match!

Alumni story: Mali

2011-12-06T15:59:00.001-06:00

We like to post updates from parrots who have been placed through CARE. One benefit of this is to show people that older, rehomed parrots can make great companions.

That's the case for Mali, a senegal parrot (named Penelope when she was at CARE.) Unfortunately, we never featured her on the blog, so I can't link to that post, but we just received a wonderful update on her progress that we wanted to share!

From her new owner:

Mali is doing great! When we brought her home, we gave her a short tour of the 1st floor of the house, and then we put her in her cage. She walked right in, checked it out side to side and top to bottom.

Within 2 days, she was saying Grami (probably because the kids say it so often). By the end of the week, she added a garbled version of Mali, and every time we ask her to "step up" out of the cage, she says "aww." She says Hi, Adri, K'mere (come here) every day. One day she said "I love you", clear as a bell! It was so perfect, I was shocked, because it sounded more like a 4 year old child than her normal Senegal voice, but I can't seem to get her to say it again.

We had 18 people here for Thanksgiving, and she was very sweet to anyone that wanted to hold or talk to her. I've had some sort of sinus thing for almost 3 weeks, so of course, she is copy-coughing. She gets really excited with her morning routine of cage cleaning, water & food.

I'm learning what she doesn't like so much, and also her favorites. Every day, the first thing she grabs from her bowl, is the Nutriberry. At dinner, she is a chatter box. Her cage is by my chair, and I share a bite of everything with her.

I can't thank you enough for allowing us to adopt her! She is the perfect addition to our family, we all love her and I can't imagine life without her.

Sammy

2011-12-02T08:09:00.001-06:00

Meet Sammy, a quaker parakeet, one of the many quakers who is currently living at CARE but looking for a permanent home.

We don't know much about Sammy, as he was dropped off at a humane society and then transfered to us. The paperwork we received said he's about 5 years old.

Like many quakers, he can be a bit cage aggressive, but he loves being out of his cage and will happily step up on a hand covered by a towel. Once out, he loves spending time with his favorite people!

He steps up nicely once he's out of his cage and will make a great companion! We have heard him meow, so he must have lived with cats in his past. However, there remains many of the joys of his personality to be discovered by his new owners.

If you've been thinking of adding a quaker to your home, we have many great birds available for adoption right now, including Sammy.

Meet Mya

2011-11-23T11:22:00.001-06:00

Meet Mya, a teenage female blue and gold macaw. Poor Mya has lived in several different car dealerships for her entire life until being surrendered to us. That means she's not had a stable, predictible life. Parrots love routine and knowing what's going to happen next. They love interacting and bonding with their flock and not having many unknown people coming up to them, trying to touch them or make them speak.

As you can see, Mya directed her frustration with his previous life into feather destructive behaviors. We've got her on a good diet and she's got tons of toys to play with and destroy, so we're hopeful that we can turn her life around.

In this picture, she's in the process of getting her head scratched -- notice how she's lifted her head feathers to give fingers easier access.

We're so happy that she now has an opportunity for a better, more routine life. She's a very sweet girl who will make a great companion to the right person.

Meet Bailey

2011-11-22T09:00:00.000-06:00

Meet Bailey, a young timneh African Grey parrot. We don't have an accurate history on her, so we are learning about her personality through experience. She is a very sweet parrot. She gets very excited when she sees people she likes enter the room, and she runs to the front of her cage to come out.

Once out, she revels in the attention. Perhaps a little too much, as she has been known to pinch your finger if you're holding her and divert your attention to another bird or person!

So far, she has not shown a male/female preference -- she likes everyone! Timnehs tend to be extremely intelligent and require lots of interesting toys and learning opportunities to keep them happy in captivity.

As with all of our parrots, if you'd like to meet Bailey, please stop by. She is a special treasure who will thrive in a stable, loving, enriching environment!

Puzzle

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

Puzzle, one of the most adorable Weber's lories ever, was up to his tricks of entertaining us last week.

Nikki, a hybrid mini macaw, was being adopted. When her new owner came to pick her up, she dropped off some tasty treats for the volunteers to eat, including some delicious and fancy sandwiches.

Puzzle, who'd been wandering around the front counter, decided that these sandwiches were fascinating:

Despite his best tapping efforts, they remained out of his reach:

Because Puzzle, as a lory, requires a specialized diet, and especially because he has suffered from health problems due to a poor diet in his previous home, we didn't let him eat any of the sandwiches. Instead, after filming this video, we distracted him with something better -- attention!

Though we don't understand why, Puzzle has not yet been adopted. He's hoping he'll find the right home soon.!

Durante video

2011-11-18T09:00:00.000-06:00

Durante is an approximately 8 year old female greenwing macaw. We introduced you to her here, over a year ago. We really want to find her a home, as our purpose is mainly that of finding birds new homes -- not providing permanent sanctuary.

Durante needs an experienced macaw person and must choose her new family. She has definite likes and dislikes when it comes to people! She is very social and will thrive in an environment with lots of activity. She is very intelligent and quickly picks up on trick training.

Here is a recent video where she showed off some of her tricks:

We are looking for a home that will continue working with her in order to stimulate her intelligence and keep her mind active. She will be a great companion in the right home. If you think that might be your home, please stop by to meet her!

Royal

2011-11-17T09:00:00.000-06:00

We introduced you to Royal a few months ago, but since we've been discussing older birds recently, we thought we'd highlight her again. Here is her introduction.

She's in her early 30s, though you wouldn't know it to look at her! She received a clean bill of health from the vet, who was very impressed with her demeanor.

Royal is a bit hesitant to come out of her cage, but once she's out, she seeks affection.

She'd thrive in a home where things are low-key so she can acclimate at her own pace. She will make a wonderful companion as she has a very gentle soul.

We'd love to have her in her new home by the end of the year! If you'd like to meet her, please stop by!

Bongo

2011-11-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

Like Snowball, at 25, Bongo isn't actually a senior parrot, as he very well could have decades yet to live. However, since he's one of the older macaws that we currently have up for adoption, we're featuring him this month.

We first introduced you to Bongo last month. As we've gotten to know him better, we're falling in love with him. He will make a wonderful companion to the right person. He is very in love with Sweet Pea, the amazon with whom he lived in his previous home. However, Sweet Pea is quite indifferent toward Bongo. While we'd love to find them a home together, they should do fine in separate homes.

Bongo really wants someone to bond with. Severe macaws are known for their intense bonding and loyalty to one individual. Hopefully we can find that person for him soon!

He loves being out of his cage, and as soon as you open his cage door, he puts his foot up to step up. In the right home, we know he'll come out of his shell even more and find happiness.

Please stop by if you'd like to meet him! We'd love for his last years to be his best.

Snowball

2011-11-09T09:00:00.000-06:00

Snowball is an approximately 25 year old Eleanora Cockatoo. He's been at CARE for about two years now -- maybe 2011 will end up being his lucky year!

Though 25 isn't really considered senior for a cockatoo, he's one of the oldest toos we currently have up for adoption.

He is a very sweet bird. When he first steps out of his cage, he bites down really hard -- it appears as though he never learned proper beak pressure! We just wrap a towel around our arm, so he bites down on that, and then he's fine. He loves coming out of his cage and is just a bit too exuberant at first.

We adopted Snowball out about 9 years ago. For the first four years, things were really great and Snowball was a loved member of the family. However, the last three years he spent in that house, he was never allowed out of his cage, which is terrible for such a gregarious flock animal. They realized they weren't giving him what he needed, so he was returned to us. He's spent the last two years with us, and we're hoping to find him a new home soon where he can spend the rest of his life.

Despite what he's been through, this resilient parrot has lots of love to give. If you've been thinking about adding a cockatoo to your home, Snowball may be the fellow for you!

RIP, Pepper

2011-11-08T09:16:00.002-06:00

We're taking a break from talking about our senior pets to talk about one who recently died before reaching that senior age -- all due to poor care and bad nutrition in his previous home. This is really inexcusable as there is so much correct information out there, that with a little bit of research, Pepper could still be a happy, living parrot.

We introduced you to Pepper, an approximately 16 year old red lory, back in August. His previous owner fed him fruit loops (yes, the sugar-laden breakfast cereal) as his main diet, supplemented only with grapes. Lories require a specialized diet, and neither sugary breakfast cereals nor grapes are proper food for them to eat.

We'd taken Pepper to the vet on several occasions and were working to get his liver working properly again. We were able to do this, but he was obviously not feeling well -- sitting puffed up in his cage and not playing with toys or interacting with people. We took him to the vet again yesterday. His abdomen was quite distended, and the vet removed quite a bit of fluid from it. Ultimately, given his poor physical condition, the tough decision was made to euthanize him and end his suffering.

