Companion Parrots Re-homed, Parrot University, Discovery Place and Carolina Veterinary Specialists proudly present Dr. Irene Pepperberg, research scientist and author of 'Alex and Me'.

 

Program: Saturday, October 16, 2010 at 5 pm at Discovery Place. Dr. Pepperberg will speak about her life with Alex and the other African Greys, her research and her work with The Alex Foundation. During intermission Dr. Pepperberg will be available with The Alex Foundation merchandise, including her book 'Alex and Me.'

Purchase Tickets now - $25 each - at  

 

Click for parking location or map to Discovery Place

 

Private Dinner: Saturday, October 16th at 7:30 pm. Meet Dr. Pepperberg at a private dinner at the Rock Bottom Brewery and Restaurant, 401 N Tryon St. Seating is limited to 25 people.  Enjoy a 3-course meal, your choice of beverage and a chance to personally meet Dr. Pepperberg. Event is $100 per person ($50 tax deductible, with proceeds to benefit The Alex Foundation and CPR).  Call 704-889-2325 for reservations.

Book Signing: Sunday, October 17th from 1-3 pm. Dr. Pepperburg will be signing copies of her book 'Alex and Me' at Parrot University, 321 S. Polk St. in the Pineville Towne Market. You can purchase your copy of 'Alex & Me' at Parrot University.

About The Alex Foundation: The goal of The Alex Foundation is to support research that will expand the base of knowledge establishing the cognitive and communicative abilities of parrots as intelligent beings. These findings will be used to encourage the responsible ownership of parrots, conservation and preservation of parrots in the wild, and veterinary research into the psychological diseases and care of these birds.  Through these efforts The Alex Foundation, and the memory of Alex, will live on and will accomplish its mission to improve the lives of all parrots worldwide. To learn more about Dr. Pepperberg and her work visit www.alexfoundation.org

  

Presby
Species: Cockatiel
Age: unknown

 

Presby is a male cockatiel who recently joined CPR after flying down from a large oak tree in front of Presbyterian Hospital and landing on the shoulder of a security guard.  He's a feisty and entertaining guy. Presby is currently housed with several females, so he thinks he's landed in heaven!  He needs to be rescued before he becomes too 'hen-pecked!'

 

Presby's also our Bird of the Month at 
www.CompanionParrots.org  

We hope you are enjoying the articles and information in our new monthly newsletter.  However, the newsletter needs a name that represents what Companion Parrots Re-homed (CPR) stands for -- and we're asking you, our readers, for help.
 
Please submit your ideas by August 31st, to info@CompanionParrots.org. Name suggestions should be limited to 40 characters, including spaces. Please include your name and telephone number along with your submission.
 
The winner will be determined by CPR's Board of Directors and will receive a $50 gift certificate to Parrot University. So, get creative and send us your ideas by August 31st.  The winner will be announced in our September issue.

 

by Lucie Laberge & Alex Gilman

 

A few months after moving to Charlotte, we came across a newspaper article about a unique place called Parrot U/Companion Parrots Re-homed (CPR), which cares for pet parrots in need of a new home. The article strung a chord with us. We had never heard of a shelter for pet birds before and just like cats and dogs, these smart and beautiful creatures can also find themselves in dire situations from which they need to be rescued. We were impressed and touched by the kind and caring work that was being done at Parrot U/CPR to help these birds.
 
Being nature and especially animal lovers, we decided we would try to stop by in the near future to check out the place and visit with the birds. We finally made it a few months later. At that time, we had not given much thought to the possibility of adopting a bird. As a child, I had once owned a pet canary and had fond memories of the joy and cheerfulness it brought into my life. I knew what special friends birds can be.

 Upon entering the place, we were greeted by a happy chorus of gorgeous-looking avians of a multitude of shapes, sizes and colors: macaws, cockatoos, parrots, cockatiels, and budgies. We then came upon the cutest little bird couple, one blue with dark brown eyes and one green with olive eyes. We found out they were called parrotlets. They made the sweetest chatter. It was love at first sight. We wanted to bring them home. But we knew it needed to be a thoughtful decision, not an impulsive one.
 
We came back twice to spend time with Teacup and Oliver, as they were called, to get to know them better. My son Alex, who has a passion for zoology, had done research and determined that they were Celestial or Pacific parrotlets, Forpus coelestis. We attended the two classes required before adopting. Some important goals of the classes are to educate prospective bird owners on how to properly care for a pet bird and help them decide whether the commitment of caring for a bird is right for them. CPR wants the adoption to be a successful experience for both the bird and the owner.
 
On Independence Day weekend, Teacup and Oliver finally came to join us at home. They since have brought us countless smiles and hours of pleasure. They are so much fun to watch, listen to, and talk to. While some birds at CPR have previously been trained to talk, perform tricks, are accustomed to and enjoy being handled by their owners, others have been through difficult experiences and are not comfortable with these demands. It is important for the owner to be aware of and respect the bird's personality and preferences in order to build a happy relationship. It is therefore essential to choose a bird that will be the right fit for its human friend, so the needs and expectations are satisfied on both sides. We were told that Teacup and Oliver would prefer to simply be themselves, without having demands put on them at this point in their lives.
 
