Best Friends
No More Homeless Pets Forum
December 1, 2003

Helping Birds, Rabbits, and Ferrets

Alicia Drakiotes
Alicia Drakiotes

How can you help homeless rabbits, ferrets, and birds in your community? Karalee Curry, manager of the Columbus, Ohio chapter of the House Rabbit Society; Alicia Drakiotes from Ferret Wise Rescue and Rehabilitation Center; Eileen McCarthy of the Avian Welfare Coalition; and Denise Kelly of Best Friends Animal Society offer advice on how you can handle homeless birds, rabbits, and ferrets in your community.

Introduction from Karalee Curry:

Do rabbits have personalities? Are rabbits more like cats or dogs? Do rabbits need to be spayed or neutered?

These are just a few of the questions I continually get asked. The answers are yes, neither, and yes.

Learning the answers to these questions and many more is an important step in stopping the impulse buying of rabbits for Easter, and anytime. Those impulse purchases are many, if not the majority, of the rabbits that are abandoned at shelters or as strays.

Rabbits are marketed as cute, cuddly pets for kids, but in reality, young children and rabbits are not always the best match. Rabbits are now the third most popular pet in households, but unfortunately, the third most common to be surrendered at shelters, or worse yet, set free outside.

Rabbit care and behavior education is a huge part of what the House Rabbit Society does. We want people to learn about rabbits first to help them make an informed decision as to whether a rabbit is the right companion for their household. And second, to encourage them to adopt a rabbit from their local shelter, HRS chapter, or other rescue group.

I'll be happy to answer your questions about rabbits this week.

Introduction from Alicia Drakiotes:

My area of expertise is ferret rescue and care. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about how to handle ferrets in your shelter, including questions about general care and maintenance, caging requirements and set up, training tips, and how to locate a ferret-friendly veterinarian.

Many people obtain ferrets from pet shops, where they receive scant information on behavior and care. I can offer advice on how to work with people to share information on the behavior and proper care of ferrets.

I look forward to your questions.

Introduction from Eileen McCarthy:

Here at Midwest Avian Adoption & Rescue Services we offer behavioral consultations for captive parrots and their humans and assistance shelters with the challenges of caring for birds and other exotics from intake to placement.

Are you frustrated -- or downright overwhelmed -- by parrot behavior and stumped about how to help solve the problem? Are you trying to find a home for a bird or contemplating sharing your life with a bird? Have you ever wondered how and why wild animals have recently come to be considered "pets"?

Shelters across the country are caring for -- or euthanizing -- increasingly large numbers of "pet" birds. How can you help to stop the overpopulation of exotic "pets" before it reaches the crisis point that the overpopulation of dogs and cats has?

Education is essential to successful captive bird care. It provides an avenue for captive bird caretakers to insure a quality life for their captive avian companions. An educated, prepared person is much more likely to maintain an interest in his/her feathered friend and provide a long-term, quality home. However, there are many challenges and drawbacks inherent in keeping a wild animal -- which all parrot species are -- in captivity and especially in a home environment. As humans, we are not truly capable of meeting the needs of such complex, intelligent and sensitive creatures.

The first priority of anyone from my group who responds to a surrender inquiry is to offer the guardian suggestions that might lead to the bird staying in his/her home. Although education is the key to a rewarding relationship with an avian companion, it is only successful when everyone involved is willing and committed.

Most often, when someone contacts us about a "problem" bird, he/she has already made up his/her mind to surrender the bird. On average, we receive more than a bird a day and care for 240 birds at our facility, The Landing. Most of the birds we care for are placed into private homes and we provide education, support and other resources to help the birds and their guardians adjust to life together. However, for some birds, a home is not the best setting and in these cases we provide or arrange permanent sanctuary for those individuals.

I look forward to answering your questions.

Introduction from Denise Kelly:

The last decade has seen a dramatic rise in the breeding and keeping of exotic birds as 'pets.' Whether captured in the wild or born in captivity, parrots have not been domesticated for thousands of years like dogs and cats; their physical, social and behavioral traits are suited for life in the wild. But there are already millions of birds living in captivity, and growing numbers are becoming displaced.

Providing for the specialized needs of captive exotic birds presents both practical and ethical concerns for shelter and rescue organizations: what resources and protocols are required to facilitate the rescue, housing and placement of exotic birds; who are the most appropriate rescue/ placement partners to work with; what are the special considerations of placing exotic birds and how does the adoption screening process differ from cats and dogs; what are natural behavioral traits and common problems of exotic birds; how to detect and manage avian diseases; what constitutes substandard care and conditions and when intervention may be required; why unwanted birds remains a hidden crisis.

In this forum, we will discuss the issue of captive wild animals as 'pets', the unique problems associated with keeping parrots as 'pets', the behavior and health problems associated with mass production and marketing of exotic birds as 'pets' and the appropriate social, housing, care, and placement requirements for exotic birds.

Questions


Adoption screening
What resources and hotlines are available for other species?
Making other species comfortable and safe in a shelter setting
Getting pet stores to stop selling live animals
Are more laws the answer?
Starting a rescue for other species and helping animals from a cruelty situation
Is it better to place bonded animals in pairs or single with other species?
Shelter statistics on other species
How to get information to shelters about other species
Spay/neuter for other species
Guides for new adopters and how to litter box train
Tips for finding homes for other species
Stopping people from releasing these domesticated species into the wild
Animals as Prizes

Adoption screening

Question from Beth:

What are the key questions we need to be asking when we are doing adoption screening for a good new home for a bunny, or a bird or a ferret? I'm assuming that they have some specific needs beyond this usual things we may be looking for in an adoptive home for a dog or cat.

Response from Karalee:

Who is the rabbit for? If the answer is children, this may not be the right home. For some reason, people think that rabbits are good "starter pets". Rabbit are not low-maintenance pets. They require as much work as a cat or dog. We get many calls from people saying that their child, sometimes only 3 or 4 years old, has been asking for a rabbit, so they decided to get him/her one. If the parents want the rabbit and realize the long-term commitment (rabbits can live 8 to 10 years, sometimes longer), then we will consider placing a rabbit with a family with children. We still prefer for the children to be at least 8 to 10 years old.

Where will the rabbit be housed? We only adopt to indoor homes. Rabbits are not safe outside, especially at night. What other animals are in the house? Many rabbits get along with cats and dogs, but some don't. It does depend on the personality of both species. If they have a dog or cat that "hunts", placing a rabbit into that home may not be such a good idea.

Make sure they understand that a rabbit needs lots of time out of the cage to run and play. We recommend at least 32 hours of out-of-cage time a week. I personally don't use cages. I like to house our foster buns in exercise pens which are much roomy.

Are they prepared to bunny-proof their home or a room in their home where the rabbits will have their play area? Electrical cords must be covered to prevent electrocution. Rabbits chew and dig by nature, so it is important to not only bunny-proof, but also have many toys that the rabbit can play with. We are not trying to stop the rabbit from chewing and digging - we can't - but to redirect their chewing and digging to their toys, not our furniture or carpet. Are they prepared to pay for veterinary care? Rabbits needs to be spayed or neutered as well as have an exam once a year. Rabbits can and do get sick, so having to pay for diagnostic tests and antibiotics can be a common thing.

Response from Alicia:

The key questions for ferret adoption are:

Are there any young children in the home? Ferrets require a LOT of supervision, they are not cage bound animals. Ferrets can be injured by well meaning children who are unsupervised. Many ferret biting incidents are reactions to ferret injuries inflicted by improper handling. To curtail these specific problems ferret rescues do not place ferrets with families who have children under age 10.

Ferrets are also higher maintenance pets. Vet visits are usually a more costly venture than vetting cats due to the "exotics" labeling at veterinary practices. Owners should be aware that:

Response from Eileen:

This is an excellent question and one that is often overlooked! All you really need to do a good job of appropriately placing captive birds is vast working knowledge and experience with captive birds in general as well as considerable familiarity with the individual bird. Just joking... Seriously, this is a crucial question with a difficult and complicated, multifaceted answer.

The most common "reasons" people state for surrendering their avian companions are similar to those of people surrendering dogs & cats:


However, the complex natural and captive behaviors of birds greatly compound all of the common issues people have when they share their lives with animals. The two most important things when placing a bird in a home environment is the household's preparedness for the bird's needs and its commitment to the bird and their role as caregivers. Other things to be considered are:


From the MAARS site, here are some resources. Evaluating Adoption Applicants a sample Bird Adoption Application & the Bird Application Evaluation Guide (.pdf's) prepared by MAARS and the Animal Protection Institute. Please feel free to utilize these documents as you wish.

I hope that my answer and the documents are helpful!

Response from Denise:

Because the larger species like macaws, cockatoos, amazons and African Greys can live 50-80 years or more in captivity, we are looking for people who are especially capable and committed to providing lifetime care. It is preferred that they have experience with birds. In reality, there is an inherent displacement problem with the larger species since many will outlive their caretakers. Also, the larger birds can be very loud, destructive and messy, and are extremely demanding. They are often not the best choice for people who live in apartments or where excessive noise would not be tolerated. Placing a large bird in a home with small children is also a cause for concern, since they will require as much attention as your children and can be temperamental, display aggression and bite hard.

In the absence of a readily available spay/neuter option as we have for dogs and cats, it is important that birds not be placed for breeding purposes, since this could potentially put more birds in the same displacement situation.

I would also be concerned with other animals that reside in the same household, particularly predators. While some birds are ok with dogs and cats, it is a situation that must be managed properly in order to avoid injury or conflict and could depend a lot on the temperament of both animals.

It is preferred that birds be placed in non-smoking households. Even second-hand smoke can have a harmful effect on a bird's sensitive respiratory system. Also, you should inquire if the person uses Teflon in their household, since the fumes that Teflon cookware emits are toxic to birds and must be removed prior to the bird being placed.

Be very wary of people who want a bird for a superficial reason i.e. as decoration or as a gift, or who want a bird simply to talk. Often people have unrealistic expectations about living with a parrot simply because of portrayals in the media.

