# Love parrots?



## Samphibian (Apr 5, 2008)

I do! 










I've always admired parrots, but only really got particularly "into" them since seeing practice at an exotics vets a good few years ago and getting some good hands on clinical experience with them. 

Recently, I have become involved with a very special place (and some very special people) called The Island Parrot Sanctuary: a non-rehome parrot sanctuary over on the island of Kerrera, near Oban in south west Scotland. 
After hours of chatting on the phone with them, I took a wee trip over and was nominated to become a director! Its very exciting to be able to help with such intelligent and beautiful creatures, though the number of sad stories there are can be tough at times. 

Basically, the sanctuary takes in rescue birds from all over scotland (and some from England and Wales too!). It acts as a nursery, a rehab unit, a playground, a school and a hospice for the birds that come in. First veterinary requirements are met, and then diet and husbandry are addressed before finally the birds are integrated into small flocks in large outdoor aviaries. We call these their "forever flocks" because they integrate so well into their own flock units that it would be a vile act of cruelty to seperate them again. Unfortunately, this makes the sanctuary a "non rehome" sanctuary and as such they are not eligible for sanctuary funding. For a while, they ran on public donations from visitors, but that stopped when they were told (despite lengthy discussions with councils and DEFRA prior to opening) that they required a zoo license to take in visitors. So, the sanctuary relies on donation and sponsors to raise the £30,000 per year required to keep the birds healthy,well fed and happy (note there are no paid staff at all, all money donated goes straight to the birds). 

A lot of the problems causing birds to come to us are based on either peoples unrealistic expectations of pet parrots, or inappropriate rearing causing parent-deprived birds to overbond to humans which can never satisfy their deepest needs. As such, there is a major drive at the sanctuary to educate.A lovely colour booklet has been made, named "how to free your parrot",which is helping people deal with issues of basic husbandry: diet and such. 

If any of you fancy a free copy, fire me an email at [email protected] and I can either email you an electronic copy or send you a lovely shiny printed off one. Share it with your friends and any parrot keepers you know! 

And, if any of you want to find out more about the sanctuary and follow our progress, hit like on this FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Island-Parrot-Sanctuary/183889001630239

You can donate on the fb page or the main page for the sanctuary, or email to sponsor a bird. 

Here's a wee video of the birds to whet your whistle:


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## Circe (Dec 31, 2008)

Parrots are amazing, I have two CAGs, Rosie who is 4 and Darwin who I rescued from a terrible owner (nowt you won't have seen at the IPS) this year.
I also have a disabled crow who I took in a year ago temporarily and is still with me (she always will be now).
Watching and interacting with these three birds uses up all the hours in the day, they are all so intelligent and keen to learn. My only sadness is that I am 50 and the oldest bird (Darwin) is only 7, which means that they will surely outlive me and I have to constantly be on the lookout for a place for them to go when I'm no longer here to care for them. Both parrots have been around the block and I hate that they cannot have a forever home with me.
The Island Parrot Sanctuary is great, I love checking the page out on fb, and if I get up to Scotland again this year I'll be hoping to visit. Very helpful people and it is so good for the birds living there.


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## Copper (Jul 25, 2012)

That sanctuary sounds awesome, poor birds  There's a parrot rescue in my area that's full of birds, to adopt people have to take a lass on parrots and the placement is of birds is thought over carefully. 

I love parrots and birds in general. I really like macaws, and I also love galah cockatoos since my Rosie is a Galah 

Here's my pretty Rosie, She had been abused and neglected and since living with me has blossomed into a happy(and healthy) fid. She's at least 20(+) since she went through a private QT station before the bird act happened in the early 90's. One of the best laws, wild caught birds are unhappy and it hurts their population. Plus the QT stations where terrible and many birds died of illness. 

















And this is Sundance my friends blue and gold macaw, he's getting his bath and chewing on his bath perch lol. He's 21 years old


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## Circe (Dec 31, 2008)

Your Rosie is so pretty, Copper. I love the macaw, too. I have wanted one of these since I was small, but I now have three birds to care for and that is more than enough for me.:2thumb:


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