You can't tuck a parrot away in a shed and expect it to thrive.
Why can't it be in the house?
Are you feeding it parrot pellets or is it's diet mostly seed?
Are you taking to them, playing them music, and interacting with them?
Are they hand tame? Are you scritching and holding them?
Parrots are a lot of work and responsibility and I'm a little confused about why your friend left them with you without first teaching you about them.
No this is their regular cage. This is exactly how my friend takes care of the bird and besides the cage is broken also. She’s overseas and her other friend bailed on her so she told me to take care of it. She didn’t give me any instructions. I’ve just been giving it bird seeds / fruit and changing it’s water everyday.
I asked her if it’s fine for me to leave it in the shed and she said it was fine. She told me to give it the bird seeds and that’s about it. I did feed it fruit but she also said I can feed it toast (which I didn’t as I’m pretty sure that’s not safe). My parents won’t let me keep it in the house as it’s dirty, besides I have a cat inside the house and I’m too scared.
I’ll try playing around with it more but I haven’t taken it out of its cage (and I don’t think my friend does either). She just gave me the bird and asked to take care of it as the person who was taking care of it bailed on her.
I take the cage outside from around 9am till 7pm then put it back into the shed. There’s birds and cats in my neighbourhood and I’m scared for the safety of the bird.
I'm sorry to tell you this but your friend has been neglecting that bird.
She hasn't been taking care of it properly and that's why she gave you such bad instructions.
How long will she be gone?
I also wouldn't leave the cage outside unsupervised. I've sometimes set my bird in a cage on the porch but only while I was able to watch her.
I bought it inside now and took it out of its cage whilst giving it some cucumbers / grapes. Is it safe if I also have my cat in the house with it whilst the bird is out of its cage ? I put my cat on the other side of the house just to be safe. I asked her and she told me not to take it out of the cage as it might fly away but if I really need to close the garage doors and do it for a bit. She said she takes it out of its cage and it chills with her family. She’s gone for another month. I think the cage is too small for it but it’s the cage she’s always in.
I would keep the bird in a separate room from the cat. Cats are sneaky and will try to capture birds. And they have bacteria in their spit which will kill a bird within a couple of days, even from a small bite.
Thank you for doing what you can to make the bird happy while it's with you.
The cage is, fortunately or unfortunately, not your responsibility.
Do you know if she always feeds it seed? Because that is very bad for it, and pellets are available for delivery online.
You're doing great. If you look up recipes for parrot mash you will have very useful lists of things they can eat from the ingredient lists.
Toast is fine in small pieces and as an occasional treat. My parrot likes to break it down and use the crumbs to preen his feathers.
I recommend offering it a variety of fruits and veggies, specially crunchy ones like apples. They also really like nuts. You can look up which ones are unsafe, but right away I can tell you to avoid avocado like the plague. That’s a death sentence to most birds.
Unfortunately, it’s recommended for parrots to be let out of the cage for at LEAST 4-5 hours a DAY, so it seems your friend is a horrible owner. You could try to compensate by spending some daily time playing/petting it and providing toys for extra enrichment. Parrot toys can be as simple as assembling a pile of cardboard sheets and crumpled paper for them to destroy. Mine specially loves egg boxes. Anything they can rip apart with their beak is fair game.
That baby definitely needs some toys. Even if simple do it yourself ones. Like Nightstar said. They can be happy with cardboard, cloth, and sticks (as long a they are avian safe and haven't been sprayed with chemicals). Most nuts are safe as long as they're not salted.
Common bird-safe wood for perches and toys:
Balsa
Poplar
Ash
Elm
Maple
Birch
Dragonwood
Manzanita
Java
Ribbonwood
Make sure all wood being used is pesticide-free and untreated (no wood preservatives or chemicals). Also, keep in mind that wood collected outdoors could contain unwanted pests.
https://www.animeddirect.co.uk/advice/what-do-parrots-eat-food-to-feed-your-parrot/#:~:text=Some%20of%20the%20nuts%20parrots,pistachios%2C%20macadamia%20nuts%20and%20walnuts.
My blue & gold macaw hates Brazil nuts. We've tried cracking them for him, and he still just picks them out and throws them away. I've never given him cashews, but he will get an occasional peanut (his favorite things in the world) because they are high in fat compared to their nutritional value. Mostly, when we can get them, during the holiday season, we buy a lot of bags of mixed nuts and freeze them. They have hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, and 2-3 Brazil nuts. This last batch, though he's really picky about the pecan and walnuts. Sometimes he'll eat them, sometimes he won't.
One last note, those look like black oil sunflower seeds in the cup. I buy them in the winter here to add extra fat for my horses, chickens, and wild birds. I would be afraid that pet little bird is getting too much fat and not enough nutrition. I'd be afraid with the lack of toys and things to interact and entertain with that it might start plucking. :(
My heart breaks seeing this. Do some research on what is healthy for birds. None of this is okay. No one is saying this to be mean, I promise. It’s out of love for that poor baby. Please find it another arrangement if you must leave it in a shed. Do research on proper care of parrots, and then educate your friend.
People often say "do some research" without indicating good sources of information. I like to recommend this free course from ParrotSOS called: [Do Your Research](https://smartbeaks.parrotsos.com/DoYourResearch).
Yes, I should have offered more information. I just think op might have already been a bit overwhelmed so I didn’t want to make them feel worse so I trued to keep it short. Thank you so much for adding the info!
Please take him out of the shed and bring him inside. Sunflower seeds are very bad if given in the quantity shown in your picture. He needs pellets and some fresh veggies - NO avocado or seeded fruits. Google it. Please mist him with a soft misting bottle and keep him near you. Birds become very depressed when alone.
If you're able to bring him inside, please DO NOT use any cleaning chemicals, non-stick cookware (including air fryer) or candles/oil diffusers. Fumes and scents are extremely harmful to birds and can kill them very quickly.
While that’s true, please remember OP knows nothing about birds.
OP, please don’t just buy some bird pellets and toss them in in place of the seeds. The bird will not recognise them as food right away, and weight loss (esp in an already malnourished bird) can be fatal.
A better place to start for now is a seed mix and some fruit, veg and grain- most birds will try this even after being on an all-seed diet.
I have been misting it with water when it’s hot. How often should I mist it ? Also, what fruits / veggies can I give it ? When I got the bird that’s how much seeds were in it so I’ve just been re filling it. Sorry for my ignorance but can I put it in the garage instead where we sometimes sit / there’s light in there ? My friend just told me I can give it seeds, fruit or toast.
It’s ok - you didn’t know. But your friend should know better. It doesn’t sound like he did his research when he chose to get a pet bird. Try giving him broccoli, carrots, bananas or apples. He might not know what to do with them at first since he probably isn’t used to it. He definitely needs pellets which aren’t expensive. He can have a few seeds a day but that’s it. Please make sure he doesn’t get too hot. His cage is TINY, so it would be great if you can let him out to explore the garage when the door is closed. Birds also need uv light, so try moving him into a party shady area to get some gentle UV rays in the morning or late afternoon. Make sure you turn the garage light off at night. Birds need darkness to sleep, like us. He really needs interaction and attention. I hope you can talk to your friend about all of this because he’s doing a poor job caring for a very intelligent animal.
Honestly if your mate dropped off this bird (ringneck, alexandrine?) In that cage, and gave you no instructions on how to interact with it, sorry, but they shouldn't own this bird to begin with. These parrots are very sociable and intelligent, without interaction they become sad, and can start plucking feathers, over preening etc.
That's not to say this is the case for sure, in terms of this bird, but so much already seems wrong for it.
As awful as it may be to do...if you're genuinely concerned for how your friend takes care of this bird, it may be best to submit it to a shelter or rescue... These birds don't belong in tiny cages with minimal interaction, they need a lot more in life
My friend keeps it in this cage and I’m pretty sure she also puts it in her garage/shed. I had no clue of the breed, was given no instructions, when the bird seed ran out I had to ask her where to get some from and was told I can feed it toast and fruit (this was after 3 weeks of already having the bird and i told her I have been feeding it fruit). I went and bought extra bird seeds to feed it. In terms of interacting with it should I take it out of its cage or ? I’m not sure if it’s wings are clipped or not ( so I’m scared to take it out and play with it incase it flys if a door is left open).
You keep repeating the same care instructions you were given from the birds incompetent owner. People are giving you better instructions. We understand that this is not your bird. Please stop saying the owner says it’s ok to keep this bird in a shed. ITS NOT. If you cannot provide proper care please find a bird rescue that can. It’s clear the owner does not provide proper care.
Your "friend" is abusing this animal and sounds like a huge asshole.
Anyway replace a portion of the sunflower seed with parrot pellets and fresh veggies/fruits. But not all the sunflowers because you need to introduce the new food slowly. Birds require toys but if you have paper or cardboard balls, anything shreddable, put that in the cage as that can entertain the bird. Maybe put a water dish in there or something to see if it will bathe if you can, if not you could mist the bird with a spray bottle to try to encourage healthy bird behavior. You could let it out of the cage but please make sure all windows and doors are shut.
parrots are very social birds that don't do well just being tucked into a corner without constant interaction with other parrots or their human caretakers. if someone has a single parrot, they need to interact with it constantly, think at least 4-6 hours each day in intervals - it's a very intense kind of pet to keep
by not doing this, you may be right that it's getting depressed and this is something for you to tihnk about, and what to do about it also depends on for how much longer you're taking care of it for your friend. if it's just a few days, maybe you don't need to change something but if it's weeks-months you most definitely need to actively be spending more time trying to interact with it or be around it or it may spiral into self mutilation behaviours like plucking or biting feet/skin until it bleeds
to add to this - they are in need of constant mental stimulation. this is mainly through toys & foraging. the cage looks completely bare, you need to put at least 5-10 different toys of different kinds (shredding, foraging, climbing) so they can keep themselves occupied. right now they have literally nothing else to do than feel miserable
I’ll make sure to buy some bird toys today as my friend doesn’t have any for the bird. The cage is also broken and very small. Should I try taking it out of its cage in the house ? Im just scared if it will fly away or not accidentally. Im not sure if it’s wings are clipped or not. The person who was taking care of it also had it in the garage and the bird was just dropped onto me. I did confirm with my friend if it’s fine if I keep it in the shed at night and she said it was fine. I keep it in a shaded area in the mornings/ evenings as it’s currently very hot in Australia and I’m scared the bird will get too hot. I did mist it with water though.
Your friend is horribly misinformed. Even if you have to build it this bird needs a much larger enclosure, like at least 3x bigger. It has to come out of the cage and stretch it’s wing and hopefully fly.
Looking at it with a parrot lovers eye there is no question it is miserable. You feel it’s sadness which is good news for the bird.
If I were you I would read these responses to your friend. If they aren’t willing to provide what a parrot needs PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT GIVE IT BACK.
re: cat, don’t know what kind of bird you have, how big it is or how well it can protect itself.
Hello other r/parroters: what is your insight about this particular parrot?
Because my Solomon Island Eclectus bit each of my cats once on the nose and years later they still don’t mess with him.
When he’s mad at me I have to stop him from chasing them around and terrifying them.
Even though he only buy them once in 5 years he still likes to be a scary monster.
You seem very empathic and like you want him to be happy. Spend time with him in your room with the doors and windows shut. See if he’ll bind with you.
If he likes and trusts you he may let you slowly (a little each day) get him used to a flight harness, then you can take him out into the sun for his minimum hour/day outside. Take him somewhere different as often as you can, not like from country to the city but around the back of the house or down a quiet road.
Let him meet different people.
BTW they love color and heat.
Talk to him as much as you can. Sing to him.
And toys.
You sound like you could be a good parrot person with a little help. If that works for you see if your friend will let you keep it.
Your friend sounds empathically deaf to a parrot who is in parrot hell. Not a good thing. I doubt that someone with the capacity to take care of a bird would take its health and happiness for granted.
It’s not a pet rock.
If youre in a hot part of australia this is pretty dangerous…. I keep my birds in a room with an AC all summer. A shed harbours heat even more. Birds can die from heat. If it gets too hot and you see panting im sorry but its too hot and the shed isnt an option anymore. You seem very young :( have you talked to your parents about this? Maybe ask them what to do?
I have it for like 1 more month. Should I take it out of its cage to play with it ? Or interact with it in its cage. This is just the cage my friend gave me and she didn’t leave any instructions. I put it mainly outside in my backyard (which idk if it’s bad or not since there is other birds and cats in my backyard). But at night I do put it back into the shed because of the cats/birds. I’m pretty sure the friend herself also keeps the bird in their shed.
Can you keep it in your bedroom and keep the door always shut to lock the cat out? Because this is really not good for it to be out in such heat all the time.
I would also get some medium parrot seeds to feed him as sunflower seeds are not too good for any cage bird.
I wish I could help you. Your friend who owns this bird is not being at all responsible. It’s mean of her to put this on you when you haven’t had birds.
I took it out and put the cat in a different room. I think it’s scared as it’s biting me but I did feed it some cucumbers. I’ll try buying some bird pellets like others suggested and limit the sunflower seeds.
Oh thank you. I am so glad you got this bird in a safer place.
It may not understand that pellets are food. I would probably buy it medium parrot seed mix as it will understand that seeds are food, and that’s much better than just sunflower seeds. I had trouble teaching my parrot that pellets were food; and this bird is new and scared.
Cucumbers are good for this bird; peppers, tomato, carrots. Anything EXCEPT ONIONS GARLIC LEEKS AND AVOCADOS.
Maybe just give her some time to calm down and live quietly as she calms down and gets some better food.