We had a necropsy performed immediately, and it confirmed our suspicions: Pepper suffered from iron storage disease. There is no way to combat this. Only prevention, which would have happened had he been fed a proper diet. He was so young and this should not have happened.

CARE gets many birds in who are suffering from malnutrition due to poor care in their previous homes. Many times we are able to reverse the damage once we get them on a good diet. Unfortunately for Pepper, his diet was so poor for so long that we were unable to save him.

RIP, Pepper. You were loved and we miss you.

Scarlet

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-06:00

November is adopt a senior pet month, so we will be focusing on some of our older adoptables in the near future.

First up is Scarlet, who we believe is currently our oldest bird. She's around 40. Scarlet obviously suffered through some extremely poor care earlier in her life.

One concrete example is that her toenails started growing at odd angles -- most likely the result of not having perches. She also has some minor medical issues and will require maintenance medication for the rest of her life.

Scarlet is very sweet and loves verbally interacting with people. She would do well in a home that doesn't have a lot of expectations for her. A home that will open her door and let her choose when to come out, for example.

We're not sure how much time Scarlet has left, and we'd really love to get her into a home where she can enjoy her last years as part of a loving family. Please stop by if you have room in your home and heart for such a wonderful bird!

Reminder: Rummage Sale this Saturday, November 5

2011-11-03T12:46:00.004-05:00

Just a reminder about the rummage sale and bake sale to be held this Saturday, November 5 at CARE from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. We have tons of stuff that's been donated. Some of them are parrot-related:

And others are not; just typical rummage items:

As always, all money raised goes directly back into CARE, to help the birds. We'd love for you to join us!

Another day, another hoarding situation

2011-10-31T13:10:00.000-05:00

For the fourth time in 2011, CARE is dealing with the aftermath of a hoarding situation. Last week, we had five birds surrendered to us -- a macaw, cockatoo, two amazons, and a finch. They had been living with an animal hoarder (she had dozens of very sick cats and dogs as well as the parrots.)

They were in bad shape physically, and we've already incurred over $1,000 in (discounted) vet costs caring for these birds. Some require medication, and all will need follow-up appointments, which will run the bills up even more. We're very hopeful that all will fully recover under our care, once they have a good diet, proper caging, plenty of interesting toys, and needed companionship, though this is likely to take time.

We're asking for monetary help in caring for these birds. You can use the paypal button above to donate, or send a check directly to CARE at 3053 Beechwood Industrial Court, Ste 1, Hubertus, WI 53033. You can also make a payment directly to our vet hospital, Brook-Falls, on CARE's behalf.

We thank you in advance for your help. It is heartbreaking to see these amazing beings in such squalor; however, we know that parrots are extremely resilient and these birds will pull through once they receive proper treatment.

If any good can be said to come out of this situation, we have strengthened our relationship with law enforcement in that community. Officers will be visiting CARE to learn about birds' needs and how to determine if parrots are in danger. Most officers know what to look for with regards to dogs and cats, but birds are more of a mystery. With any luck, this will lead to earlier intervention with neglected and suffering parrots in that community.

Join us Saturday November 5 for a garage and bake sale!

2011-10-28T12:54:00.002-05:00

Please join us next Saturday, November 5, 2011, from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM for a garage and bake sale!

This event will take place at CARE - 3053 Beechwood Industrial Court, Hubertus, WI 53033.

The garage sale will include used cages, stands, and other parrot-related items, as well as non-parrot-related items. The bake sale will include many delicious treats.

Of course, all proceeds go directly back into CARE to help the birds.

We really hope to see you there!

Puzzle Update

2011-10-27T09:00:00.002-05:00

We last talked about Puzzle here, when he was featured as one of our less adoptable pets. He's still up for adoption. The only reason he's listed as less adoptable is that, due to poor care in his previous home, he will likely always need milk thistle supplementation added to his diet.

This is a miniscule amount of extra work compared to the joy that Puzzle brings!

He's definitely going to have to pick his person, as he can be choosy about who he does and doesn't like. And when he's in love, it's amazing to see.

If we can't find him a home, I suppose we could consider hiring him out to do administrative work:

Of course we are joking about that :) He just has the adorable habit of standing up tall and saying "hello!" when he hears the phone ring.

Please stop by if you're interested in Puzzle as we need to make sure his new family understands the importance of feeding him a proper diet, including his necessary supplementation.

Holly Update

2011-10-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

Even though our last Holly update was just earlier this month, we took a video of her that we wanted to share. Also, she is so adorable -- how hasn't she found a home yet?

When Holly sees people she likes, she hangs from the top of her cage -- it's her way of begging to come out.

When she comes out of her cage, she is so excited to come out that she throws herself at the arm -- there is nothing delicate about this action! She is so full of happiness and life that it always puts a smile on our faces.

We put a towel over our arm to have her step up. This is to help her grip when she comes flying out -- to prevent her from falling if she over- or under-shoots in her excitement. Sometimes she throws herself at the towel when it's even further away. She appears to have been a bit camera-shy here :)

Holly is still looking for a home. She'd love to be in place with a new family by the end of the year! Although she does have a disability in her dislocated hip, we were able to discontinue all pain killers once her health improved under our care. She currently requires no special care, though will need an observant owner and may possibly require pain killers at some point in the future.

Meet Max

2011-10-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Max, an approximately 8 year old tame quaker. His previous owner died, so he made his way to us. He can be a bit cage aggressive, but is extremely sweet outside of his cage.
We frequently hear him ask, "want some water?" He loves being the center of attention and involved in the activities of the house.

We currently have a lot of quakers up for adoption, so if you've been thinking about adding a quaker to your house, we can help you find the right one. Maybe it will be Max!

Meet Sweet Pea

2011-10-19T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Sweet Pea, an approximately 11 year old Double Yellow Headed Amazon. He came in with Bongo.He's lived his entire life with one owner, and with Bongo for company. Sweet Pea and Bongo had their own room, so they were rarely caged as they had free reign of the room. However, once his owner had a human baby, she determined that she no longer had time for her parrots. This is one of the top reasons why parrots lose their homes.

Sweet Pea is tame and friendly, though he hasn't had much human interaction recently. He is bonded to Bongo, and we'd love for the two of them to be adopted into the same home. They don't physically interact much, but they enjoy each other's company as they've been roommates for over a decade.

As always, please stop by if you'd like to meet him!

Meet Bongo

2011-10-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Bongo, an approximately 25 year old severe macaw. We suspect she's female, but don't have her DNA sexing back yet. For the past 15 years, she lived in the same home, along with Sweet Pea, who we'll introduce tomorrow.
Bongo is very tame and sweet. She used to go everywhere with her previous owner and was very social. However, once her owner had a human baby, she no longer had time for Bongo, who found her way to us. As such, she hasn't had much human interaction lately, but she did have her parrot friend, Sweet Pea, for companionship.
Bongo and Sweet Pea get along very well, though they don't physically interact much. We'd love to adopt them into the same home, though they will require separate cages.

Severe macaws can live 40+ years, so there's a lot of life and love left in Bongo. If you'd like to meet her, please stop by!

Meet Glory

2011-10-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Glory, an approximately 5 year old dove. We think he's a male, but it doesn't really matter, as he does not get along with other doves and must be an only dove. He was loved, but had to be given up due to his previous owner's health problems.He is very tame and sweet. I had set him on the counter in order to take his picture, and he came over to jump up on my arm. He definitely wants human companionship and to be part of a family!
If you'd like to make Glory part of your family, please fill out an Adoption Application on our website, or stop by to meet him!

Meet Norman

2011-10-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Norman, a grey in his mid-teens. He hasn't been with us long, but he's already charming us! Norman has been basically happy and well-cared for, but his owners recently have had less time for him and felt it wasn't fair to Norman, so they wanted to find him a new home.
He's yet another example of a bird who loses a home through no fault of his own. His owners just no longer had enough time for him.

Norman may bite on occasion when he is overexcited or when unknown people try to force him to do things he doesn't want to do, like step up on a scary stranger! However, once his new owner learns his body language, this will not be an issue.Norman does talk a bit, including some German, according to his former owner. We haven't heard much here, but he's still getting accustomed to life at the Center.

We know this playful, friendly grey will make a great companion for a family that is willing to commit to him. We really hope he finds that home soon!

Snickers Update

2011-10-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

We introduced you to Snickers here. He was going to be one of the birds featured last week because we couldn't understand why he took so long to find a home. He'd probably tell you it's because sometimes good things are worth the wait!

Thank you to his new owners for giving him such a wonderful home. We look forward to hearing about his exploits in his new home!

