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Sunny
Sunny, a Goffins Cockatoo,
came to Foster Parrots in March of 2001. Wild-caught and
untamed, Sunny had no inclination to be anybody's cuddly
pet and clearly had issues with being in a captive
situation. He arrived at Foster Parrots with chewed and
plucked feathers and a half-dollar-sized self-mutilation
wound in his chest. It was the most severe
self-inflicted wound we have seen on a bird to date.
Sunny's breastbone was visible through the ravaged
tissue. His owner had been considering having Sunny
euthanized until he heard about Foster Parrots and
decided to surrendered his bird to the care of a
sanctuary.
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We took Sunny for a vet
check and had him fitted with a collar to keep him from
picking at his wound, allowing it to heal. After a
period of quarantine, Sunny was moved to the barn where
we hoped he would make friends with other birds or
perhaps find a Goffins partner to bond with. This was
not to be, however. Sunny seemed to be a loner and was
ill at ease in the busy barn. |
Although he was able to live
freely in the barn and was no longer locked in a cage,
he continued to shy away from all contact, both human
and avian. His wound eventually healed and his feathers
grew back in.
We attempted to remove his protective collar, but within
minutes Sunny began picking at his chest again.
Something was terribly wrong in Sunny's life.
We determined that being a
very sensitive bird he probably needed a more calm
environment. Sunny was moved from the barn into the more
quiet world of Foster Parrots' front room, where only a
few other birds reside. Sunny has been a front room
bird ever since and the transformation in him has
been remarkable. |
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There is no longer any
evidence of the gaping wound and plucked feathers he
arrived with. He is now a beautifully feathered
Cockatoo. Near the
end of September of 2002, Foster Parrots welcomed the
arrival of another Goffins Cockatoo, Bino. Although we
had previously been forced to close the doors to new
parrots, Bino, who had been passed through a series of
homes already and was facing the possibility of
euthanasia with her current guardian. Foster Parrots
accepted her to save her life.
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Bino was introduced into the
front room, and when Sunny caught sight of her he became
very excited. It seems it was bird love at first
sight! The two Cockatoos bonded almost immediately and
are now quite inseparable.
A very friendly and
outgoing bird, Bino leaves Sunny's side only to greet
people who come by to say "hello" and to catch a scratch
around her neck. Then back to Sunny she goes for mutual
preening. The two birds live freely together on a
network of hanging branches strung with ropes and
colorful toys. They are never caged. Both Cockatoos had
for many years lived lives |
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of turmoil, uncertainty and
loneliness. Now they have the security of permanence and
the companionship of each other. We feel particularly
pleased for Sunny who had for so many years chosen to
set himself apart. When Bino came into his life, it was
almost as if he was joyously reunited with an old
friend. Perhaps he was... |
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