Follow-up and continuing education of adopters is essential. Bona fide avian rescue groups put a lot of emphasis on these components. A solid, adoption contract should make it a condition that birds must be returned to your shelter should the adoption not work out. Also, it is important to make yourself available so that adopters feel comfortable to contact you for support if problems arise.

What resources and hotlines are available for other species?

Question from a member:

We try to provide counseling to keep pets in homes. There are several great hotlines and many good resources for dog and cat behavior... but, what about these other animals? Any suggestions on where we can get info to train our staff and where we can point the public when they are in need of additional info? What are the best resources out there on behavior and care? Our staff has almost no knowledge of how to deal with other species because we don't deal with that often but when we do, want to be prepared.

Response from Karalee:

As for rabbits, the national House Rabbit Society's (HRS) website is a fantastic source of rabbit care and behavior information. The site is huge and includes many FAQ's on various subjects as well as lots of articles and information on advanced subjects. Also, we have educators across the country who volunteer their time to help people learn about rabbits and answer questions.

There are contact numbers on the national web site. If you do not have an HRS representative in your area, you can contact the closest rep or you can write to the national office and they will answer your questions. E-mail addresses, such as health@rabbit.org, socialization@rabbit.org, chewing@rabbit.org, etc are set up for people to direct their questions to. You can find these e-mails and more at: http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/feedback.html.

Response from Alicia:

There are several mailing lists to help facilitate ferret owners. The largest one is FML Ferret Mailing List run out of CUNY. It is a moderated list and those wishing to subscribe can subscribe by following these instructions:

To receive a copy of the FML FAQ (last updated 01/28/01), which discusses the FML in far greater detail, send mail to listserv@cunyvm.cuny.edu, with "SEND FML FAQ" as a single line in the mail (don't use the quotes).

To get the Ferret Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), full of information and advice about ferrets, use "SEND ANSWERS PACKAGE FERRET". PLEASE read the FAQ before you send non-emergency postings to the list!!! Use "SEND FERRET nnnn" to get back issues of this newsletter. Searchable archives. Except where clearly indicated by Moderator's notes, all articles posted in this forum appear exactly as written by their authors. They may have been reformatted without wording changes. The accuracy, or lack of accuracy, of any post is the responsibility of the post's author.

Response from Eileen:

Another very good question! The answer is that information regarding the proper care of captive exotic birds is very limited and often anecdotal at best. Avian medicine and behavior are very new disciplines in which there are no true experts and those of us who care for and work with birds on a regular basis often struggle to find and give credible information.

As you all probably know from experience, it is sometimes the behavior of the human or humans seeking advice whose behavior is in need of modification! And it is most often the case when dealing with birds. Birds are wild animals who have either been selectively bred for only appearance traits or not at all and it is their natural behaviors that usually cause "problems" in a home environment. Unfortunately, when I speak with someone who has contacted MAARS or the AWC regarding a bird's behavioral or medical "problems", they are often beyond intervention - either because they have already made up their mind to surrender the bird, have lost patience or have developed such ingrained patterns of interaction with the bird that it is all but impossible to turn things around so that all of household relationships become and fulfilling and harmonious.

I think that the best advice anyone can provide to someone experiencing difficulties with their bird is to first insist that they have the bird seen by a qualified avian veterinarian. Before the situation can be accurately analyzed, the most basic factors must be considered and the first priority must be to insure the bird's overall physical good health and appropriate environment - sometimes such advice is best received when it comes from a doctor.

Assuming that the bird is being fed a balanced diet, has a large enough cage, plenty of toys and other stimuli, enough rest and that his/her need for companionship - either human or avian - is being met, I would recommend that the guardian utilize books, the internet, the AWC, a local bird club, an avian welfare organization or a credible behavior consultant to learn more about general bird care and behavior and particularly about the species of bird with whom they are having problems. I also strongly encourage people to volunteer at an avian welfare organization such as MAARS in order to expand their knowledge and experience about captive birds.

There are numerous email lists, websites and books available and behavior consultations can be obtained in-home or via telephone or email. In some areas there are bird care/behavior classes offered through a shelter, bird club or avian welfare organization. The general information and articles on the AWC website, he Foster Parrots site and the MAARS site are excellent places to start and nearly every avian adoption/sanctuary organization has staff that will provide informal consultations and can also refer to those who provide in-depth, formal consultations for a fee. I am also available to consult with other animal care workers who are experiencing behavior or general care problems at their facility and other AWC members are also available to assist in such cases.

The links pages on the MAARS, Foster Parrots and AWC sites also list many helpful resources.

Response from Denise:

Avian care and behavior is a relatively new field, as compared with dogs and cats, and many schools of thought have been developing. The various methods and approaches to physical care, environment, and behavior have not been tested over time, so finding a single source or philosophy that is universally accepted or based on standard accepted scientific methods is difficult. There are no degrees or accreditation for avian behaviorists.

When considering sources for avian care and behavior, make sure the context treats birds as wild, prey animals, and not as domesticated animals like cats and dogs. Avoid so-called behaviorists who claim they have a quick fix solution to bird behavior problems and/or offer advice on getting birds to talk or perform. These methods may raise people's expectations, only to result in disappointment when efforts fail or may cause matters to worsen.

It is interesting to note that while different types of dogs are different breeds, they are all the same species. However, there are more than 350 species of parrots. Making any generalizations on behavior across species can be at misleading and totally inappropriate. Every bird is different. Understanding their behavior is best approached on an individual basis.

One of the most effective methods of behavior modification are those based on Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), where the emphasis is on the use of positive reinforcement to change problem behaviors such feather plucking, aggression, nervousness, or screaming.

Susan Friedman, PhD, a professor of psychology at Utah State University runs a wonderful online course entitled, Living and Learning with Parrots: The Fundamental Principles of Behavior (LLP).

Another is Greg Glendell of Pet Parrot Consultancy in the U.K. Greg has published a book entitled, Pet Parrots Advice Direct, which is available through his website, or you may reach him by phone at Tel. 011-44 870 757 2381.

For a comprehensive listing of publications on bird care, behavior and environment, visit www.avianpublications.com.

Many avian rescue groups and local bird club adoption programs offer hands-on assistance to adopters, educational classes and seminars on proper bird care for the public, and serve as a resource for other avian-related services such as vets, grooming, and products.

For these and other sources on bird care, behavior and environment, visit www.avianprotectionsociety.org, www.birdadoption.org, or the Avian Welfare Coalition Resource Center.

Comment from Becca Loane:

Hedgehog rescue contact - Just for the record, I work with hedgehog rescue, and am always willing to help shelters that have hedgehogs. If you ever have folks who need help with a hedgehog, feel free to send them my email. I work heavily with the International Hedgehog Association, and am on the board of directors there.

Making other species comfortable and safe in a shelter setting

Question from Carrie:

We mostly deal with dogs and cats but occasionally receive other species like rabbits, ferrets, and birds. What are the key things we need to be providing to keep these animals comfortable and safe while they are in our shelter?

Response from Karalee:

Keep the rabbits inside the shelter. Some shelters still house their rabbits outside and that is not safe. Rabbits are prey animals and many predators are out to get them. Predators can easily break into cages and get the rabbits or bite at the rabbit's feet, etc from below the hutch, if the hutch is up off the ground. Also, rabbits can die of shock without ever being touched by a predator.

Make sure they have a "hidey box" to run and hide in if scared. You can easily make this out of cardboard. Just take a sturdy box and cut one or two holes big enough for the rabbit to get in and out of. They may also want to sit on top of the box.

If the cage has a wire floor, have a section of the floor that has a wood or cardboard resting area. Rabbits do not do well on wire floors. It can cause sore hocks; supplying a resting area off the wire will help prevent that.

Supply the rabbit with a litter box in a corner of the cage. Use a rabbit-safe litter such as Yesterday's News or Carefresh, both of which are made out of recycled newspaper.

Rabbits have a tendency to nibble on their litter so many litters such as clay, corn cob, Swheat Scoop, etc. can cause blockages if eaten.

The proper diet for a rabbit includes lots of timothy or some other type of grass hay. We even put hay in their litter boxes to encourage them to use the litter box and eat lots of hay. Provide plain pellets, no seeds, nuts, and corn mixed in, fresh water, and fresh hay. You can also give them some veggies such as parsley, cilantro, romaine lettuce, kale, etc. and a small bite of fresh fruit such as apple or pear.

Give them some toys to play with. Rabbits get bored in a cage and toys can provide mental stimulation and entertainment. Toilet or paper towel cardboard spools make great chewing and tossing toys. You can even stuff hay in them. Hard plastic baby keys and toys or anything safe for a baby to chew is safe for a rabbit. Untreated wicker baskets or newspaper for shredding are just a few examples of toys.

Response from Alicia:

Ferrets can be placed near felines- keeping in mind that they can also receive upper respiratory form felines! It is much better to try and maintain ferrets in a less noisy (stressful) area of the shelter / rescue.

Ferrets can also consume higher end feline (kitten) diets if there is not ferret specific diet available. Food should be free-fed rather than offered once a day. Water should be available at all times. Litter boxes with non-clumping clay litter or paper pellets is preferred.

Ferrets may develop stress stools after 2-3 days in the new environment... this is more or less a commonplace occurrence. This stool change is due to high helicobacter from a stressful event. The usual treatment is carafate or sucralfate suspension & amoxicillan to prevent against ulcers.

If possible ferrets should be allowed out for exercise for at least 30 minutes 1-2 times a day, during cage cleaning time etc., a romp in a small area will help alleviate some stress factors.

Response from Denise:

Most animal shelters used to working with dogs and cats can find caring for exotic birds very challenging. Birds have complex care needs, and they vary by species. Here are a few guidelines.

The first thing to keep in mind is that birds, whether wild-caught or captive-bred, are wild, prey animals. They have not been domesticated for thousands of years like cats and dogs. They are highly intelligent, sensitive, alert, and easily stressed. As prey animals, they can have adverse reactions to objects or conditions in a shelter that would hardly raise a hair on a dogs' back. Things like something flying outside a window, a flashing light, sudden movements, objects overhead, noise from vacuum cleaners, or even someone wearing a hat, can cause an instinctive flight to safety response in a bird.