He's been in his new home for over a month now, and doing really well! Here is a recent picture, along with an update:

From his new family:

In less than 3 weeks, Snickers has blossomed into an unexpected delight. Having 3 Senegals, I wanted a bigger bird that talked more and was easily trick trainable. When I went out to CARE to get a few supplies, I was not specifically looking to adopt. I wanted to see the greys Lori had.

Well, Snickers kind of attached himself to me. He talks all the time, some things we can't understand. Others come out as though a person was speaking, like "Better call a lawyer", hmmmmm.

Last night he said, something and "shoot me". He is becoming very gentle. I am absolutely thrilled to have him. He is very happy here, I can tell. Lori and the gang at CARE do a wonderful job rehabbing these precious creatures to be adoptable. I call Snickers my new used bird and always get a chuckle. Thank you.

Join us tonight at Rainforest Night at the Domes

2011-10-07T12:58:00.004-05:00

We apologize for the late posting of this entry, but we'd love for you to join us tonight at the Domes for Rainforest Night!

This takes place tonight from 6 - 9:30 pm. Bring a flashlight for a special Tropical Dome tour and enjoy free samples of rainforest treats -- make your own tropical sundae!

Normal Domes entrace fees apply ($6.50/adult, $5/child, free for Friends of the Domes members and children under age 5.)

Many of our volunteers will be there with their own birds as well as some shelter birds who love doing events and meeting the public.

We've been attending this for several years now, and it's a great opportunity for us to educate people about the plight of captive parrots in an enjoyable way.

We hope to see you there!

Meet Fletcher

2011-10-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

Meet Fletcher, a young, tame lovebird. Our original plan was to use Fletcher for education purposes, so she's been living at CARE for over a year. However, as she's matured, we realized that this isn't the best environment for her.She gets a little too stimulated and hormonal here; we're hoping that this behavior might decrease in a home, where there would be fewer bird hormones flying around to get her excited!

Fletcher steps up, though her favorite place to be is on your shoulder. She loves being part of the action and will hang on her cage door begging for attention when she sees her favorite people.

It will be really tough to see Fletcher go, as she's stolen the hearts of our volunteers, but we realize we must do what's best for her. We hope to find her a home soon so she can celebrate the new year with a new family!

Meet Pretty

2011-10-05T09:00:00.002-05:00

Meet Pretty, a young adult quaker. She hasn't been with us very long, but all of the other blue quakers we've had surrendered to us were adopted out during the first few days they were with us. Therefore, she makes it on to our underappreciated list.
She was surrendered because her previous owner has tinnitus and he claimed that her noise irritated him.

Pretty is tame and looking for a home where she can live out the rest of her days. She'd love to be an active part of a family -- joining you for showers, meals, etc.

If you have room in your home and heart for her, please stop by!

Meet Pistachio

2011-10-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

Pistachio is an approximately 5 year old Nanday Conure. He's been with us for several months now, and we don't understand why he hasn't yet found a home! He is incredibly sweet. When we walk by his cage, he pushes his head into the cage bars so we'll scratch him.
Pistachio loves being with people and requires a home where he will be part of the family. Nandays do have loud calls, so we can't adopt them to people in apartments.

Look at that face! How is he still looking for a home?
As always, please stop by if you'd like to meet him!

Holly Update

2011-10-03T09:00:00.002-05:00

This week, we're going to feature birds that we can't understand why they are still with us. Instead of "Adopt-a-less-adoptable-pet-week," it's "Adopt-a-super-adoptable-but-under-appreciated-pet-week." I know, it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. But these are the Susan Luccis of CARE.

Many people think of rescue birds as damaged in some way, but we've learned time and time again that's not the case. Unfortunately, far too many people who are not equipped to own parrots purchase them, and then the birds suffer. True, there are some birds who, due to their innate personality or past experiences with humans, are difficult, and many of those birds find their way to rescue.

However, the majority of birds find their way to us because they outlived their owner, or their owner has a major life change and is unwilling or unable to include the bird in that change. Additionally, there are parrots owned by people who didn't do their research on what living what one of these intelligent creatures involves, so they are unprepared for the noise, mess, and cost of living with one.

Luckily, parrots are extremely resilient and the vast majority of them will quickly integrate into a new home.

We've talked a few times about Holly, an adult severe macaw. Here is the last time she was featured. Holly came from an animal hoarder, so we have no information on her. When she first came to us, we suspected that she was in her 30s, due to her condition. Holly, a few weeks after surrender:

However, she has made such amazing progress since being with us that we think we may have prematurely aged her. She might be a spritely teenager! Can you believe this is the same bird?

Holly is an incredible joy to be around. When she sees her favorite people, she starts swinging from the top of her cage and begging to come out. She leaps on their arm and is one happy lady.

She will always have a dislocated hip, but since being on a good diet at CARE, her arthritis has disappeared, so she is no longer on any kind of pain medication. Her dislocated hip does not impede her in any way -- she has a normal cage, with normal perches, and normal toys.

We don't understand why she's been here for nearly a year. She isn't aggressive at all, and is quite charming. She is relatively undemanding and just wants to spend time out of her cage with people.

In a home environment, where she'll receive more one-on-one attention, we suspect that she'll reveal many more delightful surprises. She is quite the treasure, and we hope that she will soon have a home of her own. We're just not sure why she doesn't have one already!

Meet Horton

2011-09-30T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Horton, an Indian Ringneck Parakeet. He was owned by an items-hoarder (not an animal hoarder.) What we found was just heartbreaking.

Here is a picture of where Horton has spent the past years:

Among other things, notice the lack of appropriate food, toys, perches, and light. Piles of junk were stacked so high around him that we couldn't even get his cage out -- the pathway was too narrow.

Horton is safe now, but he has clearly been damaged by his past experiences. It is likely that he will never be tame, though with love and patience, you never know.

Here he is now; this picture was taken the day after he was rescued:

He is now on a good diet and is getting used to light, toys, and a clean cage at CARE.

We're looking for a special home for Horton. This home needs to be very understanding and have low expectations -- that way, all progress will be a bonus. They will love him for who he is and not expect him to ever be tame. It's very likely that he will develop some sort of bond with a caretaker, but it's likely to be a long process. On the plus, side, unlike many parrots, he will not be demanding of your time!

If you're that special home that's got a place where Horton can be safe and loved, and will provide him with time to heal, please contact us. We know the right situation is out there for him. In the meantime, we'll update you on his progress with us.

Meet Pepper

2011-09-29T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Pepper, an approximatey 17 year old male African Grey. Pepper was in a very loving home, fed good food, and had tons of toys to play with. However, his family decided that they no longer had enough time to spend with him, and they wanted to give him the chance to get what he needs in a different home.
We're still getting to know him here; greys tend to take a little longer to come out of their shell than other species, but what we've seen so far is making us quickly fall in love with him.

He loves to be out of his cage, and begs to come out when he sees someone. In his previous home, he spent a lot of time out on a playstand.

Greys are very intelligent, and Pepper needs someone that will help to keep his curious mind busy. This may involve learning tricks, foraging for food, and being involved in all aspects of family life.

As with all of our birds, please stop by if you'd like to meet him.

Meet Cassanova

2011-09-28T09:00:00.001-05:00

Cassanova is a gorgeous lovebird. This picture doesn't do his interesting coloring justice. We don't know anything about him, as he was a stray and no one came forward to claim him.
He has a great base personality and is not aggressive -- he doesn't bite. He also doesn't know how to step up (we're working on that with him), though he loves to perch on your shoulder or hang out in your pocket.

We don't understand how someone wasn't searching high and low to be reunited with this special guy, but their loss will be someone else's gain.

Rocky Update

2011-09-27T09:00:00.001-05:00

Rocky is an adorable white-fronted amazon we introduced to you here. He's eating well with us, and his personality has really blossomed. He loves being part of the action and relishes attention. He will make a wonderful addition to the right home.
He is ready for that new home! White-fronts are the smallest of the amazons; he's closer in size to a caique or poicephalus than a blue-fronted amazon. It's been fun watching his personality shine through. He knows he's safe now, and whoever adopts him will have years of joy ahead of them.

Last year's less adoptable pets

2011-09-24T09:00:00.002-05:00

This concludes our "adopt a less adoptable pet week" series. Let's hope it helps some of our less adoptable birds find new homes. They are safe at CARE, but are used to living in a home environment, and most of them would prefer to be in a home, where they can get more attention.

I thought it would be interesting to revisit last year's less adoptable birds, to see where they are now.

2010's less adoptable birds:

Olive, a quaker, was adopted. Yay!

Tango, a severe macaw, was adopted into an amazing home. He is thriving and very much loved. Yay!

