It was a day to remember first laying eyes on Big Boy...I thought my heart would fall out of my chest. Steve also struggled to hold back tears.
Let me not jump ahead in telling you of Big Boy's plight for survival in a world which was for him, 26 long years of cruelty, pain and loss!
I can't expect for anyone to understand how difficult some of these stories are for me to write. They need however to be told and so with tears, I try..
We received a phone call from Marc Johnson of Foster Parrots in MA. Marc has been so helpful to us in our rescue efforts and we network very well together.
Marc asked if we could travel to NYC to pick up a Scarlet Macaw that was in need of rescuing. The 'plan' was for Steve and I to pick up the bird and Marc would come to CT to get him from us. We were happy to be able to help.
It was a long drive and we didn't know what to expect when we got there. Although we have had quite a few macaws come through the rescue, we had not had a Scarlet. We had heard and read a lot about them and given the information we had, pretty much expected an aggressive guy. We were ready for whatever it would take to complete this rescue. Knowing the bird would be going to the loving, competent hands of Marc Johnson, we were determined.
I had never been to this area of NY. As we pulled up to the address we were given, I marveled at the storefronts, delli's etc. with apartments over them. It was just like you see in the movies. We entered the building and traveled up very narrow stairs that were lined with such things as childrens bicycles and a variety of articles. I was praying that the cage could be broken down for a simple exit.
We were told that Big BIRD as he was called then, HATED children as he was tortured over the years by children with sticks etc.. Also, he had lost his female cage mate, a blue and gold macaw, to starvation seven years earlier. She had died in the same cage with him and it is undetirmined how long she lay dead in the cage. It was then that he started plucking himself.
As we walked into the room where he was kept, we saw a pitiful bird who immediatly tipped his head and said "hello". My first thought was that he should be saying help me. It was difficult to speak. All that was in the cage was a square cut, pressure treated wooden perch PERIOD! Big Boy sat centered on the perch watching our every move. I asked about food and water dishes and was told they were removed to clean. I then asked where they were placed in the cage so we would know where he was used to having them. "on the floor"... I asked about his diet and was told he ate bird seeds. I asked what kind of seed and was told the kind you buy in a pet store. There was absolutly no sign of even ONE seed. The owner then told me he liked 'people food'. Steve and I could only conclude he was surviving on table scraps. The cage door was bowed way in which looked to us as though it had been kicked in. He had an S hook on his leg for chaining.
I then asked about toys for stimulation.... I was told he had ONE ONCE but he chewed on it so it was removed. I had to look away...
I simply CAN'T continue here as I think you have a pretty good 'picture' and it's too painful for me.
The cage didn't break down and it took us almost an hour to get it out of there. I ran into the deli to get some fresh fruit for the long drive home for him.
All the way home he said hello hello. We talked to him, sang to him and promised him a good life. We knew Marc would loose his heart to this guy the way we just had. Steve said it's gonna be hard to give him up Diane.
As soon as we got home and got him somewhat settled, I called Marc. As I told him Big Boy's story and how bad it was for him, Marc asked if we had fallen in love with him. I guess he could hear it in my voice along with the fact that we share the same feelings for these beautiful creatures. You guessed it... He's now our baby and doing WONDERFUL!
He's on a Harrisons diet and actually coming into feather. He LOVES the Harrisons as well as ALL fruits and veggies we give him. Steve decided to give him a 'treat' of seed and nuts and he didn't know how to crack the peanut. He threw all the seed out of his dish to get to the Harrisons.
Big Boy, just for the record, is EXTREMELY gentle. He loves to snuggle and be scritched. His cage is FULL of toys that he enjoys to the max and he watches TV with the other macaws. He now says I LOVE YOU!
There's more but I can't. Crying here for all the sadness he knew and the happiness he now has and will ALWAYS have.
Big BOY is HOME!
