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| About CPR | |
Companion Parrots Re-homed is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Our Mission
The exclusive mission of Companion Parrots Re-homed is to accept companion parrots from unwanted, emergency or crisis situations throughout the Greater Charlotte, North Carolina, area and to facilitate through training and education, new adoptive homes for these sensitive and intelligent birds.
Meet the Birds
At our website
or
at Parrot University
321 S Polk St, Pineville
Visiting Hours:
Mon - Fri 10 AM - 7 PM
Saturday 10 AM - 6 PM
Sunday Noon - 5 PM Please consider a tax deductible donation. Your gift of any amount will directly help the birds.
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| FREE Classes at Parrot University |
Please RSVP
Call 704-889-2325 or email
Positive Reinforcement Training
Avian Medicine
Sun, Mar 18, 2 pm
Sex & the Single Bird
Sat, Mar 31, 2 pm
Check 'Calendar of Events' at
for 2nd Quarter Class Schedule!
Please Support Our Sponsor
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Recently Adopted |
These lucky birds of CPR have recently found new families.
Rosie, Cockatoo
Gizmo, Macaw
Animal Control 5, Cockatiels
Our new families often post their progress on Facebook
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New to CPR |
Visit our website and stop by Parrot University to meet the birds and to help them find new homes.
Pretty Bird, African Grey
Toby, Amazon
Olivia, Meyer's
Sadie, Sun Conure
Jasmine, Cockatoo
www.companionparrots.org
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Joining Us Soon |
In Quarantine
Einstein, African Grey
Zazu, Eclectus
Echo, Timneh African Grey
Cockatiel (found, no name)
Waiting in the Wings
Quaker
2 Congo African Greys
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Why Should I Adopt a Parrot? | | |
by Debbie Foster
Why should you adopt a parrot? That's a good question, with some compelling answers. First, there is the same need for adoption of parrots as there is for dogs and cats. Simply put, there are far too many animals of all types needing good homes. We need to adopt, not buy. Have you ever asked yourself what happens to birds needing to be re-homed? There are very few reputable parrot rescues in the US, especially as compared to dog or cat rescues. CPR receives calls every day from owners wanting to surrender their birds, and in the past, our waiting list has been as long as 18 months.
Secondly, even with the best of homes and care, most parrots will have more than one owner in their lifetime. Dogs and cats don't live to be nearly 100 years old -- but some parrots do. With the advances in nutrition and avian medicine, even budgies (parakeets) can live to 15 years and cockatiels are living to more than 20!
 Why should you adopt a parrot from Companion Parrots Re-homed?
Before adoption, every bird coming into our program is quarantined for a minimum of 30 days to prevent the transmission of disease.
Every bird coming into the CPR program is taken to an avian vet and given a thorough physical exam.
Every bird coming into our program "goes to school" (receives training) once he/she arrives at Parrot University.
If your home turns out not to be a good match for a particular bird, that bird comes back to CPR -- no worries about where the bird will go.
You'll have access to trained personnel seven days a week. If you are having a problem or have a question, call us! We'd rather hear from you when an issue is in the infancy stage than when it is a full-blown problem that might result in the bird losing another home. And please remember that the information we share is based on the latest science and our experience with a lot of birds!
Hopefully, I've made my case for adoption and, especially, adoption through Companion Parrots Re-homed. Help us spread the word! |
| Kahlua: Featured Bird for March | | |
Meet Kahlua
Species: Hahn's Macaw
Ages: 6-1/2
What this girl lacks in feathers she more than makes up for in intelligence, wit and attitude! She's one of the two best-trained birds in the store (Emmy the Cockatoo is the other).
Kahlua is target-trained, does the wave, the turn-around, climbs a ladder and rings the bell, shoots hoops, does animal impressions and is learning her colors. What more does a girl have to do to find a home? Watch video |
| Louie: Featured Bird for March | | |
Meet Louie
Species: Male Eclectus
Age: 6
Absolutely couldn't resist the urge to feature these green birds in honor of St. Patrick's Day and hoping that spring will be here soon!
