Benji comes out of hiding...

#cockatoo
Unable to resist the lure of the sound of metal poles being clinked together, Benji finally came out to play with me. He does give the phone/camera a few glimpses (one lasting about 10 seconds) just to let it know that he knows...

*** As a rescue bird who lived through stressful times before finding happiness, Benjamin would like anyone considering the adoption of a U2, to think about it long and hard before doing so. U2s are extremely intelligent, emotional creatures, who require several dedicated hours of attention each and every day (watching tv in the same room where the bird is sitting in a cage does not count). They hate cages, love to chew on furniture, are chainsaw-next-to-your-ear LOUD, easily stressed, and most are re-homed 3x by the age of 2 - and they live to be 60+.

They are quickly adopted because of their adorable appearance, but many people are surprised to learn that caring for them well is difficult and time consuming. The bird is then stressed when it does not get what it needs, so it self-mutilates by chewing on, and plucking its feathers, over and over again. In most cases, as in Benjamin's, the feathers do not grow back. Benji was only 2 when we adopted him, and he had already plucked out half of his total feathers - never to return. And while he no longer plucks, he will never fly, and will forever carry with him the evidence of 2 years of neglect. Most birds live in difficult homes far longer than Benji did, and many pluck until they are entirely bald. Even more dramatic than the plucking, or the merciless screaming, some birds dig holes in their skin, creating pain and deep massive wounds. These are habits they develop that sometimes stay with them for the entirety of their lives, even after they find good, caring forever homes.

Using a comparison coined by comedian Larry Miller: The difference in the intensity between the needs of a U2, and almost any other bird, is like the difference between shooting a bullet, and throwing it. If you adopt, please know what you're getting into beforehand. Provide them with boundless entertainment and as much space as possible, be prepared to give the time and attention they need to be happy, and be a forever home for your bird.

If you are the best you can be for the bird, the bird will be the best it can be for you. Believe me, the effort pays off a million times over.