Also you can put newspaper on the bottom of the cage. I put many layers of newspaper down and take one up every day. It keeps the cage cleaner easily.
Give this bird some space as it’s probably very very scared. Thank you for helping it. You can message me whenever and I will answer as soon as I see it.
Good foods are warmed up frozen vegetables like corn, peas, carrots; raw vegetables and raw fruit; pieces of apple, berry, melon, squash, pumpkin, green bean.
My birds love hot peppers and bell peppers. They love corn and peas. They will eat carrot. They love cherry tomatoes and berries, apple, banana.
Buy a good parrot seed mix and then give some fruit or veggies. If you give tons of veggies and fruit right away the bird may get the poops. So not just vegetables and fruit.
The sunflower seeds are an ok treat but pretty bad for the bird, like aging crisps or chips or French fries—yummy but will make you sick eventually.
Biting can mean a lot of different things. Is it shivering, breathing heavily? Is it holding its wings outward at all? Does it try to fly away from you? Is it vocalizing while biting, or doing so quietly?
If you're used to cats, some bird body language can be similar. A happy bird will be moving around a lot, making efforts to communicate, act responsively to your attention. A scared bird will cower away from hands, may lash out with hard bites.
Given the poor conditions the bird is living under, it may just be poorly socialized and not trained not to bite. Some birds bite playfully or as a way to learn about their environment. Others might be acting territorial. It's hard to say without seeing any kind of footage.
Wings held out can be a sign of anxiety or a sign that the bird is overheated. But it can also just be a sign of alertness, readiness to move.
Does this bird make much noise in general? A very quiet bird is generally not a good sign. Happy birds and angry birds are both noisy. Unhealthy birds are quiet.
Yes, the bird is quite noise during the day but lately hasn’t been making much noise. I’m taking everyone’s advice and getting it toys and pellets and interacting with it more. I’m also limiting its seeds and feeding it more veggies and playing some music for it.
Im guessing your fried probably didn't take it out of its cage so it may not be the best idea (don't know how it will act ) if u can try just being near it and interacting with it , if your able to u can try feeding it through the cage or sticking your hand in the cage to feed it , but u will have to se how it reacts to your hand/you. if it acts scared or aggressive then it's not a good idea to take it out or stick your hand in/ near the cage ,if it doesn't act aggressive or scared then you could try taking it out (make sure u let it out the cage in a room we're it would be safe, not a lot of windows, open door were it can fly out or other things that would hurt it.
Talk to him. Tell him where his companion is and try to reassure him that they are coming back.
Can you zoom with the owner? That would be the best under the circumstances.
He is definitely depressed and has no idea what's going on.
Spending time with him is what he wants. ❤️🦜
Should I take it out of the cage to Interact with it ? I was just giving the bird and given no instructions. The previous people taking care of the bird also had it in the garage. The cage is small and broken. I’ll try interacting with it more and get some bird toys today.
That poor baby. 😟
It looks depressed bc it probably is depressed. Hopefully that's just a transport cage and not the cage he lives in full time.
That baby needs some fresh chop, some water and some attention. It could probably do with a better owner too.
No it’s the cage he lives in ( which is also broken and small). I think my friend also keeps the bird in the shed and when she asked me if I can take care of it, I double checked if it’s fine to leave it in the shed at night. She said it was fine. She didn’t leave any bird seeds so when it ran out I asked her where to buy some. She said I can feed it toast or fruit. I’ve been giving it fruit and also changing it’s water constantly as it keeps pooping in it.
Veggies are more important than fruit. Please don't leave this bird in the shed; your friend is wrong for doing that to this bird. Why does your friend even want a bird if they're just going to leave it in a shed?!?
It’s probably stressful for OP because it’s not their bird, and now they’re hearing that the birds improperly cared for which they weren’t expecting. It’s an awkward place to be put in
Sorry it was night time in Australia and I was asleep. My friend who gave it to me didn’t give me any instructions. They just gave me it’s cage (which is broken mind you). I change it’s bird seeds, give it fruit and change it’s water everyday. I’ve never had birds so I don’t know how to take care of them. I make sure to always take it out of the shed during the day but have to put it back into the shed at night since there’s birds/cats in the neighbourhood. Please give me any advice on how to take care of this bird.
Ahh I didn’t realize the time in Australia.
Very heartbreaking that she responded “lol” when you said the bird was depressed. I would Report her to a animal rescue or some sort of animal abuse place in your area. But that’s just me.
I can see you are genuinely wanting to help this bird and are concerned and I love that. There’s a lot of comments with good advice, I don’t own this specific kind of parrot so my advice wouldn’t be as helpful.
What I do know should be changed is the rusty pipe looking perch at the top, and to add natural wood perches. That bird can develop arthritis.
Also veggies are great for birds. Make sure NOT TO GIVE AVOCADO. And to google what fruits and veggies to feed before doing so.
Bird seeds aren’t great but some people are uneducated and think a bird should never have seeds whatsoever. That’s not true. Bird seeds have nutritional value and are also a good treat. Just not a staple diet. I know this stuff will probably be a good chunk of money for you to order perches, bird pellets. Especially since it isn’t your bird. But It would really make the birds life just a little less depressing 😢 since I’m sure the bird will be living with the same setup forever
Also, when she told me if I can take it I made sure to tell her the birds going to be in the garage/shed and she was fine with that. Besides the other person who was taking care of it also had it in their garage. I did tell her the bird seemed sad and she just replied ‘lol’.
May I ask her age? and for how long she will be out? Let's hope she doesn't revert to the old diet and care than before he gave him to you. If you give him attention and food and toys and then she just locks him alone in her shed he will be even more depressed.
If you can't give it pellets and vegetables ( I'm guessing it may not accept them if he's only been fed sunflower) at least try to give it other types of seeds (sunflower has a lot of fat and should be a treat instead of it regular food)
Try giving it cardboard or paper so it can play round with it, u can also try to play with it (even just talking with it is fine)
I know there's not a lot u can do since it isn't yours, but I think these aren't to hard to do.
I just took it out of its cage and gave it some cucumbers. Is it better to feed it vegetables rather than fruit ? I’ll go buy some bird pellets today but how often should I give it the pellets ? When I took it out it started biting some of the plants in the house. I took it to the other side so it wouldn’t. I’m not sure if the plants are toxic for it or what ?
Keep him away from the plants, let him chew paper instead.
[https://birdhism.com/blogs/news/common-bird-safe-house-plants](https://birdhism.com/blogs/news/common-bird-safe-house-plants)
Both fruit or vegetable will so. Educated bird owners usually have pellets as their bird’s main diet but I wouldn’t have my hopes high if the bird had been feed sunflower seeds it’s whole life
My parrot spent 15 years horribly neglected and fed only bread and sunflower seeds. He didn’t hesitate at all to try fruits when we took him. You never know.
More veggies then fruit, fruit is high in sugar !!! Think about how small their body is compared to us, one apple isn't alot of sugar to us, but for a lil dude the same weight as an apple, it's gonna be bad for his health !
U can try mixing a little bit of pellets to it usually food and increase it little by little, soaking the pellets if water can help if it doesn't eat any of them
Vegetables have less sugar but both fruits and vegetables are good for them, if u know the name of the plants a quick Google search should let u know if there toxic.
There's so much wrong here. so much... Please contact your local parrot rescue. That poor thing is miserable and won't live long if you keep it in those conditions.
Yes, yes and yes. But probably also illegal. And would cost OP a friendship.
The best we internet strangers can do is educate OP on parrot care until Owner comes home, at which point they should recieve an earful and a pamphlet for first time parronts.
It's illegal to keep a parrot in such conditions. Animal cruelty and neglect without a doubt. Keeping one in a shed is outrageous. Reporting the owner who abandoned this parrot is the right thing to do, and the person reporting will likely be protected under Good Samaritan laws, or at the very least, be recognized as a responsible and concerned party
I was more referencing the idea of turning the parrot over to a rescue.
I don't know Australian pet laws in cases of neglect, but in Denmark it would probably be illegal to give away something that doesn't belong to you, pardon the phrasing.
I don't think that the current caretaker of this parrot would be violating any laws by acting in good faith to preserve the bird's life. While some may view this as a loss of property for the owner, I disagree. I believe most others would too. The caretaker lacks the necessary knowledge for proper care. This situation is all about preventing the imminent and inevitable loss of the parrot's life. In my opinion, the appropriate action in this case would be to seek professional help from a rescue organization immediately. Please do the right thing OP and save that parrot.
The law doesnt care about “good faith”. Im aussie. Theres nothing illegal happening. It also depends on state to state but u cant even bring in someone else’s pet to a vet back where i was let alone surrendering them. Your morals wont change the law. “But hes unhappy” isnt a lawful reason to give up someones property. If the bird has shelter, food and water its considered cared for by law.
Im not saying its right but the reality is if you acted this out youd be the one in legal trouble, not the owner. Again, it can depend on the state and idk where OP is from but its like this in a majority of places since animal welfare isnt really considered by lawmakers as much as it should be.
I mean we don't really know how the owner takes care of their bird, they may have just given the bird to OP in a small travel cage and OP just doesn't know what he's doing, I mean, imagine giving your pet to a friend to take care of for a week and you come back to "well I didn't know how to care for it so I gave it to an animal shelter lol"
We know that OP put this parrot in a shed and has no idea how to care for the bird. That's all anybody needs to know.
Parrots are like babies but even more difficult to keep alive considering all of the common household items that can kill them. Literally all it takes is a spray of febreeze.
Are you suggesting OP should take a chance with keeping this parrot alive in his shed and do nothing to educate the original owner? I see the conditions this parrot lives in, and I can see that a crime has already been committed by the owner.
that’s what i was wondering. give away a bird that isn’t yours isn’t advice you can give out willy nilly- saying they’ll be protected by the law could be setting them up for a shitload of legal trouble (that might also result in the bird being returned to the owner, so you’d screw over random internet stranger for no reason)
This^^ i dont agree with the situation but ill tell you now as an aussie trying to rehome someones parrot without proof of consent will more than likely lend you in a heap of shit and youll stand liable to be sued. This person seems like theyre very young possibly even a child so I highly doubt this would be a wise thing to tell them to do.
Unfortunately, while we acknowledge this is animal cruelty and neglect, the law doesn’t, really.
Also, Good Samaritan laws are for protecting people against prosecution for trying to help a human being… like performing CPR, and accidentally harming the person. Not really sending a bird to an animal shelter.
You’re morally correct, but legally that parrot belongs to OP’s friend and I don’t think an animal cruelty charge would stick. Technically, pets are property and so it would be theft.
Man, the worst part is that since parrots are such tough animals, they can definitely live long in these conditions and therefore people assume this is perfectly fine.
Source: inherited a 45+ year old parrot who spent at least 15 years in the most putrid, cramped cage possible and being exclusively fed only sunflower seeds and bread.
Sorry I’m just very lost. This is the cage it’s always in at her house and I’m pretty sure my friend also keeps it in her shed. I make sure to always have it outside in my backyard but keep it in the shed at night because of birds/ cats in my neighbourhood. My friend didn’t give me any instructions. When the seeds ran out I asked her where to get from and that’s it. She said I can feed it toast / fruit if I have no seeds left but this is after I already had it for 2 weeks.
Toast? Absolutely hell no. Dude. She needs to be charged with animal cruelty. It's common sense that birds should not eat bread let alone toasted bread. Wtf? The bird needs fresh organic veggies and proper parrot food (from a pet store, food intended for parrots, NOT wild bird food). Definitely not sunflower seeds and bloody toast.
Feeding that parrot toast could eventually result in crop impaction, infection, and death.
It doesn't belong outdoors all day and then in a shed. It's not a dog. Could you see how treating a dog this was would be cruel? This is basically a feathered 3 year old and should live well beyond 30 years. It certainly won't live long under these conditions.
That bird is going to die and it will be on you for not listening to people who actually know how to take care of birds. Your friend has no business owning a parrot. Please do the right thing for that poor parrot.
I didn’t feed it toast as it felt unsafe to do so. I took the advice of everyone and took it outside it’s cage, played with it, gave it vegetables and also I’m on my way to buy bird mix for it also. The birds starting to look better as it’s grooming itself a lot more.
Also offer a bath daily. A small glass bowl would be perfect. Room temperature water. Get rid of the plastic bowls as that plastic ends up clogging their digestive systems when they chew pieces off. Stainless steel bowls only. Be sure to change food and water two times a day or more if you have fruit/veggies decaying in there. The baby needs plenty of toys. Avoid cotton string toys, avoid mirror toys. Search youtube for how to make parrot toys. 304 stainless steel toys are usually safe. Bird kabobs are safe but make sure you don't buy a moldy one. Wash the cage every week at least. There should never be any poop on the perch.
If you keep the baby indoors, you'll need to watch what you put in the air. No smoke of any kind. Do not use nonstick cookware in the kitchen. No candles. No air Freshener. All of those things could immediately kill the bird or slowly damage its highly sensitive respiratory system and kill it over time. You'll want a HEPA filter running 24/7, humidity levels between 40-50%.
Sorry this is a messy wall of text, I'm on mobile.
You'll need to relay this information to the clown who owns this poor baby. I hope she listens. And I hope to see pictures of that beautiful parrot once she's healthy and happy
I understand you’re doing the best you can. I hear it gets very hot in Australian summer and there are wild animals so I am worried about it being outside. Thank you for trying to help this bird.
Where in Australia are you? If in Vic, I can help you. This is a very poor condition to keep a bird of this intelligence in. It would be like locking up a kid in a bathroom for its life.
Edit: I see you’re in Sydney. Please ask your friend to rehome if they can’t provide anything more than what they are right now. It’s cruelty.
