It's a case of missed communications and a, to be honest, inner reluctance on my part. KL spoke to me via FB for the need of foster carers and volunteer staff to care for the many animals left without owners or homes in the aftermath of the flood. She said there were many quaker parrots, budgies, cockatiels, Major Mitchells (2) and a cockatoo in care at the Univ. of Queensland. I said I would be more than happy to foster a couple of small birds (that's all the room I have and that's with juggling birds as I'm really full to pussy's bow with 15 birds) and/or do some volunteer work at the university. She said she'd ring me that afternoon. She didn't.
Yesterday R and I went out to the university to offer help. The receptionist said they had many many offers for volunteer work and fostering. Told her I'd worked with MCC for 9 years and had a special interest in birds. She took that information back to Bob Doneley but he was too busy so I just left my details. KL rang last night but I missed her call. I rang her this morning but she wasn't home. I've emailed her.
Tried to talk R into buying another large cage, about $220, which would be large enough to house a couple of small birds in safe yet roomy accomodation. But R has had enough. Too many animals and having even more would just complicate things furthers. Of course he's right. I've got 4 birds living permanently on the verandah which was supposed to be the cat's verandah. Two birds which are hung on the deck during the day and brought into the spare room at night. Not only is that inconvenient but I don't like having birds in small cages. It wouldn't have to be this way except #$%^#@ Felicity decided to get a burr up her bottom and turn into a green feathered terrorist. She'd lived with Byron without incident for how long? one, two years? then she decides she's going to hunt him away from food and keep him on the floor. I tried different combinations of greenies, Felicity with all Byron, Hugo and Suki, Felicity with Byron and Hugo The only one she liked was Suki. Byron has never been out of that cage - and never will. His beak has never regrown nor have his wings healed. Because she wouldn't stop hunting all of the birds, except for Suki she had to come out. She's in one of the small cages. The other small cage is for Hugo as he's got PBFD and hasn't regrown his feathers yet.
Anyway, there's my hesitation. We're overcrowded in that I have two birds in small cages which should be in aviaries and now I'm considering taking on more. If I got another large cage I could put it on the verandah and wouldn't feel bad about having a couple of quaker parrots in it. I'm cautious about getting budgies or cockatiels. Female cockatiels are prone to egg-binding and with the high sex drive of them and budgies getting more of them could be a bit more than I can handle (there's a mickey bird with a very large green caterpillar on the poinciana outside the window. the caterpillar was very large yet posed no problem for him. He whacked it against the branch a couple of times and then swallowed it down, rather like a person sucking up spaghetti).
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