IndianRingNeck.com

Hello everyone, I would just like to share my bird Hazel's story with you because I am super proud of him!

Hazel (yes a boy despite his name!) started off being sold in a local petshop as a hand-raised young bird. Unfortuately he was bought by a family member who shall remain nameless (married into the family unfortunately!) who has NO idea about birds or even about caring and being responsible for ANYTHING in his life - not too popular with me incase you can't tell lol. So anyway, here is this poor bird stuck with this moron who didn't even bother to learn anything about the breed, didn't even know to offer him other food besides seed. Then to make poor Hazel's life worse, this family member moved in with his girlfriend who I quote HATES BIRDS. I can understand people not being a big fan of them but HATING them? Really? Grrr....she is another story on her own!

Once living at their place Hazel was banished to live outside, shoved down the side of the house where the only time people walked down there was to put the bins out weekly and anytime he made a noise the dog was down there barking madly at him and jumping at the cage continually. I went to their house only 3 times and each time I went to see him only to find NO seed at all and his water dish bone dry. I don't even know how he survived as long as he did. Hazel was always in a distressed state and I think because of the dog tormenting him for so long he would just scream and flap and bang into the sides of his cage anytime I went near him. After the third visit I could take it no more, I had already had words to the owner after seeing the state he was in the first 2 times so I insisted he come home with me. The moron tried to tell him I had to pay him for the bird because he claims he paid $300 but I just laughed, I had his parents and eveyone else on my side

Once at my house, I hung his cage up under our back patio. I tried him inside but he just squarked and squarked and flapped everytime someone moved. Over time he tolerated people coming near his cage but it still took about 3 months for him to not lose his mind anytime I needed to put my hand in to change his food and water etc. I began to worry that I wouldn't be able to calm him so had contacted a breeder and was about to give him away to live in an aviary with other birds but then fate stepped in and my parents gave me another green male who was hand raised and extrememly tame and affectionate. My new bird Amber was to live inside so I decided to try Hazel inside again. I put their cages side by side and neither showed any aggression so opened their doors. Amber ofcourse wandered straight in and tried talking to his new friend but Hazel just looked - he wasn't screaming though! From then on I housed them together and Hazel was much quieter. My theory was to give Amber as much attention as possible to show Hazel it was OK.

It took a long time but eventually Hazel was calm and got used to everyone in the household, as long as nobody tried to touch him. We just left the cage open daily so he was free to go in and out as he pleased, he was most happiest just sitting on top watching everything go by. He started taking food from my hand, snatching it at first and usually knocking it to the ground but then he got more gentle and slower. He started talking as well, just copying what Amber was saying. I have had him for 3 years now and around 6 months ago he would fly from his cage, flap around my head twice then fly back. (Usually when Amber was on my shoulder) then about a month ago he actually started flying over and landing on my shoulder, or if I'm sitting or laying he comes and lands on my leg. As long as I don't go to pat him he is all fine and happy to sit on me. I am so proud of him, I didn't think he would end up trusting humans again. Perhaps the best news yet for Hazel is I was given a 2 year old creamino female and within an hour of being introduced they were grooming each other, kissing and he was even regurgitating food for her so they are already very much in love. I just bought a nesting box to see what happens but there is no pressure, it will just be a bonus if they have babies!

I know this was long but I hope you enjoyed reading Hazel's story (that's if anyone actually reads it! lol) and I hope you are all as proud of him as I am!

Thanks for sharing. That's a lovely story. I'm glad you were patient and didn't expect too much too soon.

How doe Amber cope with his companion being bonded to a female?

Ellie.

Hi Ellie,

Amber is not phased, he is such a mummys boy He refuses to even look twice at female ringnecks, when we fuss over the other 2 he seems to make a point of checking himself out in his mirror and preening himself as though to prove he is more beautiful lol

I am not putting the nesting box in until tomorrow as I need hubby home to help me organise the cage and I am also going to clean up my spare cage incase I need to move Amber out. I have had mixed reports on how they will be, some say they will get aggressive and attack him and others say it will be fine. I am just going to see how everything goes after tomorrow and keep any eye on the mood in there. I just want everything ready first though incase there is any problems.