Lola, an umbrella cockatoo, is still up for adoption.

Budgies, though these particular budgies have been adopted, we always have many budgies looking for homes!

Peanut, a nanday conure, is still up for adoption

Meet Lou

2011-09-23T09:00:00.002-05:00

Meet Lou, an approximately 20 year old male blue and gold macaw. He's featured on our adopt a less adoptable pet week because he is a very challenging bird. He is very picky about what people he likes, and if he doesn't like you, he tries to intimidate you and threatens to attack. Most people are unable to properly address such behavior issues in such a large bird. We need to make sure he'll be adopted into a home where he will be a loved member of the family, and not stuck in a back bedroom due to his aggression.
Lou's been with us almost a year now, and no one has seriously thought about adopting him. Like many birds, he chooses the people he likes. When he likes someone, he is incredibly sweet and friendly; when he doesn't like someone, he tries to intimidate them by showing how big and scary he is and by threatening to bite. However, while in his cage, he will sing and dance with those he doesn't want to be around, so there is hope that in a home, with understanding people and lots of patience, we may seem him warming up to more people.
Lou needs an experienced macaw owner to adopt him. We feel confident that he will blossom in the right home; the trick is finding that home for him.

Meet Biggsie

2011-09-22T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Biggsie, a blue-front amazon who's in his late teenage years. Biggsie is considered less adoptable as he is very picky about who he likes and who he doesn't like. This is definitely the occasion where the bird picks its human, rather than the other way around!

He doesn't really like to be handled much. He'd do well in a home that would let him out to hang out on top of his cage, and who wants to verbally interact with him, but who wouldn't insist on physically interacting with him.

Biggsie has an old, improperly-healed wing injury. This does not affect his day-to-day life.

We were told that Biggsie's owner suffered through a house fire last year, and the other bird who used to live with him died in that fire. However, Biggsie survived. Now, he's hoping to thrive, in an understanding home that will let him decide how long to truly come out of his shell.

Please stop by if you'd like to learn more about Biggsie.

Mork Update

2011-09-21T09:00:00.004-05:00

We've posted about Mork on this blog before: here and here. We don't understand how a bird with Mork's personality can possibly still be looking for a home, several months after being surrendered. The reasons he's included in our week of less adoptable pets is due to his age (30, around the life span of a conure) and the fact that he is extremely plucked.
We're really hoping that we can find Mork a retirement home, where he can live out his last months or (hopefully) years. He is an incredible delight to be around and there are many volunteers who would snap him up if they had room in their homes.We know the right home for Mork is out there; the challenge is finding it before it's too late!

Puzzle Update

2011-09-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

We introduced you to Puzzle a few months back, here. He's still with us, and still looking for a home. It appears as though we never updated the blog on the health problems Puzzle faced during the intervening months.

Lories require a special diet, but we've found that most people who surrender their lories to us are not feeding this. That was the case for Puzzle. As a result, he was very sick for a while. However, under our care and the supervision of his vet, he has mostly bounced back.

For a while, our vet thought that Puzzle might have permanent damage to his liver due to malnutrition. However, this does not appear to be the case. He does have to eat milk thistle a couple of times a day to help with his liver function, which is why we're including him in our week of less adoptable pets.

This isn't a huge deal as you just squirt it on his food and he eats it. And, Puzzle has such a charming personality that it's more than worth it!

Puzzle loves coming out and being with people. He chirps, sings, and whistles around his favorite people. He loves to play with toys, and has a joie-de-vivre that is quite infectious!

He's been through a lot in his young life, and we'd like to ensure his happiness in the future, in a home that understands the special dietary restrictions lories and lorikeets have. We can help educate you on this subject.

If you think Puzzle might be the bird for you, please stop by to meet him!

Lucky Update

2011-09-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since we've talked about Lucky; the last time was here, in March 2010. His original story was posted here.

In 2007, when we introduced you to Lucky, we mentioned that he was the adoptable bird who had been looking for a home for the longest time. Four years later, he still is looking for a home.We still don't understand why so many cockatoos have been adopted out during the time that Lucky's been here, while he hasn't been. For that reason, he makes an appearance during the week when we are featuring our hard to adopt birds. It's a mystery why he's on this list, but the fact that he's been waiting so long is enough.

He's about 17 years old now. He tends to prefer women, as he was physically abused by a man in his past. He loves playing with toys, and we are constantly giving him new wood to play with. He is incredibly smart and quickly learns tricks.

Although he has settled in to life at the Center, he is hoping for a home of his own, where he can receive more attention than we can provide here. The last time we wrote about him, we'd hoped that 2010 would be the year that he found this. That didn't come to pass, but maybe 2011 will be the magic year when Lucky's life lives up to his name.

Meet Rudy

2011-09-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

Petfinder has declared this "Adopt a less adoptable pet week" and, like last year, CARE is participating! This week, we will feature some of our special-needs birds; those that are having a tougher time finding a home. Perhaps one of these beauties may find their perfect home this week -- we can only hope!

Meet Rudy, an approximately 19 year old maroon-bellied conure. Rudy was owned by an elderly couple who became sick. The wife died a few years back, leaving Rudy with the husband, who Rudy didn't like very much. As a result, he hasn't been out of his cage very much recently.

He's a bit nippy here, due to recent lack of companionship, but once he's out and with someone he likes, he's very sweet. Part of the reason Rudy is considered less adoptable is because he's plucked his chest so much, to the point where the feather follicles have been damaged and it is unlikely he will regrow feathers.
Rudy hopes that people realize that feathers don't make the bird, and that there's a special someone out there willing to overlook outside appearances. That person will be rewarded with a loving companion.
As always, stop by CARE if you'd like to meet Rudy.

Meet Shiloh

2011-09-16T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Shiloh, a young female quaker. Although she was much wanted in the beginning of her life, her family soon grew bored by her. They put her in a cage in the back room and basically ignored her for at least two years. Finally, they decided they didn't want her anymore, so she came to us.

Although a bit cage aggressive, which is typical of quakers, she is incredibly sweet. And that's after having basically no human companionship for two years! Imagine what she'll be like once she gets back in the swing of things!
Here she is, enjoying some head scratches from a volunteer:
Shiloh is looking for a home that wants a companion and is willing to make her part of the family. If that sounds like what you'd like as well, please stop by to meet her. She's a real joy!

Meet Pickles

2011-09-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Pickles, an approximately 6 year old senegal. He was owned by an elderly man who had to have invasive surgery. We offered to long-term board Pickles, but his owner thought that it wouldn't be fair to Pickles, so he surrendered him instead.Pickles was fed a great diet and is incredibly tame and sweet -- unless he's on his favorite swing, from which he is very aggressive. That's an easy fix -- just wait until he's elsewhere in his cage when you ask him to step up!

Please stop by if you'd like to meet Pickles.

Meet Royal

2011-09-14T09:00:00.002-05:00

Meet Royal, an approximately 32 year old female Mexican Red Headed Amazon. She lived her entire life with one owner, and was surrendered to us when her new owner's significant other developed allergies. At least that's what we were told.

Royal's name has been Roy for the past 32 years, but since she is female, we changed it. What are the chances that both of the Mexican Red Headed Amazons we have up for adoption are named Roy?
Unfortunately, Royal spent her life in a cage with no toys. She is quite timid, but we're hoping that in time she will find her boisterous amazon personality. It will take time and patience, but we know it will come out!

We're hoping that the next half of her life will be filled with more fun and love than the first half. Please stop by to meet her if you'd like to be part of that process!

Meet Pepper

2011-09-13T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Pepper, an amazon who's about 5-6 years old. She was surrendered to us because her owners were terrified of her and they realized they weren't giving her the life she deserved.

She is tame, though never learned to step up. We are working with her on that important skill!

Pepper is very animated and loves to interact with people. If you stop by her cage for a quick chat, she runs over, pins her eyes, and excitedly vocalizes. She will make a fantastic addition to a home that understands amazons. Also, she has that wonderful amazon musky scent. Irresistible!

As always, please stop by if you'd like to meet her.

Meet Bones

2011-09-12T09:00:00.002-05:00

Meet Bones, an adult male iguana. Like Barley, he was found outside as a stray, so we don't have any information on him. We are getting to know his personality as he recovers his strength with us.

Bones definitely requires an experienced iguana keeper. We'd love to find him a new home soon, due to caging concerns that will happen once it gets cooler outside. We'll be able to make it work for him, but it would be much better if he can just go into a home before needing to be moved again.

Please contact us if you'd like to meet Bones. This gorgeous fellow is looking for someone committed who won't just release him when the going gets rough!