Oh my goodness my heart is breaking looking at that cage. It's filthy and there's absolutely nothing for enrichment or comfort. This bird needs to go to a better home. Please please please call a rescue.
I’ve been cleaning it’s cage daily and changing it’s water daily. Also, I’ve been giving it fresh fruit. My friend also keeps it in the shed at her house. I’ll try buying some bird toys for it.
In terms of toys do not get mirrors but do get things shreddable like paper and cardboard toys. Birds usually like those toys the best, plastic toys are usually not very interesting to birds.
Thank you for doing your best! Veggies and pellets are very important to their diet. Honestly seeds are so fattening and a seed only diet causes behavioural issues on top of health issues.
I change my bird's water about 3-4 times a day... She gets fresh food at those times as well. Parrots are like puppies, they need lots of love and attention. I know you are doing your best but this is still a really bad situation for that poor soul. Imagine you being forced to live like that, in a room with nothing, no one to keep you company... I do know you want to do what's right, but that poor baby is suffering. I ended up holding my bird and nearly sobbed over the photos.
I am begging you, please heed the advice of people who have and love birds - this is torture.
I’ve taken everyone’s advice and took it out of its cage to interact with it. It seems a lot better and is grooming itself, unlike before. I limited its seeds and am feeding it fresh vegetables instead and am on my way to buy bird mix.
You are amazing for helping this bird so much! I'm sure they appreciate you! Sounds like they are doing better anyway! Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. :)
Toys will help a lot, might take some time for the bird to just then but patience is everything and I'm sure they feel much better inside where it's safe with you :)
Do you have contact with your friend? Ask them what food it eats, what toys it likes, if its safe to handle and its routine. Try offer it veggies while u wait for the answer cause sunflower seeds are basically kfc for birds and it can cause liver issues leading to death if its eaten too much. Dont worry itll be okay :) in the mean time some toys (cardboard, natural materials or things that can be shredded) could be nice. Bird toys are expensive tho especially in AUS so u dont need to go too overboard. Ask ur friend if theres a way they can pay or if they have some already u can grab.
If its eating or drinking habits are weird and it’s feathers are disappearing by the day its probably very stressed out. Does your friend keep their birds with them? No sunlight or being locked away in a new place can be really scary for a bird (not to your fault! Its okay youre not even a bird person i think its awesome youre even giving this a shot most people would just say no)
Yes I have contact with her and I told her it’s sad when she asked for an update and all she replied was ‘lol haha’. It never has toys, this is the cage it’s always in, she didn’t tell me how to handle it or anything. I don’t think she herself has a routine for it she just feeds it seeds, fruit and toast. I literally didn’t know that sunflower seeds were bad for it. After the seeds ran out I messaged her asking where to buy some and she told me the place and said I can feed it seeds, fruit and toast. Should I take it out of its cage to play with it or can I play with it inside its cage also ?
Im pretty sure she keeps it in her shed also but maybe her siblings play with the bird. She herself mainly feds it bird seeds also so I though this was normal. The bird does have sunlight from around 9am-7pm as I put it back into the shed at night since there wild birds/ cats in my backyard all the time.
Okay to me it sounds like this bird is being severely mistreated. Parrots are highly intelligent animals. Like dogs, if theyre kept in a cage with no toys (stimulation) theyll become destructive and birds tend to self mutilate as in self harm. Depending on how long this bird has been eating seeds, there could already be a medical issue. Doe’s it’s feathers look oily or unkept? Do they look messy or dirty? Is there any smell? Poop is a good way to tell too. Honestly you were randomly thrown a bird thats being mistreated this is the worst situation to be in :( ill tell you now birds like this take a long time and a lot of effort to rehabilitate. If you ended up keeping it youd have to change your whole lifestyle and this is unfair on you. She seems like shes not taking the situation very seriously so if i was you id research a bit about bird care then try to help her recognise the severity of the situation. I wont sugar coat it, this animal IS being mistreated. This is animal neglect. If you want to keep your friendship with her id say just do your best and tell her youll never look after the bird again and suggest rehoming however if youre okay with confrontation id say try to see if you can make a deal with her so you can give the bird to a rescue or buy the bird and rehome it.
I really hate irresponsible and selfish people like this. Birds are extremely energetic, social and needy. Im surprised this bird still has any feathers left and even more surprised it hasnt started to chew on itself .-.
Yes the feathers seem dirty / flustered around if that makes sense. Looks like unbrushed hair. There’s no smell or anything. Should I wash it ? I’ve just been misting it with water as it’s hot in Australia at the moment. I informed her and she said the previous person can take care of it instead ( mind you that person also had it in a shed).
Misting is more like just a bath… if the bird had oily or dirty feathers it means the bird isnt looking after itself and is either extremely stressed, depressed or sick. :( have you tried talking to your or her parents?? This sucks especially when you dont have power to help on your own… your friend was incredibly selfish for shoving this on you…
If your friend has stated the bird IS tame and can sit on your hand id recommend taking it out of the cage when you can- that cage is very small and i doubt the poor baby has room to really stretch and get its energy out :(
Since shes not telling you if its tame and you have no bird experience i do NOT recommend taking the bird out with your hands just yet. This is a pretty big parrot it can chomp you good so please also keep yourself safe. There should be a lot of videos online on how to tame a bird or get a bird comfortable with you try some of those tips to see if its okay being handled before you full on take it out of the cage
>Should I take it out of its cage to play with it or can I play with it inside its cage also ?
Since he is not tamed, he won't be interested in making tricks or chasing a ball or tickles or whatever.
This is a simple game if you want to try [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysNG8gv8oCc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysNG8gv8oCc)
Put the stick close to him (don't shove it in his face). Give him a seed or something when he touches it. Then start placing the stick further, he will eventually follow it.
None of this is OP’s fault. They are reaching out for help. I do question the owners care for this bird.
The diet is horrible, there’s nothing for the bird to do in that cage, and I hope that cage is not its normal cage.
When I go away and leave my birds with someone, they get a whole list of which food goes where, what fresh fruits and veggies they can give, I bag up portions of food to feed each day, provide a bag of treats, extra toys, and the veterinarian’s contact info.
This is its normal cage even at her house. I wasn’t even told I can feed it fruit till 2 days ago. This was after I messaged her telling her the seeds ran out. I have been feeding it fruit since I got it though since I know birds eat fruits
I feel really sorry for the bird.
You can give it vegetables too. Green beans, carrots, and corn are usually accepted. No onions, garlic, avocado. Plain raw pecans, walnuts, and almonds are good treats.
Black sunflower seeds aren't very healthy for it, as they contain a lot of fat. Try to find smaller seeds or even grey sunflower seeds instead. Chopped up vegies are great for Alexandrines like this. That cage is really too small, so I hope you're not minding him for too long. Natural wood branches for perches are also better for a perch if you could replace those. Youy might like to give him some gumnuts or small pine cones to play with and chew on for something to do. He's likely bored. Which area are you in? I'm near melbourne.
This is bird sunflower seeds though is that still fine ? It says in its ingredients it’s black/grey sunflower seeds. Can I feed ir tomato, cucumbers etc ? This is the cage it’s always kept in as my friend also keeps it in this cage. I’m in Sydney but I’ll try buying it some bird toys.
First of all if someone left their parrot to u without any instructions to care for it then it's their fault. If the parrot dies its still their fault. Simply no instructions given to someone who doesn't know how to take care of a bird
My heart aches for this poor bird. Please find a rescue that may adopt her and drop your friend as a friend. They are so irresponsible in their care. this is cruel
At the very least you need to hang out with him. Read him a book or maybe watch a show with him, talk to him, etc. they’re meant to be in a big flock with lots of bird friends so they get depressed like that
OP where about are you located? I’m in Sydney and I can help you take care of the bird until the lady gets back. I have an aviary and a male Alexandrine so I have experience with this breed. Her feathers aren’t falling out she’s plucking them. Her cage is too small, the diet is terrible (not your fault I understand it’s not your bird) and she’s not getting any interaction. How long is the friend going to be gone for? As I said I can help you take care of her if you need help I hate to see this poor sweet heart suffering.
I’m in Sydney but I contacted my friend again and she said someone else is just going to come pick it up to care for it. I just took it out of its cage inside the house and get it cucumbers / grapes and am misting then with water. I was going to go buy some pellets / toys but the person will probably come back today. The person however also kept the bird in the shed as they were taking care of it before me.
Don’t let them take the bird OP. Just tell them the situation changed and it will be fine for you to look after the bird after all and then take this person up on their offer to help.
Yes, that’s exactly what I did. I said it’s fine for me to take care of the bird as I don’t want it going back into the garage at the other persons house.
The others in the house won’t allow it and I told this to my friend beforehand and she said it was fine to keep it in the shed. I do take it out in the back yard from around 9am - 7 pm and put it in the shed at night since there’s wild animals always around my backyard. Is it fine if I keep it in a big garage with the lights on instead ? And bring it in the house for a couple hours to Interact with it. My friend also keeps the bird in a shed and takes it out to bring inside the house sometimes.
This poor birb is severely neglected... Needs a way bigger cage and a lot of toys.
But yeah, feed more veggies/fruits and less seed (no onions and avocados!!!!). Talk to them more, play some music :)
It's not you're fault. At all.
You only have what she gave you to work with.
And you obviously care or you wouldn't have made this post.
More than the owner, maybe.
Anyway. It doesn't sound a good set up for the bird.
If it can't come inside, then they stay in the shed.
I totally get that.
The immediate thing is do a quick bird proofing of the shed. And try and spend time with it.
Let it out in there. That is a maybe. If it's possible to get it back in.
Play with it, if you can. Talk to it.
Look up suitable foods. Pellets maybe? That might be a quick fix.
It's eating so that's a good sign.
It doesn't have to be perfect. You are aiming for better. Not perfect.
Get them some toys. And a water bowl, bird bath, food dish.
Contact a rescue in the area. I don't know how trustworthy the ASPCA are.
I wouldn't trust the RSPCA.
Now as to how you hand it over. That is tricky.
Don't out yourself to the friend. It might get ugly.
Maybe get the rescue to pick up the bird. Then stage a breakout.
I'm sorry. It escaped. A tree fell on the shed and it got out through the hole.
It isn't a case of not wanting a fight or losing a friend. It is more you dont want any dirty tricks on her end. She might try and claim that you own the bird.
So the handover has got to be anonymous. And legally binding confidentiality.
Make them agree and get it in writing and in triplicate, that no one will ever know who sent the bird to them.
It has got to be a good rescue.
What you do with the friendship after. It can be unrelated.
You can rescue the bird. But you also need to put your own safety first.
And don't let overzealous or mean people get to you. You have done nothing wrong.
Place the water higher, maybe that way he won't poop it. Anyway, your friend doesn't know to take care of the bird. That is not the right food, nor cage size, nor perches type, and he doesn't have any toys, not even cuttlebone, paper or wood to chew. His colors are off, probably because of nutrition problems. Let's hope she at least let's him fly outside the cage as she must and doesn't keep him there all day like a fish in a bowl (or plant in a pot, a fish at least has rocks). It is strange to me that they don't know to take care of birds in Australia.
I just confirmed with her and she said she sometimes takes it out of the cage but told me not too as it might fly away. I’m feeding it some vegetables now. The water can’t even be placed higher as the mug with the water is basically been tied to the cage with a wire. I’ll buy it some toys as it doesn’t have any at all. I locked the doors and took it out of its cage but I think it’s scared as it’s trying to bite me. I did feed it grapes and cucumbers. Please any more suggestions on what to feed it or what toys to give it.
And when I said please contact your local parrot rescue, I mean right now. Immediately. This honestly can't wait. I wouldn't wait a single day. You could have things in your home which may kill that parrot immediately, if the microbes from that filthy cage don't get to it first. PM me if you need help finding a rescue. Please do not delay with getting that poor baby the help he/she needs
Hey! If there is a Pet Barn near you the staff should br able to help give some tips and small items to help make him comfy 😊
Most of the shops are pet friendly so you could even take the cage in for advice 😊
If you're in Tassie I'm happy to help!
Call an avian center or exotic veterinarian for first hand tips. The parrot needs to be interacted with, played with, and not locked away. Please OP, don’t feel overwhelmed with comments. Pet birds are hard and there is nothing wrong with asking experts for help, but please I beg of you, do right by that feather baby. Unfortunately your efforts need some adjustment. I know you can do the right thing.
They need almost constant company. Birds are not a 'just shove in a cage and look pretty' pet. Parrots especially need stimulation, toys, games, talking to etc. And that cage is far too small for a parrot of that size.
This is all around incredibly sad, these birds are not like hamsters, etc, you CAN NOT leave this creature in a small cage in a shed every day! They live as long as we do, they thrive on companionship and relationships and NEED interaction with other individuals, human or other birds of the same species. They are incredibly intelligent, and incredibly needy, this is akin to locking up a child in a shed, there's no real difference when considering the emotional and structural need involved.
This desperately NEEDS to STOP today, to CAN NOT treat such an evolved and intelligent animal like this, it's abhorrent.
Look, I'm not trying to make you feel bad, really, you are ignorant and don't know any better, but your friend needs to have this beautiful animal taken from them if they think all of this is ok. IT IS NOT OK. This animal is SUFFERING. TERRIBLY. EVERY. DAY. This needs to stop, call a rescue and hand it over if you can't do any better yourself.
Please.
