West Seattle Blog… | FOUND PARAKEET: High Point

Suzanne Krom August 2, 2019 (5:43 pm)

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This bird should be seen by a certified avian vet in the next couple of days — by Monday at the latest. Being lost is highly stressful to our companion parrots (yes, budgies are parrots). It causes them to be extremely susceptible to illness, and at the very least, this bird is dehydrated and needs medical support. Birds don’t show signs of illness until it’s almost too late, then they deteriorate quickly. This is the vet I recommend — Dr.James Onorati, https://dmvet.net/services. Hours: 8am – 6pm weekdays, 8am -2pm Saturdays, closed Sundays. Likely will be a dropoff as they are a very busy clinic. The bird will be in excellent care there. Dr. Onorati is one of the top two avian vets in the region. I always recommend him to my clients.

If her family isn’t found immediately, then ideally she is quickly adopted into a great home with people who know birds but have only one or two others, at most, and no cats. Far better than any sanctuary or rescue.
Suzanne Krom
Pampered Parrot Behavior Coaching

Betsy Ford August 2, 2019 (6:26 pm)

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Suzanne- thanks again for the advice. Bird is doing really well, eating and drinking and singing between naps. We are keeping in a full cage with all the goodies in a perfectly temperatured room and are monitoring very closely. No signs of distress and will continue to be diligent about care.
Gigi October 2, 2019 (7:03 am)

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I agree Dr. Onarati is the best vet I have ever used for my purebred cats. I no longer go to the local “$1000 vets”. did not matter what I went in for it was always $1000. I go out of my way to see Dr. Onarati in DesMoines.

Aretha Ayers August 2, 2019 (7:43 pm)

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Hey there, just sent you an email with a pic to confirm. I think this is our missing budgie Felipé. He got out Tuesday evening in Highland Park. Feel free to give me a call. 2538864499.

miws August 4, 2019 (4:20 pm)

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Has this been resolved? Was it Felipé? —-Mike

Betsy Ford August 4, 2019 (5:58 pm)

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Hi Mike- it wasn’t Felipe. We are going to keep him if his family doesn’t claim him. He showed up in our lives through a very bizarre set of circumstances. Our bird escaped while we were on vacation last week while being cared for by our family. The also have two budgies. We were all so devastated! After coming home from our trip we got a new bird that died in a freak accident the following day after bringing it home. We buried that bird and said goodbye to our missing bird at the same time, tough stuff. The day after that my husband came across this bird in the middle of the street on his way home from work and we feel like the universe has spoken. We are of course hopeful that our Beaky will turn up and that Milo, short for Miloliha Manu – miracle bird, can be reunited with its people. We’re taking great care, he’s doing great and we are just going to take things as they come. For now he’s home and that’s how we’re approaching it.

miws August 4, 2019 (7:42 pm)

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Sorry for the loss of your previous budgies, Betsy. Sounds like Milo will be part of a loving family, if, indeed, your home becomes his new permanent one. Back in 1983, a then coworker kept telling me I should get a budgie. I told her “No, those are little old ladies’ birds that just sit there and chirp and look pretty”. I think I was actually thinking of canaries. Then one day she asked me if I would babysit her budgie while she and her husband went on a trip to Costa Rica. I said “Sure!”. She brought him over to my place and he was really quiet at first, even though I was talking to him. I finally made the little “tsk tsk” sound, and boy did he perk up! One I saw how much personality was in such a tiny package I was hooked! I got laid off from that job a short time later, and as my self-pity gift, I got my first budgie. Had two more over the years, before graduating to a Congo African Grey while I still had the last budgie. —Mike

Suzanne Krom August 7, 2019 (5:33 am)

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@MIWS and others — One of my budgies speaks in complete sentences and asks appropriate questions. Never underestimate any bird. :) It’s really frustrating that budgies are considered “starter” birds. There’s no such thing. Every bird has her own unique complex personality and is a power pack of creative intelligence. It’s actually incorrect to think of “graduating” to a CAG (Congo African Grey) or other species. I have several birds, mostly found throughout the region but one rescue from a horrific hoarding situation. The budgie is the leader of my flock. None of my other birds begins to compare to him. My expertise is in bird/flock behavior. Birds constantly amaze me. It’s little wonder that they’ve survived 99+ million years. They are not for everyone, for sure. Sharing a home with a wild animal (birds are not domesticated) has plenty of challenges. But there are thousands of homeless birds who need good homes, for anyone who is up to the task. For anyone who’s interested, a good place to start after researching thoroughly is to contact an avian vet to let them know you are interested. They get calls all the time from people who want/need to give up their birds and there are agonizingly few good options. Temporarily fostering a bird could be an option too.Before making the leap, here’s a good article to read so you know what you are getting yourself into — no sugar coating here, just the reality of living with a parrot — http://viemagazine.com/article/ten-reasons-you-shouldnt-get-a-parrot/. Remember — the smarter the animal, the more challenging it is. Domesticated animals — dogs and cats — are far, far easier.