Meet Squirt

2011-09-09T09:00:00.001-05:00

Squirt is an approximately 2 year old cinnamon green cheek conure. He was surrendered because he only liked his male owner. However, with us, he has been incredibly sweet and tame to everyone. We feel confident that with the right guidance, he will remain tame to everyone once he finds a new home.
He loves meeting new people and getting attention. He's quickly become a favorite among the volunteers!
Please stop by if you'd like to meet this little treasure. We can't imagine that he'll be looking for a new home for long!

Meet Coco

2011-09-08T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Coco, an approximately 10 year old blue-front amazon. Her owner died, which is why she found her way to us. We are waiting DNA sexing on Coco.She is an extraordinarily gorgeous amazon! She is very social and loves to be around people. However, she can be picky about who she likes, so she will definitely have to pick her new owner.

As always, please stop by if you'd like to meet Coco, or any of the other birds that we have up for adoption. Maybe that certain chemistry will be present!

Meet Barley

2011-09-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Meet Barley, an iguana that we have up for adoption. She was a stray that was found outside, so we don't have a lot of information on her background. Or any information, actually!Animal control had her, and she was to be euthanized if we wouldn't take her, so she's here and looking for a good home.

She is young, and is handleable, though not super tame. It follows that someone who would let her go outside probably wasn't handling her enough to keep her tame, though she's made good progress while with us.

Please stop by if you'd like to meet Barley, or the other iguana we have up for adoption (we'll introduce you to him in the next few days.)

Iguanas are not easy pets to keep -- they grow quite large and have important dietary and lighting needs! If you're new to iguanas, and think it would be fun to have one, please read through this site first. If you have any care questions after reading that, please contact us and we can help you to decide if Barley might be the right companion for you!

Meet finches

2011-09-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

We currently have about 12 zebra finches up for adoption. They were brought to us by a hoarder, but are in shockingly good shape!
If you've been thinking about adding zebra finches to your life, now is the perfect time to do so!
Please stop by if you'd like to add some joy to your home in the guise of these little treasures!

Meet Tiki

2011-09-02T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Tiki, an adult bare-eyed cockatoo. We think she's around 10 years old, and we are waiting to receive her DNA-sexing results. In her last home, Tiki bit her owner, who threw her to the ground. Prior to this incident, Tiki was a friendly and happy bird, but that scared her and she has become relatively phobic.

We are looking for a patient, experienced cockatoo home for Tiki. We believe that in the right home, with time and understanding, she will regain trust and her carefree attitude again. It just has to be done on her time.

Please stop by if you'd like to meet Tiki. She deserves a happy captive life, and we're hoping we can find one for her soon, as she will make more progress in a private home than at the Center.

Meet Charlee

2011-09-01T09:00:00.002-05:00

Meet Charlee, an approximately 3 year old female black-headed caique.She is tame, but can be quite nippy. She's still young and needs to learn how to channel her energy toward more productive endeavors. She needs a home that will work with her in things like clicker training, trick training, or other opportunities to harness her intelligence and energy toward positive outlets.

Caiques are not the bird for beginner bird-owners. Their small stature is deceptive. They tend to be quite beaky, and Charlee is no exception. She is still learning acceptable beak pressure.

Caiques tend to be aggressive against other animals, including other birds, in the house. They need to be supervised very carefully to make sure tragedies are averted. They are very expressive and her owner will need to develop a good grasp of her body language.
Charlee can make a wonderful companion for someone who is willing to put in the time. She's already stealing hearts here at the Center!

Tammy Update

2011-08-31T09:00:00.003-05:00

Tammy is a Nanday Conure that we've written about frequently on the blog. Here's a link to her introductory post. As we wrote at the time, she was in such bad shape that we weren't sure she'd make it through the night, but she's a fighter and wound up thriving.

About a year ago, we adopted her out to what we thought was a great home, only to find out a few months later that they were trying to sell her on the internet! Once we got her back safely, we really thought she'd be a resident of CARE. She's been through so much in her life, and we needed to make sure that she would be kept safe.

But then the perfect home for Tammy showed up, looking to adopt a bird with special needs. They looked at a few other birds, but were drawn to Tammy. How lucky for Tammy to finally have a loving home where she can get more attention than we can provide at the Center!

Here's a picture of her preening herself:

Getting a kiss:

And settling in for a nap with her new owner:
Tammy had a long, circuitous route to find happiness, but she finally got there! These are the kinds of success stories we love to hear about!

Meet J-Lo

2011-08-30T09:00:00.002-05:00

Meet J-Lo, a female mealy amazon. We don't know anything about J-Lo's history as she was abandoned in an apartment when her former owners moved out! Luckily she was discovered before suffering any serious health problems and then made her way to us.

She looks relatively young and is an incredibly gorgeous bird. She is healthy and quite tame. She is also extremely loud, so is not suitable for shared-wall housing.

As always, please stop by if you'd like to meet her. Let's show her that not all humans will abandon her!

Meet Audrey

2011-08-29T09:00:00.001-05:00

Audrey and her mate are a former breeding pair of Maximilian pionus parrots who were surrendered to another rescue. That rescue transferred Audrey to us and kept the male, hoping that, separated, they have a better chance at happiness.
As might be suspected, Audrey is not tame. However, parrots are extremely resilient, and in the right, patient, home, we know that she will bloom and can find happiness.If you've got a lot of patience and understanding, and want to be part of a huge transformation, Audrey may be the bird for you. Before she goes to her new home, we need to talk carefully with the prospective owners so they know what to expect. While the rewards are great, it can also be challenging.

Meet Pepper

2011-08-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

Meet Pepper, an approximately 16 year old red lory. We're still waiting for Pepper's DNA certificate, so we're not sure if Pepper is male or female.
Pepper was surrendered because his owner is dying of cancer. Although he was very loved, his owner did not feed him a proper diet -- he was fed fruit loops as a staple, along with the occasional grape. It is likely that this improper care will result in a shortened lifespan for Pepper.

Given that, we want to make sure that the time he has left with us is as happy as possible! We haven't had him long, but so far he is a very sweet bird. Once he is cleared medically, he will be looking for a forever home.We'd love for Pepper's new owner to have lory experience, but an educated person willing to learn could also provide a great home.

If you think this could be you, please stop by to meet him!

Skye Update

2011-08-25T09:00:00.002-05:00

We introduced you to Skye, here.

Skye turned out to be very lucky, as she was adopted into a wonderful home!

Here she is, meeting her new flock-mate, Edison:

And eating some of her favorite food:

Skye is quickly settling in to her new life where she will be a much-loved member of the family. Though her early life wasn't the best, that's all changed now.

Thanks to her new family for giving her a fantastic home!

Come and see us at State Fair!

2011-08-08T13:59:00.002-05:00

As in years past, we will be at State Fair, though at a reduced presence.

We will be there from 11 am - 7 pm Monday, August 8 - Wednesday, August 10, as well as a portion of that time on Thursday, August 11.

Please stop by and see us!

Cage sale

2011-07-29T19:52:00.002-05:00

We've had a lot of donations of bird, reptile and small animal cages lately; too many for us to keep. As we really need cash to help pay down our balance at the vet's (we're up to $1,600 again), we've put many of them up for sale on craigslist. If you're looking for new/used/outdoor/reptile/small animal cages, check out CL Milwaukee Pets - we've got lots available.

Here are just a few pictures of cages, so you can see what we're talking about:Thanks for helping us to help the birds!

Meet Kodak

2011-07-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

I was going to post an update on Kodak, questioning how one of the most amazing birds we've ever met is still here, looking for a home, when I realized that I'd never introduced her on the blog! She did make an appearance almost a year ago, but with little detail about her.

So it's long overdue, but here's Kodak (and I'll be going through to see what other long-timers have been accidentally overlooked here, so watch for that over the upcoming weeks!):

She's a female blue-and-gold macaw in her early 20s. She's been living at the Center for over a year, and during that time, we've just fallen in love with her. We can't understand why she's still here, and we'd love to get her in to a home where she can bond with a family and have the stability she craves.

Kodak has a very gentle soul. She gets very excited when she sees her favorite people and wants to come out to spend time with them. She loves making kissing sounds. Kodak is extremely intelligent and will make a great companion.

She would be the perfect bird for someone who's always wanted a macaw and has educated themselves about macaws but hasn't had much experience with them as she is gentle and expressive. She's helped several of our volunteers get over their fears of large macaws and just has such a fantastic personality.

If she sounds like she's what you've been looking for, please stop by to meet her!

Meet Bob and Lucy

2011-07-25T09:00:00.002-05:00

We'd like to introduce you to a pair of parrotlets looking for homes. Yes, that's "homes" -- plural -- as these two cannot live together.