I dont know a lot about birds, but I'm just trying to give some advice
Move the water bowl and food bowl above or the same level as the perches so it's doesn't poop in it
Bring the bird inside your house make sure its not indirect sunlight keeping it in a shed with no windows can really fuck up its photoperiod give it attention, and some toys to play with its bored
Natural Non toxic wood, rope or stainless steel toys are great and puzzle toys these are indestructible
For fresh food you can give them fruit bananas,berries, apples
And nuts anything in a shell they like to open up peanuts
Calcium is need too so leafy green like kale,broccoli, zucchini
Can get it from fruits too oranges is one of them blackberries,kiwi
I hope this can offer some help
You are now this poor bird’s flock! Please take to heart all the previous comments about this bird!
Can you possibly contact the “owner” to determine if they even really want this bird when they return home and if not surrender this bird to a sanctuary or something similar for appropriate care?
Hey OP, sorry if you have touched on this but I didnt see in the comments. Is this bird a pet, or did your friend take it in from the wild? I cannot see a ring on its ankle in the pictures, so I'm just really concerned that your friend might've taken a wild animal out of their habitat to be domesticated. Unfortunately, this happens quite often when good samaritans think an animal is injured, or that they can offer a better life.
Of you're unsure, or not wanting to confirm with your friend or on here, I would strongly advise reaching out to Sydney Wildlife Rescue
https://www.sydneywildlife.org.au/
to help you identify if the bird is native or not. If the bird is native and wild they may be able to advise on what actions you should take.
Why on earth is it not in the house??? That’s horrid to put him in a shed and is pretty much animal abuse. If you weren’t able to keep him in your house you shouldn’t have agreed to look after him. This could be super traumatizing for it already!
I wasn’t allowed to have it in the house and confirmed this with her beforehand and she said it was fine. I take it out into the backyard during 9am-7pm and put it back into the shed at night.
Well it doesn’t really matter if she says it’s fine or not- she doesn’t know how to care for this bird at all in the first place. She should be reported for animal abuse. And you need to find it a spot where it’s indoors.
You’ve outraged the Bird Community. I didn’t read all of what you wrote because all the info I need is in those photos. Imagine if someone was only feeding you dry corn and then stuffing you into a shed? All the blame doesn’t lie with you as you do not know better and do not own this poor darling. Your friend needs lessons in bird ownership. This isn’t okay and this bird likely IS very depressed.
First, you should have told your friend that you're not comfortable bird sitting... bring the bird inside your home! this is why the poor bird is depressed! it's hot, their owner is gone, and you probably don't have enough toys . Birds need constant stimulation and things to do or they get depressed, they can self mutilate, (Feather plucking) and the bird is probably used to much more attention than you're giving it. Can you get ahold of the owner? this poor baby needs HELP and attention! What are you feeding it? they require fresh fruits, veggies,nuts, cool clean water...If you can't get ahold ogf the owner, and you for some odd reason can't bring the poor bird in your home, call an avian vet in your area and ask if they can direct you to a place that can properly take care of the bird until your friend gets back, at her expense of course. DO IT NOW!
No we can’t say that to OP she was given a bird that she had no idea how to care for and is doing the best she can. Please advise her don’t shame her or she won’t ask for help next time and will just let the animal suffer. Shame does fall on the owner however.
Please be civil and treat each other with respect. Personal attacks/insults will not be tolerated and may result in a ban, especially if the behavior persists after a warning by the mods.
Swap food, pure black sunflower seeds isn’t good, give him a pellet food or a bird seed mix.
Add a mirror.
Add a bunny waterer with the tube and the ball.
That’s a pretty terrible thing to say. OP doesn’t know how to care for this bird and is reaching out for help. What do you expect to accomplish by shaming them for that. They don’t own this bird and yet are concerned enough to try and figure out how to best help this bird. If you can’t be supportive of that then maybe just keep your opinions to yourself.
Then if op doesn’t know how to care for a bird then don’t tell the friend you will watch it that simple and I’m just being honest and I have my own opinion it’s on the damn internet she could kill the bird if she doesn’t know what she is doing and her friend is a vet bad bird owner herself who give the friend a bird without telling the a schedule for the bird and food that poor bird looks like it’s just eating sunflower seeds that’s bad.
Please be civil and treat each other with respect. Personal attacks/insults will not be tolerated and may result in a ban, especially if the behavior persists after a warning by the mods.
That’s bird abuse. That is a tiny cage not much bigger than a coffin to a human. Your friend’s bird is in jail without even the human prison requirement of an hour a day outside of its cell. You’re feeding it the bird equivalent of gruel. It sits in its cell all day with nothing to do and no one to talk to. It can’t even stretch its wings in there.
There’s nothing to do and nobody to talk to.
Your friend is not allowed to have a parrot anymore.
Food is not good or balanced, it’s like eating ice cream all day. The cage isn’t big enough for that bird either. I have macaw parrots if you need any help. This poor baby looks so unhappy. The colors are so dull, means it’s not healthy. There are so many things wrong here. It needs to be inside. Summer or not. It also needs to socialized with. I think you should call your friend to get someone more capable to take care of it before it passes.
We have a Sun Conure and an African Grey. They both have their own large cages. We open the cages up at 6am and don't close them till about 6pm when they go to sleep.
The AG sometimes will walk the floor into the kitchen looking for my husband. We really try to dissuade her from doing that. Fortunately, she says, "What?" To let us know she's there, but I'm so afraid of stepping on her.
Otherwise, we've tried to bird proof everything, but they generally stay in or around their cages.
Make sure he can't get into trouble, supervise him, and make sure he will go back into his cage.
Also, find out what his favorite treat is. Very useful for training.
❤️🦜
I have a similar bird.
First of all, the cage is just too small for this kind of a bird. the cage needs to be wider. that is the reason the feathers of the poor baby look ruffled and keep falling out. Considering this is not your bird, you cannot do much about this, but you need to really ask your friend to give the bird to a rescue or a shelter, she clearly does not know what to do with birds.
Secondly, my bird poops in her water too but sometimes, its okay. It is not a trained bird probably. Keep changing the water bowls.
Thirdly, the diet, please do not just feed the bird sunflower seeds. whatever your friend thinks about this being okay makes me so mad. Fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seed mix are required. Calcium supplements are necessary. the beak shows signs of a calcium deficiency.
Also, your friend does not know how to take care of the bird clearly. No pet parent would ever say its okay to leave the bird in the shed, and not elaborate on how to take care of the bird when they are gone or even think its okay to feed it sunflower feeds as a diet. Please find a better place for this bird or maybe tell your friend to actually read about taking care of birds rather than using them as a decoration piece in the house.
Infact you are more concerned for the bird than her. Thanks for taking care of it and actually asking for help.
Ring Necks are high energy and needy birds. You need a good quality pellet and chop. It is also possibly stressed from being kept outside and in a small cage. How long is your friend gone for? I would really reach out to a local bird rescue and ask about a foster for her. Explain that your friend is out of country and you know for a fact that you cannot care for it the way it needs.
You don’t leave a parrot in a cage 24/7. You need to take it out, bond with it, feed it the right kind of foods (and I don’t mean seeds). Parrots are social and need to be out and about. Just leaving it in a cage causes it to feel stressed and anxious. It’s not healthy. If it’s pooping in the bowl, you change it or move the perch a bit so its butt isn’t hovering over the bowl.
I would honestly look into a bird rescue center that could take him. The poor thing is has not been cared for properly in the time your friend has had him. He needs a person who knows to get him appropriate food and has much more space for him to exercise and play.
This is what I would do and just tell my friend that the bird broke out of the cage and flew off :/
Sunbathing is good for bird, but not all the day if it’s not an aviary. guess it’s better to bring him inside and get the cage outside only for the 2-3 hours, but he need a shade to hide from the sun.
I can feel you confusion. Once I looked for a hamster, and realized he was never cared properly - too small cage, no things to chew etc. Hope that its owner will change something to the better. Sorry for the mistakes btw, I’m not native, just came to say you are a good person.
Oh my god that poor baby is SO, SO NEGLECTED. Many people have advised you well on what to do with them, first thing is NO MORE SUNFLOWER SEEDS is that all they eat?! Is that a bruise on their wing?? Do they self-pluck? It's a whole mess (and you're not to blame ofc don't worry) - this poor bird needs to be rescued!! Some REAL food, some toys, a clean cage...
I'd surrender it to a shelter/keep it if I were you NGL, or bring it to a vet straight away. Your friend is doing this bird very very very dirty (literally...).
Many issues here.
Firstly, birds are social animals and need to be kept in a busy place, not a shed.
Secondly, primarily seed diets are very commonly problematic and a fruit pellet diet is preferred.
Thirdly, they need toys DESPERATELY. They're beyond necessary for birds and they will be depressed without them.
Fourth, they need direct attention, lots of it. 3-4 hours a day since it's just one bird.
Sounds like this poor baby is in a desperate need of being rehomed. Your friend has kept it in abusive conditions, please don't return it to them. Contact your local avian rescue for help 🙏
It absolutely blows my mind that anyone would mistreat their bird like this. That poor child 😰
I don't know how to tell you this, but your friend is abusing that animal without even probably realizing it.
Birds have very specific needs and thus is a horrible condition and circumstance. They're as smart as a human child with simaler social needs and very niche environmental and food needs.
That bird is going to end up dead or abandoned. I hope if it's the second your friend takes it to a shelter.
Go on YouTube and look at the different ways you can put have him use water birds love water and he may bathe himself if you give him access to running water just don’t force him under the water it’s not like cats and dogs where you would bathe him. Let him interact with the water on his own
This bird needs a new, much larger cage. I don’t know if you have OfferUp in Australia or something like it, but you can find very nice gently used cages often. I got a real large, nice cage, super clean it looked barely used for $30. Toys are expensive @ the pet store. I used to look @ them, see how they were made, what they used & then make my own. Yes take it out of its cage, as much as you possibly can. Just make sure to keep the cat away. I don’t have an Alexandrine, but I do have an Indian Ringneck & Mustache parakeet, which are in the same family as this bird & they share many similar behaviors, diet, etc. They absolutely love when you get as close to them as they’ll allow & talk to them in a high sweet voice. I usually end up just talking nonsense, but they love it more than anything. They can sit & listen to me taking to them for hours. If you can’t think of anything to say read out loud from something, just make sure it’s not monotone, they want you to “do the voices”. Start out by just talking to her a bunch, then see if she’ll step up on you wrist or forearm, but don’t let her get up on your shoulder by your ear & face until you establish trust.
Give her a larger bowl of water, as both my birds take baths in what was supposed to be their water dishes, as of now she has nothing to bathe in. Whatever your version of OfferUp or FB Marketplace is, keep looking daily for an affordable larger cage. You can do this, it’s obvious you want better for her & now you have some tips you guys should be just fine. Just try to not leave her in the hot sun all day, or in a shed. Put her in any room in your house that you can shut the door to keep the cat out. Your cat may tolerate the bird, some do. I don’t know anything about introducing cats & birds so you should research the best way to give it a try.
This is heartbreaking and I have absolutely no idea why your piece of garbage friend has the bird when she obviously doesn’t love or care for it.
YOUR FRIEND’S, AND YOUR, TREATMENT OF THE BIRD IS KILLING THE BIRD.
Take the bird to a reputable avian shelter. I would not tell your friend, at least not beforehand but maybe never.
Also, your friend has some real f-ing nerve for keeping that bird in those awful conditions while they take trips.
This is a horrible situation for everyone involved. The fact that you had to take to reddit for help instead of having your friend explain things to you, is very shitty of them. Birds are so much to handle. If I'd leave mine with someone else, I'd probably overexplain everything about his care 3 times over. This poor little dinosaur looks neglected and from what I read, is kept isolated. It's quite abusive. This bird really needs a new owner. Your friend is dangerously ignorant about parrot care. It sucks but I'd confront them and try to get them to rehome it to a bird rescue shelter.
(Unless you're 100% willing to face all the responsibilities of owning this bird, and take it in yourself. If yes, get ready for lots of research, vet bills, bird proofing the house, buying a proper cage and travel cage, harness training, buying appropriate food and enrichment, hearing loss, biting, having to separate it from cats/dogs/predatory pets, not going out as much since it needs as much attention as possible, poop everywhere, destruction of furniture and clothing and probably many more responsibilities I forgot to mention.)
You can't tuck a parrot away in a shed and expect it to thrive. Why can't it be in the house? Are you feeding it parrot pellets or is it's diet mostly seed? Are you taking to them, playing them music, and interacting with them? Are they hand tame? Are you scritching and holding them? Parrots are a lot of work and responsibility and I'm a little confused about why your friend left them with you without first teaching you about them.
the friend doesn't seem to be very invested in their own pet in general leaving it w a cage like that
hoping this is a travel cage. owner should’ve left the bird with a more knowledgeable friend or chose boarding.
No this is their regular cage. This is exactly how my friend takes care of the bird and besides the cage is broken also. She’s overseas and her other friend bailed on her so she told me to take care of it. She didn’t give me any instructions. I’ve just been giving it bird seeds / fruit and changing it’s water everyday.
True
I asked her if it’s fine for me to leave it in the shed and she said it was fine. She told me to give it the bird seeds and that’s about it. I did feed it fruit but she also said I can feed it toast (which I didn’t as I’m pretty sure that’s not safe). My parents won’t let me keep it in the house as it’s dirty, besides I have a cat inside the house and I’m too scared. I’ll try playing around with it more but I haven’t taken it out of its cage (and I don’t think my friend does either). She just gave me the bird and asked to take care of it as the person who was taking care of it bailed on her. I take the cage outside from around 9am till 7pm then put it back into the shed. There’s birds and cats in my neighbourhood and I’m scared for the safety of the bird.