Louie is a pistol! He's got a bit of an attitude, but that doesn't stop him from working. He loves to train. Also he's quite handsome.
Watch video of Louie and come meet him! |
| Robbie: Featured Bird for March | | |
Meet Robbie
Species: Male Eclectus
Age: 10
Robbie is a sweet, gentle bird. He's developing a repertoire of tricks such as the wave, the turn-around, putting rings on a peg and going through the tunnel.
Robbie's such a cutie and he'd love for you to come meet him. Watch video of Robbie learning how to go through a tunnel.
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| Toby: Featured Bird for March | | |
Meet Toby
Species: Blue Front Amazon
Age: 37
This outgoing and funny guy seems to be everybody's favorite. When one of the other birds was being taught to put rings on a peg, Toby hung from the side of his cage and said, "On!" He even did it with perfect timing. Maybe he has a career as a trainer?
Toby was very reluctantly surrendered by his first owner due to illness and was adopted fairly quickly. Unfortunately, Toby developed a loud call at the second home, which really upset one of the dogs. His next owner will have to work to reinforce desired vocalizations. We love Toby and so does everyone else who comes in contact with him. Watch video of Toby! |
| Tip of the Month | | Outdoor Safety Tips
 It's almost Spring! Your bird will enjoy fresh air, warm temperatures and sunshine and it will improve their feathers. Here are some tips for getting your bird outside.
Always think of safety first. Your bird needs to be attended at all times. Leaving a bird outside in a cage or carrier is an invitation for predators such as cats, raccoons, snakes or hawks. While your bird is outside, hang out with your parrot and catch some rays or read a book.
Flighted birds need to be restrained. Never assume the bird won't leave you. If you trip and fall or something scares the bird, it WILL fly, no matter how much it loves you. We have a three-ring binder filled with calls from heart-broken owners who have lost their birds.
A common misconception is that birds whose wings are trimmed can't fly. Wrong! The type of bird, the trim itself and the wind velocity all contribute to a bird getting away from its owner. An avian vet once joked that you could cut one wing off a cockatiel and it would still fly. Don't assume that just because you've never seen your bird fly that it means he/she can't fly. After five flightless years at Parrot University, Kahlua, our wonderful mini-macaw, flew across the stage at a local TV station with perfect control. To say that we were surprised is an understatement!
So by all means make your feathered friend happy by getting them outside, but do your job as a parrot parent and keep them safe. |
| Avian Adventure - April 26 | | Avian Adventure
 Please join Companion Parrots Re-homed for AVIAN ADVENTURE, a North Carolina Science Festival (NCSF) event from 5:30 to 7:30 pm on Thursday, April 26th at Discovery Place, 301 N. Tryon St, in Charlotte.
Come see live birds and learn everything you ever wanted to know about birds from A to Z. All ages are welcome. Free admission and parking in the Discovery Place parking deck during the event.
For information about this and other NCSF events go to www.ncsciencefestival.org. |
| Happy Endings -- Dell | | By Cooper Henderson
[A note from trainer Debbie Foster: You've heard us talk about 'love matches' with our CPR adoptions. I watched this one from the beginning. Although this was a family adoption (one of CPR's requirements), Bella (now Dell) took one look at Cooper and said "You're the one for me!"]
The first thing I noticed about my new Sun Conure was how social he is. I came home from school to meet him, and the next morning he was flying to me as if to say "Don't leave me!" It only took about 5-10 minutes for him to let me scratch his head. Now that he's okay with it, he purrs like a cat and volunteers himself by tilting his head. His original name was Bella, but after having a DNA test, I learned that he's a male. Being a boy, I decided to change his name to something more manly, so I changed it to Dell and worked on helping him recognize it.
I love his playfulness. Every day when I get home, he climbs to the front door of his cage waiting for me to open it. I never turn him down either! Dell's a great way to forget about a rough school day. His past owner taught him to make 'kissy' noises when I say "kiss kiss". He loves to play with toys that involve pulling things out or preening rope toys. The previous family donated one of Dell's favorite toys and his Happy Hut, which he also loves.