We wanted to do whatever would make them happy, even if it meant not training them or physically handling them; we did not want to bring unnecessary stress to their lives. We felt that they had so much to give just by being who they were: cheerful, beautiful, acrobatic, curious, comical at times, and like a typical couple, kind and caring towards each other, with touching moments of tenderness and also, of course, occasional bickering. No matter the weather, they always seem to carry a song in their heart and their happiness is truly contagious. When we spray them with water to bathe them, they fluff and puff their feathers and peep in delight. When we return home after being away for a while, they are so happy to see us walk in. They chirp excitedly and hop around their cage joyfully. I am amazed at how much love and appreciation these little creatures give back. It just melts my heart.
 
The staff at Parrot U/CPR has made our adoption of Teacup and Oliver an easy and pleasant experience. They have provided us with a wealth of information on how to care for our birds and we know that they are always available to answer questions and give expert advice. They are truly committed to make each adoption a success story.
 
We are so happy about the decision we made of adding Teacup and Oliver to our family. It is a pleasure to care for them each day and to watch their funny antics. They bring lots of joy into our lives and brighten our days. We strive to give them the best care and the best home we can because they truly deserve a good life.

 

Imagine looking out a window and seeing a cockatoo fly by.  And then another...and another.  They were doing barrel rolls, swoops, hanging out in trees and sometimes landing on an unsuspecting person's shoulder.  It was beautiful and it was amazing.
 
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a training seminar at Cockatoo Downs in Dallas, Oregon.  It was an awesome experience.  We had four highly experienced, well-known presenters who not only taught us in a classroom setting, but also allowed us to have hands-on training with parrots, chickens and fish.
 
Yep, chickens and fish.  This pretty much proved that any living being is capable of learning, when provided with the right environment and positive reinforcement.  Who would have thought that I could teach chickens to play soccer?  And I saw fish swimming through hoops and tracking a target.
 
I got to work with a cockatoo nicknamed "The Maneater."  She was delightful -- eager and enthusiastic to learn -- even through cage bars.  I was able to teach her to track a chopstick all around the cage, accept water from a syringe and was well on the way to getting her to let me file her toenails before we ran out of time.
 
Karen taught a rooster to crow on command!  Other participants taught birds to use a harness, be wrapped in a towel, fly from one point to another, fly through a hoop, or run through an obstacle course.  Everyone who attended was able to teach behaviors by breaking them down into small increments and using positive reinforcement.
 
I've already incorporated what I learned with my umbrella cockatoo and my new puppy.  We have also started target training with the birds of CPR.
 
So if you see us holding chopsticks at Parrot University, it's not 'cause we just finished lunch.  We're training!

See photo album  

 

To all of our volunteers:  you are invaluable.  You help us accomplish so much more.  Thank you for all you do for the birds of CPR.
 
Special thanks this month to all the volunteers who helped at Beau's Big Birdie Birthday Bash:
Diane Nielsen, Arnold Miller, Chris, Will, and Beth Dunlap, James Li, Valerie Vajay, and Marilyn Boyle.  You braved the heat and humidity to help on the sidewalk out front and worked with the crowds inside, to help keep the birds calm and safe and cool.
 
Thanks to Will and Beth Dunlap, Adam Lipshay, Valerie Vajay, and Annette Cossentine for helping critique the plans for the 'Parrot Care for Kids' class.  Annette will also help with the toy-making portion of the class.
 
Lindsay Orlowski -- you are wonderful!  The FaceBook page is already very, very successful, and we know you will continue to make it grow.
 
Valerie Vajay and Terilynn Storey -- thanks for the vet runs.  And it's a long run!

 

If you would like to volunteer, please contact me at info@CompanionParrots.org.

 

Lynda Rettew

Volunteer Coordinator

 

 

Linda and Joe Smith became part of the CPR family in December, 2005 when they adopted this handsome gentleman, Sumo.  Their life has not been the same since!  Parrot University would have never opened on time without their generous assistance.  Joe is our handyman extraordinaire and Linda is multi-talented with sewing, cooking, whatever is needed!  
 
In their "spare" time they have quarantined 35-40 birds and currently foster Gabby, our delicate special needs macaw, AND Greyson, a wonderful African grey who's dad was deployed for the third time.  Linda and Joe could not stand the thought of a serviceman having to relinquish his bird, so they offered to foster Greyson until he returns.  And as often happens, as those 35-40 birds passed through their lives a couple stayed.  Along the way the Smiths added Sydney (African grey) and Cleo (Hahn's macaw) to their flock.  Things are never dull around their house!  Parrot U and CPR wish to thank Linda and Joe for all they have done and continue to do for us.  We couldn't do it without you guys!

 

Karen