The first goal is to minimize conditions that will lead to birds being stressed. Birds should be housed away from predatory animals in a separate room or part of an office that is quiet. Bird rooms should ideally have a double-door entry to prevent birds from escaping; windows in the bird room should have blinds or curtains and screens to prevent injury or escape should birds get out of their cage and accidentally fly into them. Since birds are flock animals, they will probably feel more comfortable in a room where they will have companionship, but their cage should not be placed in a heavy traffic area.

You should stock a variety of cage sizes to accommodate small, medium and large birds. They should be manufactured specifically for birds and be lead and zinc free. At the very least, caging should allow for the birds to fully spread their wings in all directions and the larger, the better. In the wild, these birds would have free flight in a range of miles each day, so opt for the largest cages your shelter could accommodate. Birds do prefer a little privacy so you might consider covering their cage at night and/or keeping the cage partially covered and the room dimly lit if you have a bird that is particularly stressed. Place cages near a wall and not in the center of a room so the bird will have a place to retreat. Make sure the cage is not placed anywhere where the bird can chew any finished wood, wires, or objects other than the bird-safe toys you provide. Those busy beaks can get into trouble when unsupervised.

Birds have delicate respiratory systems, and are very sensitive to air quality. Many cleaning solutions and chemicals that are not harmful to humans, dogs, or cats are lethal to birds. Therefore, they should be housed away from harsh chemicals, cleaners, tobacco smoke, aerosols, strong fumes and Teflon coated materials.

Keep the room temperature moderate and relatively constant. Do no place cages directly in front of air conditioners or heating units and avoid drafty areas.

Birds need a complex variety of healthful foods every day, and their dietary needs vary by species. In general, most birds should be fed a combination of a premium, high-quality human grade seed mix and pellets suitable for their species and preferably organic, along with fresh fruits, vegetables washed thoroughly along with whole grains. However, Lorikeets require special powder diets and should never be given seeds.

Be prepared for incoming birds to bite-most birds coming into your shelter will be frightened at first. This is a normal reaction to their being in a strange situation or to any fear resulting from prior stress or abuse. Approach them with caution. Be gentle, patient and confident with them.

A medical exam and appropriate quarantine procedures for incoming birds should also be addressed with your shelter veterinarian.

Response from Eileen:

What I suggest to all of the shelters, with which MAARS works, is that they be prepared to provide the basics:


Fresh water should be available at all times. Be sure to place water and food dishes so that they are not under a perch where they will be contaminated with feces.

I also recommend that shelters establish a relationship with a local avian veterinarian and welfare/adoption/sanctuary organization or bird club if there is not such an organization in your area. These groups may be able to provide you with food, cages, accessories, and advice as needed. They may even be able to help you place the birds into homes. However, birds should NEVER be placed into breeding situations! Some shelters I have worked with have placed birds directly with breeders or with bird clubs whose membership is composed of breeders. This is unacceptable as a matter of fundamental policy! Spay/neuter is not available for birds, and placing birds who have ended up at a shelter with breeders only contributes to the problem of growing numbers of abused, abandoned, neglected and displaced birds.

If you are able to provide veterinary care for surrendered birds, I recommend that, at a minimum, all birds your shelter will adopt out be tested for Chlamydophila - commonly known as Psittacosis, Parrot Fever, Chlamydiosis or Chlamydia. Chlamydiosis is a very treatable but highly contagious, reportable zoonotic disease that can cause severe illness in the very young, elderly or immuno-compromised. Testing for the disease on intake, maintaining good hygiene procedures, and eliminating possibilities for cross-contamination between birds, shelter workers, and at-risk individuals will protect you, the birds in your facility, the adopter and the general public. The test should be a PCR test with whole blood or choanal/cloacal swabs or an antibody titer (a serum sample is required). Those samples should be collected by an avian veterinarian or experienced vet tech.

It is also wise to have an incubator or brooder on hand in the event that a bird shows signs of illness, such as lethargy, fluffed feathers, lack of appetite, open-mouth breathing, discharge from eyes or nares (nostrils), trouble perching or sitting on the bottom of the cage (except for Doves & Pigeons, who love to sit on the cage bottom, in food dishes, etc.!). A brooder can be improvised by thoroughly wrapping a cage in warm blankets and placing a heating pad in the cage tray - where the bird cannot reach it or the cord. Keeping a bird warm can literally save his/her life, since it requires a great deal of energy for them to regulate their body temperature due to their size and high metabolism!

Getting pet stores to stop selling live animals

Question from Pat:

THANK YOU for this topic!!! I volunteer with a humane organization and help to place rabbits in good homes through our local animal shelter. YES, spayed & neutered!! So glad to hear the experts' support this. I have ten house rabbits, nine of which are rescued/abandoned/surrendered. (Kudos to Ohio! There I learned about rabbits through House Rabbit Society and got my first two bunnies).

We've had discussions with the local PETCO in hopes of getting them to STOP selling rabbits, as we get the returns. Twin Cities House Rabbit Society is doing a pilot project with two PETCO stores by providing adoptable rabbits in two stores. This also helps shelters by placing their bunnies into the adoption network.

My question is how to get PETCO to do the right thing on their own - screen adopters, educate, deny inappropriate adoptions, sell supplies for LARGE enclosures, spay/neuter. We don't have the staff or volunteers to run a rabbit adoption program through a retail store. Twin Cities House Rabbit Society put out an APB recently about 70 shelter rabbits in need of homes where there are usually 30 available. People buy small bunnies, discard them when they realize the work required. Stores have to STOP selling rabbits and focus on selling quality supplies.

Response from Karalee:

How I wish PETCO and other pet stores would do the right thing. Unfortunately, the House Rabbit Society has not had much success with stopping PETCO, specifically from selling rabbits. They reneged on their promise of not selling rabbits a few years ago. Since then, many HRS chapters will not work with them, though Minnesota did start the pilot project after national HRS and PETCO VP's had many discussions.

For those interested, you can read more about these discussions at: http://www.rabbit.org/opinion/petco.html and http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/petco_update.html.

There is another local pet store that sells many rabbits each year. When people do not want the rabbit anymore and try to take the rabbit back to the store, they won't take the rabbit back, but they give the people my phone number. They will not take the responsibility of taking back a rabbit they sold.

I could go on and on about the shortcomings of pet stores, but that is not the question. How do we stop them? I don't know.

Response from Eileen:

While I cannot speak on the topic of PETCO and Rabbits, I can say unequivocally that we at MAARS and the AWC have made negligible progress with either PETCO or PETsMART when it comes to live animal sales. The bottom line is their bottom line. And, they are very pleased with the profits directly related to live animal sales as well as the traffic that live animals draw into the stores subsequently leading to increased sales of other products.

What many people do not know is that PETsMART, in partnership with Kaytee (a subsidiary of Central Lawn & Garden) owns a corporation called Kaytee Preferred Birds that actually produces, by most credible estimates, at least 180,00 parrots a year for sale in PETsMART stores! Combined with the other live animal sales, including fish, reptiles and rodents, through PETsMART stores nationwide, the corporate chain sells more animals each year than the total number of dogs and cats adopted through their stores to date!

While I do not think that either of these corporations has any plan, or even inclination, to lessen or discontinue live animal sales. I do think that it is worthwhile to approach individual store managers and regional executives about the possibility of handling adoptions of other animals in a few "test" cases - provided that those "test" stores refrain from selling the types of animals, ferrets, bunnies, birds or reptiles, you are attempting to adopt in the store.

The AWC, in conjunction with PETA and The Animal Protection Institute, collects data on the conditions of birds at PETCO, PETsMART and other pet stores at: Pet Store Watch. We encourage everyone to participate in this reporting campaign. All reports are forwarded to corporate executives (with personal information deleted). Independent store owners are investigated whenever possible, or necessary, through the network of avian advocates. Perhaps the Rabbit, Ferret and Reptile groups can coordinate with the AWC to begin a similar data-collection/reporting campaign by contacting the AWC.

Good luck with your efforts and, most importantly, don't give up... Just be prepared for a long hard, dry and rocky road along which many animals will suffer for the sake of saving or making a buck.

Response from Denise:

We would ALL like to see PETCO & PETsMART stop selling live animals, and instead exclusively support adoption for ALL animals in their stores. Despite the sterling example these companies have set for dog and cat welfare, they are in essence, engaged in the very same retail practices that treat live animals as "merchandise", and are thereby encouraging "mass production" of birds, reptiles, rabbits and other animals to supply their stores. This will inevitably lead to impulse buying by unprepared consumers and add to the already growing numbers of these animals becoming displaced.

The fact is that meeting bottom line corporate profit goals is often at odds with the costly requirements of providing quality, humane housing, dietary and veterinary care to the animals in retail stores. Animals are subject to stress, mishandling, neglect and even abuse, simply because you cannot guarantee they will receive proper care all along the supply chain. As a means to bring animals to retail locations faster, some arrive "unweaned". Animals unable to eat on their own are far more susceptible to illness and mortality, particularly when under the stresses of being in a retail environment. Many may also suffer from irreversible trauma that results in behavioral problems. Best Friends magazine featured an article entitled, "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window" by Francis Battista, which succinctly describes the realities of pet retail; an online version is available at http://www.avianwelfare.org/issues/articles/doggie.htm.

But selling exotic animals presents an ethical issue, since exotics are not domesticated like cats and dogs and are adapted for life in the wild, not as captive "pets". Exotic animals have far more specialized needs than dogs and cats. They are much more likely to be relinquished by caretakers due to behavioral traits that become too difficult to manage.

There are fewer placement options for exotics, and overpopulation is likely to be reached more rapidly and with far fewer numbers. Shelters, already overcrowded with cats and dogs, will need to consider what additional facilities and funding will be required to care for exotics.

Getting PETCO and PETsMART to do the right thing will involve a proactive approach. Continue to pressure both the local stores and corporate offices of these chains to stop selling live animals. Present facts, statistics, supporting documentation by veterinarians, or scientific studies, that support your case and bring your story to the public.