Thanks for sharing it is a beautiful story.

That was a lovely story. I can't understand how some people can do that to their pets. But you have done so well and should be so proud of yourself for giving hazel a much better life!

Thanks everyone Here is an update...
When I seperated Amber from Hazel and Peaches (the Creamino hen) Amber got a massive case of the sulks. He was refusing to step up and come out of the cage when usually he wanted out ALL the time, so I would lift him out and instead of wandering around looking for mischief or a mirror 2 check himself out in he was sulking on my shoulder and BIT ME 3 times in a week after not biting me even once for about a year and a half
So ofcourse mummy's boy got his way and I put Hazel and Amber back together and bought a blue male for Peaches Immediately Amber was back to himself and Hazel has progressed even further. He now steps onto my arm to come out of the cage and goes back in from off my hand and he is also being braver and sitting on my husbands and daughters shoulders. Now just to pat him...lol

Well done! Sounds like you are doing well!

Ellie.

What a brilliant story!. Every newbie should read and take heart from. Well done you!.

Thankyou for directing me to your story Kiki. It is truly a heartfelt thing you have done. Well done to you all! Very inspiring!

Hi,

What a great story, a bit like mine, but my IRN hasn't come around yet, only had him a couple of days, its very refreshing to hear your story, I will persist with him as he is so beautiful and its not his fault he came from an **** of a home..dont understand how people can be so unkind ..lucky he found u

thanks again

your post helped me

Julie

Sydney

I'm so proud of YOU, too, for sticking with Hazel.

Best,
-MissK

Thanks for the nice words everyone and I am so glad that there are others out there like me who will do anything they can to help a bird in need. Sometimes it just seems there are too many of the OTHER kind of people in the world:( Hazel is wonderful, he is obviously nowhere near as tame as Amber but I can pat him now Only by scratching him on top of the head but that's fine, I can't expect anymore from him. I understand not all birds are as sooky as my Amber who literally will snuggle up to you. I think Hazel has come as far as he is going to and it did literally take a couple of years but so worth it in the end. There are 3 in that cage now, a lutino hen named Ray Ray that I am now trying to work on. She is affectionate only to males and HATES females (again from being tormented by a partner of the original owner) but after seeing the state Hazel came back from I am confident she will come round too Stay tuned lol

A lovely story indeed Kiki! Has given me some hope that our boy we rescued recently will come 'round eventually. We are considering getting a playmate for him later in the year, (after this years's breeding season is well and truly over in Australia), and perhaps if we choose a hand-reared/tame female, it will go a long way to bolstering his confidence in us.

Good luck with your brood, and please do keep us updated

Last post about Hazel, as it has taken me a few months now to be able to do this without bursting into tears but here goes... I went overseas to visit my sister in the June/July school holidays and while I was gone a simple mistake cost Hazel his life My daughters and husband made some bird toys for the birds to play with and it should NEVER have happened but somehow a bead in the set they used to decorate had LEAD paint in it and Hazel passed away from metal poisoning Hubby rang me while I was in Canada freaking out saying Hazel appeared to be having fits and couldn't stand up. They rushed him to the Vet but it was too late, my baby who had come soooo far was gone I can't believe it ended this way, he was getting better and better about being handled and although he didn't like other people touching him, he had gotten really good with me. It just isn't fair sometimes! Thank you to the people though who posted nice things about Hazel, I will never forget him.

I wasn't a member of the forum back when you originally posted this story. But upon reading it now I smiled...all the way until the end. Then my eyes got all teary. I am so sorry for your loss. Sometimes no matter what we do, we can't protect them from everything. All we can do is try. And I believe you truly gave hazel a good life even if it was for a short time. Cherish the memories of him. God bless

Hi kikki22

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Ellie.