Dell seems to be a morning bird too. Although he doesn't wake up too long before me, he's very humorous early in the day. If I sway back and forth, sure enough he'll do it too. The same goes for bobbing my head to music! He's got a really 'spunky' attitude towards life and that makes it that much more interesting to live with him. His playful noises are absolutely hilarious -- he sounds like he's trying to tell me a joke.
I like Sun Conures not only for their personality, but for their colors as well. And Dell just loves taking care of his feathers. If you look at him, chances are he's preening himself. Not only his colors, but also his flight control is simply unbelievable. When I got him, he had recently gotten his wings clipped. It barely fazed him! He could fly at a maximum of about 5-7 feet already and now a lot farther. I hope our relationship continues as it is now, and that there's nothing but smooth sailing ahead! Dell's a great addition to my family! |
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Train Away! | | | by Debbie Foster
 Whew! It's been a busy few weeks at CPR. We've had a lot of new birds come into the program, which means a lot of new birds to train. Although every bird doesn't get the same amount of training, we are trying to get to each of them at some point, even our "itty bitties" (budgies, parrotlets and 'tiels).
What do they learn? Each bird is target trained. I've told you before how important this is and how many uses it has. Many of the birds also learn to do the wave, the turn-around, the retrieve, animal impressions, crate training, basketball, running up a ladder and ringing a bell. Some birds are learning to put rings on pegs, while others are learning color discrimination (we're working with red and yellow so far). With some birds we work on the step-up, and with others we teach stepping onto a perch or stand. The birds are so smart and so motivated that it's a constant challenge for me to think of new things to teach them. It's funny to see people skid to a stop when they hear me telling a bird to "touch the yellow" or "shoot it" -- sometimes there's quite a crowd watching.
If you're adopting a bird from CPR, make sure you know what tricks and behaviors they have mastered. You'll be amazed and you'll definitely want to continue their training at home.
Train away!
Want to learn more? Reserve your seat now for the next free, Positive Reinforcement Training Class on Wednesday, March 21 at 6:30 pm at Parrot University. |
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Volunteer Corner | | | by Lynda Rettew
 A special thanks this month to our quarantine home families. As you may know, every bird relinquished to CPR begins his/her transition to a new life by spending 30 days with a quarantine family. This is to ensure the safety and well-being of all of the resident birds at Parrot University. Without you wonderful people, we could not accept the numbers of birds we do.
Who are these "angels"? Some of them are regular quarantine homes who repeat the process over and over. Some are people who have finished all adoption requirements but have not yet chosen (or been chosen by) a bird. Some are families who already have birds but have the required separate space to look after a transition bird. And sometimes we lose our quarantine families in the process, when they decide they just must adopt the bird that they were quarantining.
Our special thanks to Paul and Gloria Gosselin, Paul, Elizabeth, Jackie, and Lorelei Schellberg, Peg and Carl Herr, Robin and Kelly Martin, John Potter and his family, Stephen Platte and new just this month, Jacqueline and Anna Binkley. If I missed anyone who should be on this list, I apologize.
If you are interested in providing this much needed service, the process is very similar to adoption. You must attend Parrot 101 plus Avian Medicine if you can. You will have a home visit. If you have birds of your own, just like for adoption, they must have been seen by an avian vet. Also, if you have birds of your own, you'll need an area in your home with a separate air supply, for the protection of your own babies.
If you haven't yet decided that permanent adoption is right for you, please consider being a temporary bird parent. We still have a waiting list for birds to enter our program and we need you.
And thanks again to our good hearted "angels"!
Please contact me at volunteer@companionparrots.org if you'd like to volunteer. |
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We'd love to hear from you. Please send your comments or suggestions to info@companionparrots.org. Thanks to all of you for your support.
The Birds of Companion Parrots Re-homed
Karen Cheek Justice, President & Founder
Board of Directors
Volunteers
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