What Plans do you have for the futur of your bird?

11-09-2007, 10:05 AM

The following is an article that I wrote (about 4 years ago) to supplement a lecture I was giving for a bird club, some of the legal stuff maybe out dated, but my question to everybody is....Do you have future plans for your birds? And if so what have you set up? Eve already has a permanent spot at Foster Parrots given the rarity of his species, with his own indoor out door flight, when that time comes.

Future Planning For Feathered Friends
By Kim
Most Parrot guardians know that their beloved bird will probably out live them. Whether you are considering becoming a new parrot guardian or you already are, planning for the future of you friend is important. Behavior, pet wills and pet trusts play a vital role in your bird’s future. Where will your parrot go should you no longer be able to care for him or her? Who in your life would be able to properly care for your parrot if you are not? Could this potential person afford or want to take in your parrot? Do they have any knowledge about parrots and their needs? Parrots going through the loss of their pet human and being placed into an unfamiliar home can have a hard time adjusting to their new surroundings. Behavior problems such as depression, aggression, and insecurity can become the result of this new change in their lives. They may start picking their feathers, refuse to eat, or become completely withdrawn and not wish to interact with anything or anyone.
The first step in preparing for your bird’s future is making sure your parrot is well socialized. Socialization makes a big difference in the amount of confidence your parrot has. He or she should be able to make friends with other humans easily. Changes in environment such as traveling to the vets or a friend’s house should be welcomed by your bird. New toys should be something to look forward too and not be afraid of. A parrot that is not well socialized usually has the title “one person bird”, and that bird either doesn’t like or is afraid of new things such as toys, people and strange foods, (foods other than the bird’s normal diet). The “one person bird” theory is a myth. The “one person bird” is a bird that unfortunately was never taught to accept new people and new things. It is typical that these birds never really had contact with many humans other than their own. Other things that cause this type of behavior are lack of establishing proper commands such as “step up”, improper handling by people other than the parrot’s guardian, cage placement, past abuse, and the human’s fear of being bitten. It is ludicrous to think that a parrot would natural be a one person bird, when in the wild there is safety in numbers. The African Grey with its long standing reputation of the “one person bird” can be seen in the wild feeding with about 600 of its closest friends. The Orange Winged Amazon can be seen feeding in large flocks up to several hundred, in some instances up to one thousand of these amazons can be seen flocking together. Not only do these parrots have big dinner parties, they also invite the Blue Fronts, Yellow Crowns, Blue Cheeks, and the Mealy Amazons to their party. Talk about a social event! A flock provides a multitude of social stimulus. Parrots need many different types of relationships whether in the wild or at home to feel secure and have confidence with themselves and there surroundings. A well socialized parrot living with a family of five should have five different and positive relationships with each member of the household. One human may be the snuggle buddy, while other humans may be the bath buddy, play buddy, dinner date, and house keeper.
It is important that we as parrot guardians learn to properly socialize our parrots. Their future success in a new home depends on it. It is essential to remember that in the case of the pet parrot, socialization means the combination of acceptable avian flock behavior and human flock behavior. Miss-communication is the most common reason for behavioral problems. Acceptable behavior goes both ways! You can’t expect a parrot to give a warm welcome to a person who shows threatening behavior, ie: quick movements, and loud voices. Most people don’t enjoy the phone ringing off the hook while they are trying to eat dinner, or go to sleep. The same goes for parrots. Why shouldn’t the parrot be upset if the human is trying to play with him while he’s trying to eat or sleep? Personal space is another big issue with parrots and the humans they don’t know. If you feel the need to take a step back when somebody approaches you chances are they have invaded your personal space. The same holds true for the parrot. If a strange person sticks their face two inches from the parrot and that birds takes a step back than that person has just invaded the parrot’s personal space. If the offending human continues his or her approach and ignores the rest of the parrot’s signs of discomfort, the situation is likely to result with a bite. Socializing a parrot means teaching a parrot to accept new things and people without fear, as well as creating a relationship built on love, mutual trust and respect for ones surroundings.
There are several things to consider when planning for the future welfare of your parrot. The first thing to consider is who will take care of your parrot when you are no longer able to. Consider close friends and family as potential parrot guardians in a realistic manner. As time goes on peoples situations change and certain people may no longer be able to, or wish to, take care of your parrot. Having as many options as possible will help ensure the best possible home for your parrot when you are no longer around. You should make sure that people understand the special needs of your parrot and your expectations regarding its care.
Create a file for you parrot about its medical history, general history, diet, likes and dislikes, and important phone numbers such as your veterinarian, trust officer, (if trust was created for your bird), landlord or superintendent, and neighbor. Along with this you should include a set of keys to your home as well as a written letter giving the care giver permission to enter your home. The landlord or superintendent should have copies of this letter. The people willing to take care of your parrot in the event of your death or hospitalization should have copies of all documents. Funds should be set aside in the event that you become hospitalized and need temporary care your parrot. Funds for such situation need to be considered carefully. Discuss what the terms of treatment for your parrot would be and when, if necessary, would it be ok to put the bird down. You may wish to provide an account with a Power of Attorney for such situations. Power of Attorney authorizes someone else to conduct some or all of your affairs while you are alive, and takes effect upon your physical or mental incapacity. Either way you place a lot of trust in the hands of that person and consulting an attorney would be a wise idea.
There are many different options when considering pet wills and pet trusts, and laws differ from state to state. Currently, California, Oregon, Alaska, Kentucky, New York, and Wisconsin enforce pet trusts, which is monies and/or property set aside to care for an animal. However the trust can not exceed a time frame of 21 years. Understanding these laws can make a big difference in the amount of protection you can give your parrot. The person who will care for your parrot must also understand these laws. Consult with an attorney who deals with wills and trusts to ensure the best course of action for you and your parrot.
If there is no individual that you trust to care for your bird, you may consider leaving your parrot to a charitable organization. There are many parrot rescue organizations that have sanctuary programs. Sanctuaries do not adopt out their parrots. Many sanctuaries require a donation for accepting parrots. It is important to thoroughly check out potential sanctuaries and choose wisely. How long has the organization been around? What are the facilities like? Do they have a free flight aviary, or cages with play stands? What kind if veterinary care do their parrots receive? Can they handle parrots with behavioral or medical issues? What would happen to your parrot should the organization cease to exist? Visit the potential organizations and meet the staff. Make sure to take a good look around. Are the parrots kept properly? Is the sanctuary kept clean? Are they overcrowded? How much interaction do the birds receive? If possible obtain references from people outside the organization. Remember that you are placing your beloved parrot in a sanctuary for the remainder of its life. Just because a potential place has a sanctuary program does not mean that it is a reputable place. Any reputable place will commend you for your questions and investigation into their program.
Taking steps to insure a good future for your parrot is the responsible thing to do. We as parrot guardians owe it to our birds to provide the best possible home for them when we no longer can. Through socialization and proper planning we can give our beloved companions a happy and full life long after we have gone

11-09-2007, 10:24 AM

i haven't set up ivy's trust fund yet, but i am planning on it. i also want to do something similar to you, have a place at a reputable sanctuary set up for her if i pass before her.

good point about the socialization. i am making very sure ivy gets WELL socialized, loving everyone.

excellent article, kimba. thanks for posting. you really should write a book, you know!