They were surrendered because of incompatibility. They lived in a large flight with many different birds. These two troublemakers picked on the other birds and each other. In order to restore peace, their owner thought it best that they find new homes.

Being from an aviary environment, they did not have names; we've named them Bob and Lucy, but they certainly don't know their names; as such, their new owner can easily rename them.

Here's Lucy:
If you look closely, you can see a little bit of dried blood on her feet. You can thank Bob for that. When their previous owner was bringing them to us to surrender, they were placed in the same small box as a carrier. Even birds that get along do not do well in such a tiny environment, so you can imagine what it was like for these two that were incompatible anyway!

Luckily, no permanent damage was done, and we're making sure that Bob can never harm her again.

Here's Bob:
Despite what it may sound like from above, he is not a monster! He is a very charming fellow; he just needs to be an only parrotlet.

These two lived in an aviary environment, which means they were not let out and handled. We are working on that. Right now, they are a bit flighty, but that will improve as they get used to coming out more. You can see Bob perched nicely in this volunteer's hand.

In the right home, with loving and patient owners, they will blossom.

Please stop by or e-mail if you're interested in Bob or Lucy. They are looking forward to completing their separation into new homes!

Mark your calendars - Saturday August 20

2011-07-22T11:54:00.003-05:00

Please mark you calendars and join us for a very fun and exciting fund raising event for CARE!
As you can see from the sign, we'll be at the Woodshed Bar & Grill in Neenah, WI for a corn roast. But this is not just any corn roast -- it's for the birds as all proceeds go directly to CARE!

You will not find fresher corn anywhere as it will be continually trucked over to Woodshed Bar & Grill directly from the fields! We'll also have some non-roasted, fresh from the fields corn available for purchase if you'd like to bring home a treat for your feathered friends left at home.

This is a family-friendly event; there will be plenty of activities to keep you occupied. As it gets closer to the day, we'll let you know about some (but not all!) of the surprises in store.

This will be an annual event, so please come out and help support the first one! CARE would like to thank the volunteers instrumental in planning this -- you know who you are! We're really looking forward to seeing you in Neenah next month!

Meet Frank

2011-07-21T09:00:00.002-05:00

Meet Frank, an approximately 20 year old Patagonian Conure. After several years of not having any Patagonian Conures surrendered to us, we currently have three up for adoption! You've already met Mork and Quincy. Here's Frank:
Frank had previously been adopted out by a fellow rescue. At that time, he was tame and handleable. However, that family did not care for him as they should have and he did not get as much attention as he needs; as a result, he needs some work to regain his former friendliness.

He seems to want to be part of a flock, and the right home will find joy in showing him love again.

There has literally never been a better time to add a Patagonian Conure to your house, as we currently have three to meet. If you think Frank sounds like a fit for your family, please stop by!

Meet Chessie

2011-07-20T09:00:00.002-05:00

Meet Chessie, an approximately 8 year old green cheek conure. What a handsome fellow!
Chessie was owned by an elderly man who is no longer able to take care of him, so Chessie made his way to us en route to finding his new home.

Chessie has a deformed foot, as you can see in this picture:
However, this does not stop him at all! He is an incredibly sweet bird and does not require any adaptation due to his disability.

Please stop by and meet Chessie if you've been looking for a special someone at home. He is such a delight and will be a great addition for the right home.

Meet Oswald

2011-07-19T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Oswald, a gerbil. He was transfered to us by animal control. He was one of many small animals that was removed from a home due to hoarding.
For a gerbil, he is quite tame and friendly. He is very active and it is fun to watch him play in his cage. We'd love to adopt him out soon as there are other small animals at animal control they would like us to take, but we only have the resources to do one at a time.
Please e-mail or stop by if you'd like to take this adorable furry guy home!

Meet Quincy

2011-07-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Quincy, a Patagonian Conure. We don't know anything about Quincy's history, because she is yet another stray! She appears to be fairly young. She does not know how to step up (we're working with her on that), so we have to scoop her up. She loves being with people once she's out.Patagonian Conures can be loud; though we haven't heard that from Quincy yet, we imagine it's only a matter of time!
As you can see, she has quite a goofball personality (can you see that mischievous look on her face?) If you're looking for a loving companion, please stop by to meet Quincy!

Holly Update

2011-07-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

It's been a few months since our last Holly update. This charming, personable severe macaw is still looking for a home. She is incredibly sweet and we don't understand why she hadn't been snapped up yet!

As she's been with us, she has regained her strength and blossomed into quite a charmer. She wants nothing more than to hang out with her favorite people. Her feathering and demeanor have improved so much during these past few months; it's hard to believe she's the same bird!

At this point, Holly has improved enough so that she is no longer on pain medication! However, her new owner will need to work with an avian vet to determine when pain medication might be necessary due to her injury and the resulting arthritis.

We're hopeful that the perfect home will come along soon and Holly can live out the rest of her life as part of a loving family.

Vet bills -- a plea for help

2011-07-13T09:48:00.002-05:00

We really hate to ask for money, and work hard on our retail store in the hopes that someday the profits from selling food, toys, and other supplies will be enough to cover the expenses of the Center. Unfortunately, that day has not yet arrived, and we still depend on your generosity to make ends meet. (Please think of us for your food and toy needs! All money goes directly back to helping birds at CARE!)

We've recently had another spate of birds requiring expensive medical care. We've talked about some of them on here, like Rocky, Sebastian, Molly, Puzzle, and Josh. Tomorrow, Durante is going in to have a growth removed.

The balance on our vet bill has reached $1,500. Although our vet gives us a tremendous discount, the costs quickly add up.

We're asking for help in paying this off. As we are a 501(c)(3) organization, all donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law, and we will send you a donation letter for your records.

You can write a check to CARE or make a paypal donation (see the button on our right sidebar) -- writing "vet costs" on the memo line or in the comments. Or, if you'd rather, you can make a payment directly to CARE's vet -- Brook-Falls Vet Hospital.

As always, if you have any questions, you can e-mail us or call at (262) 628-3719. We thank you for your past, current, and future support! It's because of you that we're able to help hundreds of birds every year.

Meet William

2011-07-13T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet William, a friendly dove:
He was found outside. We suspect that he was let loose during a wedding celebration. He is a bit skittish, but with frequent handling, is calming down.

Doves can make wonderful pets for informed owners. They make calming sounds and are gentle souls. Please e-mail or stop by if you'd like to meet William, or any of the other doves we have up for adoption!

Meet Jabba

2011-07-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Jabba, an adult Pac-Man Frog. He came to us from animal control, so we don't have a lot of history on him. We do know that he was fed exclusively frozen/thawed mice, which led to nutritional deficiencies. As a result, he is quite obese and has corneal lipids on his eye. This latter condition means that he can see only out of a small part of his eye.
This doesn't hinder him much, as you just tap him gently on the nose, he opens his mouth, and eats an earthworm, as seen here:

Please e-mail or stop by if you'd like to meet him. Due to his past improper care, we need to make sure that he goes to a home where he will be housed and fed properly. We can help you with that, and answer any questions you may have.

Meet Pistachio

2011-07-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Pistachio, an approximately 4 1/2 year old Nanday Conure. He was a loved member of the family, with good food, a huge cage, lots of toys -- he had it made. However, his human companions got pregnant and surrendered him to us before the baby was born.He's a bit confused, as he doesn't understand what happened to turn him from loved family member to discarded pet overnight. He is tame and handleable, though currently a bit cage-aggressive. Just throw a towel over your hand and he steps right up, though.

He'd love to be part of a loving home again. Stop by to meet him if you have a Nanday-sized hole in your life!

Meet Dinky

2011-07-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

Dinky is an approximately 10 year old male Pacific Parrotlet. He came from the same house as Rocky, who was introduced yesterday. Like Rocky, Dinky has been on a terrible diet of wild finch seed. He also was dumped at a vet's office with the threat of home execution if the vet's office wouldn't take him. Also like Rocky, his fate turned around once he started making his way to us.We are still getting to know him, but so far, he has been incredibly sweet and a delight. As a social being, he craves attention and doesn't want to be left alone.
He will make a great companion for some lucky person. If you have room in your home and heart, stop by to meet him.

Meet Rocky

2011-07-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Meet Rocky, a white-spectacled amazon. Rocky is about 21 years old. He was fed a diet of wild finch seed; we are shocked he's still alive. Now that he's on a good diet, he will look like a completely different bird after he molts.Rocky was owned by an elderly couple. When the woman died, her husband took Rocky and Dinky (you'll meet him tomorrow) to a vet's office. He gave them an ultimatum: take the birds, or he'd take them home and kill them. The vet took the birds in, and they made their way to us.

