ParrotsFirst
POBox66223
LosAngeles,CA90066
ThePeopleofParrotsFirst
BoardofDirectors
RoseandFrankLevine
DebraCrowley
LisaMcMillan
Staff
ExecutiveDirector:RoseLevine
AdoptionCoordinator:LisaMcMillan
Training&Husbandry:DeborahStambul
NewsletterEditor:DanielledeLeon
AdvisoryBoard
AttilaMolnar,DVM
FrankLavac,DVM,ABVP
DeborahStambul
ContactUs@ParrotsFirst
http://parrotsfirst.org
[email protected]
ManyThanksto…
AVITEC–makersoffullspectrumlighting,Avi‐
nutritionalsupplements,andAvi‐Clean—anon‐
rinsecageandaviarycleaner.
Dr.AttilaMolnar,AllAnimalsVeterinary
Hospital,23815VenturaBlvd,Calabasas,CA
91302,(818)600‐1838
Dr.FrankLavac,WilshireAnimalHospital
2421WilshireBlvd,SantaMonica,CA90403
(310)828‐4587
DeborahStambul,animaltrainingand
boarding.(310)720‐3712
RebeccaK.O’Connorforallherhelpwith
trainingourmore“challenging”charges.
JocelynJuly,mobilegroomer(805)551‐4493
ParrotsFirstNewsletter–Spring2015
CheechwastakenfromhishomeinIndonesiaasayoungparrotwhenit
wasstilllegaltoimporttotheUnitedStatesandsoldtoafamilythatcared
wellforhimformanyyears.Samwasacquiredfromafriendthatbecame
illandlivedmanyyearswithamanwhodotedonhim.Loiswaspurchased
atapetstore15yearsagoandlivedwithawomanwhoadoredherand
caredforherverywell.
Cheech
Sam
Lois
Whatdoalltheseparrotshaveincommon?
AllofthemcametoParrotsFirstaftertheircaregivershadpassedaway.
WhenParrotsFirstbegan19yearsago,thenumberonereasonthatwewereaskedtotakeinaparrot
wasthatthecaregiverwasstartingafamilyandfearedtheycouldnotcontinuetocareforabirdaswell.
NOWthereasonheardmostisthatthecaregiveriseitherdyingorhaspassedaway.Oftenthereareno
familymembersthatfeeltheycancareforthecomplexneedsofaparrot.Theluckyonescometous
quickly.Thebirdsthatarepassedarounduntilwearecalledoftendonotdoaswell.Manyarrivepicked,
sufferingfrompoornutrition,orwithscreaminghabits.Itisclearthatevenifourparrotiswellloved
andcaredfortheywillmostlikelyneedtoberehomedduetoourage.Ifa25‐year‐oldhumantakes
inababyMacaw,aparrotthatcanliveupto70‐90+years,theparrotwillmostundoubtedlyoutlivethe
owner.
Planningforthefutureofyourbirdafteryouaregoneisanessentialpartofyourbird’sgoodcare
andmustbepartofyourestateplanning.Whetheryourbirdwillgotoarecognizedsanctuaryor
toarescue,itmustbespelledoutclearly(andlegally)whatyourwishesarewhileyouareableto.
AlthoughIdonotcarefortheterm“agingbabyboomers,”manythatfallintothisgroupwillhaveparrots
thatwillneedtobeplaced.Petfinder.comhasadetailedarticleonhowtoprovideforyourpet’sfuture
(regardlessofspecies).Ourfeatheredcompanionsareourlovingresponsibilityfornotjustour
entirelives,buttheirentirelives,andplanningaheadwillensurethattheygetthecontinuedcare
andattentiontheyneedanddeserveiftheirlivessurpassours.
ParrotsFirstwillcontinuetorehomeordirectbirdstoasanctuaryasneeded,andwewillhouseandfind
fosterhomesforthoseintransition(orwhocannotberehomedforwhateverreason).Thisisa
monumentaltaskthatcontinuestoloomlargereachyear,andyourhelpisdesperatelyneeded.
Pleasehelpuscontinuetobehereforthebirdsthatcomeourway.
TherearemanywaystosupportParrotsFirstlistedinthisnewsletter.
Thankyouforyourcontinuedsupport!!!–Rose,Frank,andallthebirdsofParrotsFirst
What’sGoingOnAtParrotsFirst?
WildBabyAmazonsStopbyParrotsFirst
ParrotsFirstwascalledontotakeintwobabyAmazonsthat
hadfallenfromatree.Thepeoplethatfoundthebirdscouldnot
findthenestandtookthebirdsintohandfeedthem.Thebirds
wereeatingontheirownwhenwereceivedthem.Although
thesetwoAmazonswereveryyoungandmighthavetamed
enoughtoliveinadoptivehomes,ParrotsFirstmadeanother
choice.Thebirdswerecaredforuntiltheycouldbetransferred
toSoCalParrotinSanDiego.Thiswonderfulorganizationcares
formembersofthenaturalizedparrotflocksinSouthern
ParrotsFirst’sWildVisitors
Californiathathavebeeninjuredororphaned.Thegoalisto
rehabilitatewild,naturalizedparrots,and,ifpossible,release
thembackintothewild.SoCalParrot’sfirstreleasewasinNovember.PleasecheckoutSoCalParrot’s
websiteandletthemknowthatyousupporttheirfinework.‐AtParrotsFirst,webelievethatahomeis
notalwaysthebestplaceforaparrot,andwearepleasedtoworkwithorganizationssuchasSoCal
Parrotaswellasotheraccreditedsanctuaries.KeepinmindthatParrotsFirstreceivednofundingtocare
forthesebirds,whichisyetanotherexampleofwhyweneedyoursupportsomuch.
AdoptionAnnouncements
CongratstoThunder,Jake,andYoshiwhohavefoundtheirforeverhomes!
Thunder(left)and
hisnewbuddy
Jakeenjoyinghis
newdoghouse
Yoshihappilyfalling
asleeponashoulder
PeachesandSunshineCrosstheRainbowBridge
PeachesandSunshine
Peaches,aGoffinsCockatoo,andSunshine,aNandayConure,
crossedovertheRainbowBridgethispastmonth.Bothbirds
wereinacityparksanctuarythathadrunoutoffunds.Mostof
theotherbirdsinbetterfeatherwereadoptedout,butPeaches
andSunshineunfortunatelyhadnowheretogo.ParrotsFirst
wasabletotakethemin,andweprovidedthemwithfoster
homesuntiltheypassedthislastmonth.Bothbirdswerevery
old,anditappearsthattheydiedofoldage.Nodiseaseswere
found.Wewerehappyandthankfultobeabletoprovidefor
themwithloveintheirfinalyears.
6WaysYouCanHelpParrotsFirst
1.AdoptorFostera
Parrot
ormaybeasecondorthird!
2.SponsoraBird
ormaybeasecondorthird!
Wealwaysneedadoptiveandfosterhomes.Ifyoucanfinditin
yourhearttoshareyourhomewithabirdeitherpermanentlyor
untilwecanfinditapermanenthome,youwillreallybehelping
usandourbirds.Moreinfoathttp://parrotsfirst.org/adopt/
Manyofourparrotscannotberehomedduetomedicalor
behavioralissues,orarebondedpairsthatcannotbeseparated.
Sponsorshipcontributessignificantlytothecareofthese
birds.Sponsorbymailusingtheformonthenextpageoronline
athttp://parrotsfirst.org/sponsor‐a‐bird/
3.DonateMoney
and/orSupplies
Everybitcounts.
Here’sourwishlist:





