- Jan 31, 2009
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I had a Galah for a little over a year. Floyd was hit by a car outside my house when he was just a fledgling. He took quite a bit of damage to his chest, plus absolutely shattered his right wing. Not wanting to rack up a vet bill just for a wild bird, I put a green castrating ring on the wing above the break, and kept him in a quiet dark room for about two months. Well the broken half of the wing came off, he recovered (I didnt think he was going to) and slowly became tame. He was pretty sensible to start with, and that along with the fact that he was young convinced me to try and save him rather than just euthanase. I knew with the wing damage he could never be released, and if he was an older bird he would never adjust to captivity very well, so I would have euthanased. But being young, and fairly sensible, I thought he would adjust reasonably well to being a pet. Well he did
His cage was just outside my milking doe's pen - and he and Anna the goat were absolutely in love. She would stick her head through the bars of her pen, he would stick his head out the mesh of his cage, and he would groom all over her face, and she in turn would nibble and mouth all over his head. It was the most amazing thing you'd ever see. Unfortunately I never got it on camera.
He was never very big on talking, but was just starting to say hello a couple weeks before he died.
One night, Mum looked out the back yard and there was a Galah sitting near the back step, she thought wow that bird is quiet, but didnt connect the dots. The next morning as she headed off to work, there were heaps of Galah feathers on the front lawn, she thought oh one of the cats had a feast, but again didnt connect the dots. I was out the back a bit later in the morning and realised Floyd wasnt in his cage - then all of a sudden it all made sense. Floyd must have gotten out of his cage the night before, couldnt fly and so was an easy target for either my pet cat (who is both an inside and outside cat) or a stray that was living under my house at the time.
I love Galahs ... and large parrots. I'm not one for small birds but large birds I love. I will get another parrot at some point, but it will be a rescue, like Floyd.
His cage was just outside my milking doe's pen - and he and Anna the goat were absolutely in love. She would stick her head through the bars of her pen, he would stick his head out the mesh of his cage, and he would groom all over her face, and she in turn would nibble and mouth all over his head. It was the most amazing thing you'd ever see. Unfortunately I never got it on camera.
He was never very big on talking, but was just starting to say hello a couple weeks before he died.
One night, Mum looked out the back yard and there was a Galah sitting near the back step, she thought wow that bird is quiet, but didnt connect the dots. The next morning as she headed off to work, there were heaps of Galah feathers on the front lawn, she thought oh one of the cats had a feast, but again didnt connect the dots. I was out the back a bit later in the morning and realised Floyd wasnt in his cage - then all of a sudden it all made sense. Floyd must have gotten out of his cage the night before, couldnt fly and so was an easy target for either my pet cat (who is both an inside and outside cat) or a stray that was living under my house at the time.
I love Galahs ... and large parrots. I'm not one for small birds but large birds I love. I will get another parrot at some point, but it will be a rescue, like Floyd.
