Houseguest

[constance]

I don't have any updates as regards my neighbor, Miss B, actually. She's still in the hospital, and has called a couple of times in the past week, but I've been at my parents' when she calls, and phone reception isn't great at my parents' house. And she doesn't offer much information in her messages. Just that she's still in hospital, and can I make sure her Sweetie (yes, that's the parrot's name) is fed and watered. So I haven't managed to talk to her yet -- but at least she's not back in that absolutely unlivable house.

I've been calling my local council on aging at least twice a day since Tuesday, to no avail. I don't know exactly which two minutes per week they're open, but I haven't managed to reach them yet. Not even a voicemail system! The phone just rings and rings, and no one ever picks up, and every time this happens, I get a little more pissed off on behalf of the local aging. They don't even have voicemail! What kind of advocacy group sets themselves up so it's impossible to get hold of them? My mother's back home now, though, and has promised to talk to a couple of friends who do volunteer work to see what our options are.

In the meantime, I do have a bird update. I've been checking on Sweetie every couple of days, making sure she's got what she needs, knowing that she shouldn't be in the house at all, and last night I broke and decided that this morning I was going in to bring her home with me; I couldn't stomach the idea of going in every couple of days indefinitely, and I couldn't stomach the idea of allowing anything to continue on in that house when it was within my power to make sure it didn't. So I went in, first thing this morning. It took me ten minutes to get the cage from the hall to the door because the path and door weren't big enough to fit it through. Then I left her on my porch and went to borrow an ornamental cage from my mother, just to have something to put her in while I cleaned out the cage, which was about two inches deep in dried-out, bug-infested muck. I sprayed it down for about twenty minutes with a high-pressure hose, wanted to bleach it but didn't, since I expect birds react at least as well to bleach as everything else does, and left it to dry while I went to get some fresh birdseed. It was all-purpose birdseed, and I'm sure there's something better to be had, but I'll look into that soon -- does anyone have any advice on the care and feeding of parrots? She's eating, at least. Loves the sunflower seeds, tosses the dried corn straight onto the floor.

She was pretty freaked out when I moved her out of the house, and then from her dirty cage to the ornamental one, and then again when I moved her back again -- I was kind of freaked out, too, though, and I'm glad I thought to wear leather gardening gloves while handling her -- but for the most part she's pretty sweet, and seems to calm quickly. I cut up some little cubes of apple for her at lunchtime, and she took them from my hand, very politely. Here she is, in her clean and dry and I-hope-to-God-completely-bug-free cage, which is set up in my dining room so the other pets can't get too close (don't know how healthy she is, have my suspicions as to how likely they are to see her as a gourmet lunch).



And here's Rachel holding vigil. She and Leory have been taking turns, for most of the day.

Comments

[laurelwood.livejournal.com]

I wish you were right here so I could hug your head. How wonderful of you to go over there and airlift Sweetie outta there! More problematic even than the mess of her house was the absence of her person. Parrots are such social creatures, and she was probably pining something fierce for some interaction.

It sounds like you're doing all the right stuff with her, too. I left a message for my dad; he's got several parrots and knows all the care-and-feeding stuff. Anything in particular you want me to ask him? I know he makes his flock a nice fruit salad every day, but I don't know what sort of seed/pellets are best for this type of bird.

The news on your Council for Aging just sucks. Nice that they're so accessible, huh? I hope your mom is able to unearth some other options. And wow- they're keeping Miss B. an awfully long time, aren't they? I hope she gets better soon.

[thalia]

It's great that you were able to bring Sweetie home; I'm sure she'll be much happier in a clean cage with people around.

I have a friend who owns a Quaker parakeet and feeds him vegetables, mostly, but I don't know any details. She used to keep the bird completely separate from her cats, but now that she only has one cat, she's found that they can coexist semi-peacefully, with just a minimum of stalking. I wouldn't push your luck, though. [g]

Good luck! I really admire you for jumping in and helping.

[ainsley.livejournal.com]

You know you're an amazing person, right?

[xanthophyllippa.livejournal.com]

That's a beautiful bird. Looking at it makes me think that if the council on aging doesn't get back to you, maybe calling the local animal control would help? On the one hand, it might mean that Sweetie would get taken away from Miss B., which could be detrimental to her emotional health given that she seems to be already on shaky ground. But on the other, the animal control people might be able to get in touch with a community resource more quickly than you can. I don't know what kind of town/city you live in, though, and if it's a huge, impersonal place, that might be the wrong way to go about it if there's any chance the control officers wouldn't be sympathetic.

[gmth.livejournal.com]

Wow, she's gorgeous. I think it's great you went and rescued her. I hope you're able to get hold of the agency on aging soon. I was just thinking about you this morning and wondering how things were going.

[wishwords.livejournal.com]

I don't know a lot about parrots, but L had one. He says they need a lot of attention for their mental and emotional well being. Also, have you bathed her? They like a gentle shower. L's Pepper used to get in the shower with them or stand in the sink while they sprayed her with the sprayer.

See if you can find a rescue place that will give you advice on how to care for her?

[somniesperus.livejournal.com]

I know you are the last person to be doing this in the name of praise or accolades, but all the same, please do not run away when I give you a really tight almost-platonic hug and kiss for your sheer wonderfulness. And what a beautiful bird!

All you have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to you.

True fact: every time I hear Gandalf's voice saying that, I get tears in my eyes.

[tinderblast.livejournal.com]

You should make a 'lol vigil' macro of that photo. It's hilarious.

[amelia-eve.livejournal.com]

Two sweeties in one house! (That is, the birdie and you.

[octoberstory.livejournal.com]

You are my Sweetie.