A pilot program that is intended to eventually phase out the sale of live animals may open the door, provided that the stores you are targeting agree to cease the sale of the species you are adopting. For one thing, selling baby animals at the same time you're trying to adopt diminishes the chances for older animals to be placed. Another concern is the potential for disease transmission, particularly with birds. Some avian diseases are undetectable, contagious, and there are few effective vaccines.

Instead of having PETCO administer an adoption program on their own, it would be better if they set aside a day that is consistent, say every other weekend, for your rescue group to be available to host adoptions. The store must agree to promote and advertise the adoption day or weekend and refer inquiring customers to your rescue on the days you're not there. They should make your group's literature and educational materials available at all times. In order to help make this arrangement profitable for this store, the store could offer a discount on supplies and services to those who adopt, so they will buy at the store.

Unfortunately, live animal sales bring in profits. Asking PETCO to exclusively adopt animals reduces their short-term profits, because it slows down the purchasing process for supplies as well. It is important to point out some of the benefits of adoption over sale: one is that the rescue group is responsible for the vet care and upkeep of the animals, thereby reducing the store's costs to house live animals and train employees to care for them; two is that they don't have to worry about customers getting bitten or employees being injured, which reduces their potential for liability.

However, I would make it clear that your working with them is conditional and based upon the understanding that they are willing to make changes to their policy regarding live animal sales over the long-term.

Response from Alicia:

Though our sheltered species differs greatly from the cavies, we face the same exact dilemmas with the pet shops.

Many pet shops, not just the large chains, have uneducated folks dealing with animals of many species! This means not only might the animals be kept improperly, but the folks purchasing the pets get the wrong information or impression with regards to continued care. We have offered and actually been invited to put on educational seminars in PETCO stores but it is clearly a decision the Managers make - and many do not want outside groups in!

In PETCO stores, they do have information sheets available (or they should, as it is a corporate wide project) to cover care & feeding of the animals they sell. If the information is not available in the specific store, I urge you to contact the corporate headquarters so the information will be placed there for consumers. I don't know if we will ever get them to properly screen potential purchasers. The best we can hope for is that they try. Screening is an objective process; what seems good to you and me may not to someone else. However screening does hopefully raise some thoughts and perspectives for the consumer.

As for spay/neuter, I suppose the ferret folks have no complaints as this is accomplished at age of sale courtesy of the breeding mills. However, the animal (ferret) suffers greatly in lifelong health due to being neutered before age 6 weeks. The immune system never full develops, and bone density & musculature is somewhat diminished due to lack of hormonal input through development, and well before growth can be accomplished.

There is not a right answer in this point for ferret merchandising. Perhaps given that, you want to be thankful that the same is not happening to your rabbits. A later spay/neuter is always a healthier choice.

Ferret shelters, like the rabbit folks, are extremely overburdened across the country as consumers buy ferrets and look to discard them as early as five weeks post purchase. I don't think I have talked to anyone, who by the second year of ownership, was not ready to find a place to deposit a previously purchased ferret. The overwhelmed and overburdened small rescues for ferrets across the country are bursting at the seams thanks in a large part to pet sales at chain pet stores.

To help locate a ferret shelter near you go to the FAQ's. To help locate critical care information or a ferret friendly veterinarian or seeking other health information go to www.ferretcongress.org supplying Archives and lists for poison control, vet sites, other health articles, other collections, ADV info, rabies info, monitoring glucose, Cardiomiopathy, deafness, food comparison, finding a vet, drug info, compounding pharmacies, medical terms, public policy and hoarding.

Are more laws the answer?

Question from Jeannette:

Eileen McCarthy said, "Although education is the key to a rewarding relationship with an avian companion, it is only successful when everyone involved is willing and committed. Most often, when someone contacts us about a "problem" bird, he/she has already made up his/her mind to surrender the bird." Thank you for saying that, Eileen. I've said the same for years about all companion animals. I could scream every time I hear people say, "The only way we are going to end the suffering and senseless killing is to educate the public." When millions of animals are dying, day in and day out, this is extremely frustrating for me. We're not talking about reading and math. We're talking about lives - lives that don't have the time to sit idly by, hoping and waiting for the public to "get it".

For years and years, millions of dollars, countless hours, and in every way imaginable, the animal help community has been trying to educate the public to stop the overpopulation, abuse, and neglect of companion animals. It may be working, but if it is, it is excruciatingly slow. Too slow to save millions of animals that can't wait years longer. The problem used to involve mainly cats and dogs. Now we have just about every animal, bird, and reptile known to the world in the same lousy boat.

It's my belief that the reason for this is because there are more people, even though they are educated, who just simply don't care. You can educate people until the cows come home, and they can learn something forwards and backwards, upside down and inside out. If they never practice what they learn, the teaching is useless. More importantly, there is no way you can force people to care. Too many care too little, or not at all, about humans. Changing the way the majority of humans feel and think about nonhuman animals is impossible. There are many people who just don't have the capacity to care for animals. Another reason I believe enough change won't happen to save the animals is because people are greedy and selfish. They want what they want when they want. Their needs and "rights" are far more important to them than those of the poor animals. They will never voluntarily give up their rights for the rights of animals.

I still believe passing legislation to stop allowing certain animals to be companion animals, stopping the trade of wild animals for the pet industry, stopping the import of more new animals into the US, passing universal mandatory spay/neuter laws, and strictly regulating the breeding industry is the ONLY way to stop the suffering of all companion animals. Human nature just isn't going to change on it's own, so what's left but mandatory laws forcing them to change? Would you agree?

Response from Karalee:

I agree there will always be many people who simply don't care. I know plenty of them, and I am certainly not going to be able to change their minds no matter what I say or do.

I don't think we will ever be able to end the suffering of all companion animals, just like we will not be able to end the suffering of all humans. However, I do think mandatory laws will help - as will continuing education.

I spend many hours each week, on the phone and by e-mail, trying to help people solve issues of behavior or care regarding their rabbit. Many people do not have a clue about rabbits and how to take care of them. Certainly in part that is because the pet store never said a word about anything more than, "Here, buy this 2 x 2 ft starter kit cage and you will be set". Okay, what about in a month when the rabbit can't move, literally?

I can't help all of them, because some people won't listen or won't to do anything I have said to try. All they want is for me to take the rabbit off their hands. Many threaten me with, "If you don't take their rabbit, we will set it free outside." However, on a brighter note, I do help many rabbits. Sometimes all it takes is for people to learn about rabbit care and behavior, to see how to set up a rabbit in a pen, bunny-proofing, the need to spay or neuter, etc. The people that are caring and receptive follow through with what I have say to do, and the rabbit ends up in a wonderful home - the same home they had only with changes.

That makes it worth it.

I have a few hundred people that come through my home each year to see what it is like to share your home with a companion rabbit. I show them bunny-proofing ideas, toys, litter boxes, and housing arrangements. Once they leave my home they know what it will be like to live with a rabbit. We talk about a rabbit's diet, lifespan, personality traits, chewing and digging, in hopes that once they know this information, it will help them decide if they can make the commitment to adopt a rabbit.

I am all for education because I have seen firsthand how it can help. Yes, it is slow. Yes, it does not help every animal. But, it does help!

Response from Alicia:

Your dilemma with education is a valid one.

It is heartbreaking and painfully time consuming work. We too see little good (though some good, indeed) when competing with pet shop mentality. However, I have been in the law making audience and know that many folks do NOT understand that some of our animals are domesticated. Ferrets are domesticated animals. They were domesticated At LEAST 500 years. That's before the feline - IMAGINE THAT!!!

Ferrets entered the US along with migrant settlers form England & France. They were at that time working agricultural animals, keeping mice & rats off the grain barrels in food stores and in barns, so humans would not ingest tainted food supplies nor would rodents overrun the barns & sheds. There were actually "ferreters" who would be contracted under the barter system or for payment, who would travel to farms with ferrets & terriers to provide rodent control work. This is all historical information that most people have never been made aware of.

How many folks today do not realize this animal, which they see primarily through pet shop exploration, has a history? I hate to say how many times ferrets are inadvertently referred to as exotic, wild animals when it is the furthest thing form the truth! If you took time to research in the libraries you would see that ferrets in their agricultural application were the pesticides for working farms before chemicals were available. Old catalogs list ferret-keeping supplies, etc. In Europe, they are still utilized in rabbiting (not to say that is a productive work in the animal advocacy arena).

Ferrets have a distinct heritage in the US. First being mascots for the Colonial Navy, now they are the leading animal in labs working to find cures for human cancers and for drug therapies. (Not advocating - but whose relative wants to see the humans go through trials?) Other employs that currently utilize this unique animal are construction trades, where ferrets are utilized by wearing a harness with cable attached. They run wires through conduits in high rises, in nuclear submarines, and in nuclear plants. Ferrets are industrious animals that do serve useful purposes for humans even though their rodent control days are long past.

But try to explain to folks that ferrets are not wild animals... It is usually a very tedious task! The ferret is a misunderstood animal, as are others who were here since the first white man walked the continental lands. I do not want to see the domesticated ferret be outlawed or put into an exotics listing, because it is convenient for those who do not understand nor want to learn about this unique animal.

My feeling is that removing these animals from pet shop sales, where too many impulsive folks will purchase them, would be the best thing for all concerned. Education works; lawmaking works! BUT we need to utilize these areas properly and not eradicate the ability of learned folks who can/will care for a species, thus making yet another historical animal extinct on this earth!

Response from Eileen:

Bravo, Jeanette! You said it better than I could have and brought tears to my eyes...

I, too, have said for years that education is not a panacea. Yet so many people in animal advocacy harp back to the concept time and time again as if it were, indeed, The Answer. In my opinion, it is most definitely NOT.

There is no lack of "education" and excellent "resources" available to the guardians of dogs and cats. Yet, millions suffer and die senselessly every year. Killing healthy animals has become a still all-to-commonly-accepted solution to a cultural, societal, ethical and moral travesty highlighting human greed, desire, selfishness, denial and sheer arrogance.

