New bird

[Flippin'thing bit me eye]

Just some background for you first. Blah blah
Ok so last summer, I found a book called "The psychology of parrots and other exotic birds" and it was all about that. I work in psychiatrics and am obviously interested in the mind and such like so I took the book for a spot of light reading, as soon as my wife saw it she said "we are not getting a bleedin parrot" so I explained I was just interested and so on.
One afternoon we were driving to one of our LFS and we called in at a pet shop and low and behold we saw parrots of all descriptions, Alexandrines, Patagonian conures, Senegals, Greys etc.
I couldn't resist an opportunity to try out some of the things I had read in the book on the little Timneh but as I went to him the shop assistant warned me that he is the only one who can handle him. After five minutes of looking at him over my shoulder and waggling my tongue and wiggling my lips the little chap was all over me.
We kept going back and my wife was making friends with all of the senegals and conures and the next thing I know shes begging me to buy us a parrot, as you know its an expensive pet so we decided to start saving for our fateful day and while we were waiting to do some research so that we get the parrot most suited to us.
a few weeks and a lot of websites later we decided on getting a Senegal and got really excited.
Now comes the exciting bit....
Last week a student nurse came on aplacement to my ward and we were talking about family and stuff then she hits me with this golden sentence.
"Do you know anybody looking for a parrot"......."I bought it for my son but it bit him and now he's scared to touch it"......"Its a Senegal"....."you can have it for 50 pounds"
My goodness I nearly peed, she gave him to me on saturday and we got him a nice new cage and toys, It turns out they bought him 4 months ago as a 2 month old hand reared baby but as it bit her son it just stayed in the cage, he will take some work but it is a great challenge, we had him clipped today and he has just started to let me touch his beak without biting me.
I'll let you now how we get on.
Oh by the way we have called him "Jallo"

 

[Sorrell]

Congrats! That's so exciting I've read that book too, it's great

Post some pictures?

 

[Flippin'thing bit me eye]

I will get some pics soon, today we have been in training on stepping up, at the moment im using an old ladder thing that he had in his old cage, we seem to get it right 70% of the time and he is just showing signs of understanding what the rewards are for.

 

[RandomWiktor]

I'm so glad to hear you managed to give a home to a second hand parrot who needed someplace to live; the pet industry has decimated wild parrot populations, and resulted in a huge number of homeless, unwanted, and mistreated birds as very few people understand their needs. You, however, have clearly done your research, and I bet the bird will be overjoyed to have you as an owner. I can't believe that woman got a parrot for her kid; what a stupid decision; they are really not a pet for young children because of their emotional needs. In many ways, they are just like children, so its like giving your son or daughter a three year old to watch. My parrot, Pretty Bird (I didn't name him, "she" came with it ) had a similar story; first time he bit the child he was dumped at a vet's officed and lived in a tiny cage there in the cat room for the next 5 years! He has a lot of "baggage" to work through, but is doing exponentially better.

Good luck with your new bird Can't want to see the pics.