Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been reading a lot of posts, and you are in most of them! You are incredibly knowledgeable and I appreciate all of your info. I know that takes a lot of time to write to people, and I just wanted you to know that you have helped me, personally, a lot.

From your posts, I believe that you are in MO, and work with a rescue. Since I am also from MO, that interests me. Where (generally speaking) are you? I'm in KC.

We just added a Goffins to our home, making our animal population: 3 dogs (lab, IG, and chi/beagle puppy), 2 cats (russian blues), and 2 birds (Quaker and now GC). I think I may have lost my mind, but I sure am happy! I am a volunteer with rescue, and as you can see, I am a "foster failure". [Those of you that do not work with rescue: a foster failure is when you cannot bear to part with your foster animal and adopt them yourself!] Because I am such a failure, I am no longer fostering, just volunteering with other aspects of the rescue.

I have coveted cockatoos from most of my life and feel so very fortunate to have one. He is 2 years old, and absolutely lovely. We haven't had him long enough to have any problems, but I know that somewhere, PHIggysbirds, you have already answered my question! LOL Thank you!

Glad to know I can be of assistance to some. I usually try to check on the boards once or twice a day. With the rescue, the sanctuary and my own feathered flock, besides my three teenagers sometimes I miss a few questions now and then LOL!

I am by no means an expert and I want to make sure that no one on here thinks that anything I post has to pertain to all birds. I just post what I have learned in my own personal experience and through the studies I have completed and am still involved with. I hope that others will post their own experiences whenever possible as well!

I am involved in rescue and sanctuary work with birds of all sizes. I am in Missouri (northern) not all that far from you actually. I have had feathered friends pretty much my whole life. I have studied them earnestly for about 20 years now starting with a school project and progressing from there. I have worked with rescued/abandoned/surrendered birds for off and on around 14 years starting with volunteering and being given a couple birds needing rehomed and then continuously (?professionally? LOL!) for around 11 years. It seems like once you take in one you either have to start refusing a bunch or make it your lifes work so I decided to do the latter. I did certification as a certified avian specialist, I received certification in ornithology, and more lately as a veterinary assistant with an interest in exotics and specifically birds. I keep finding new courses and studies I want to do but have to limit them financially since most of my spare money goes into the rescue (vet, food, housing, electricity, etc.......). I feel there is always more to be learned and so I read everything I get my hands on besides talking with anyone I can find that also works with birds professionally. Besides doing all this I also make bird toys to sell at bird fairs and through my website to raise money for the rescue. So BUSY BUSY BUSY that's me LOL!

What is your website, or can you give it on this forum?

Yes, I understand completely about giving all your resources to rescue! No one in rescue has extra money or time!

"Expert" or not, experience is invaluable! And quite frankly, you sound like an expert to me!

Well I can't really give my website on here since I am a moderator it would be considered as advertising for my own site.

Thanks about the "expert" I am always learning new things and keep trying to stay as up to date as possible. Even with many years experience I still come across questions I can't answer or problems I can't solve and have to look to others, and of course I would be no where without a good avian vet to rely on when needed.