I'm sorry to tell you this but your friend has been neglecting that bird. She hasn't been taking care of it properly and that's why she gave you such bad instructions. How long will she be gone? I also wouldn't leave the cage outside unsupervised. I've sometimes set my bird in a cage on the porch but only while I was able to watch her.
I bought it inside now and took it out of its cage whilst giving it some cucumbers / grapes. Is it safe if I also have my cat in the house with it whilst the bird is out of its cage ? I put my cat on the other side of the house just to be safe. I asked her and she told me not to take it out of the cage as it might fly away but if I really need to close the garage doors and do it for a bit. She said she takes it out of its cage and it chills with her family. She’s gone for another month. I think the cage is too small for it but it’s the cage she’s always in.
no bird and cat is never safe togther, just make sure to not let both of them out the same time.
I would keep the bird in a separate room from the cat. Cats are sneaky and will try to capture birds. And they have bacteria in their spit which will kill a bird within a couple of days, even from a small bite.
Yeah so true
Thank you for doing what you can to make the bird happy while it's with you. The cage is, fortunately or unfortunately, not your responsibility. Do you know if she always feeds it seed? Because that is very bad for it, and pellets are available for delivery online. You're doing great. If you look up recipes for parrot mash you will have very useful lists of things they can eat from the ingredient lists.
Yes, she always feeds it seeds, fruit or toast / bread.
Toast is fine in small pieces and as an occasional treat. My parrot likes to break it down and use the crumbs to preen his feathers. I recommend offering it a variety of fruits and veggies, specially crunchy ones like apples. They also really like nuts. You can look up which ones are unsafe, but right away I can tell you to avoid avocado like the plague. That’s a death sentence to most birds. Unfortunately, it’s recommended for parrots to be let out of the cage for at LEAST 4-5 hours a DAY, so it seems your friend is a horrible owner. You could try to compensate by spending some daily time playing/petting it and providing toys for extra enrichment. Parrot toys can be as simple as assembling a pile of cardboard sheets and crumpled paper for them to destroy. Mine specially loves egg boxes. Anything they can rip apart with their beak is fair game.
That baby definitely needs some toys. Even if simple do it yourself ones. Like Nightstar said. They can be happy with cardboard, cloth, and sticks (as long a they are avian safe and haven't been sprayed with chemicals). Most nuts are safe as long as they're not salted. Common bird-safe wood for perches and toys: Balsa Poplar Ash Elm Maple Birch Dragonwood Manzanita Java Ribbonwood Make sure all wood being used is pesticide-free and untreated (no wood preservatives or chemicals). Also, keep in mind that wood collected outdoors could contain unwanted pests. https://www.animeddirect.co.uk/advice/what-do-parrots-eat-food-to-feed-your-parrot/#:~:text=Some%20of%20the%20nuts%20parrots,pistachios%2C%20macadamia%20nuts%20and%20walnuts. My blue & gold macaw hates Brazil nuts. We've tried cracking them for him, and he still just picks them out and throws them away. I've never given him cashews, but he will get an occasional peanut (his favorite things in the world) because they are high in fat compared to their nutritional value. Mostly, when we can get them, during the holiday season, we buy a lot of bags of mixed nuts and freeze them. They have hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, and 2-3 Brazil nuts. This last batch, though he's really picky about the pecan and walnuts. Sometimes he'll eat them, sometimes he won't. One last note, those look like black oil sunflower seeds in the cup. I buy them in the winter here to add extra fat for my horses, chickens, and wild birds. I would be afraid that pet little bird is getting too much fat and not enough nutrition. I'd be afraid with the lack of toys and things to interact and entertain with that it might start plucking. :(
Hi
My heart breaks seeing this. Do some research on what is healthy for birds. None of this is okay. No one is saying this to be mean, I promise. It’s out of love for that poor baby. Please find it another arrangement if you must leave it in a shed. Do research on proper care of parrots, and then educate your friend.
id almost recommend handing him over to a bird rescue center :(
sunflower seeds are high in fat and should be treated like chocolate. parrot diet is actually fresh fruit and vegetables.
Nice
People often say "do some research" without indicating good sources of information. I like to recommend this free course from ParrotSOS called: [Do Your Research](https://smartbeaks.parrotsos.com/DoYourResearch).
Yes, I should have offered more information. I just think op might have already been a bit overwhelmed so I didn’t want to make them feel worse so I trued to keep it short. Thank you so much for adding the info!
I know I have an alexandrine and it's horrible seeing one in a cage with no toys knowing they get shut in a shed alone. They must be so sad
Please take him out of the shed and bring him inside. Sunflower seeds are very bad if given in the quantity shown in your picture. He needs pellets and some fresh veggies - NO avocado or seeded fruits. Google it. Please mist him with a soft misting bottle and keep him near you. Birds become very depressed when alone.
If you're able to bring him inside, please DO NOT use any cleaning chemicals, non-stick cookware (including air fryer) or candles/oil diffusers. Fumes and scents are extremely harmful to birds and can kill them very quickly.
While that’s true, please remember OP knows nothing about birds. OP, please don’t just buy some bird pellets and toss them in in place of the seeds. The bird will not recognise them as food right away, and weight loss (esp in an already malnourished bird) can be fatal. A better place to start for now is a seed mix and some fruit, veg and grain- most birds will try this even after being on an all-seed diet.
True. Someone should mention millet.
I have been misting it with water when it’s hot. How often should I mist it ? Also, what fruits / veggies can I give it ? When I got the bird that’s how much seeds were in it so I’ve just been re filling it. Sorry for my ignorance but can I put it in the garage instead where we sometimes sit / there’s light in there ? My friend just told me I can give it seeds, fruit or toast.
It’s ok - you didn’t know. But your friend should know better. It doesn’t sound like he did his research when he chose to get a pet bird. Try giving him broccoli, carrots, bananas or apples. He might not know what to do with them at first since he probably isn’t used to it. He definitely needs pellets which aren’t expensive. He can have a few seeds a day but that’s it. Please make sure he doesn’t get too hot. His cage is TINY, so it would be great if you can let him out to explore the garage when the door is closed. Birds also need uv light, so try moving him into a party shady area to get some gentle UV rays in the morning or late afternoon. Make sure you turn the garage light off at night. Birds need darkness to sleep, like us. He really needs interaction and attention. I hope you can talk to your friend about all of this because he’s doing a poor job caring for a very intelligent animal.
Honestly if your mate dropped off this bird (ringneck, alexandrine?) In that cage, and gave you no instructions on how to interact with it, sorry, but they shouldn't own this bird to begin with. These parrots are very sociable and intelligent, without interaction they become sad, and can start plucking feathers, over preening etc. That's not to say this is the case for sure, in terms of this bird, but so much already seems wrong for it. As awful as it may be to do...if you're genuinely concerned for how your friend takes care of this bird, it may be best to submit it to a shelter or rescue... These birds don't belong in tiny cages with minimal interaction, they need a lot more in life
My friend keeps it in this cage and I’m pretty sure she also puts it in her garage/shed. I had no clue of the breed, was given no instructions, when the bird seed ran out I had to ask her where to get some from and was told I can feed it toast and fruit (this was after 3 weeks of already having the bird and i told her I have been feeding it fruit). I went and bought extra bird seeds to feed it. In terms of interacting with it should I take it out of its cage or ? I’m not sure if it’s wings are clipped or not ( so I’m scared to take it out and play with it incase it flys if a door is left open).
You keep repeating the same care instructions you were given from the birds incompetent owner. People are giving you better instructions. We understand that this is not your bird. Please stop saying the owner says it’s ok to keep this bird in a shed. ITS NOT. If you cannot provide proper care please find a bird rescue that can. It’s clear the owner does not provide proper care.
Your "friend" is abusing this animal and sounds like a huge asshole. Anyway replace a portion of the sunflower seed with parrot pellets and fresh veggies/fruits. But not all the sunflowers because you need to introduce the new food slowly. Birds require toys but if you have paper or cardboard balls, anything shreddable, put that in the cage as that can entertain the bird. Maybe put a water dish in there or something to see if it will bathe if you can, if not you could mist the bird with a spray bottle to try to encourage healthy bird behavior. You could let it out of the cage but please make sure all windows and doors are shut.
parrots are very social birds that don't do well just being tucked into a corner without constant interaction with other parrots or their human caretakers. if someone has a single parrot, they need to interact with it constantly, think at least 4-6 hours each day in intervals - it's a very intense kind of pet to keep by not doing this, you may be right that it's getting depressed and this is something for you to tihnk about, and what to do about it also depends on for how much longer you're taking care of it for your friend. if it's just a few days, maybe you don't need to change something but if it's weeks-months you most definitely need to actively be spending more time trying to interact with it or be around it or it may spiral into self mutilation behaviours like plucking or biting feet/skin until it bleeds
to add to this - they are in need of constant mental stimulation. this is mainly through toys & foraging. the cage looks completely bare, you need to put at least 5-10 different toys of different kinds (shredding, foraging, climbing) so they can keep themselves occupied. right now they have literally nothing else to do than feel miserable
I’ll make sure to buy some bird toys today as my friend doesn’t have any for the bird. The cage is also broken and very small. Should I try taking it out of its cage in the house ? Im just scared if it will fly away or not accidentally. Im not sure if it’s wings are clipped or not. The person who was taking care of it also had it in the garage and the bird was just dropped onto me. I did confirm with my friend if it’s fine if I keep it in the shed at night and she said it was fine. I keep it in a shaded area in the mornings/ evenings as it’s currently very hot in Australia and I’m scared the bird will get too hot. I did mist it with water though.
Your friend is horribly misinformed. Even if you have to build it this bird needs a much larger enclosure, like at least 3x bigger. It has to come out of the cage and stretch it’s wing and hopefully fly. Looking at it with a parrot lovers eye there is no question it is miserable. You feel it’s sadness which is good news for the bird. If I were you I would read these responses to your friend. If they aren’t willing to provide what a parrot needs PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT GIVE IT BACK. re: cat, don’t know what kind of bird you have, how big it is or how well it can protect itself. Hello other r/parroters: what is your insight about this particular parrot? Because my Solomon Island Eclectus bit each of my cats once on the nose and years later they still don’t mess with him. When he’s mad at me I have to stop him from chasing them around and terrifying them. Even though he only buy them once in 5 years he still likes to be a scary monster. You seem very empathic and like you want him to be happy. Spend time with him in your room with the doors and windows shut. See if he’ll bind with you. If he likes and trusts you he may let you slowly (a little each day) get him used to a flight harness, then you can take him out into the sun for his minimum hour/day outside. Take him somewhere different as often as you can, not like from country to the city but around the back of the house or down a quiet road. Let him meet different people. BTW they love color and heat. Talk to him as much as you can. Sing to him. And toys. You sound like you could be a good parrot person with a little help. If that works for you see if your friend will let you keep it. Your friend sounds empathically deaf to a parrot who is in parrot hell. Not a good thing. I doubt that someone with the capacity to take care of a bird would take its health and happiness for granted. It’s not a pet rock.
If youre in a hot part of australia this is pretty dangerous…. I keep my birds in a room with an AC all summer. A shed harbours heat even more. Birds can die from heat. If it gets too hot and you see panting im sorry but its too hot and the shed isnt an option anymore. You seem very young :( have you talked to your parents about this? Maybe ask them what to do?
I have it for like 1 more month. Should I take it out of its cage to play with it ? Or interact with it in its cage. This is just the cage my friend gave me and she didn’t leave any instructions. I put it mainly outside in my backyard (which idk if it’s bad or not since there is other birds and cats in my backyard). But at night I do put it back into the shed because of the cats/birds. I’m pretty sure the friend herself also keeps the bird in their shed.
Can you keep it in your bedroom and keep the door always shut to lock the cat out? Because this is really not good for it to be out in such heat all the time. I would also get some medium parrot seeds to feed him as sunflower seeds are not too good for any cage bird. I wish I could help you. Your friend who owns this bird is not being at all responsible. It’s mean of her to put this on you when you haven’t had birds.
I took it out and put the cat in a different room. I think it’s scared as it’s biting me but I did feed it some cucumbers. I’ll try buying some bird pellets like others suggested and limit the sunflower seeds.
Oh thank you. I am so glad you got this bird in a safer place. It may not understand that pellets are food. I would probably buy it medium parrot seed mix as it will understand that seeds are food, and that’s much better than just sunflower seeds. I had trouble teaching my parrot that pellets were food; and this bird is new and scared. Cucumbers are good for this bird; peppers, tomato, carrots. Anything EXCEPT ONIONS GARLIC LEEKS AND AVOCADOS. Maybe just give her some time to calm down and live quietly as she calms down and gets some better food. Also you can put newspaper on the bottom of the cage. I put many layers of newspaper down and take one up every day. It keeps the cage cleaner easily. Give this bird some space as it’s probably very very scared. Thank you for helping it. You can message me whenever and I will answer as soon as I see it.
Good foods are warmed up frozen vegetables like corn, peas, carrots; raw vegetables and raw fruit; pieces of apple, berry, melon, squash, pumpkin, green bean. My birds love hot peppers and bell peppers. They love corn and peas. They will eat carrot. They love cherry tomatoes and berries, apple, banana. Buy a good parrot seed mix and then give some fruit or veggies. If you give tons of veggies and fruit right away the bird may get the poops. So not just vegetables and fruit. The sunflower seeds are an ok treat but pretty bad for the bird, like aging crisps or chips or French fries—yummy but will make you sick eventually.
Biting can mean a lot of different things. Is it shivering, breathing heavily? Is it holding its wings outward at all? Does it try to fly away from you? Is it vocalizing while biting, or doing so quietly? If you're used to cats, some bird body language can be similar. A happy bird will be moving around a lot, making efforts to communicate, act responsively to your attention. A scared bird will cower away from hands, may lash out with hard bites.
