A while back the subject of parrots being like ferrets came up on the FML.
I am looking for parrot lover to care for a parrot for about 6 - 8 months.
I hesitate even to ask this, but don't know what else to do.  My parents'
farm in St. James, MO was destroyed by a tornado last week.  Most of
their animals survived, but now comes the long term job of clean up and
rebuilding.  Their other animals were outside pets (dogs, pig, emu, cattle,
various barnyard fowl), but the parrot has been having a rough time of it.
 
Mom and Dad have temporarily moved an old RV onto the farm to live in.  The
parrot's cage takes up a huge percentage of their minimal living space.
Plus, she is used to being outside her cage and just using it for eating
and sleeping.  Now she never gets a chance come out.  They are very worried
about what to do.  I cannot take her.  I am allergic and do not have the
space or time she requires.  Also, my ferrets have free run of the house
much of the time and I'm not quite sure how well they'd get along.
 
We're looking for someone who doesn't live too far away since we would have
to drive (St. James is about 80 miles from St. Louis).  Anyone interested
must be an experienced parrot parent (but with no young children) and just
wishing for a parrot to spend a few months with them.  Maybe someone who
once had a parrot and is missing him or her.  Parrots are like ferrets in
that it takes special knowledge to care for them and special understanding
to live with them.  Jo has a strong personality.  She likes some people,
but will ignore the rest.  She chews on woodwork, poops on things, might
nip at your hands when you try to change her food/water dishes.  She thinks
she's queen of the flock and we are all just her subjects.  She can be a
real bx#*.  On the other hand, she might fly to your shoulder and preen
your hair (don't wear earrings or she'll try to pull them out).  She sings
(Happy Bird-day) and talks when she's in the mood, which is usually when
you don't want her to.  We thought she was a boy for years until she layed
an egg.  I'm telling the bad along with the good because I want you to know
what you'd be getting into.  She's lived with my folks for about ten years
(that's not old for a parrot).  She will be so confused to leave them, even
temporarily, but we just don't know what else to do.  They would want her
back as soon as their new home is built.  I know this is only marginally
ferret-related, but I also know there are many animal lovers reading this
list.  Please email me personally if you are interested.  I spend most of
my free time picking up tornado-rubble, and don't have time to read the
FML as regularly as I would like.
 
Thank you so much.
Jodie
[Posted in FML issue 2706]