The laws and language of a society reflect its values and mores, and each reflexively influences the other. In my opinion, until there is a paradigm shift in the way we humans regard our planet, its non-human inhabitants and even others of our own species, we will never be able to stop the death and misery experienced by so many. Human rights, civil rights, environmentalism, conservation, and animal rights, and respect, and reverence for all life are inextricably linked... We cannot focus on only one aspect and ignore the others without hypocrisy. We cannot consider our species to be civilized until we come to terms with our own shortcomings.

I believe that we all need to look long and hard at the reality of what the human superiority complex and overpopulation of our species has created for the rest of our world and the ugly truths uncovered. While we have grown, at least in this country, more sentimental towards animals and their capacity for intellect, self-awareness and emotion, never in the history of this planet have more animals suffered and died in shelters, on the streets, in factory farms, in the pet trade, and in the destruction of their natural habitats.

But what is the answer? We must keep doing what we are doing, be heard, be seen, keep fighting the good fight, and never give up. This is what we are here to do, and we are the only ones who can do it.

Response from Denise:

I could have pinched myself reading your comments. You've stated it beautifully in that education goes only so far. And it doesn't get heard when it is falling on deaf ears. I agree that stronger animal legislation is sorely needed to address the most egregious practices in the pet trade, provide stiffer penalties for animal neglect and abuse, and to expand protection for exotic animals exploited by the pet trade in the U.S. and in their native habitats.

Unfortunately, the same levels of human (or inhumane) nature that you describe make the likelihood of passing the necessary legislation you refer to very remote. The opposition is fierce and relentless in protecting their interests, even if they agree in principle to the laws being proposed.

While is it frustrating that despite all the efforts to educate the public that animals are still suffering in greater numbers, education is still necessary in bringing a critical mass to the constituency of the politicians who are responsible for passing these laws. Animals may not vote, but people who love and care about them do. We need to speak for them on all the issues, even if it's just making a quick phone call, fax or letter to your state representatives in support of a bill, or to write a letter to the editor or an op ed piece on an important animal welfare issue. It all adds up to generate awareness.

One problem is that existing companion animal protection laws generally address dogs and cats and haven't kept pace with the rapidly growing numbers of exotic animals now in the pet trade. For instance, very few states have provisions for minimum standards of care for birds, making it often impossible to define neglect, substandard care and abuse and to effectively enforce any existing statutes. Compounding the problem is the present lack of regulation governing the breeding and sale of birds and other exotics. This makes it extraordinarily difficult to seize birds even in cases where they are living in grossly substandard conditions.

But there is some good news. Recently, a bill was passed in California restricting the possession and sale of unweaned parrots, a feat considering that the last major piece of protective legislation for parrots was the Wild Bird Conservation Act in 1992.

Comment from Jeannette:

Thanks for the history on ferrets. I never knew they had been in the US that long! As with all animals these days with the pet trade industry and pet import business, ferrets along with every other creature are increasingly being exploited.

As for the legal classification of animals, that's where we need to educate the government officials starting with the USDA and working all the way down to local animal controls. You'd be amazed how ignorant the people with the USDA actually are about most animals! The problem is that if ferrets are still being imported, they still fall into the exotic category.

We have a similar problem with miniature pigs. They've been in the US for about 17 to 18 years now, but they are not native to the US. They are exotic, but they don't fit the typical definition of "exotic" in that they are not wild and/or dangerous animals. Most officials want to categorize miniature pigs as livestock, the same as the pigs typically raised as food animals. The definition of "livestock" says, "…any animal bred and raised for consumption or food by products." Miniature pigs are not good for eating and are too small to make them worth raising as food animals or anything else on that order. They are companion animals. As with the miniature pigs, the ferrets need a special category under exotics as "companion exotic" animals.

The really good thing about the exotic classification is that breeders must have special permits to breed, sell, or transport them anywhere. Even if breeders get approved to breed an exotic, the reporting they are required to do and the records they are required to keep are pretty extensive and time consuming. Most breeders would feel it's not worth it. Pet and retail stores can't sell exotics. Those two things alone would help to deter and decrease the population of many animals.

Another thing we have to ask ourselves is what is the best way to protect an animal from further abuse? Again, as in the case of miniature pigs, people don't want them classified as exotics because so many municipals want to ban exotics from their areas. Bottom line... Do we want to protect the animals and prevent everyone and their grandma from getting one or do we want to hold onto our rights to have them?

Personally, as much as I love the miniature pigs, if it meant that hundreds of thousands of them no longer were abused or killed, I would be happy to see them banned, providing the existing ones are grandfathered in, and all just die off naturally. Stop the breeding, selling, interstate transporting, and importing of new ones. They will not be extinct. They will still be in their native homeland as they have been for thousands of years. Grandfathering is not always a guarantee, but we do win a lot of the battles in that area... mainly because we have been working on educating the authorities. We even got a Supreme Court ruling in Alabama, stating that miniature pigs are companion animals and not livestock. That was a tremendous victory!

Starting a rescue for other species and helping animals from a cruelty situation


NOTE: when a question comes in that is specific to only species, we have asked the guest speakers if they will address the question from the point of the view of the species they work with so you can get different points of view.

Question from Debbie:

Our shelter recently took in a 20-year old cockatoo female. She is in shelter custody at this time due to the horrible living conditions she was in. She immediately puts her crown feathers up when approached, tries to bite, and seems extremely frightened. I personally have a Mollucan and other parrots myself, but how to help this girl stumps me. My others, which were in bad situations prior to coming to my home, seem to be a piece of cake compared to this older girl.

I have no plans on rehoming her unless the courts decide she must go back to the original owner (hopefully not), but at the same time, how can I help her?

Also the shelter mostly deals with dogs and cats. However there are, from time to time, birds. There are several pet stores, but no bird rescues of any kind. How does one prepare to set up to open a bird rescue, and what are the essential things to be considered prior to doing so?? I have my own birds, and realize the time, care, love that goes into them, not to mention the expense of proper vet care. Any advice is appreciated.

Response from Karalee:

We have taken in many rabbits from various bad situations and many are extremely frightened and unsocialized. In our foster homes, one of the first things we do is set them up in a 4 x 4 exercise pen. This gives us the room to sit in the pen with them. Starting out slowly, we sit and read a book, watch TV, talk on the phone, whatever during our time in the pen with them. The rabbit gets use to our presence and our voice. We do not reach out to pet the rabbit or try to force any type of contact. Spending many hours with a rabbit this way can help them learn that you are okay and not going to hurt them. You can also bring them into the kitchen or an area where you spend a lot of time, so they can get use to you while you are doing cooking, or whatever. I lie on the floor and just hang out with them.

Most of the time, the rabbit will eventually come over and sniff you, maybe putting their paws on your legs, and that is the starting of a new relationship. We usually start seeing the rabbit becoming more curious of us. I then start to interact a little with them. Sometimes you can try to hand feed them to start a touching relationship, and other times I just start playing with one of their toys and then roll it to them. Many will pick it up and fling it back at me!

Rabbits have a blind spot right in front of their nose. Most people do not realize this. If you reach toward a rabbit as if you would a dog, that is the blind spot and many will bite, lunge, or growl. Always take your hand over their head or from the side so they can see your hand coming toward them.

Also, rabbits, particularly unspayed female rabbits, have a tendency to be more possessive of their cage, toys, food, water bowl, etc. Many times you cannot reach into their area at all until you have taken the rabbit out of the cage. You can also use one hand to pet the rabbit while working around the food and water with the other hand. This only works if the rabbit is comfortable with you petting him/her.

Winning a rabbit's trust can take a long time sometimes, so patience is needed.

Regarding the second part of your question, when I started out in 1995 with rabbit rescue, I did not know any other people with rabbits in my area. I had the House Rabbit Society name to start out with, but that was it. After time and spreading the word that I existed, a network started.

I quickly learned that you cannot save every rabbit, and it is very easy to get overloaded. Glad I learned the lesson early! I make sure I do not take in more rabbits than I can properly take care of. That includes socialization, exercise, vet bills, food, etc.

We make sure to have a quarantine room for incoming rabbits. You want to try to eliminate as much stress on your own rabbits as possible, so separate spaces are important. Personally, I never mix my foster rabbits with my personal rabbits. Once the foster rabbit is healthy, fixed and ready to adopt, you need to have an outlet for finding good homes. We use our website and petfinder.com for online advertisements. Also, many vet offices hand out our brochures and refer people to us as well as our library displays, vet conferences and rescue events.

Considerations for starting a rescue:

Response from Alicia:

From a ferret perspective, we have seen similar behavior exhibitions with rescued neglect cases here. The animal (bird, ferret, etc.) needs to defend itself in the new environment. It is accepted that a PTS (post traumatic stress) condition might be a reality, but usually the animal can work through the changes. We have found each case needs a different time factor to evaluate and build trust with new handlers.

The one thing we all know as rescuers and shelters is that a home with personalized care is what is in the animal's best interest, rather then being kept in a shelter for eons in warehouse fashion. Sometimes this is a hard reality for we get very protective. Of course, it is going to take some doing to get an actual behavioral assessment on the bird or animal, as they need to work through and adjust to the new transition. In so doing, they will also have to work through the next placement.

Providing extra security in the new environment will be helpful. For ferrets providing a cave like area (box, nestbox, enclosed area) in cage or even draping the cage at night or during busy periods will help achieve this. In many cages, speaking from past experience, birds will accept cage draping as well. In addition to nighttime, during a hectic period in the day, it will feel protected under a cover.

As far as mainstreaming unusual pets into the facility, it can be done with space available. Each animal will have different requirements, and you need to be aware of health conditions, which may be species specific. Ferrets can get canine distemper, feline upper respiratory illness, also human rhinovirus and influenza! These aspects need to be considered when applying a quarantine area or species set up in any facility! I know, locally, before a new shelter was built the former shelter used a large walk in utility closet for ferret cages. It worked in a pinch, and they found space to let them run while cage cleaning was accomplished.

It is important understand the triggers of behavioral or stress illness problems. With ferrets (or other animals) the more quiet the surrounding can be, the easier the transition. Ferrets, and other animals will instinctively bite or nip and react to the stress of a busy environment out of fear of the unknown. It does not mean they are aggressive animals, only that they are afraid and instinctively need to protect themselves.