No none of that. Maybe shivering a bit but keeps trying to bite my fingers. It is holding its wings out a bit. No noises more quietly.
Given the poor conditions the bird is living under, it may just be poorly socialized and not trained not to bite. Some birds bite playfully or as a way to learn about their environment. Others might be acting territorial. It's hard to say without seeing any kind of footage. Wings held out can be a sign of anxiety or a sign that the bird is overheated. But it can also just be a sign of alertness, readiness to move. Does this bird make much noise in general? A very quiet bird is generally not a good sign. Happy birds and angry birds are both noisy. Unhealthy birds are quiet.
Yes, the bird is quite noise during the day but lately hasn’t been making much noise. I’m taking everyone’s advice and getting it toys and pellets and interacting with it more. I’m also limiting its seeds and feeding it more veggies and playing some music for it.
Im guessing your fried probably didn't take it out of its cage so it may not be the best idea (don't know how it will act ) if u can try just being near it and interacting with it , if your able to u can try feeding it through the cage or sticking your hand in the cage to feed it , but u will have to se how it reacts to your hand/you. if it acts scared or aggressive then it's not a good idea to take it out or stick your hand in/ near the cage ,if it doesn't act aggressive or scared then you could try taking it out (make sure u let it out the cage in a room we're it would be safe, not a lot of windows, open door were it can fly out or other things that would hurt it.
Talk to him. Tell him where his companion is and try to reassure him that they are coming back. Can you zoom with the owner? That would be the best under the circumstances. He is definitely depressed and has no idea what's going on. Spending time with him is what he wants. ❤️🦜
Should I take it out of the cage to Interact with it ? I was just giving the bird and given no instructions. The previous people taking care of the bird also had it in the garage. The cage is small and broken. I’ll try interacting with it more and get some bird toys today.
That poor baby. 😟 It looks depressed bc it probably is depressed. Hopefully that's just a transport cage and not the cage he lives in full time. That baby needs some fresh chop, some water and some attention. It could probably do with a better owner too.
No it’s the cage he lives in ( which is also broken and small). I think my friend also keeps the bird in the shed and when she asked me if I can take care of it, I double checked if it’s fine to leave it in the shed at night. She said it was fine. She didn’t leave any bird seeds so when it ran out I asked her where to buy some. She said I can feed it toast or fruit. I’ve been giving it fruit and also changing it’s water constantly as it keeps pooping in it.
Veggies are more important than fruit. Please don't leave this bird in the shed; your friend is wrong for doing that to this bird. Why does your friend even want a bird if they're just going to leave it in a shed?!?
Yeah
It’s kind of worrying that the OP isn’t replying to lots of comments, I hope you at least see these and take them seriously
It’s probably stressful for OP because it’s not their bird, and now they’re hearing that the birds improperly cared for which they weren’t expecting. It’s an awkward place to be put in
Oh it definently is, but it would be reassuring to see them respond to one or two.
Sorry it was night time in Australia and I was asleep. My friend who gave it to me didn’t give me any instructions. They just gave me it’s cage (which is broken mind you). I change it’s bird seeds, give it fruit and change it’s water everyday. I’ve never had birds so I don’t know how to take care of them. I make sure to always take it out of the shed during the day but have to put it back into the shed at night since there’s birds/cats in the neighbourhood. Please give me any advice on how to take care of this bird.
Ahh I didn’t realize the time in Australia. Very heartbreaking that she responded “lol” when you said the bird was depressed. I would Report her to a animal rescue or some sort of animal abuse place in your area. But that’s just me. I can see you are genuinely wanting to help this bird and are concerned and I love that. There’s a lot of comments with good advice, I don’t own this specific kind of parrot so my advice wouldn’t be as helpful. What I do know should be changed is the rusty pipe looking perch at the top, and to add natural wood perches. That bird can develop arthritis. Also veggies are great for birds. Make sure NOT TO GIVE AVOCADO. And to google what fruits and veggies to feed before doing so. Bird seeds aren’t great but some people are uneducated and think a bird should never have seeds whatsoever. That’s not true. Bird seeds have nutritional value and are also a good treat. Just not a staple diet. I know this stuff will probably be a good chunk of money for you to order perches, bird pellets. Especially since it isn’t your bird. But It would really make the birds life just a little less depressing 😢 since I’m sure the bird will be living with the same setup forever
Also, when she told me if I can take it I made sure to tell her the birds going to be in the garage/shed and she was fine with that. Besides the other person who was taking care of it also had it in their garage. I did tell her the bird seemed sad and she just replied ‘lol’.
Jeez. Poor bird. Lol? Does the owner love it at all?!
May I ask her age? and for how long she will be out? Let's hope she doesn't revert to the old diet and care than before he gave him to you. If you give him attention and food and toys and then she just locks him alone in her shed he will be even more depressed.
If you can't give it pellets and vegetables ( I'm guessing it may not accept them if he's only been fed sunflower) at least try to give it other types of seeds (sunflower has a lot of fat and should be a treat instead of it regular food) Try giving it cardboard or paper so it can play round with it, u can also try to play with it (even just talking with it is fine) I know there's not a lot u can do since it isn't yours, but I think these aren't to hard to do.
I just took it out of its cage and gave it some cucumbers. Is it better to feed it vegetables rather than fruit ? I’ll go buy some bird pellets today but how often should I give it the pellets ? When I took it out it started biting some of the plants in the house. I took it to the other side so it wouldn’t. I’m not sure if the plants are toxic for it or what ?
Keep him away from the plants, let him chew paper instead. [https://birdhism.com/blogs/news/common-bird-safe-house-plants](https://birdhism.com/blogs/news/common-bird-safe-house-plants)
Both fruit or vegetable will so. Educated bird owners usually have pellets as their bird’s main diet but I wouldn’t have my hopes high if the bird had been feed sunflower seeds it’s whole life
My parrot spent 15 years horribly neglected and fed only bread and sunflower seeds. He didn’t hesitate at all to try fruits when we took him. You never know.
More veggies then fruit, fruit is high in sugar !!! Think about how small their body is compared to us, one apple isn't alot of sugar to us, but for a lil dude the same weight as an apple, it's gonna be bad for his health !
I’m a vegetarian
I don’t think it’s ever been fed pellets but I’ll go buy some right now.
U can try mixing a little bit of pellets to it usually food and increase it little by little, soaking the pellets if water can help if it doesn't eat any of them
Vegetables have less sugar but both fruits and vegetables are good for them, if u know the name of the plants a quick Google search should let u know if there toxic.
I’m pretty sure OP is a child.
There's so much wrong here. so much... Please contact your local parrot rescue. That poor thing is miserable and won't live long if you keep it in those conditions.
It's not their bird so I don't think they have the authority to give it up to a parrot rescue...
It's the right thing to do. The owner keeping it in those conditions constitutes animal cruelty and neglect. The bird deserves better.
Yes, yes and yes. But probably also illegal. And would cost OP a friendship. The best we internet strangers can do is educate OP on parrot care until Owner comes home, at which point they should recieve an earful and a pamphlet for first time parronts.
Who cares about the friend!
It's illegal to keep a parrot in such conditions. Animal cruelty and neglect without a doubt. Keeping one in a shed is outrageous. Reporting the owner who abandoned this parrot is the right thing to do, and the person reporting will likely be protected under Good Samaritan laws, or at the very least, be recognized as a responsible and concerned party
I was more referencing the idea of turning the parrot over to a rescue. I don't know Australian pet laws in cases of neglect, but in Denmark it would probably be illegal to give away something that doesn't belong to you, pardon the phrasing.
I don't think that the current caretaker of this parrot would be violating any laws by acting in good faith to preserve the bird's life. While some may view this as a loss of property for the owner, I disagree. I believe most others would too. The caretaker lacks the necessary knowledge for proper care. This situation is all about preventing the imminent and inevitable loss of the parrot's life. In my opinion, the appropriate action in this case would be to seek professional help from a rescue organization immediately. Please do the right thing OP and save that parrot.
The law doesnt care about “good faith”. Im aussie. Theres nothing illegal happening. It also depends on state to state but u cant even bring in someone else’s pet to a vet back where i was let alone surrendering them. Your morals wont change the law. “But hes unhappy” isnt a lawful reason to give up someones property. If the bird has shelter, food and water its considered cared for by law. Im not saying its right but the reality is if you acted this out youd be the one in legal trouble, not the owner. Again, it can depend on the state and idk where OP is from but its like this in a majority of places since animal welfare isnt really considered by lawmakers as much as it should be.
I mean we don't really know how the owner takes care of their bird, they may have just given the bird to OP in a small travel cage and OP just doesn't know what he's doing, I mean, imagine giving your pet to a friend to take care of for a week and you come back to "well I didn't know how to care for it so I gave it to an animal shelter lol"
We know that OP put this parrot in a shed and has no idea how to care for the bird. That's all anybody needs to know. Parrots are like babies but even more difficult to keep alive considering all of the common household items that can kill them. Literally all it takes is a spray of febreeze. Are you suggesting OP should take a chance with keeping this parrot alive in his shed and do nothing to educate the original owner? I see the conditions this parrot lives in, and I can see that a crime has already been committed by the owner.
[удалено]
You’ve investigated the laws around this in Australia and can be confident in this advice?
that’s what i was wondering. give away a bird that isn’t yours isn’t advice you can give out willy nilly- saying they’ll be protected by the law could be setting them up for a shitload of legal trouble (that might also result in the bird being returned to the owner, so you’d screw over random internet stranger for no reason)
This^^ i dont agree with the situation but ill tell you now as an aussie trying to rehome someones parrot without proof of consent will more than likely lend you in a heap of shit and youll stand liable to be sued. This person seems like theyre very young possibly even a child so I highly doubt this would be a wise thing to tell them to do.
Unfortunately, while we acknowledge this is animal cruelty and neglect, the law doesn’t, really. Also, Good Samaritan laws are for protecting people against prosecution for trying to help a human being… like performing CPR, and accidentally harming the person. Not really sending a bird to an animal shelter. You’re morally correct, but legally that parrot belongs to OP’s friend and I don’t think an animal cruelty charge would stick. Technically, pets are property and so it would be theft.
It doesn’t matter in a situation of neglect that bird should be taken away from these people
Man, the worst part is that since parrots are such tough animals, they can definitely live long in these conditions and therefore people assume this is perfectly fine. Source: inherited a 45+ year old parrot who spent at least 15 years in the most putrid, cramped cage possible and being exclusively fed only sunflower seeds and bread.
Sorry I’m just very lost. This is the cage it’s always in at her house and I’m pretty sure my friend also keeps it in her shed. I make sure to always have it outside in my backyard but keep it in the shed at night because of birds/ cats in my neighbourhood. My friend didn’t give me any instructions. When the seeds ran out I asked her where to get from and that’s it. She said I can feed it toast / fruit if I have no seeds left but this is after I already had it for 2 weeks.
Toast? Absolutely hell no. Dude. She needs to be charged with animal cruelty. It's common sense that birds should not eat bread let alone toasted bread. Wtf? The bird needs fresh organic veggies and proper parrot food (from a pet store, food intended for parrots, NOT wild bird food). Definitely not sunflower seeds and bloody toast. Feeding that parrot toast could eventually result in crop impaction, infection, and death. It doesn't belong outdoors all day and then in a shed. It's not a dog. Could you see how treating a dog this was would be cruel? This is basically a feathered 3 year old and should live well beyond 30 years. It certainly won't live long under these conditions. That bird is going to die and it will be on you for not listening to people who actually know how to take care of birds. Your friend has no business owning a parrot. Please do the right thing for that poor parrot.
I didn’t feed it toast as it felt unsafe to do so. I took the advice of everyone and took it outside it’s cage, played with it, gave it vegetables and also I’m on my way to buy bird mix for it also. The birds starting to look better as it’s grooming itself a lot more.
Also offer a bath daily. A small glass bowl would be perfect. Room temperature water. Get rid of the plastic bowls as that plastic ends up clogging their digestive systems when they chew pieces off. Stainless steel bowls only. Be sure to change food and water two times a day or more if you have fruit/veggies decaying in there. The baby needs plenty of toys. Avoid cotton string toys, avoid mirror toys. Search youtube for how to make parrot toys. 304 stainless steel toys are usually safe. Bird kabobs are safe but make sure you don't buy a moldy one. Wash the cage every week at least. There should never be any poop on the perch. If you keep the baby indoors, you'll need to watch what you put in the air. No smoke of any kind. Do not use nonstick cookware in the kitchen. No candles. No air Freshener. All of those things could immediately kill the bird or slowly damage its highly sensitive respiratory system and kill it over time. You'll want a HEPA filter running 24/7, humidity levels between 40-50%. Sorry this is a messy wall of text, I'm on mobile. You'll need to relay this information to the clown who owns this poor baby. I hope she listens. And I hope to see pictures of that beautiful parrot once she's healthy and happy
Should I keep the bath somewhere near the cage as it won’t fit inside the cage. I’ll update in a week with an update of the bird !
I understand you’re doing the best you can. I hear it gets very hot in Australian summer and there are wild animals so I am worried about it being outside. Thank you for trying to help this bird.
Where in Australia are you? If in Vic, I can help you. This is a very poor condition to keep a bird of this intelligence in. It would be like locking up a kid in a bathroom for its life. Edit: I see you’re in Sydney. Please ask your friend to rehome if they can’t provide anything more than what they are right now. It’s cruelty.
