My husband was working at an elderly couples home. The elderly gentleman use to do local pick up of scrap metal to make ends meet as the pension did not cover all their expenses. He went to this house where there was a lonely white cockatoo. He was dirty, with big round circles of feathers missing. Blood blisters were all over him. The elderly gentlemen asked what happened to him. The owner just laughed as he told him there from the vacuum cleaner. It’s the only way to shut the dick head up. The old man got very irate and said to the owner, "I am taking that bird with me." The young fellow said, "best news he had heard". He carried Bardy to his truck, first stop off was the vets on the way home. The vet treated and took photos of him.
Well this man was telling my husband that his wife had cancer and they had to move to a hospice and they did not know what they were going to do with him as he had some serious issues with squawking, dietary, noise and fear. My husband rang me up and ask would I mind coming to have a look at a cocky and to look after him until we found him an appropriate home. I loaded up my kids and we went to meet him and in greeting , he immediately said "hello mate". The old couple sat us down with a cup of tea, and we got talking about Bardy’s behaviour, they showed me his photo and I literally bawled. I did not know people could do this to such a beautiful animals. However by the time he came to my place. The blood blistered were all healed. You could see where they had sucked onto his skin as the pin feathers were just filling in the gaps on some and others were bald. He’s still got one place now although their is feather coverage you can still see it is thin.
Well that was it, he was loaded in my car and bought home to my place. The things that comes out his mouth, things he has heard in his life is devastating. I am surprised the neighbours never rang the police for wife abuse. As he has quite colourful language that sometimes only fit for the cow yards. Slowly his squawking is improving. We can now pat him, but just can't trust to get him out as his demeanour changes too quick, goes from loving to biting just like that. (and with a house full of kids this is not the best idea.) His confidence has bloomed and he trusts me to now put toys in his cage. He now swings, and we have changed his diet off straight sunflowers to a more heathy lifestyle, so that we can have him in our lives many years to come. We still can't use a vacuum cleaner, or blower, but we can live with that. He is in his forever home.