Rocky has an incredibly sweet temperament, though he is still recovering from his ordeal, including years of malnutrition. We suspect he may show a more feisty personality once he's in good health.

As always, please stop by if you'd like to meet Rocky.

Meet Monkey

2011-07-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

Meet Monkey, a blue-front amazon. We don't know anything about Monkey; not even his name -- that was given to him by one of CARE's volunteers.

Recently, a car drove up to a dog park. The person got out of the car, removed a cage, opened the door to the cage and shooed this amazon out, placed the cage back in their car, and then raced off -- abandoning him in a place full of predators!!!
Thoughts of what could have happened to him just break our hearts; luckily, a quick-thinking person became Monkey's savior. He was brought to animal control and ultimately made his way to us.

We're still getting to know his personality. So far, what we've seen has been very nice! He's tame, steps up nicely, is very interactive, and is even beginning to talk.
By looking at his coloring and condition of his feet and eye ring skin, we think that he's still quite a young bird; probably only around 2-3 years old. We're awaiting DNA sexing to see if he is male or female.

We are just heartbroken that someone could have just thrown him away.

Monkey needs a home that will commit to him, and we're going to find that for him! If you think that might be you, please stop by to meet him!

More Sebastian pictures

2011-06-23T09:00:00.003-05:00

We introduced you to Sebastian here. Not that long ago, but in the ensuing weeks, we've been getting to know him. What a charmer!
He can be a bit cage-aggressive at times, though this is to be expected as he is not used to coming out of his cage. We are working with him on this and already making progress!

Sebastian can be strong-willed at times and would benefit from an experienced macaw home. He loves to dance and entertains us with his antics.

Meet Elvis

2011-06-22T09:00:00.002-05:00

Elvis is an approximately 13 year old green cheek conure. We originally adopted him out about 10 years ago, but he was recently returned to us.
Elvis is very sweet, but can be cage aggressive. His owners, who did not have kids when they adopted him, ended up having children who were curious about Elvis and kept putting their hands in his cage, risking a bite.

His owners realized that he no longer fit into their lifestyle, so they surrendered him in order for him to find a better situation.

Elvis does not do well with young children, but would be fine in a home with older children or adults.

Please stop by if you'd like to meet him!

Alumni story: Tango & Ellie

2011-06-21T09:00:00.004-05:00

It's been three months since our last update on Tango -- he's still doing extremely well! Look at him -- does it get any cuter than this?

Tango's owner was so pleased with how everything was going that they were considering adding another bird to their house.

What perfect timing as CARE had a parrot that desperately needed to go into a foster home -- a Congo African Grey, Ellie. While most parrots do very well at the Center, there are some that don't do as well. They have trouble adapting to the relative chaos after having lived in a private home. In those cases, we work to place the bird in a foster home.

Though a grey hadn't been what they were thinking about, Tango's owner agreed to foster Ellie, and things have gone even better than expected!

Here are the two of them, hanging out:
With the nicer weather, they have been going outside to get some natural sunlight. It's important to remember to always have your parrot properly restrained when they are outside -- in a cage, (like here), carrier, or harness. Even if their wings are clipped, they can be gone in an instant, never to be seen again.

Tango has a big attraction to greys. He doesn't physically interact with them, but he loves to talk to them and they perk up his spirits. When he was at the Center, whenever he'd see a grey, he'd get excited and start saying "hello!" Interestingly enough, he did this with every grey, and with no other species of parrot!

Ellie went to her foster home, and the magic happened. As Tango's owner wrote, "Tango likes Ellie. And Ellie likes me."

Sometimes when a new bird is added to the house, the old bird can act jealous of the interloper. In this case, Tango welcomed a new friend and both birds quickly adapted to the new routine.

A big thank you to Tango's owner for giving Tango and Ellie such fantastic lives. What a fabulous success story!

Meet Roy

2011-06-20T09:00:00.003-05:00

Meet Roy, an approximately 17 year old Mexican Red Headed Amazon. Roy is an incredibly sweet parrot. He loves to come out of his cage and interact with people. Like many amazons, he loves to be the center of attention!
Roy is occasionally quite loud, so he wouldn't do well in an apartment or shared-wall dwelling. Most of his vocalizations have been softer, more pleasant sounds, but he occasionally will surprise us with a burst of noise!

Roy is hoping to go to his new home soon; if you think that might be you, please stop by!

Meet Skye

2011-06-17T09:00:00.002-05:00

Meet Skye, an approximately one year old Congo African Grey Parrot. She still has (slight) baby eyes; she's so young.
Skye was purchased as a very young chick and then owned for about 9 months by a family. They are no longer able to keep her due to financial reasons.

Skye is a huge toy player -- she loves to explore and chip up wood. She is very inquisitive and will go to the front of the cage to greet people. At this point, she is a bit cage-aggressive and can be a bit nippy, but in the right home with gentle guidance and love, she will work through this stage of development.

As always, please stop by if you'd like to meet her.

Meet Jilly

2011-06-10T07:00:00.002-05:00

Meet Jilly, a gorgeous, tame budgie.

Jilly was a stray who was found and turned in to Animal Control. After unsuccessfully trying to locate her owners, she was transferred to us.
She is a bit skittish, but tame. As she gets to know her new owners, she will calm down and be a delight.

Since she was a stray, we don't know anything about her history. We don't even know her name. We'd really like to get her into a home as soon as possible, so if you've been waiting for a tame budgie, stop by to meet her!

Meet Sebastian

2011-06-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

Meet Sebastian, a charming greenwing macaw. We don't know very much about Sebastian's past. His former owners didn't know much about him, either. They told us they were surrendering a scarlet macaw, so imagine our surprise when we met him when he was a greenwing! He also was in a cage that was way too small (more appropriate for a grey), filthy, and with no toys. His beak was overgrown by an inch and he hadn't been out of his cage in years.

It was Sebastian's first lucky day when he got surrendered to the Center; it will be his second lucky day when he finds the right home!We know his previous owners had him about 7 years. That could make him 8, or it could make him 40. We suspect he's closer to the younger end of the spectrum.

We're still getting to know him, but what we've found so far is delightful.

Isn't he a gorgeous bird?

18

2011-06-08T13:47:00.002-05:00

That's the number of birds on our waiting list to be surrendered. Greys, amazons, macaws, conures, etc. Some have been on the list for months.

If you've been thinking about adding a bird to your home, there has never been a better time. We have some incredibly sweet birds right now who lost their homes through no fault of their own -- their owners were just no longer able to care for them.

We can't take in any more birds until we adopt some more out. Even rescue centers need to know our limits and only take in the number of birds that we are able to properly care for.

So, if you've been thinking about adopting a parrot, please contact us. We can help you find the right bird for you. We'll keep featuring birds here and on our petfinder site.

Meet Peewee

2011-06-02T07:00:00.001-05:00

Peewee is an approximately 5-7 year old sun conure. She lived with Nico, and also was surrendered when her owner's health took a sudden turn for the worse and she was no longer able to care for her birds.
Peewee is tame and loves to be around people, though she can be a bit cage-aggressive at times.

Like Nico, she was on a junk food diet. We are working to convert her to pellets, vegetables, and other healthy food.Please stop by if you'd like to meet her!

Sammy

2011-06-01T07:00:00.002-05:00

Sammy is a gorgeous male canary who was rehomed because he was too loud. Dealing with toos, macaws, and other large, loud birds, we've heard this excuse before when people surrender their birds...but for a canary? This was a first!Just as with Nico, Sammy's luck changed. A family drove over 7 hours -- each way -- to add this little singer to their lives. They bought him a huge flight cage, tons of toys, and now he can sing to his heart's content, and to an appreciative audience.

Nico

2011-05-31T07:00:00.002-05:00

Nico is an approximately 21 year old African Grey parrot. She was owned by one woman all of her life; when that woman quickly became ill and unable to continue living on her own, Nico came to us. She is one of the sweetest parrots we have ever met -- stepping up happily for everyone and wanting to be part of the action.Nico did not have a great diet -- way too much junk food. The list of favorite foods provided to us read like a list of what not to feed a parrot -- tons of sugar- and fat-laden foods with little nutritional content. When a volunteer went to pick her up, there was a bowl of powdered donuts in the bottom of her cage!

Consequently, Nico's calcium was a little low, but otherwise she was in good health.

Last weekend, a family came to the Center, and Nico immediately fell in love with them. They had been pre-approved to adopt, so even though Nico wasn't the bird they thought they wanted when they arrived, she's the one who went home with them!

We've received an update from her new home, and Nico is doing extremely well. Another happy success story!

Meet Josh

2011-05-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Josh, an approximately 6 year old quaker parakeet. Josh was surrendered to a local humane society and then transfered to us, so we don't have a lot of history on him.

