Last Updated on by Mitch Rezman
Miriam writes to us with a concern,
Hello there! Trying to find a past blog relating to my current situation, and value your input.
My Caique is staying with my parents for about 37-40 days. He likes them but I miss him tremendously & hear him scream for me when he hears me on the phone or FaceTime. I will need him to have some distance too from my husband for a while since he got a transplant once we get home.
Wondering how Mango will be when he sees us again – do birds just forget us? Thank you so much for your help
Dear Miriam
This is the Blog post you are referring to.
Can My Red-Bellied Parrot Return Home Without Issue After A Long Time Elsewhere?
Your bird really has no way of knowing that you will return for him and if you keep reaching out via cell phone or Facetime, or stopping by to see him, he will always be expecting you to be there for him and will be affected when you don’t take him with you.
Birds over time who end up being rehomed will usually adjust to being without their special person, but often do not develop that same bond with the new person or family.
We currently have three small parrots that are rescues. A Quaker, An African Ringneck and a cockatiel. Their original owners all passed. They are basically broken by their losses but have been able to move on to varying degrees.
The Ringneck was likely mishandled during his foster care and he bites now, but he still wants to be part of the flock and included when we go from area to area.
Although we have to use a perch and his favorite toy to move him so we don’t get bit. The Quakers owner passed and he is now with us and he is a bit beaky, but after 2 years with us now, he just wants to be with everyone and be everywhere.
But he is not cuddly and cannot be pet. The cockatiel, after 2 years with us also wants to be everywhere we and the rest of the birds are, but not WITH them or us. So, even though they are our family or flock, none can be pet or cuddled.
So your bird could be rehomed, but may not get as affectionate with its new family as it is with you.
And will your bird remember you? Yes, likely. But birds can hold a grudge and be angry at you and might bite or ignore you, misbehave, etc just out of anger at being abandoned. He doesn’t know why he is not with you and you can’t get that clear to him.
If you feel you are likely to not be able to bring home the bird, you might consider trying to find a new home where it can settle in for the rest of its lifetime.
On another note, you say your husband has had a transplant operation so that is why the bird has to stay away? Doctors do tend to overprotect a patient from their pet birds being overly concerned about the effects a bird’s feather dust can have on the patient, but may not be that much to worry about. keeping a clean, airy living space, perps with air filters can make it doable to bring your bird back home to be with his family.
Please let us know what results.
Regards,
Catherine
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