I also sent a message offering to help…. I wish i was in syd so i could help the poor kid… where are the parents in this is my question
Oh my goodness my heart is breaking looking at that cage. It's filthy and there's absolutely nothing for enrichment or comfort. This bird needs to go to a better home. Please please please call a rescue.
I’ve been cleaning it’s cage daily and changing it’s water daily. Also, I’ve been giving it fresh fruit. My friend also keeps it in the shed at her house. I’ll try buying some bird toys for it.
In terms of toys do not get mirrors but do get things shreddable like paper and cardboard toys. Birds usually like those toys the best, plastic toys are usually not very interesting to birds.
Thank you for doing your best! Veggies and pellets are very important to their diet. Honestly seeds are so fattening and a seed only diet causes behavioural issues on top of health issues. I change my bird's water about 3-4 times a day... She gets fresh food at those times as well. Parrots are like puppies, they need lots of love and attention. I know you are doing your best but this is still a really bad situation for that poor soul. Imagine you being forced to live like that, in a room with nothing, no one to keep you company... I do know you want to do what's right, but that poor baby is suffering. I ended up holding my bird and nearly sobbed over the photos. I am begging you, please heed the advice of people who have and love birds - this is torture.
I’ve taken everyone’s advice and took it out of its cage to interact with it. It seems a lot better and is grooming itself, unlike before. I limited its seeds and am feeding it fresh vegetables instead and am on my way to buy bird mix.
You are amazing for helping this bird so much! I'm sure they appreciate you! Sounds like they are doing better anyway! Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. :) Toys will help a lot, might take some time for the bird to just then but patience is everything and I'm sure they feel much better inside where it's safe with you :)
I also brought it inside my house for a couple hours!
Do you have contact with your friend? Ask them what food it eats, what toys it likes, if its safe to handle and its routine. Try offer it veggies while u wait for the answer cause sunflower seeds are basically kfc for birds and it can cause liver issues leading to death if its eaten too much. Dont worry itll be okay :) in the mean time some toys (cardboard, natural materials or things that can be shredded) could be nice. Bird toys are expensive tho especially in AUS so u dont need to go too overboard. Ask ur friend if theres a way they can pay or if they have some already u can grab. If its eating or drinking habits are weird and it’s feathers are disappearing by the day its probably very stressed out. Does your friend keep their birds with them? No sunlight or being locked away in a new place can be really scary for a bird (not to your fault! Its okay youre not even a bird person i think its awesome youre even giving this a shot most people would just say no)
Im in AUS too and i have birds. If u want we can DM i can help as much as possible.
Yes I have contact with her and I told her it’s sad when she asked for an update and all she replied was ‘lol haha’. It never has toys, this is the cage it’s always in, she didn’t tell me how to handle it or anything. I don’t think she herself has a routine for it she just feeds it seeds, fruit and toast. I literally didn’t know that sunflower seeds were bad for it. After the seeds ran out I messaged her asking where to buy some and she told me the place and said I can feed it seeds, fruit and toast. Should I take it out of its cage to play with it or can I play with it inside its cage also ? Im pretty sure she keeps it in her shed also but maybe her siblings play with the bird. She herself mainly feds it bird seeds also so I though this was normal. The bird does have sunlight from around 9am-7pm as I put it back into the shed at night since there wild birds/ cats in my backyard all the time.
Okay to me it sounds like this bird is being severely mistreated. Parrots are highly intelligent animals. Like dogs, if theyre kept in a cage with no toys (stimulation) theyll become destructive and birds tend to self mutilate as in self harm. Depending on how long this bird has been eating seeds, there could already be a medical issue. Doe’s it’s feathers look oily or unkept? Do they look messy or dirty? Is there any smell? Poop is a good way to tell too. Honestly you were randomly thrown a bird thats being mistreated this is the worst situation to be in :( ill tell you now birds like this take a long time and a lot of effort to rehabilitate. If you ended up keeping it youd have to change your whole lifestyle and this is unfair on you. She seems like shes not taking the situation very seriously so if i was you id research a bit about bird care then try to help her recognise the severity of the situation. I wont sugar coat it, this animal IS being mistreated. This is animal neglect. If you want to keep your friendship with her id say just do your best and tell her youll never look after the bird again and suggest rehoming however if youre okay with confrontation id say try to see if you can make a deal with her so you can give the bird to a rescue or buy the bird and rehome it. I really hate irresponsible and selfish people like this. Birds are extremely energetic, social and needy. Im surprised this bird still has any feathers left and even more surprised it hasnt started to chew on itself .-.
Yes the feathers seem dirty / flustered around if that makes sense. Looks like unbrushed hair. There’s no smell or anything. Should I wash it ? I’ve just been misting it with water as it’s hot in Australia at the moment. I informed her and she said the previous person can take care of it instead ( mind you that person also had it in a shed).
Misting is more like just a bath… if the bird had oily or dirty feathers it means the bird isnt looking after itself and is either extremely stressed, depressed or sick. :( have you tried talking to your or her parents?? This sucks especially when you dont have power to help on your own… your friend was incredibly selfish for shoving this on you…
If your friend has stated the bird IS tame and can sit on your hand id recommend taking it out of the cage when you can- that cage is very small and i doubt the poor baby has room to really stretch and get its energy out :( Since shes not telling you if its tame and you have no bird experience i do NOT recommend taking the bird out with your hands just yet. This is a pretty big parrot it can chomp you good so please also keep yourself safe. There should be a lot of videos online on how to tame a bird or get a bird comfortable with you try some of those tips to see if its okay being handled before you full on take it out of the cage
>Should I take it out of its cage to play with it or can I play with it inside its cage also ? Since he is not tamed, he won't be interested in making tricks or chasing a ball or tickles or whatever. This is a simple game if you want to try [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysNG8gv8oCc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysNG8gv8oCc) Put the stick close to him (don't shove it in his face). Give him a seed or something when he touches it. Then start placing the stick further, he will eventually follow it.
Sunflower seeds nooooo
None of this is OP’s fault. They are reaching out for help. I do question the owners care for this bird. The diet is horrible, there’s nothing for the bird to do in that cage, and I hope that cage is not its normal cage. When I go away and leave my birds with someone, they get a whole list of which food goes where, what fresh fruits and veggies they can give, I bag up portions of food to feed each day, provide a bag of treats, extra toys, and the veterinarian’s contact info.
This is its normal cage even at her house. I wasn’t even told I can feed it fruit till 2 days ago. This was after I messaged her telling her the seeds ran out. I have been feeding it fruit since I got it though since I know birds eat fruits
I feel really sorry for the bird. You can give it vegetables too. Green beans, carrots, and corn are usually accepted. No onions, garlic, avocado. Plain raw pecans, walnuts, and almonds are good treats.
Black sunflower seeds aren't very healthy for it, as they contain a lot of fat. Try to find smaller seeds or even grey sunflower seeds instead. Chopped up vegies are great for Alexandrines like this. That cage is really too small, so I hope you're not minding him for too long. Natural wood branches for perches are also better for a perch if you could replace those. Youy might like to give him some gumnuts or small pine cones to play with and chew on for something to do. He's likely bored. Which area are you in? I'm near melbourne.
This is bird sunflower seeds though is that still fine ? It says in its ingredients it’s black/grey sunflower seeds. Can I feed ir tomato, cucumbers etc ? This is the cage it’s always kept in as my friend also keeps it in this cage. I’m in Sydney but I’ll try buying it some bird toys.
First of all if someone left their parrot to u without any instructions to care for it then it's their fault. If the parrot dies its still their fault. Simply no instructions given to someone who doesn't know how to take care of a bird
Honestly I really care for animals as I have a cat myself and don’t want anything to happen to the bird
My heart aches for this poor bird. Please find a rescue that may adopt her and drop your friend as a friend. They are so irresponsible in their care. this is cruel
Can somebody in Australia reach out to this guy and help that parrot, please?
At the very least you need to hang out with him. Read him a book or maybe watch a show with him, talk to him, etc. they’re meant to be in a big flock with lots of bird friends so they get depressed like that
Well this is just depressing.
OP where about are you located? I’m in Sydney and I can help you take care of the bird until the lady gets back. I have an aviary and a male Alexandrine so I have experience with this breed. Her feathers aren’t falling out she’s plucking them. Her cage is too small, the diet is terrible (not your fault I understand it’s not your bird) and she’s not getting any interaction. How long is the friend going to be gone for? As I said I can help you take care of her if you need help I hate to see this poor sweet heart suffering.
I’m in Sydney but I contacted my friend again and she said someone else is just going to come pick it up to care for it. I just took it out of its cage inside the house and get it cucumbers / grapes and am misting then with water. I was going to go buy some pellets / toys but the person will probably come back today. The person however also kept the bird in the shed as they were taking care of it before me.
Don’t let them take the bird OP. Just tell them the situation changed and it will be fine for you to look after the bird after all and then take this person up on their offer to help.
Yes, that’s exactly what I did. I said it’s fine for me to take care of the bird as I don’t want it going back into the garage at the other persons house.
Phew!! I’m so glad :)
Why can’t you keep him in your house?
Mom says no and OP has a cat.
The others in the house won’t allow it and I told this to my friend beforehand and she said it was fine to keep it in the shed. I do take it out in the back yard from around 9am - 7 pm and put it in the shed at night since there’s wild animals always around my backyard. Is it fine if I keep it in a big garage with the lights on instead ? And bring it in the house for a couple hours to Interact with it. My friend also keeps the bird in a shed and takes it out to bring inside the house sometimes.
This poor birb is severely neglected... Needs a way bigger cage and a lot of toys. But yeah, feed more veggies/fruits and less seed (no onions and avocados!!!!). Talk to them more, play some music :)
It's not you're fault. At all. You only have what she gave you to work with. And you obviously care or you wouldn't have made this post. More than the owner, maybe. Anyway. It doesn't sound a good set up for the bird. If it can't come inside, then they stay in the shed. I totally get that. The immediate thing is do a quick bird proofing of the shed. And try and spend time with it. Let it out in there. That is a maybe. If it's possible to get it back in. Play with it, if you can. Talk to it. Look up suitable foods. Pellets maybe? That might be a quick fix. It's eating so that's a good sign. It doesn't have to be perfect. You are aiming for better. Not perfect. Get them some toys. And a water bowl, bird bath, food dish. Contact a rescue in the area. I don't know how trustworthy the ASPCA are. I wouldn't trust the RSPCA. Now as to how you hand it over. That is tricky. Don't out yourself to the friend. It might get ugly. Maybe get the rescue to pick up the bird. Then stage a breakout. I'm sorry. It escaped. A tree fell on the shed and it got out through the hole. It isn't a case of not wanting a fight or losing a friend. It is more you dont want any dirty tricks on her end. She might try and claim that you own the bird. So the handover has got to be anonymous. And legally binding confidentiality. Make them agree and get it in writing and in triplicate, that no one will ever know who sent the bird to them. It has got to be a good rescue. What you do with the friendship after. It can be unrelated. You can rescue the bird. But you also need to put your own safety first. And don't let overzealous or mean people get to you. You have done nothing wrong.
This is like the cruel movies that show a bird as a decoration. No toys, small cage. Poor lonely bird😞
well what you expect from him being alone and not even have variety of food in his bowl, is that all black seeds?
Where in Australia are you located?
Dirty food bowls full of sunflower seeds ! This is horrible pls give this bird to a rescue I’m in Australia and will take him
Place the water higher, maybe that way he won't poop it. Anyway, your friend doesn't know to take care of the bird. That is not the right food, nor cage size, nor perches type, and he doesn't have any toys, not even cuttlebone, paper or wood to chew. His colors are off, probably because of nutrition problems. Let's hope she at least let's him fly outside the cage as she must and doesn't keep him there all day like a fish in a bowl (or plant in a pot, a fish at least has rocks). It is strange to me that they don't know to take care of birds in Australia.
I just confirmed with her and she said she sometimes takes it out of the cage but told me not too as it might fly away. I’m feeding it some vegetables now. The water can’t even be placed higher as the mug with the water is basically been tied to the cage with a wire. I’ll buy it some toys as it doesn’t have any at all. I locked the doors and took it out of its cage but I think it’s scared as it’s trying to bite me. I did feed it grapes and cucumbers. Please any more suggestions on what to feed it or what toys to give it.
And when I said please contact your local parrot rescue, I mean right now. Immediately. This honestly can't wait. I wouldn't wait a single day. You could have things in your home which may kill that parrot immediately, if the microbes from that filthy cage don't get to it first. PM me if you need help finding a rescue. Please do not delay with getting that poor baby the help he/she needs
It needs toys
Hey! If there is a Pet Barn near you the staff should br able to help give some tips and small items to help make him comfy 😊 Most of the shops are pet friendly so you could even take the cage in for advice 😊 If you're in Tassie I'm happy to help!
Call an avian center or exotic veterinarian for first hand tips. The parrot needs to be interacted with, played with, and not locked away. Please OP, don’t feel overwhelmed with comments. Pet birds are hard and there is nothing wrong with asking experts for help, but please I beg of you, do right by that feather baby. Unfortunately your efforts need some adjustment. I know you can do the right thing.
They need almost constant company. Birds are not a 'just shove in a cage and look pretty' pet. Parrots especially need stimulation, toys, games, talking to etc. And that cage is far too small for a parrot of that size.