Monetarydonations(bymailoronlineat
http://parrotsfirst.org/how‐you‐can‐help)

Petcarriers(allsizes)

Toys,toys,toys!(theygetenjoyedquickly)

Whitetowels(allsizes)

Softropeperches(Boodaperches)
Brooms
GiftcardstoHomeDepotorOrchardSupplyHardware(somethingisalwaysbreaking)
Stainlesssteelkabobsforfruitsandveggies
Ponybeadsformakingtoys
4.Volunteeror
BecomeaMember
Noexperiencenecessary.
We’llfindafitforyou!
5.Signupfor
AmazonSmile
Makeyourshoppingcharitable.
Havealittletimetodonate?There’salwayssomethingthat
needsdoingatParrotsFirst,suchasbirdsocialization,aviary
cleaning,adoptivehomeinspections,andgrantwritingand
fundraising.Orbecomeamemberat
http://parrotsfirst.org/membership/
(TaxTip:mileagetoandfromvolunteerworkistaxdeductible)
AmazonSmiledonates0.5%ofeligibleAmazonpurchasesto
charity.SignuptodayandchooseParrotsFirstasyourcharityof
choiceathttp://smile.amazon.com/about
TellyourfriendsaboutParrotsFirstandtheworkwedo,and
6.TellYourFriends
howhelpisneededmorethanever.
AboutParrotsFirst
ConnectwithusonFacebook
Spreadtheword!
ParrotsFirstcannotsurvivewithoutyouandyourcontinuedsupport.Helpuscontinuetobeasafe
andcomfortingplacewherebirdscanlandwhentheylosethepeopletheylovemost.
Whatwillyoudotodaytohelpaparrotinneed?
CashandgiftcontributionstoParrotsFirstaretax‐deductibletotheextentpermittedbylaw
YourDollarsandContributionsMaketheDifference!
IfyouwouldliketocontributetoParrotsFirst,youcandosoonlineatparrotsfirst.orgorbyfillingout
thissheetandmailingitto:ParrotsFirst,Inc.,POBox66223,LosAngeles,CA90066.Pleasemakeall
checkspayabletoParrotsFirst,Inc.
Thankyouinadvanceforyourcontinuedsupport!!!
Name:
Address:
City/State/Zip:
Phone/Email:
IWouldLiketoBecomeaSponsor!
 I/Wewouldliketosponsorasmallbirdfor
months($25permonth)
 I/Wewouldliketosponsoramedium‐sizedbirdfor
months($50permonth)
 I/Wewouldliketosponsoracockatooormacawfor months($75permonth)
 I/Wewouldliketosponsoronecomprehensiveveterinaryexamandlabworkup($125
flatdonation)
Agifttotaling$
isenclosed.
(monetarydonationscanalsobemadeonlineatparrotsfirst.org)
IWouldLiketoMakeaDonation!
Pleaseacceptthisdonationof:
 Monetarydonationof$
 GiftcardstoHomeDepotorOrchardSupply
 Petcarriers(allsizes)
Hardware
 Toys,toys,toys!
 Stainlesssteelkabobsforfruitsandvegetables
 Whitetowels(allsizes)
 Ponybeadsformakingtoys
 Softropeperches(Boodaperches)
 Other:  Brooms
(monetarydonationscanalsobemadeonlineatparrotsfirst.org)
IWouldLiketoBecomeaMember!
Membershipincludesamembershipcard,asubscriptiontoournewsletter,freeadmissiontoour
basicbirdcareclass,anddiscountedadmissiontoourworkshops.
Individual($25)
FriendofParrotsFirst($50) Benefactor($500+)
Family($35)
Sponsor($100)
Angel($1000+)
Junior/Senior($15)
Patron($250+)
(under18/over65)
(membershipdonations canalsobemadeonlineatparrotsfirst.org)
IWouldLiketoVolunteer,Foster,and/orAdopt!
Iwouldliketoknowmoreabout:Volunteering/Fostering/Adopting
([email protected])