To get past the nip or bite behaviors, always extend a treat and talk softly to the animal. This will help in building trust and instilling a sense of "good human" to them. It works wonderfully in the cases I have worked through.

Response from Eileen:

This question is a perfect illustration of the challenges inherent in working with displaced birds... I commend your commitment to this bird and recognition of her possible limitations.

There are over 350 different parrot species, each with distinct health and behavioral requirements, complexities and subtleties. Cockatoos are the second most frequently surrendered bird in avian placement organizations. Cockatiels are first due to sheer numbers in the pet trade. Conures are third due to noise and aggression. They are the most demanding, loudest and emotional needy and sensitive of all the parrot species. They are the most likely to develop maladjusted behaviors due to the stress of captivity. Many of us who work with parrots on a daily basis will tell you that if the pet industry agreed to stop producing one family of parrot species for the pet trade, we would beg that it be all Cockatoos - but especially Molluccans and Umbrellas.

From the short description of this bird, I would venture to guess that she is very likely an imported, wild-caught bird. Importing into the US continued until the passage of the Wild Bird Conservation Act in 1992. Incidentally, the Endangered Species Act and that ban on importation of wild birds for the pet trade are under threat by the current administration.

As prey animals, parrots are not naturally aggressive. Their first instinct is to retreat from any perceived threat or danger. Sometimes they will try to ward off intruders from their nest, chicks or "territory" by making threatening sounds and or postures such as:


Many of these behaviors are unknown to captive raised Cockatoos, unless they have been exposed to wild-caught parents or flock members. These behaviors can be alarming, as they are intended to be, to those who have never witnessed such terrifying antics! Even if she is a captive-raised individual, she is acting as one who has been severely neglected, traumatized, abused or "poorly socialized". Since she is uncomfortable in her surroundings, does not know you well, and is probably quite stressed by the new environment, new people and animals, etc., this female, too, would likely choose to fly away from the whole scene! Sadly, captivity does not allow her to carry out her natural, instinctual behavior. She is forced to do her best to protect herself with clear, warning signals.

There are many people who would tell you that it is possible to "tame down" this bird. Indeed, many a terrified, threatening parrot has been "tamed" and grown dependent, and even affectionate towards humans, after much stress, effort, patience and consistency - for bird and involved human alike. However, in such cases, after a considerable period of observation and evaluation in a nurturing human/avian flock environment, I would not recommend or condone the taming down of any bird still exhibiting such behaviors. Quite frankly, these are wild animals, many of whom were literally ripped from their home, habitat, families and flock at the hands of humans. They deserve to live as close as possible to the way nature and millions of years of evolution have dictated. In my opinion, it is morally and ethically reprehensible to force any wild, captive bird to adjust and comply with human desires. To insist upon such would, in effect, amount to little more than a re-victimization of that individual. In other words, I believe that such a creature deserves to live out his/her natural life as a wild bird with an avian companion or flock, where she can spread her wings, bask in the sunshine, and be free of interference or harassment from humans as much as is practically feasible in a captive setting.

For such a bird as this female Cockatoo, I recommend that she be transferred to an experienced and knowledgeable, accredited avian placement organization such as MAARS where she can receive a full medical work-up and thorough evaluation. After several months in what I refer to as the "therapeutic flock" of Cockatoos (we have between 15 & 20 at any given time) and understanding humans, I would likely arrange a permanent sanctuary placement for this older girl. MAARS provides some permanent sanctuary for human-bonded but extremely "challenging" birds (i.e., aggressive, unpredictable screamers, stalkers, etc.) who are unsuited to a home environment. We also work with three accredited sanctuaries: The Oasis in Arizona, and Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, and Primarily Primates in Texas. All have wonderful, outdoor enclosures where the birds will remain for the rest of their days amongst others of their own kind. There are also a handful of other accredited sanctuaries that are capable of permanently housing a few birds.

I invite any one of you to contact me privately via email to discuss this particular case and other similar cases. MAARS and other avian placement organizations often take such cases from out of state in order to best serve these displaced souls and will transport them to an approved, permanent sanctuary when and if that becomes necessary.

Response from Denise:

The first thing to consider is whether or not you want focus on doing foster/adoption/placement or operating a sanctuary facility. In either case, start by visiting an accredited, bona fide, avian sanctuary facility, such as FosterParrots, Ltd., the Oasis Sanctuary, or Midwest Avian Adoption and Rescue Services (MAARS). You might also volunteer with a well-run local avian rescue organization or foster birds for one of these groups, or contact the adoption program of your local bird club.

Best Friends offers an excellent variety of downloadable resources for starting and operating a non-profit animal rescue and/or sanctuary organization, and also runs a weeklong course on "How To Start An Animal Sanctuary".

If you are considering going beyond the basics of running a small adoption/rescue organization and wish to set up a permanent sanctuary facility, you can contact the Association of Sanctuaries at or the American Sanctuary Association at for guidelines.

At the Avian Welfare Coalition Resource Center includes a dedicated section on their site on "How to Start a Bird Rescue, Placement or Sanctuary Organization". A comprehensive listing of resources for "Starting an Avian Rescue Organization" compiled by Rebecca Margison, Founder of the Avian Protection Society, can be found.

One thing to consider carefully, if you're planning to provide permanent sanctuary for large bird species, is their longevity. Though the problem of unwanted dogs and cats is ongoing, an average dog or cat rescue organization can reasonably cease operations over a period of a few years by not taking in any new animals and just providing lifetime care for the ones they have. However, if you have large birds, chances are you will cease before the operation does! A long-term plan, adequate funding, and contingency plans that provide for successors to take over are essential.

Is it better to place bonded animals in pairs or single with other species?

Question from Valerie:

Is it easier to find homes for single or bonded rescued rabbits? If I bond single fosters, which I have had for awhile, in order to make space for recently rescued rabbits, am I helping new rabbits at the expense of finding homes for the bonded rabbits?

Response from Karalee:

In my experience, it is easier to find homes for single rabbits. The most of my adopters either already have a rabbit and are looking to find a friend for their rabbit, or they are adopting their first rabbit and only want one at that time. Many come back and get a friend for their rabbit once they feel comfortable with having a house rabbit.

I have placed a few bonded pairs, and right now we have two bonded pairs in foster care, but it seems it takes longer to find the right home for them.

Response from Alicia:

Your dilemma is not strictly confined to your species. As a no kill entity, we are faced with the same predicament with foster placements!

With ferrets it is always easier to find a home for a younger, single ferret - and younger pairs are not difficult either.

The difficulty comes form trying to place groups (larger numbers, which seem to be freely forthcoming these days) and older ferrets. A ferret who has remained a single ferret for more than two years often will not take to other ferrets, at least not easily. This animal needs to be relocated into a home that can accommodate him/her either as a single pet or within a single cage with separate out times for exercise & play.

Ferrets these days are addictive to many consumers, similar to potato chips, they start collecting one of every color and gender. Before you know it they are overwhelmed and disinterested. The rescues then have to try to split groups, which causes stress on the animal, because knowledgeable caretakers will most always have ferrets already before looking to adopt again!

Recent studies show the ferret's wild predecessor, the European polecat, is a solitary animal requiring 1/4 to 1/2 acre in its natural setting. So it is understandable that some ferrets will reject the company of others. And, it is very understandable why a group of 8 - 12 ferrets may have many stress illness problems, as instinctively the colony is too big.

There is no easy answer to how to best accommodate these animals needing foster care - other than to try every means available to reach homes that will assume their permanent care.

An excellent point to address!

Response from Denise:

It is always good when you can keep animals together in pairs so they can enjoy the companionship of their own kind. However, adopters often have requirements that could conflict with such pairings. For example, if they're looking for a friend for a bunny they already have.

One way you can increase the likelihood that your bonded pairs will get a home together is to market them in way that shows them to be more appealing together than separately. Give them paired names such as Ozzie & Harriet, Romeo & Juliet (spayed and neutered of course), Hip & Hop, PB & J (short for Peanut Butter and Jelly), or something that really suits their personalities together. Make sure you include fun photos of them eating, playing and having a good time together. Now, who would want to break up all their fun!

Response from Eileen:

This is also an issue with birds... It is certainly easier to find homes for single birds. However, it is MAARS general policy not to adopt birds into environments where they will be the only bird, because companionship and a 'sense of flock" are so crucial to the well being of all avian species. The exceptions would depend on household dynamics, schedules and the individual bird.

Often when single birds come into the MAARS facility they make friends or bond with another bird, and in such a case, we will only adopt those birds out together. Also, if a pair comes in and remains very bonded, we insure that they will stay together. This may make placement a little harder or mean that the birds stay at The Landing a little longer. But, we feel that it is our responsibility to do whatever we can to meet the needs of the birds while they are in our care and in their subsequent homes.

MAARS also houses smaller bird species in flocks of 5 - 30 birds. The birds love the social activity and interaction. Contrary to myth, they remain human-bonded as long as there are interesting humans to interact with. Keeping birds in pairs, small groups or flocks also has the added benefit of being practical and efficient in terms of space, daily care and cleaning... but mostly it just makes a life in captivity for wild, flighted creatures that much more bearable.

Comment from a member:

Interesting information! So how are the birds that are kept as a flock prevented from procreating is the obvious next question for the uninitiated... is it same-gender groupings?

Response from Eileen:

Most parrot species will not lay eggs without a nestbox or some other kind of nest (shredded newspaper, "happy huts" or some other safe private place) where they would brood.

In the case of the smaller birds, such as budgies, cockatiels, lovebirds finches and canaries, there is a greater likelihood that eggs will be laid in some unusual places like in food dishes, bottom of cage, in shredded paper. In such instances, we remove the eggs. If the female continues laying egos, we would remove them refrigerate the eggs for 24-48 hours and then warm them under running water and replace the same egg. The reason we do this is every cycle presents some risks, as in pregnancies with mammals, and chronic egg laying will deplete calcium levels in reproductive hens.

At MAARS, we have never had a problem with chronic egg laying in the larger species, despite the fact that many of the birds, both large and small, at the MAARS facility are very sexually active. If there is a case of chronic egg laying, which we cannot control with simply egg management, hormone therapies are utilized.