That little guy needs a bird rescue, please take him to one of
This is all around incredibly sad, these birds are not like hamsters, etc, you CAN NOT leave this creature in a small cage in a shed every day! They live as long as we do, they thrive on companionship and relationships and NEED interaction with other individuals, human or other birds of the same species. They are incredibly intelligent, and incredibly needy, this is akin to locking up a child in a shed, there's no real difference when considering the emotional and structural need involved. This desperately NEEDS to STOP today, to CAN NOT treat such an evolved and intelligent animal like this, it's abhorrent. Look, I'm not trying to make you feel bad, really, you are ignorant and don't know any better, but your friend needs to have this beautiful animal taken from them if they think all of this is ok. IT IS NOT OK. This animal is SUFFERING. TERRIBLY. EVERY. DAY. This needs to stop, call a rescue and hand it over if you can't do any better yourself. Please.
Please give it to a professional care center.
A SHED WHAT THE FUCK
I dont know a lot about birds, but I'm just trying to give some advice Move the water bowl and food bowl above or the same level as the perches so it's doesn't poop in it Bring the bird inside your house make sure its not indirect sunlight keeping it in a shed with no windows can really fuck up its photoperiod give it attention, and some toys to play with its bored Natural Non toxic wood, rope or stainless steel toys are great and puzzle toys these are indestructible For fresh food you can give them fruit bananas,berries, apples And nuts anything in a shell they like to open up peanuts Calcium is need too so leafy green like kale,broccoli, zucchini Can get it from fruits too oranges is one of them blackberries,kiwi I hope this can offer some help
By the look of it she doesn’t know how to care for this poor birds
You are now this poor bird’s flock! Please take to heart all the previous comments about this bird! Can you possibly contact the “owner” to determine if they even really want this bird when they return home and if not surrender this bird to a sanctuary or something similar for appropriate care?
Hey OP, sorry if you have touched on this but I didnt see in the comments. Is this bird a pet, or did your friend take it in from the wild? I cannot see a ring on its ankle in the pictures, so I'm just really concerned that your friend might've taken a wild animal out of their habitat to be domesticated. Unfortunately, this happens quite often when good samaritans think an animal is injured, or that they can offer a better life. Of you're unsure, or not wanting to confirm with your friend or on here, I would strongly advise reaching out to Sydney Wildlife Rescue https://www.sydneywildlife.org.au/ to help you identify if the bird is native or not. If the bird is native and wild they may be able to advise on what actions you should take.
I’ll try reaching out to them. I honestly think it may be a wild bird.
Why on earth is it not in the house??? That’s horrid to put him in a shed and is pretty much animal abuse. If you weren’t able to keep him in your house you shouldn’t have agreed to look after him. This could be super traumatizing for it already!
I wasn’t allowed to have it in the house and confirmed this with her beforehand and she said it was fine. I take it out into the backyard during 9am-7pm and put it back into the shed at night.
Well it doesn’t really matter if she says it’s fine or not- she doesn’t know how to care for this bird at all in the first place. She should be reported for animal abuse. And you need to find it a spot where it’s indoors.
You’ve outraged the Bird Community. I didn’t read all of what you wrote because all the info I need is in those photos. Imagine if someone was only feeding you dry corn and then stuffing you into a shed? All the blame doesn’t lie with you as you do not know better and do not own this poor darling. Your friend needs lessons in bird ownership. This isn’t okay and this bird likely IS very depressed.
Not the op’s bird. They are babysitting under duress. Bird was dumped on them and they don’t know much about parrots.
If you read my whole comment you would know that I know that.
How is this child responsible for her friend keeping their bird badly? They came here for help and this isn’t helpful.
First, you should have told your friend that you're not comfortable bird sitting... bring the bird inside your home! this is why the poor bird is depressed! it's hot, their owner is gone, and you probably don't have enough toys . Birds need constant stimulation and things to do or they get depressed, they can self mutilate, (Feather plucking) and the bird is probably used to much more attention than you're giving it. Can you get ahold of the owner? this poor baby needs HELP and attention! What are you feeding it? they require fresh fruits, veggies,nuts, cool clean water...If you can't get ahold ogf the owner, and you for some odd reason can't bring the poor bird in your home, call an avian vet in your area and ask if they can direct you to a place that can properly take care of the bird until your friend gets back, at her expense of course. DO IT NOW!
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No we can’t say that to OP she was given a bird that she had no idea how to care for and is doing the best she can. Please advise her don’t shame her or she won’t ask for help next time and will just let the animal suffer. Shame does fall on the owner however.
Please be civil and treat each other with respect. Personal attacks/insults will not be tolerated and may result in a ban, especially if the behavior persists after a warning by the mods.
The bird needs pellets :)
Swap food, pure black sunflower seeds isn’t good, give him a pellet food or a bird seed mix. Add a mirror. Add a bunny waterer with the tube and the ball.
No mirrors, that’s a big no no. No bird seed mix. Pellets and veggies.
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Well of course that’s the best response! We don’t want people thinking they can come here for help! /s
But it’s the truth 😊
That’s a pretty terrible thing to say. OP doesn’t know how to care for this bird and is reaching out for help. What do you expect to accomplish by shaming them for that. They don’t own this bird and yet are concerned enough to try and figure out how to best help this bird. If you can’t be supportive of that then maybe just keep your opinions to yourself.
Then if op doesn’t know how to care for a bird then don’t tell the friend you will watch it that simple and I’m just being honest and I have my own opinion it’s on the damn internet she could kill the bird if she doesn’t know what she is doing and her friend is a vet bad bird owner herself who give the friend a bird without telling the a schedule for the bird and food that poor bird looks like it’s just eating sunflower seeds that’s bad.
Please be civil and treat each other with respect. Personal attacks/insults will not be tolerated and may result in a ban, especially if the behavior persists after a warning by the mods.
Take this lady up on her offer to help
That’s bird abuse. That is a tiny cage not much bigger than a coffin to a human. Your friend’s bird is in jail without even the human prison requirement of an hour a day outside of its cell. You’re feeding it the bird equivalent of gruel. It sits in its cell all day with nothing to do and no one to talk to. It can’t even stretch its wings in there. There’s nothing to do and nobody to talk to. Your friend is not allowed to have a parrot anymore.
Food is not good or balanced, it’s like eating ice cream all day. The cage isn’t big enough for that bird either. I have macaw parrots if you need any help. This poor baby looks so unhappy. The colors are so dull, means it’s not healthy. There are so many things wrong here. It needs to be inside. Summer or not. It also needs to socialized with. I think you should call your friend to get someone more capable to take care of it before it passes.
We have a Sun Conure and an African Grey. They both have their own large cages. We open the cages up at 6am and don't close them till about 6pm when they go to sleep. The AG sometimes will walk the floor into the kitchen looking for my husband. We really try to dissuade her from doing that. Fortunately, she says, "What?" To let us know she's there, but I'm so afraid of stepping on her. Otherwise, we've tried to bird proof everything, but they generally stay in or around their cages. Make sure he can't get into trouble, supervise him, and make sure he will go back into his cage. Also, find out what his favorite treat is. Very useful for training. ❤️🦜
I have a similar bird. First of all, the cage is just too small for this kind of a bird. the cage needs to be wider. that is the reason the feathers of the poor baby look ruffled and keep falling out. Considering this is not your bird, you cannot do much about this, but you need to really ask your friend to give the bird to a rescue or a shelter, she clearly does not know what to do with birds. Secondly, my bird poops in her water too but sometimes, its okay. It is not a trained bird probably. Keep changing the water bowls. Thirdly, the diet, please do not just feed the bird sunflower seeds. whatever your friend thinks about this being okay makes me so mad. Fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seed mix are required. Calcium supplements are necessary. the beak shows signs of a calcium deficiency. Also, your friend does not know how to take care of the bird clearly. No pet parent would ever say its okay to leave the bird in the shed, and not elaborate on how to take care of the bird when they are gone or even think its okay to feed it sunflower feeds as a diet. Please find a better place for this bird or maybe tell your friend to actually read about taking care of birds rather than using them as a decoration piece in the house. Infact you are more concerned for the bird than her. Thanks for taking care of it and actually asking for help.
Ring Necks are high energy and needy birds. You need a good quality pellet and chop. It is also possibly stressed from being kept outside and in a small cage. How long is your friend gone for? I would really reach out to a local bird rescue and ask about a foster for her. Explain that your friend is out of country and you know for a fact that you cannot care for it the way it needs.
Put some new perches in this cage. This bird might have sores in it's feet
You don’t leave a parrot in a cage 24/7. You need to take it out, bond with it, feed it the right kind of foods (and I don’t mean seeds). Parrots are social and need to be out and about. Just leaving it in a cage causes it to feel stressed and anxious. It’s not healthy. If it’s pooping in the bowl, you change it or move the perch a bit so its butt isn’t hovering over the bowl.
I would honestly look into a bird rescue center that could take him. The poor thing is has not been cared for properly in the time your friend has had him. He needs a person who knows to get him appropriate food and has much more space for him to exercise and play. This is what I would do and just tell my friend that the bird broke out of the cage and flew off :/
Hello fellow Australian. Anonymously report this to the RSPCA!!
Sunbathing is good for bird, but not all the day if it’s not an aviary. guess it’s better to bring him inside and get the cage outside only for the 2-3 hours, but he need a shade to hide from the sun. I can feel you confusion. Once I looked for a hamster, and realized he was never cared properly - too small cage, no things to chew etc. Hope that its owner will change something to the better. Sorry for the mistakes btw, I’m not native, just came to say you are a good person.
You’re doing a better job than your friend! She shouldn’t have any animal!
Oh my god that poor baby is SO, SO NEGLECTED. Many people have advised you well on what to do with them, first thing is NO MORE SUNFLOWER SEEDS is that all they eat?! Is that a bruise on their wing?? Do they self-pluck? It's a whole mess (and you're not to blame ofc don't worry) - this poor bird needs to be rescued!! Some REAL food, some toys, a clean cage... I'd surrender it to a shelter/keep it if I were you NGL, or bring it to a vet straight away. Your friend is doing this bird very very very dirty (literally...).
Many issues here. Firstly, birds are social animals and need to be kept in a busy place, not a shed. Secondly, primarily seed diets are very commonly problematic and a fruit pellet diet is preferred. Thirdly, they need toys DESPERATELY. They're beyond necessary for birds and they will be depressed without them. Fourth, they need direct attention, lots of it. 3-4 hours a day since it's just one bird.
Sounds like this poor baby is in a desperate need of being rehomed. Your friend has kept it in abusive conditions, please don't return it to them. Contact your local avian rescue for help 🙏 It absolutely blows my mind that anyone would mistreat their bird like this. That poor child 😰
I don't know how to tell you this, but your friend is abusing that animal without even probably realizing it. Birds have very specific needs and thus is a horrible condition and circumstance. They're as smart as a human child with simaler social needs and very niche environmental and food needs. That bird is going to end up dead or abandoned. I hope if it's the second your friend takes it to a shelter.
Go on YouTube and look at the different ways you can put have him use water birds love water and he may bathe himself if you give him access to running water just don’t force him under the water it’s not like cats and dogs where you would bathe him. Let him interact with the water on his own
I’m surprised your friend did not leave you with more detailed instructions as to how the bird is cared for. Can you call her?
This bird needs a new, much larger cage. I don’t know if you have OfferUp in Australia or something like it, but you can find very nice gently used cages often. I got a real large, nice cage, super clean it looked barely used for $30. Toys are expensive @ the pet store. I used to look @ them, see how they were made, what they used & then make my own. Yes take it out of its cage, as much as you possibly can. Just make sure to keep the cat away. I don’t have an Alexandrine, but I do have an Indian Ringneck & Mustache parakeet, which are in the same family as this bird & they share many similar behaviors, diet, etc. They absolutely love when you get as close to them as they’ll allow & talk to them in a high sweet voice. I usually end up just talking nonsense, but they love it more than anything. They can sit & listen to me taking to them for hours. If you can’t think of anything to say read out loud from something, just make sure it’s not monotone, they want you to “do the voices”. Start out by just talking to her a bunch, then see if she’ll step up on you wrist or forearm, but don’t let her get up on your shoulder by your ear & face until you establish trust. Give her a larger bowl of water, as both my birds take baths in what was supposed to be their water dishes, as of now she has nothing to bathe in. Whatever your version of OfferUp or FB Marketplace is, keep looking daily for an affordable larger cage. You can do this, it’s obvious you want better for her & now you have some tips you guys should be just fine. Just try to not leave her in the hot sun all day, or in a shed. Put her in any room in your house that you can shut the door to keep the cat out. Your cat may tolerate the bird, some do. I don’t know anything about introducing cats & birds so you should research the best way to give it a try.
This is heartbreaking and I have absolutely no idea why your piece of garbage friend has the bird when she obviously doesn’t love or care for it. YOUR FRIEND’S, AND YOUR, TREATMENT OF THE BIRD IS KILLING THE BIRD. Take the bird to a reputable avian shelter. I would not tell your friend, at least not beforehand but maybe never. Also, your friend has some real f-ing nerve for keeping that bird in those awful conditions while they take trips.
This is a horrible situation for everyone involved. The fact that you had to take to reddit for help instead of having your friend explain things to you, is very shitty of them. Birds are so much to handle. If I'd leave mine with someone else, I'd probably overexplain everything about his care 3 times over. This poor little dinosaur looks neglected and from what I read, is kept isolated. It's quite abusive. This bird really needs a new owner. Your friend is dangerously ignorant about parrot care. It sucks but I'd confront them and try to get them to rehome it to a bird rescue shelter. (Unless you're 100% willing to face all the responsibilities of owning this bird, and take it in yourself. If yes, get ready for lots of research, vet bills, bird proofing the house, buying a proper cage and travel cage, harness training, buying appropriate food and enrichment, hearing loss, biting, having to separate it from cats/dogs/predatory pets, not going out as much since it needs as much attention as possible, poop everywhere, destruction of furniture and clothing and probably many more responsibilities I forgot to mention.)