Josh is very tame and friendly, but he does have a health issue. His hips are fine, but he has almost no range of motion in his knees and hocks, which means he can't grip very well and is usually hunched over. He has severe arthritis -- those joints are almost fused together.
It's unlikely that Josh will ever regain range of motion in these joints, but we can make him more comfortable. This includes making sure he has rope perches and platforms in his cage, as well as medication (glucosamine/chondroitin and pain meds) for the rest of his life, which runs around $40/month.
Josh does have a very sweet personality, and is looking for a home equipped to deal with a special needs parrot. As always, stop by if you'd like to meet him!

Meet Snickers

2011-05-19T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Snickers, an approximately 13 year old timneh African grey. Snickers was surrendered to us because her owner is dying and could no longer care for her.It can take a few minutes to coax her out of her cage, but she loves interacting with people through her cage, and also once she is out. As she's spent more time with us, we've seen more of her personality, and she is a joy to have around!
Snickers loves to dance when good music is on. If you'd like to meet her, please stop by!

Meet Puzzle

2011-05-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Puzzle, an approximately 7 year old Weber's Lorikeet. He was surrendered because his family was moving and didn't want to take him with them. This may have worked in Puzzle's favor as he was not allowed out of his cage in his prevuious home, but he loves to be out!In fact, as I was taking this picture of him, he put his foot up because he wanted to step up instead of model!

Lories have special dietary needs and liquid poop, so they're definitely not the right bird for everyone.

Puzzle has been delighting us all with his antics -- he loves to play and is very energetic!

Stop by if you'd like to meet him.

Holly Update

2011-05-17T09:00:00.001-05:00

Holly is off of medical hold and looking for her forever home! Due to her dislocated hip, she will always perch differently than a normal severe macaw, as seen here:
You also have to be a bit more careful when walking around with her so she doesn't fall, but that's about the only adaptation she needs! She readily steps up out of her cage and loves attention. She follows her favorite people around the room while in her cage by climbing to the corner closest to them. She begs to come out and is very personable!

Stop by if you'd like to meet her!

Peanut Update

2011-05-16T09:00:00.002-05:00

It's been 8 months since our last update, but Peanut is still at the Center, looking for a home.We keep a bird at the Center until he/she is adopted, but we'd prefer to get them in homes sooner rather than later.

Stop by if you'd like to meet her! Hopefully her lucky day will come soon.

Meet Chico

2011-05-13T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Chico, a green-cheek conure. He's still quite young, and was surrendered to us when his elderly owner died. No one in his former owner's family wanted to keep him, so he made his way to us.
Chico is very sweet, though can be a bit nippy at times. He seems to have a thing for biting ears, so it's probably best to leave him off of shoulders!
Please stip by if you'd like to meet him!

Meet Killian

2011-05-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Meet Killian, an approximately 2 year old sun conure. He was owned by a family for about a year, but then they surrendered him due to noise. Sun conures are in the aratinga family, which are known for their noisiness.Killian is incredibly sweet and tame and will just get better in a consistent, loving home. If you live in a house and are looking to add some fun and color to your life, Killian may be the bird for you!
As always, stop by if you'd like to meet him. We currently have many very nice medium-sized birds up for adoption.

Mork Update

2011-05-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

Mork is still at the Center, searching for a retirement home. He just craves attention!He loves getting his head scratched, and he frequently won't step up out of his cage until he gets the obligatory head scratches as payment:
Though he's already elderly for a Patagonian conure, we're hopeful he will find a home in which to live out the rest of his life with as many scratches as possible!

Meet Dustin

2011-04-25T09:00:00.002-05:00

Meet Dustin, an approximately 2 year old Hoffman's conure. (Get his name?) Hoffman's belong to the quieter Pyrrhura family, like green cheek conures, as opposed to the louder Aratinga family, like cherry-head conures. They can still be noisy, but usually not at the same level as the Aratingas!

Dustin was purchased because his owner wanted to breed Hoffman's conures. However, after this individual thought about the overpopulation of parrots that already exists, she decided not to add to the problem and to surrender Dustin so he can live out his life as part of a family.
We are still getting to know Dustin. He is a little flighty, but appears to love being with people. Once he gets used to being around people, he will settle down even more and we suspect he'll make a great addition to someone's family! If you'd like to meet him, please stop by!

Charlie Update

2011-04-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

We last wrote about Charlie a few months ago here. Charlie is healthy and off of medical hold. The volunteers can't believe she's still here -- timnehs are usually adopted very quickly.

Over the past few months, we've gotten to know Charlie, and she is very sweet and adorable. She loves to make kiss sounds; frequently she'll give several in a row -- just because she's happy to see you!Charlie is currently missing some of her head feathers which has created the effect of male pattern baldness. There is no medical reason for this, and we have not seen her rubbing against anything in her cage. We suspect it's due to a cluster molt.
If you'd like to meet Charlie, please stop by. Greys do much better in a home environment than at the Center, so we'd like to get her settled in to her new home soon.

Meet Kiwi

2011-04-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Meet Kiwi, a lovebird who was hatched on 9/23/10. Not even 7 months old, and she's already lost her home! Kiwi was surrendered to us because her owner's roommate didn't like her, and would cover Kiwi during the day. Her owner realized this was not fair to Kiwi and wanted her to have a better life. Kiwi is a bit jumpy, but has not shown any aggression. She will calm down as she becomes accustomed to being around friendly people.Kiwi and Janet were both out exploring together:Please stop by if you'd like to meet Kiwi or Janet!

Meet Janet

2011-04-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

Meet Janet, a young lovebird. She's probably around 6 months old. She was dumped at our table after a bird fair -- her breeder couldn't sell her and didn't want to pay to keep feeding her.Janet does not appear to have had proper socialization as a youngster, so she is a bit jumpy; however, she has not shown aggression. We are working with her on learning to step up. She apparently wants to start with advanced topics, like accounting, but we're going to start with the basics! Please stop by if you'd like to meet Janet!

Meet Tommy

2011-04-19T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Tommy, an approximately 6 year old quaker parakeet. We've talked before about parrots who are victims of divorce (like Oscar) when the adults in their life split up and neither one wants the bird. Tommy had the opposite problem. His owner met someone who had dogs. She feared for Tommy's life, so she surrendered him.
He's very sweet and steps happily up out of his cage. He does get a bit grumpy when you put your hands in to change his food and water, but a work-around could easily be developed for that -- take him out of his cage before you service it and the problem is solved!
As you can see from these pictures, Tommy loves to explore! He is a very energetic and curious parrot.
He's very dedicated and would love to find someone who will commit to him! Stop by if you'd like to meet Tommy, or any of the other quakers we have up for adoption.

Meet Polly

2011-04-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

Meet Polly, an approximately 13 year old quaker parakeet. Just like Rex and Spenser, she is very tame and friendly.Her previous owner told us that a few years ago they had her outside, unrestrained. A hawk grabbed her and then dropped her when the humans screamed. Just another reminder of how important it is to always have parrots in a secure carrier or harness while outside! Polly is a ham. She loves to laugh and interact with people. She has a sparkling personality and will brighten her new home. Right now, we have some really nice quakers for adoption. If you've been thinking about adding one to your house, there has never been a better time. We can work with you to see who will work best in your household.

Meet Spenser

2011-04-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Spenser, an approximately 18 year old quaker parakeet. He lived in the same home his entire life until being surrendered to us recently.Spenser is tame and friendly. He is used to being out of his cage most of the day. At one point in his life, Spenser had a broken wing. This does not impact him currently, though it's unlikely he would be able to fly. (His new owners will still need to take precautions and not allow him outside unless he is in a secure harness or carrier.) Please stop by if you'd like to meet Spenser!

Meet Rex

2011-04-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Just a warning: I may gush a little on this post, but I cannot help myself where Rex is concerned! Rex is an approximately 5 year old quaker parakeet. As you can see, his chest is plucked, and his feathers will likely not grow back. When I went to take a picture of him in his cage, he ran to the front of his cage and kept putting his foot up, a clear sign he wanted to come out. Quakers are notoriously cage-aggressive, but not Rex!I took Rex out and was in for a treat. He is extremely personable. He talks (though some of it in unintelligible). He particularly loves to tell us what a good boy he is!
He also joins in the laughter and wants to be a part of the action.

I do not understand how anyone could have surrendered Rex! He is so delightful and will fill his new home with joy, love, and laughter.

If he were fully feathered, he'd probably be adopted out this week; unfortunately, plucked birds tend to take longer to find a home. That's a real shame, as Rex is so delightful! If you have room in your home and heart for Rex and can look past his plucked exterior, stop by to meet him. He's a treat!