All of a sudden I'm cold! I was nice and warm a minute ago and now it's so cold. And there is like an empty spot in me. Now it's warm again. Wierd. I need to rest.

That empty spot is getting worse and I'm cold again. Something is knocking on me. I want to yell to get it to stop. I'll try to make a sound. Let's see if I open this thing....what's this? Something warm but inside....the empty spot is gone! Now if I could warm up....Oooh thats the stuff....so tired again.

So every time I feel the knocking, I open my....beak(?) and food(?) goes inside. I like the way this place works. Something is kicking me?

Today when I woke up everyhting was so bright! There were these little monsters all around me, kinda weird looking, but not scary. These must have been the guys kicking me...ouch...yup. I wonder if I look like them.

Now what? A huge scary monster all green and grey came right up to me and knocked up against my beak. Before I could even think I opened my mouth and the monster gave me food from it's beak. So this is where the warm food comes from. Kinda gross but tastes soooo good. This green and grey monster has been feeding me. I'll call her Mommy. I like her, she feeds me and keeps me warm, and she's soooo soft.

Today all my brothers and sisters were being happy and noisy when a new monster appeared. The scariest monster I have ever seen. It was all pink and had five legs(?). It came right into our bedroom and took each one of us away. We all yelled for Mommy but I guess she couldn't hear us. If she was around she would have protected us.
The pink monster put us in a nest. It was warm but too bright. The monster came at us with a stick. It poked us on the beaks. What were we supposed to do? When Mommy did that it was to feed us. I was so scared but my beak opened anyway. Well guess what(?) The monster was feeding us too!!

Now what kind of a scary monster feeds people? Who am I to argue...it's better than being hungry. I hope Mommy comes back soon though I really miss her.

It's been a while. Mommy hasn't come back. The monster(I shouldn't call her monster...she feeds me and keeps me warm...I'l call her people) keeps feeding us like mommy did so at least we're not hungry, and we stay warm. My brothers and sisters are starting to look like the old Mommy did. They are starting to get those feathers(?) like Mommy, all green and grey. I think I must be getting them too.

Today the people put me and all my brother and sisters in a dark box and took us somewhere. I heard lots of strange noises and when the box opened I was in a new place. All bright and funny smelling. THERE WERE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE!! They were looking at us and pointing and poking and touching. I did'nt like it one bit,. None of us did. We yelled lots to tell the people to go away, but more came. Before the end of the day 2 of my brothers were gone. I don't know where they went. My sisters and I yelled for them to come back but they didn't.

Today a lady people came and pointed to me and I was put in a dark box all by myself. I was SOOO scared. I din't know where I was going. When the box was opened there were four people all around real close all poking and touching. I did't like it at all. I was happy when they put me in a big house with lots of toys and food and water, but I was happiest just to be left alone and cry for my Mommy and my brother and sisters. I miss them all.

These new people aren't so bad. They let me play and yell and they give me good tasting food. Today I let the lady(?) pet me. She talked to me nice and sweet and the scritches felt so good. I want more of those for sure.

I really like the lady now. She always plays with me and lets me sit on her and go all over the place with her. She doesn't even mind when I have an accident on her, he he. I'm still a little affraid of the hairy face man(?). The two little people I don't like at all they like to poke at me and they move around so fast I can't keep an eye on them all the time. I don't trust them. When they try and touch me I use my beak to say no. Mommy(I call her that now) tells me "No Bite" and gets mad when I do that though. But what can I do, the little people don't listen to her either.

I'm learning words now!! I can say "good boy", "whatcha doin'" and "no bite". Mommy laughs at that one, so I use it a lot. My favorite thing to do though is scream. Everybody gets so excited when I scream for a while. The hairy face man screams back at me, Mommy will come and pick me up and the little people get all upset. It's so much fun.

Screaming is no fun anymore. Now when I scream I get put into my house in the other room. I like my house, but I want to see everybody. So I scream more so that they'll comew and get me. Sometimes it works. Most times not. I get lonely a lot now.

Mommy still loves me I think. Most days I get my special food...but not everyday. Some days I still get to come out of my house and play with Mommy. I like those days most. Mommy will give me tickles and we play as little., but thenm I go back to my boring house. All my toys are boring. My perches are boring. At least I gert freshwater most days and my tasty pellets are always there. Could be worse I guess.

Something is happening. There is a new house in my room. I'm getting a nice new house for a present. They still love me!!! Wait. I hear someone screamiong and it's not me. There is lots of talking and noise. Everybody sounds so happy. Could it be my first Mommy? I haven't seen her in so long I don't think she'd know me. I wonder who it is?

I'm so not happy! It's a new bird. I don't know who this bird is or who he thinks he is but these are my people. They love me not him. Mommy will fix this. Here she comes to get me out. I can't belive it she took the new bird out of his house but left me here. I screamed for a while but nobody came, so I screamed some more. Finally hairy face came and opened up my house to get me, but I don't want him, I want Mommy, so I used my beak on him till he left me alone. At least the little people don't try that anymore.

What is wrong with Mommy? All she want to do is play with the new bird.
Today she forgot my water. New bird got lots of special treats and I got old water. Not fair.

I had forgotten how scary the box was. When Mommy came and got me out of my house, I was soooo happy, but she put me straight in a box. We took a ride in the car. Usually I like to ride in the car cause it's fun and we go places. But not in the box.

When I got out of the box there were strangers all around me but no Mommy. I sure hope she comes back soon cause I don't like these new people. The house is all wrong, the food is yucky. I don't like it here at all everything is WRONG!

I just want my Mommy back.


BE SURE A BIRD IS RIGHT FOR YOU AND YOU ARE READY AND WILLING TO MAKE A LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO YOUR COMPANION. ALL BIRDS DESERVE A FOREVER HOME.

