My critters!

[RandomWiktor]

Since a few folks expressed interest in seeing my non-bunnycrittery, I figured I'd post a sampling of my "family!"Not posting fish here since I already had a fish thread, nor "repeats" of the same species. I might do a seperate thread for bugs or post them later.

The Furred

Leo, rescued as a feral kitten

Delta, owner surrender

Captain Paul Watson, owner surrender

Kiamesha, one of two African Soft Furred Rats, education animals.

The Feathered

Aspen, really stupid gift from grandparents

Pretty Bird, owner surrender

Sami, willed to me after owned died. Basically a rescue; was living in abhorrent conditions.

Ngala, owner surrender.

Tiresias, one of six budgies. Tiresias is blind and uses Ngala as her "seeing eye bird." Owner surrender like all but one of our budgies who was a stray.

Uluru, one of two diamond doves. Given to me by my boyfriend who adopted them because he couldn't stand their constant coo-ing. rofl.

Rosa, abandoned after owner was deported.

Nuru, abandoned in woods.

The Cold Blooded

Geckster, rescue from negligent conditions.

Bische, owner surrender.

Rhako, breeder cull.

Liberace, one of three leopard geckos, owner surrender. Others were breeder cull and rescue from negligent conditions.

Draco,owner surrender.

Nat, owner surrender. Technically for adoption & has been for 6+ months, but no one wants him it seems.

Molotov, rescue from negligent conditions.

Rob, rescue from negligent conditions.(I need an update pic; this was day one and he was a bit skinny with overgrown nails AND mites, oye.)

Grassman, owner surrender.

Sr. Corn nuta, owner surrender.

Platelet, one of twoArgentine horned frogs, both gifts.

Quell, one of nine Chacoan horned frogs, all owner surrenders.

Peg, one of seven European green toads, allowner surrenders.

Hevel, one of two cane toads. One adopted, one owner surrender.

Kuala (who doesn't like having his picture taken, if you couldn't guess from this photo), rescue from negligent conditions.

Jerimiah, one of two American bullfrogs (He doesn't live in that bare bin; that is a feeding bin. He has a 100g stock tank.) Both unreleasable wildlife patients.

Tad, unreleasable wildlife patient.

Madcap and Slapdash, two of four african clawed frogs, rescue from school laboratory. Others are owner surrender and store surrender (deformed).

Sir Isaac Newton, rescued from dangerous conditions (living with an RES who bit his leg off).

Huey Newton, pet store surrender (had no front legs)

 

[emilyasb]

Wow! You rescue a lot of critters!
Do you rescue them out of your home, or do you work someplace that rescues them?

If I lived closer, I'd adopt Nat, pronto!

You have a beautiful collection

 

[RandomWiktor]

Out of my home. I do a decent ammount of foster and placement as well as wildlife rehab; last year more than 20 critters went off to good homes, happily, in addition to the many successfully released wildlife patients. I'd love higher adoption rates but qualified homes for less desirable species seem in short supply, so a lot of them end up being given "sanctuary" rather than "shelter." A lot of folks that surrender also want them to be in the education program specifically, so some are here permenantly to be ed animals.

 

[naturestee]

I want to come visit!

Do you do this for a job? It must be so much work! It's too bad you're so far away or I'd hook you up with my friend who runs a nature center. She has a few critters there but would probably like more.

 

[RandomWiktor]

I do this as a hobby! I wish I could get paid for it, bloody money pit it is! I am working on getting 501(c) to cut down on costs and hopefully solicit donations; I feel weird asking for donations if it's not "official."

 

[emilyasb]

RandomWiktor wrote:

I do this as a hobby! I wish I could get paid for it, bloody money pit it is! I am working on getting 501(c) to cut down on costs and hopefully solicit donations; I feel weird asking for donations if it's not "official."

Even if it's not official I'd still donate! I'm sure any amount would go to good use.

 

[undergunfire]

You have quite the collection! The rodents, birds, and kitty are all beautiful!

I am terrified of frogs/toads and for some reason I knew they'd be in this thread...so I had to scroll through past the birds really fast....and I still caught a glimpse. Bleh, if I see even a picture of a frog/toad it sends me into a panic. I really don't know where my phobia started, but they are so terrifying to me. Bugs? Snakes? Some spiders? No problem! Frogs? I nearly pass out from fear!

