What kind of bird?

[saxy_jag]

We've recently had to relieve mother of her very obese Jack Russell Terrier, and this may possibly be a permanent move.

To stop her getting too lonely we'd like to get her a pet bird, or possibly a pair. I was thinking of a pair of budgerigars but I'm not sure. She's developing alzheimers and is currently being assessed with a view to moving into sheltered care. She had a couple of budgies a few months ago until someone (not mum) let them escape. She did forget to feed them on the odd day but has family and carers who call in regularly to prompt this and to clean the cage.

Also, she becomes depressed and physically ill quite a lot, at which times she barely acknowledges the presence of any pets at all. Therefore I'd to get a 'low-maintenance' pet bird that doesn't need a huge amount of human company/interraction and that doesn't need to be let out of its cage for exercise.

The existing cage is a large, double-height budgerigar cage suitable for two birds, so something that could live and be safe in that cage would be ideal.

[boxtops]

Do you think she really needs a bird, given her current and possibly future state of health? It might be kinder not to provide new pets - it's another task for family and carers, and something else for you to worry about. If she doesn't know the pets are there, I don't want to sound harsh but it might be kinder just not to get one.

[rsvp]

agree with Boxtops

[cazzz1975]

to be honest, caged birds need regular feeding and fresh water available, they also need their cages cleaned regularly, depending on the bird they can also get quite down if they are bored or understimulated.

they may not look like they need much care, but they actually do, I agree with boxy, I would think of something else rather than a live animal

[saxy_jag]

This is also part of my thinking. However the main ones who do the pet caring for her are my sister and me and we're both pet owners/lovers ourselves, so it's not a real chore. Either of us would be happy to rehome a couple of birds if it came down to it.

It's not that she doesn't know the pets are there, just that when she's ill (as opposed to senile/confused), then she's not bothered about anything much and chatting with her pets is at the bottom of her list. As it is, she's quite lonely (housebound/semi-agoraphobic) and I feel she'd benefit from a little life in the house besides herself and the TV. She's also said she'd like a bird.

[wolf63]

Being nosey - how fat was the little dog? They are such active little terrors that I can't imagine one getting fat.

Maybe she will be lucky and the sheltered housing complex will have some sort of animal living on site - I know one where the warden has a hound and a cat visits (of its own accord) daily to fleece the residents out of treats.

[saxy_jag]

Wolf - VERY fat. Mum was never able to exercise him (see above), and has a habit of feeding him titbits with the the defence 'well it's not much'. This in addition to overfeeding him at mealtimes because the correct amount of food 'didn't look much' at the bottom of the bowl. To her, the fact that he's dangerously overweight isn't a problem because 'he never complains'. This is part of the reason I'm umming and ahhing over getting her a bird. It's tough because she's always had pets and when she's 'well' she really does benefit from their company.

The dog is with us as of today and I to get a GSD sized harness to fit him in order to bring him home. I haven't had a chance to weigh and measure him yet but it's fair to describe him as a barrel on legs - certainly much fatter than my own border collie-retriever cross. Now begins the process of fat-camp.

[wolf63]

Most vets do weight loss clinics - try dragging him along to one.

Frankie is asthmatic and on either inhalers or injections (currently inhalers). When he got the injections he was 'always' starving. A starving pussy cat is a pathetic animal. The vet said to give him the same amount of meals per day - just less in each one and not to give him a lesser amount of meals as he could know he was getting less.

It didn't work in our case as he just mugged his sister for her food instead.

I am bipolar and find that animals are great when you are depressed - but sometimes the stress/worry about the responsibility of looking after them makes everything see worse.

[saxy_jag]

Well, Fott, it's not as though she's so far gone that she'll forget all the time, especially if we and/or her carers remind her and a note could be a good idea. If there ever looks to be a real problen. Just that she wouldn't always able to interract with the bird given her varying state of health/depression. Therefore I'm trying to find something quite small that isn't so dependent on human company - hence a pair of them. I was thinking perhaps one, or maybe two canaries.

[daisya]

Just my two pennorth...please don't get budgies, they need a lot of looking after and by someone who knows what they are doing. I am sorry your poor mother isn't in the best of health and if she doesn't acknowledge the prescence of pets, imo it will be unfair to the budgies and to other people who have to step in to look after them. Budgies are very intelligent birds and need company even in pairs. I am sorry to be so negative but any animal is in need of good care and by people who can look out to them. If injured or ill they need a vet and it does sound as though your mother wouldn't be capable of noticing what condition they are in.

I hope you find the right solution for your mother, but I have to agree with the others who say it would be kinder not to get a live animal as really you need to think of that and the onus being on other people to look after them.

[saxy_jag]

Must admit, I'm tending to come down that way. Maybe I can carry on working on getting her to visit a day centre a couple of times a week or something, reluctant though she may be.

My sister's away on holiday at the moment, so I think I'll wait and talk things through with her when she gets back.