We may have a new bird!

Just as we were getting ready to show the house this morning I noticed the cats were taking turns on the top shelf of the cat tree in the bedroom. Looked out the window and there, perched in the bougainvillea, was a cockatiel. Bill went out and she immediately went to him. Fully flighted, appears quite young, I think she's a whiteface. She (we seem to have decided its a she) was very hungry and thirsty. She is currently in our travel cage in the laundry room on the other side of the house from Scotty and Scooter.

I looked on parrotalert.com and found no matching lost entries. What else should I do to show due diligence? Bill is already quite taken with her...

Is she banded? If she is, I would post a general "found cockatiel" ad on Craigslist and see if anyone can identify the band number.

If not, I wouldn't want to give her to just anyone. Never know what crazy is going to claim her.

No, no band. But she seems incredibly sweet, so she's either just away from a breeder who did a good job hand-raising or she's had a family. Bill wants to keep her, and I do, too, but I don't want to be unfair to a previous owner.

If she's not banded, there's no real way to ensure she goes back to the right family. You'd be essentially having to adopt the bird out to someone, hoping you got it right.

We're thinking escaped from a pet store shipment at this point. Well tamed, but not all that used to being petted... I think s/he is staying in all likelihood. Good thing we are getting a bigger house.

Wish I could just happen on a semi-tame bird. Some people have all the luck.

When Bill went out to try to get him, he held his hand out and assumed that the bird would fly away. Instead it hopped onto his finger and then onto his shoulder.

I've realized that the place he/she was, was just where he/she could almost see Scooter. Bet it was the birds that initially attracted him/her.

The poor thing seems to be quivering a bit sitting in the cage. It is perching and eating and drinking well, so I'm guessing it's just too much excitement, but I suppose I will schedule a vet visit as soon as I practically can.

Nothing in Craigslist close to our location. The only white-faced listed is banded, this one isn't. Even that one was about 20 miles away from here.

I would just assume you've gotten yourself a new bird honestly. It's unlikely that you'll find an owner for it if it's not banded. And I don't think they microchip cockatiels (I was told CB is too small to be microchipped).

As for the quivering, I'm not so sure I'd chalk it up to excitement. I've only seen mine quiver once.. and the result was needing to spend $600 on a vet for Piper.

Scooter does it sometimes when he's excited, or after a bath. But I'm keeping an eye on him. Her. It.

I just checked on the little bird and she/he was preening, came over to check me out, then proceeded to start eating again. I think he/she may also have had a bath in the water dish, but I'm not sure. I don't have the sense the bird is sick, but I'm definitely keeping an eye on him.

Man, it's been a busy weekend!

Lucky you to get a new bird that is so nice!

ScooterNScotty wrote:

(...) But she seems incredibly sweet, so she's either just away from a breeder who did a good job hand-raising or she's had a family. Bill wants to keep her, and I do, too, but I don't want to be unfair to a previous owner.

ScooterNScotty wrote:

(...)
Nothing in Craigslist close to our location. The only white-faced listed is banded, this one isn't. Even that one was about 20 miles away from here.

The bird was lucky to land in that exact place. And I hope that you will keep her/him. Tiels are a lot of fun!

Congratulations!

Deb, do you have any pictures?

No pics yet, but soon. I think it's a he -- it's a whitefaced mutation and looks a lot like Alyssa's Einstein. I've read the females have a greyer face.

ScooterNScotty wrote:

No pics yet, but soon. I think it's a he -- it's a whitefaced mutation and looks a lot like Alyssa's Einstein. I've read the females have a greyer face.

Females also apparently keep the barring under their wings.

Drove around the neighborhood -- no missing bird flyers. Checked the lost and found board at Petsmart. I'd put up a found bird notice, but with no band, I don't know how to identify the actual owner. As he's settling in, he seems more opinionated, but still very tame. Wants to be on shoulder or head, not so keen on politely sitting on the hand.
Still eating constantly and preening a lot.

Piper would always be on my head given the choice. He answers to his name and will never land on my hand nicely. He always lands on my head. :\

We're leaning toward keeping him flighted for now. We don't want to stress him out and he's really quite polite about it, except for the flying from hand to shoulder thing. I'm beginning to think that's partly a "I want to be with you, but I'm worried what those hands are going to do" thing. I am absolutely terrified we'll be careless during the move and lose him, though. He is a much better flier than either of the others have gotten to be, he could dart out a door rather quickly.

ScooterNScotty wrote:

I'm beginning to think that's partly a "I want to be with you, but I'm worried what those hands are going to do" thing.

Piper does this. He wants to be with me, but he's nervous about hands and being touched or grabbed. So while he does a pretty decent recall, he nearly always lands on my head or on my shirt and never actually on my hand.

He has gotten more curious about fingers, though. He often bites them with his sharp, pointy little beak just to see what they do.

Happy YOU..
Re: the shivering..simply putting a table lamp close enough to heat but not close enough to reach should help...stress can cause a heat fluctuation and the added warmth of a 60 watt bulb usually does the trick