 

[kirsterz09]

wow what I wonderful collection of animals, I really admire you for giving the rescues a home, if I didn't live so far away I would love to of been able to help, thanks for showing us your wonderful collection.

 

[hartleybun]

thank you for sharing - what a lovely crittery - especially tiresias - a very apt name

 

[Happi Bun]

What an awesome variety of critters! It's great that most of them were rescues.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Jessyka]

RandomWiktor wrote:

Sr. Corn nuta, owner surrender.

ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD

 

[luvthempigs]

Wow! Your photos are great :thumbup

What a beautiful bunch of critters :inlove:I love the bird in the second photo, what is it?

 

[paul2641]

I really love frogs and toads I hope to have some interesting frogs when I'm older, My mother wouldn't allow a frog/toad come 50 feet in proximity of the door lol.

 

[RandomWiktor]

Maria, Pretty Bird is a white fronted amazon

 

[luvthempigs]

Cool :dude:

I did a little reading on these guys and it seems they can be a bit challenging to keep. Said they can get aggressive with other birds and their owners. Have you had any trouble with pretty bird? Just curious...

I have five cockatiels and I must say they all have different personalities.

 

[RandomWiktor]

All amazons are pretty challenging birds to own. The main problem is that they have a low threshold for overstimulation, and can be a bit unpredictable. So, you could have your 'zon out for playtime or snuggles, things seem to be going peachy, then someone walks into the room and makes the bird feel threatened/overstimulated/jealous and next thing you know, you've been seriously bitten.

When I volunteered at a parrot rescue, they said you should never let any parrot close to your face, but ESPECIALLY not amazons, and even suggested not having them on your arm with bare skin. One of the guys there had a wicked scar on his face from his own amazon.

That being said, Pretty Bird has been relatively mannerly for an Amazon. Because of her history she doesn't trust humans enough to be held, but I take her in and out of her cage on a hand held perch with no problems. She likes being scratched and gives warning bites before serious bites; I've never had a serious bite from her. She is, however, VERY jealous towards my other birds and does try to kill them if they get close enough, so she can't interact with them at all.

Sami, the other amazon (a yellow naped) has much more of a traditional 'zon tude - Jeckyl and Hyde! One minute he's snuggling and cooing and loving the attention, then out of the blue he's attacking. He has a lower than usual threshold for stimulation because he lived in VERY deprived conditions for 14 years, so it's easy to send him over the edge. He is my most challenging parrot. I've had him a year and we're just getting the point where he feels comfortable stepping out of his cage.

 

[luvthempigs]

Very interesting...thanks for sharing your experience with these birds. I keep thinking some day I would like to try another type of bird besides the tiels.

What type of bird is your Aspen? What are they like?

 

[RandomWiktor]

Aspen's a Green Cheeked Conure. What they're like... hmmm. Well they're KNOWN for being sweet, playful, bold, affectionate, and goofy. But some of them are also very nervy, mischievous, and naughty. I got one that's both; he's always playful, bold, goofy, and mischeivous. And he's either sweet and affectionate, or nervy and naughty, depending on his mood - and his mood is often naughty To be fair, however, he used to be an excellent bird, but while I was away at college for a year my mom mishandled him in a way that to her and someone who doesn't know parrots much seemed benign, but to him was borderline abusive. So he has a bit of "baggage." Generally, once they get past the bitey baby stage, they're good "beginner" parrots.

That being said, definitely adopt one. Most parrots get abandoned when they hit sexual maturity because you go from being "mommy that I love" to "mommy that I want to get away from because it's time for me to go find a mate." Parrots often become aggressive or disinterested in their owner once they mature, so it's easier to just adopt an already mature bird. Mature birds are great because you can get to know them and their quirks before adopting, and their personalities are fairly stable. There are tons of excellent parrot rescues needing homes across the country so I really strongly suggest that venue.

ETA: One thing I forgot. Conures are often great pets BUT... they are REALLY loud for little birds. Not all of them; green cheeks are one of the quietest conures. But sun conures get abandoned left and right because if not given enough1 on 1 they will SCREAM constantly, and it's a very piercing voice that they have.

 

[luvthempigs]

Well thank you so much for all the info

When we are ready for another bird I will definately check into a rescue.


And thanks for the heads up on the noise level Out of my five I only have one who gets noisy but he will stop when he has had enough. I just think he is happy and is expressing himself :biggrin2: