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November 21, 2008
 
 |
| Name: |
Giorgio
|
Age: |
Nine years old |
| Gender: |
Male
|
Kind: |
Moluccan Cockatoo
|
| Home: |
Franklin,
New Jersey, USA
|
This is
Giorgio, one of our sanctuary parrots at Under
My Wing Avian Refuge in Franklin, NJ. Giorgio was surrendered
a week before last Christmas, he is a total baby at heart. He mostly
loves to do snuggle time and adores getting caressed. He's so sweet!
Giorgio often comes on our education programs for schools because he is
well behaved around children. He is very a very gentle and sweet bird,
so is perfect to help children learn to understand and appreciate our
feathered friends.
Giorgio is a wonderful bird. I am not
too sure why he was relinquished, other than what was told us. The
owner called us a few weeks before Christmas last year, she wanted to
permanent place Giorgio because he had started to pluck his chest,
which is a sign of stress, and they had to go away for two weeks. In
searching for such a place, the Paterson Bird Store in Totowa referred
her to us. When he was brought here, she told us that he was brought up
on lamb chops - he sure loved table food and still does (now he gets
healthy foods). A package of toys arrived in January from a very well
known pet toy store and he acted like a child at Christmas morning even
before we opened the box. From the toys he received and the ones he
came with, you know this bird was well cared for with mental
stimulation. Giorgio's owner spent a very large amount of money on
Giorgio, all his life he had the best. Giorgio is a wiz at opening
everything, from cage locks to food dishes, knots and bolts. He is our
mechanical wizard, anything that locks he opens and anything that's
screwed he unscrews. He is not destructive of household items like
window treatment wood like some of our other birds.
Giorgio's diet now consists of Zupreem
pellets, lots of fresh fruit and some vegetables. Giorgio is not too
crazy about peanuts, nuts and the like, although he will pick at them
from time to time. He would rather eat an orange. Another of his
favorite foods is cooked food, he likes to eat things that stick to a
spoon such as oatmeal bean mix. He will hold the spoon and feed himself
until the spoon is clean, likewise if you offer him a small food dish,
he will hold it up to eat out of it.
Giorgio is a very passionate bird, he
will bow his head down like a child if you tell him "no" to something,
and then look back up to see if it's okay to continue whatever he was
doing. Giorgio has a huge King cage but is only in it at bedtime and
when we mop floors. He barks like a dog when he wants fresh water and
he whines like a child when he needs affection. Quite a character, he
loves to snuggle on the bed or couch under covers and adores attention
from children.
When bathing and or getting wet with a
spray bottle, Giorgio will dance and bow and jump like a little child,
making wonderful sounds. He seems at his happiest and it lasts for
hours. His excitement brings the rest of the Cockatoo room to join in,
and it's amazing to watch them all in action. Before bedtime, all the
Cockatoos like to give their night calling and we allow fifteen minutes
or so for what we have named "The Cockatoo Showdown." We hope to make a
movie to put on our website soon. Giorgio, since day one, has never
shown any aggressive behavior. He will let you know if he is not ready
to come down off a play area or his cage, but usually by speaking very
sweetly to him, he will come closer and closer for you to pet him, and
after a few caresses he steps right up. Giorgio is not too keen on
other birds, he usually tends to separate himself from them, however on
occasions he shares space on the table with them.
|
Talk about today's pet in Pet Talk!
Replies:
From:
Giorgio's old owner
Thanks
for the update on
Giorgio, He seems to be very well cared for,
We really appreciate the care and
love you have extended to our pet,
We love the pictures,
please keep in touch.
From: Lisa@8Beaks.com
Hi
Paula. Hope you are your beaks are doing great.. have a nice
holiday!
From: Lidia
Wow
From:
Robin
I
haven’t had a chance to read the whole article yet, busy morning,
but I’m so happy he got the spotlight. He really is a truly
amazing
bird!!
From: momoffuzzyfaces
Giorgio what a gorgeous boy you are!!! 
I'm so happy your sweet pictures and story were shared with us today. I
bet the children love seeing you. I know I would!!! 
I hope you and all your birdie pals are enjoying your special day
today!!!
Congratulations, sweetie, on being our special Pet of the Day!!!
Please thank your guardians for sharing you with us too.
From:
Betty
What
a beautiful story,
thanks for sharing it with everyone.
From:
tatsxxx11
Congratulations and a very happy Pet of the Day
to you, gorgeous Giorgio! Great thanks to your amazing, wonderful, devoted person for sharing you
and your heartwarming story with us, and for checking in as well! Hi
Umwar! What a
very special boy your Giorgio is! I'm so happy he found his way to you
and your amazing group!!! What terrific work you do, taking in so many
feathered ones in need, helping to heal them physically, emotionally
and spiritually, along with your admirable work (you and the feathered
ones!) educating people of all ages on the amazing avian world! I
couldn't agree with you more, that the rewards of rescue are priceless!
Giorgio, and his very "happy ending" story is living proof of that! Lots of
love and congratulations on your much deserved day on center stage,
Giorgio! You're
such a sweetheart, and I so loved reading all about you and your happy
life! I hope you and all of your feathered friends there at Under My
Wing Avian Rescue are enjoying an extra special, fun and love filled
day of celebration! Cuddles and kisses to you, sweetheart!
|
Bird
sanctuary earns non-profit status
Franklin
— Paula Ashfield is ecstatic. Her organization Under My Wing Avian
Refuge recently achieved non-profit status.
Under My Wing is a refuge for unwanted, surrendered, abused and unloved
parrots and exotic birds. “It acts as a permanent refuge,” Ashfield
explained, “unlike a regular shelter, our birds can possibly someday be
adopted or can simply remain in the refuge.” Foster homes for exotics
are never an option because of the stress factor it produces in the
birds. “Sudden changes or traumatic happenings can create a screaming,
biting and out-of-control bird,” Ashfield said. Out-of-control birds
usually end up as abused birds confined to cages 24/7 or banished to
basements or horribly, in one case, a closet.
For
now, Ashfield and her family share their home with 60 cockatiels,
cockatoos, Macaws, doves, finches and parakeets. Since the
organization’s inception in 2005, the refuge has housed 82 birds at one
time. Cages are spacious, with many stimulating bird toys and
activities. Water is clean and monitored throughout the day and with
the help and input of the Paterson Bird Shop and a board certified
avian veterinarian from Parsippany, Ashfield provides healthy diets and
bird health care. In her safe and comfortable home. The birds can
interact with the family and form safe, trusting relationships. “Nobody
ever stays in their cage,” Ashfield said. “It’s always playtime.” Her
devotion to her charges is obvious as she fluffs, hugs, interacts and
even dances with the birds. Holding a striking white cockatoo, Ashfield
said, “I named him Lance because he loves to dance,” and she
demonstrates by encouraging Lance to boogie, as only a cockatoo can.
However, all is not fun and games at Under My Wing. Ashfield, a former
vice president of operations at an electrical company in Fairfield, she
has definite plans and goals for the refuge. She hopes to begin
fundraising, with an eye toward building a special building for avian
needs. She plans to start up a fund she will call Pennies for Parrots,
to raise $25,000 for emergency vet care and no-cost avian grooming for
refuge birds and for people who cannot afford health care for their own
pet birds.
She
also hopes to gain an organizational
staff, and assistant directors for her sanctuary. “Volunteers are
always welcome,” she said. “Donations are much appreciated, too.” Even
something as simple as donated old newspapers are important. “With
upwards of 60 birds in the house, you can never get enough newspapers,”
For
more information, visit www.UnderMyWingAvianRefuge.org.
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