Poor Bird....

Wow UZ........now we can see what you been working on huh......that was such a sad story and i hope all who desire to have a bird will read this and truly think about what they are doing.....i have to say it brought tears to my eyes.......thank you for sharing

I don't even know what to say. Wow. That's one of the saddest things I've ever read. Did you write this yourself? Wow.

Rock on UZ!

I knew you were working on something and I must say THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING!!

I hope all future bird owners will read this......................

I will stop now.....

wow.....

Everyone new on these boards should have to read this.

A prerequisite, if you will, before anyone can post.

I just wanted to give the bird a voice. Who knows what really goes on in their heads, but I figure it would probably be something along those lines. Just an exercise to point our they are not just a commodity to be passed along to the next home and the next. They have feelings and they're own reasons for their sometimes problematic behavior. Just gotta get a little bird-brainy to see how it feels on their side of the fence.

I realize it will probably have no effect on anyone who is in a position where they are considering giving up on their bird, I wrote this more as a cathartic excersize after all the recent activity surrounding this topic.

It's a sad story but it made me love our guys just a little more knowing they at least will never have to face that kind of a future.

Well done Ron ...

I agree ...

Hmmm..another one that should be pinned!!!...well done Ron!!

Wow..that hit me hard Please tell me I'm not the only one that started sobbing

Wendy

I totally agree.........maybe if it's not too much the forum could have a "what you REALLY need to know before you adopt a bird" have this on there as well as the parrots rights that Betty posted just a thought

Well done Ron! Yes that should be pinned. I think if more people thought about the bird's perspective on life (or the cat's or the dog's for that matter) there would be less unwanted pets out there

Uncle Zippy - You made me cry! Such a touching story - tribute to our beloved pets. Sniff, sniff. I'd go back and read it again, but I'd better wait a day or two. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us! - Mary and Petey

Not just everyone new....... everyone..... period. Not all new members are planning on giving/selling old to get new.

WOW, that went straight to the gut!! If that did not say it loud enough, You've Got A Problem!!!
Thank You UZ for this post. It is REALLY AWESOME! And I gotta be honest here, My Eye's Leaked a Little.........

Got me all snuffly, too; I could really visualize the whole thing (unfortunately).
What's particularly sad is that the people who would find this insightful and thought-provoking are probably those who do at least SOME research and feel SOME sense of responsibility. All those yahoos out there looking for "a bird that talks 'cause they're cool" or "a bird, 'cause our apartment doesn't allow cats" or "a quaker 'cause I can't afford a Grey" or whatever...if those people read this it'll go right over their heads. Much too subtle.
Wish Casey was awake right now, though, so I could give her a cuddle. Guess I'll give her two <hundred> tomorrow.

Part of the reason I posted this in the first place was to show how I(and I think one or two more)felt after a series of these sort of occurances began. Just sort of exasperated and tired of it. I wanted to be the nice G-rated helpful board member, but it was driving me nuts. One of our members had to go away for a couple of days respite, this was MY way of dealing with it. Like I said cathartic. Just needed to blow off some steam.

I just want everyone who reads this post to think....really think, before you get a bird. And to existing owners to remember, we are their flock. Thats all.

Ron, you did an excellent job with this post. I think this post can apply to any animal that people have as a pet. Some people just don't hesitate to rehome. They don't stop and think about how it affects the animal!

Yeah, it helps to "write it out". I haven't been here near so long as many of you guys and I'm sure it gets no easier over time.
Something like this would be good as a "cover sheet" for those entering the quakerparrots.com community; newbies would see and hopefully read, (and hopefully absorb) it.

Uncle Zippy, How sad. Made me cry like a baby. May I quote you? Call it Uncle Zippys' "Life". So many inexperienced backyard breeders who don't even know what clutch mates are need to see this birds eye veiw. Poor babies. Thanks for writing.

Wow Ron, you sure hit the nail on the head didn't you. I actually read this the first time yesterday and had to go love on my babies, I'm in an extremely emotional mood lately with all this, partly because I'm a nervous wreck with Doobie, I'm sooooo terrified somethings going to happen to him with him being soooo small, that I seem to wake up every 1.5- 2 hours just to check on him.

I re-read this today and the tears started all over again. I too believe that anyone even considering a bird should read this thread. It contains a very serious message.

Thank you sooo much for giving fids everywhere a voice. Even though it made me super sad, it gave me another excuse to go give some hugs and scritches and my fids sure deserve the extra attention.

Dawn

All I can say is WOW!!!! And no fair making me cry first thing in the morning, and at work to boot! If even just ONE person reads this and changes their way of thinking.....WTG UZ!

This is what I was looking for....

Thanks Ron

Wendy & the crew

Wow UZ.....You really have a way with words! It's good to see things from the other side. Thank you so much!


I'm going to print this one and keep it in my 'bird book'.

Wow, that definitely touched my heart. I think that anyone who wants to buy a bird should read that first, and should continue to read it so they don't forget their responsibility to their fid. Rock on UZ!

I have two reasons for responding to this post so late.

1) To give it a bump up, in addition to Ron's newest post which provides the link to this thread; and

2) To point out the several members who responded to this post and are no longer here. Sure do miss them!!

Well Uncle Zippy, I know you wrote this ages ago, but since this is my first time reading it, I'll say this. It really touched me and brought tears to my eyes...

OMG! Tears in the eyes and the heart. UZ that was beautiful! Thank you for writing it. (And arwenelle for bumping it up so we could read it)

Thank you for this thread. It made me tear up some :'( I'm going to love my little guy a little extra tonight

I would never get rid of my Maj. No matter what, I would find a way to keep my baby!!

Sometimes I want to ask people if they would rehome their own children.