Shelter statistics on other species

NOTE: when a question comes in that is specific to only species, we have asked the guest speakers if they will address the question from the point of the view of the species they work with so you can get different points of view.

Question from Eileen in NJ:

Do you have any statistics on shelter intakes, placement or euthanasia of parrots or birds in the parrot family?

Response from Karalee:

Many, if not most, shelters do not take in rabbits. The ones that normally don't handle rabbits but have taken them in do not usually even record them. The shelters that do consistently take in rabbits are now starting to keep some records, but not every shelter does. This has made it extremely hard to keep accurate records of just how many rabbits are being surrendered to shelters.

The House Rabbit Society does keep track of our rabbit stats, but that does not include all those rabbits that would have come to us had we had room in our foster homes or all the strays we get calls about. There is no way to follow up on just how many of those rabbits did end up at shelters.

Response from Alicia:

Typically we do track our incoming and adopted ferrets at Ferret Wise. Of course, since all of our admittees are via humane investigations, animal control and local authorities, it is tainted with a higher number of medical cases vs. surrenders from the pet community.

This year was, to date, a remarkable year. We have found adoptive placement for all but six animals out of fifty. Four were placed into permanent hospice. One has since passed to an aggressive cancer. Two are awaiting adoption. To date the remaining intakes are in homes. We are currently seeking a home for a profoundly deaf animal and companion, who needs more training reinforcement.

In past years, we routinely did stats and forwarded them to the state federation. However, they did nothing with them, as they considered ferrets a non-animal for their stats. Thus, we now do stats only upon the request of officials.

Agreeably stats would be helpful in organizing a shelter network no matter what species!

Response from Denise:

Good question and one that comes up quite often. Companion birds, and I'm sure this goes for other small mammals, rabbits, and reptiles, are often not included in surveys and research on shelter relinquishment. However, a National Parrot Relinquishment Research Project is now under way. The surveys are intended for both individuals and organizations that have either taken in a 'rescue' or given up a parrot. The important missing element to getting a handle on the situation has been to quantify actual numbers.

Animal control and shelter organizations that do take in birds often have arrangements to transfer them directly to bird clubs and breeding groups for placement, as they do for rabbits, reptiles, ferrets and small mammals. In addition, these facilities may not make their euthanasia records available.

Some shelters that do have facilities for birds are doing a good job on placing them to new homes, but most are unable to accommodate them. So if a person calls regarding birds, they are automatically directed to another source. Therefore, no record is kept. One executive director of a mid-size humane society stated that in the past 18 months, he took in more exotic birds than he has during his entire 18 years in animal control.

Anecdotally, facilities that specialize in bird rescue report they are unable to satisfy requests for relinquishment because they are already full. Some stated they get between 10 - 15 calls a day for people wanting to give up their birds for a host of reasons; I recall reading that one of the largest avian rescue facilities gets between 2,000 - 3,000 requests per month. Bird club adoption programs are also dealing with growing numbers of relinquished birds.

Zoos receive hundreds of calls a year from people wishing to "donate" their birds. Unless the bird is extremely rare, however, they don't take them. Wildlife centers and rehabbers are often contacted, but they too are often unable to facilitate unwanted birds. So what does happen to them? Many are re-sold on the Internet, at unregulated bird marts and auctions, through want ads, or end up passed from home to home. Some are actually let loose (particularly smaller ones) to fend for themselves, and often die of starvation or predation. In scattered areas, particularly in warmer climates, there is a marked increase in feral flocks, including Conures, Quaker Parrots, Amazons and Macaws. Others are abandoned to basements and even to trash facilities. Unlike abandoned cats and dogs unwanted birds are not visible as strays on the street, so it remains somewhat of a hidden problem.

But an emphasis purely on numbers detracts from the real issue. Because of their highly specialized needs, there are far fewer qualified caretakers and placement options for birds. 'Overpopulation" will be reached at a lower total number than for species that require less specialized care. We also need to consider the 'quality of life" for these birds. A good overview, which includes a recap of existing captive bird population studies, can be found at http://www.avianwelfare.org/issues/overview.htm.

Response from Eileen:

There is no current data on displaced and/or euthanized captive birds or parrots but here in Minnesota (NOT a big state for breeding/keeping of exotic birds) MAARS alone receives over 365 birds a year - more than a bird a day. Nearly every species kept in captivity has arrived through our doors at some point over the past 4.5 years, including multiple species of Finches, Canaries, Doves/Pigeons, Budgerigars, Love Birds, Cockatiels, Brotogeris, Conures, Amazon Parrots, Lories/Lorikeets, Poicephalus, Pionus, Psittacula, African Greys, Eclectus, Cockatoos and Macaws.

During that time we have had the honor of caring for species that are extremely rare in captivity and critically endangered in the wild, geriatric individuals 20, 30, 40, 50 or more years of age, unweaned chicks, fledglings, retired "breeders", foundlings, strays, cast-offs, ill/injured or disabled 'pets" in need of medical care, and many, many, many of PETCO, PETsMART and Petland's "products".

Statistics and solid data are, indeed, sorely needed. However, just this week the website and online survey for the National Parrot Relinquishment Research Project was launched with the sole intent to accurately collect and analyze precisely such data. Preliminary results should be available in the spring at http://www.NPRRP.org.

How to get information to shelters about other species

Question from a member:

You all have provided excellent resources and ideas for properly caring for these animals in shelters. I am definitely printing out all the materials!! My concern is that many shelters still don't know this information and don't know how to care for the animals. Often they feed them the wrong food, house them too close to dogs and cats, and don't know what to screen for in adoptions. For instance, I've heard that dog/cat food causes kidney and liver failure in iguanas because they can't digest protein, but shelters may not know that.

How can we educate shelters about proper care and housing of other species, and make sure this information and training is getting to them if they are not seeking it out? Any thoughts on sending them the materials or on holding regional training sessions?

Response from Karalee:

The House Rabbit Society does provide informational packets to local shelters that work with rabbits and are receptive to the information. Many of our volunteers work actively with their shelters and basically are in charge of the rabbits. They are responsible for their care, adoption screening, follow up calls, etc.

Not all shelters want the information unfortunately. Even those shelters that work with rabbits have not always been receptive to information on how to feed them properly (limited pellets, unlimited hay), that they need toys in the cages, litter boxes with rabbit-safe litter, etc. For shelters that are within our active chapter boundaries, we do offer training to shelter volunteers and employees if they are interested in having us teach a class.

Response from Alicia:

You are so right!

With some of the less common sheltered animals most facilities have to hope they have a volunteer familiar with the animals, and many times those volunteers may not have the right information. Part of the work we do at Ferret Wise is offering our experience & presenting educational seminars and training sessions to New England humane organizations.

We are happy to send all the materials we have on hand for the mere cost of postage and printing. There is also hope that there will be additional printed materials available in the near future. Meanwhile, we guide and direct them to the veterinary manuals and brochures we are aware of that are accurate and geared to their needs.

It would be wonderful if we could inspire HSUS, CHAMPS, and ASPCA to implement sessions and training on domesticated ferrets at their annual seminars. I was one of a panel in 1998, which traveled to HSUS in FL. We four speakers, including a ferret-specialist veterinarian, were allowed to speak pre-event (the night before), and thus had only about five people in the audience.

We have since tried to get a slot at CHAMPS, with no reply back from the organizing staff. It seems some of the powers that be prefer to help alligators and reptiles, with no heed to the ferrets that are flooding the markets, courtesy of pet trades, and are encroaching on existing shelter systems.

Great point!

Response from Denise:

Again, I think a proactive approach is best. Developing a shelter outreach program, including educational materials and a care handbook written specifically for shelters, is a good way to go. The materials should be concise and formatted for easy reading. Also, as part of your outreach program, you could volunteer to hold a workshop or training session on the species you specialize in at your local shelter. Perhaps even schedule it around an event you are hosting and invite people from the shelter.

Keep in mind that shelters are already doing more than their share caring for and placing cats and dogs, so think of ways to make their job easier. Provide them with sample adoption packages, as well as general care information that they can distribute to adopters; provide fact sheets on specific subjects or commonly asked care questions. To cover a lot of ground, I would put these in downloadable versions so you can offer them online and through some of the online adoption services.

Another option is to work in cooperation with another like group or groups to collaborate on developing materials that you can all utilize among yourselves. That would lessen the workload, allow you to capitalize on expertise outside your group, and increase the overall effectiveness of everyone's efforts.

Response from Eileen:

I have long thought that regional training sessions and comprehensive materials should be made available to shelters so that they are prepared to deal appropriately with species other than dogs and cats. Although MAARS has always provided classes, educational information and resources to the public, adopters and our volunteers, we realized early on that our colleagues in animal advocacy also needed to learn about the nation's third most popular 'pet" so that they were prepared to handle displaced birds as well as fulfill their role as advocates and community resources.

And I do think that some animal care organizations have begun to see that they need to seek out such information. MAARS has presented workshops at national animal welfare conferences. Recently we began conducting classes with the staff at local shelters that have been very helpful and productive. In being available to provide this service, MAARS has developed good working relationships with local humane societies, animal control agencies, The Minnesota Zoo and The University of Minnesota Raptor Center.

The Avian Welfare Coalition is also developing a shelter outreach program to assist animal shelters in the care and placement of captive birds, including the publication of a 'Captive Exotic Bird Care Handbook" that will be made available to shelters nationwide. They also provide speakers for conferences and educational seminars on a wide range of avian topics. For more information on this program, contact me or write to info@avianwelfare.org.

Spay/neuter for other species

Question from Natalie:

How hard is it to spay/neuter some of these species? We have found that it is very difficult to find a vet who feels comfortable doing other species. We had a vet do some rabbits and they died. The vet said it was because they are so sensitive to the anesthesia. We definitely don't want them repopulating, but we are concerned about how to find a vet who has experience with other species.

Response from Alicia:

Regarding Natalie's spay/neuter question, GOOD TOPIC!

