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What a great story!  What a lucky bird!  Best wishes to the two of you, and happy holidays, too. -Shannon and Birdy

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some things are meant to be!

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[Posted in rec.pets.birds] 00:20:46 GMT: :First,  I want to thank everyone who responded to my rather long :request for information (Should I or Shouldn’t I). I got many :responses and they were all helpful.  Armed with this info I set out :in search a soon to be weaned Macaw or Cockatoo (I hadn’t made up my :mind yet) that I could help feed and then take home. I had all my :notes in a folder, a plan in my head, and a list of reputable breeders :to visit. : :Well, the best laid plans … : :I went and got adopted !   Well it happened to me as well earlier this year, and I have to say that it was probably the best single thing that happened to me in all of this year!  Having said that I doubt very much if we will be the last, but if you are only half as happy with your new bird as I have been, you will not regret your decision.  I must also add that I had some most wonderful letters of support from people in this group.  Good luck to you both. (David, I am sending you details of what happened to me under separate e-mail as a I will not repeat it here to save bandwidth) Tony

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First,  I want to thank everyone who responded to my rather long request for information (Should I or Shouldn’t I). I got many responses and they were all helpful.  Armed with this info I set out in search a soon to be weaned Macaw or Cockatoo (I hadn’t made up my mind yet) that I could help feed and then take home. I had all my notes in a folder, a plan in my head, and a list of reputable breeders to visit. Well, the best laid plans … I went and got adopted !  The first two breeders I went to had some really nice Macaws and Cockatoos, but the birds were …you know, a bit standoffish. I wasn’t discouraged, I didn’t expect much else in a "sales floor" environment. Actually, I was more frustrated that I wasn’t any clearer on what type of bird I wanted. I’ve been reading so much info and getting so many opinions that I was getting dizzy with the pros and cons of each breed! So anyway, on Friday  morning I called a breeder not far from where I work. Actually the father (Bob) breeds the birds and the daughter (Brenda) runs the retail store, Brenda’s Birds. I spoke with Bob and he seemed like a nice guy and he told me about an Umbrella that was 3-5 weeks away from being weaned. He said I could come over to the house to look at it (it’s not at the shop yet). I also asked him if I could help feed it over the next few weeks if I decided to buy it and he had no problem with that. So I go over to meet him at the shop, I wanted to check the place out, and then we would go to his house to look at the baby. I get to the shop and while I’m walking around waiting for Bob I see this Triton Cockatoo. I’d never heard of this variety before, apparently they’re fairly uncommon. They’re like big Sulfur Cresteds. So I’m just looking at her and she literally *jumps* on my arm. Within seconds she’s got her head turned upside down against my chest and is cooing and semi talking, begging to be petted. I obliged her! These other guys who were in the store looked over and did a double take. The told me they had been trying for five minutes to get her to step on their arm and had given up. Brenda came out from the back room and couldn’t believe it. She said that the bird is real friendly, but kind of shy and really isn’t crazy about being held by customers. It turns out she’s about 3 years old, and is in the shop on consignment. She was owned by an older couple who are now retired and want to travel …no time for a bird. I ended up staying in the shop for 2 1/2 hours talking to Brenda and Bob, and the bird, Bonnie, would not get off my arm. Brenda tried to take her and this bird wanted none of it! When Brenda managed to get her, and put her on the counter, Bonnie sat for about thirty seconds and 2 hops later she climbed up my shirt on to my arm and stretched her wings out for me to rub under her arms. I’m telling you, it was really messin’ with my head. Here I am researching, reading, etc. I learn that it’s best to get ‘em young, help hand feed them and all that. Meanwhile this beautiful little bird has decided to adopt me …I guess she didn’t read the book!! So I went home that night with my heart saying "buy her!" and my brain saying "yea … but what about The Plan"?  So after sleeping on it for a day I went back this morning with no definite plans that I would admit to, although I did make sure I had my checkbook. When I walked into the shop Bonnie saw me, whistled, and came right over to the side of the cage I was walking past. When I open the cage she hopped right on my arm and made me really glad that I had that checkbook. We got home a couple of hours ago, and she is acting like she’s lived here forever, not like she just got a new home, a new cage, and a new human. I guess sometimes you get lucky! Anyway, I just wanted to let you know the outcome and thank all of you out there that took the time to offer so much useful advice. Thanks Again, Dave All opinions are my own, not my employer’s. …and like the Butthole Surfers said, "It’s better to regret something you did, than something you didn’t do".

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