Ferrets are very similar to kittens when it comes to spay and identical to other males, cats or dogs, for neuter. Usually the pet shop ferrets, in most states, come spayed/castrated at time of sale (age 6 - 7 weeks). However, hobby breeders and a few pet shops across the country do sell intact animals.

With ferrets the recommended anesthesia is isoflourane rather than injectible, so that may make cost effectiveness of the procedure a tad higher. Many vets do not attempt ferrets because the veterinary courses do not require the learning, and the veterinarian must take specialized studies for these animals. However if there are vets who are spaying/neutering kittens at young ages (and the humane shelters are promoting this trend), there is no reason they cannot perform the procedures on a ferret - keeping in mind the difference for anesthetics. Many great veterinary guides are now available for treating ferrets, some resources are:

Response from Denise:

The spay/neuter procedure for birds is particularly risky and should only be considered in emergency or special situations. Birds are also sensitive to anesthesia. In females, it is primarily done to prevent problems like egg binding. Males are rarely neutered because the testis is an internal organ and it requires invasive surgery. Not to mention that such procedures are very costly and must be administered only by an experienced or board certified avian vet, making them impractical for most shelter situations to consider. It is not recommended for smaller species at all, and is usually limited to the larger birds. (A listing of avian veterinarians is available from the Association of Avian Veterinarians.

Population control can be managed simply and effectively by not providing an environment that encourages breeding behavior, e.g., by not providing the birds with a nestbox, or often by grouping birds of the same sex together. Laying eggs is natural to hens, but without a male, they will not be fertile. Nutrition and photo periods (lighting) can also be a factor. Birds can find unexpected nesting places, particularly among newspaper shreds, furniture drawers, and cardboard boxes. It is important, if you have a reproductive pair, to check for any hidden eggs on a daily basis. By taking away anything that resembles a nest site and/or nesting materials, you also deprive birds of important play, privacy and enrichment activities. So you should compensate for this by providing toys and suitable replacements, such as wood toys for chewing, shredding, preening, etc., that are required for their well-being. If eggs have already been laid, you want to be sure to remove them before there is any advanced development. One method is put them in a freezer for 48 hours, let them warm, and return them to the nest site. This will prevent the egg from hatching. The other is to substitute dummy eggs, which can be purchased online or at a bird specialty store. It is not advisable to take the eggs away altogether, since it often results in stimulating the hen to replace the clutch by laying more eggs. This could lead to health problems like egg binding, egg yolk peritonitis (i.e., an infection of the abdominal cavity), and calcium depletion in females. It also deprives the birds of the experience to fulfill their natural cycles. Allowing birds to go through the laying and incubating cycle is more effective and humane, while at the same time you can eliminate or decrease production and/or slow down the process and physical drain on the female. Managing the pairs to include those that are of the same sex in a ‘buddy' situation will prevent fertilization of the eggs. While this may not prevent some females from producing eggs, it will eliminate population growth, while respecting the birds' natural reproductive instincts.

Response from Eileen:

As far as birds, spay/neuter is only employed in drastic or life-threatening situations. The surgery techniques have not been perfected and are not always effective in controlling undesirable reproductive behaviors. There has been some attempt to neuter male parrots to control aggression, but the procedure has up to a 50% mortality rate. Recent anecdotal evidence suggests that within one to two years, other organs will compensate for the lack of testes and start producing testosterone (a common factor in aggression). Occasionally, hysterectomies (spay) are performed on female parrots with a history of chronic egg laying who don't respond to hormone therapy or other life-threatening, reproductive conditions. There is currently some research under way involving chemical sterilization for birds, but given the fact that avian medicine is still in its infancy, I wouldn't put all my eggs in that basket! At MAARS, we have really not had any unwanted offspring and egg management is an effective, simple method of birth control that can be practiced in any shelter setting. Response from Karalee: Rabbits can be safely spayed or neutered. But it is extremely important to find a vet that is rabbit-savvy, not just a vet that does a rabbit spay or neuter a few times a year. The anesthesia of choice for rabbits is isoflurane. We have spayed and neutered hundreds of rabbits without problems. There are many experienced rabbit (exotic) vets across the country. Many of those can be found on HRS websites that show vet recommendations. There is a magazine called Exotic DVM that is wonderful and has articles from experienced vets all over the country. This would be a good place to find some names of experienced vets that work with exotic species.

Guides for new adopters and how to litter box train

Question from a member:

Do you have a guide that you give out to new adopters with tips on litter training, what to feed, what to watch for, etc? It seems like it would be so helpful to have, since there isn't a lot of knowledge on some of these species by the general public. Which leads to my question of how do you litter train a ferret? I rescued a ferret about three years ago, and she uses the litter box every once in a while, but only when I'm lucky. I don't like letting her run loose, because I always find little 'presents" in corners and under the bed. She has multiple litter boxes, but only likes to roll around in them and make a mess. Any suggestions?

Response from Karalee:

We have had great success with litter box training rabbits. In fact, many times all it has taken is putting a litter box filled with rabbit-safe litter and hay in a corner of their pen and that's it. It does make them more reliable when they are spayed or neutered and not a baby. Some tips we have found that work well are:


You can get more ideas from the HRS article.

Alicia Drakiotes response:

Training ferrets to litter boxes - A wonderful topic!

We do give instructions on litter training to adopters, and there are several publications with tips on training ferrets. The dilemma seems to come from those ferrets who are not trained at an early age. Humans not understanding the instinctive nature of the animal and how to utilize that information in the case of training the pet!

The instinctive nature of the animal tells it to mark its territorial perimeter so other animals know they are entering another ferrets' domain. For this reason you will notice ferrets will pick door entries and other traffic areas when not utilizing the "box". Ferrets can be trained and are clean animals, but we must understand their nature and work around it. The chance that you will have a 100 percent hit rate with a ferret is not one to be easily accomplished for several reasons. Therefore, close supervision, keeping the litter box/papers clean, etc. will make a huge difference in the behavior of your pet ferret!

Ferrets like a clean burrow or living environment, only when a human dirties it up will you get bad habits. We recommend cleaning the litter area two times daily. There are actually some ferrets who will not utilize a dirty box. Therefore, they go beside it, when it's not clean!

Many resources are available on this process of litter training. Some of the better publications are:


Response from Denise:

Because birds have such a rapid metabolism, they are incapable of holding their droppings and must eliminate very often, even more so with birds that eat a lot of fruits and or nectar eating birds. It is not practical to train a bird like a dog to go outside or into a litter box like a cat. However, some birds do give warning signals, such as suddenly getting antsy, raising their tail feathers, bearing down or turning in circles when they are ready to relieve themselves, which can give you the opportunity to move them to a specific area to eliminate. Other birds will return to their cage or habitat area when they are ready to go all on their own.

Avoid using any litter even if it is 'designed for bird use," because of the dust and/or fumes they emit and are not healthy for birds. You can minimize the mess by placing wax paper or absorbent paper like paper towels and newspaper under or around the cage area, which can easily be removed and replaced with a fresh supply.

If you have a potential adopter that is a "neat freak", a bird is not the ideal animal for them. Birds, both large and small, are messy - period! They all tend to drop and fling their food, which ends up on floors and walls and the like. They do chew and destroy objects, and leave the remains strewn about. This is something you should inform your adopters of upfront.

Most avian rescue groups do provide services, including bird education classes on housing, diet, and behavior. Usually those will follow-up to insure that adopters have tools to provide proper care.

Response from Eileen:

MAARS provides all potential adopters with the MAARS guides for parrot companions, which was the predecessor to the 'Avian Welfare Coalition Shelter Handbook" due out in early 2004. The MAARS guide contains short articles on general care and nutrition, recognizing signs of illness, some species-specific information, household dangers and toxins, safe foods and plants, and listings for local avian veterinarians and other bird related resources.

Research indicates that parrots have the intellectual capacity of a two to five year human child and learn best within a social context that rewards desirable behaviors with positive reinforcement.

Potty training a captive bird is not difficult, and many birds quickly learn the behaviors reinforced by their human caregivers. However, birds need to defecate as often as every 10 - 15 minutes in smaller species. One should use caution; don't require the bird to hold its droppings for any prolonged period of time. What you want to avoid is a bird that will only go on command since this can cause severe health risks. Most people find that it is best to encourage birds to perch on "acceptable" surfaces - perches, cage tops, etc. - and allow them to defecate naturally. Bird feces are odorless, and less voluminous than mammals' and are relatively free of pathogens compared to other animal droppings.

Tips for finding homes for other species

NOTE: when a question comes in that is specific to only species, we have asked the guest speakers if they will address the question from the point of the view of the species they work with so you can get different points of view.

Question from Cassey:

We currently have two rabbits up for adoption in our shelter. We have always had a very hard time placing rabbits in homes. Most people come in looking for dogs and cats. They go to pet stores if they want rabbits or other small animals. We have placed them in featured pet ads in the paper, with no success. Do you have any suggestions on finding them homes?

Response from Karalee:

It can be so hard to spread the word that shelters have rabbits and small animals, especially if it is not consistently. The shelter needs to constantly advertise the fact that they have these animals when they are at rescue events and other similar places. If they are on the radio or TV advertising a particular cat or dog, mention the fact the other species are also surrendered at your shelter.

Even if they don't have any at that time, they need to make the public aware that they do get these animals in. Always show rabbit care information with the other dog and cat info to let people know you have rabbits.

Do you have a local HRS chapter or rep or another rabbit rescue close to you that has a website? On our Columbus website, we show some of our local shelter's rabbits and link to their website. It has made a difference in their adoption numbers. Plus, since we work with them and take many of the rabbits that they receive into our foster homes, we are always letting people know that our shelter has many wonderful rabbits.

Does your shelter advertise their animals on Petfinder? We also show our rabbits on our Petfinder web page and we do get inquiries from it.

You can post ads at your local exotic veterinary offices if they have bulletin boards. The clinic must see rabbits to have a good chance of finding a rabbit person that is looking for a rabbit.

Response from Alicia:

At Ferret Wise we have found the assistance of Petfinder, to be a small blessing in reaching people looking for a specific animal. It requires a volunteer who will handle the listings and updating, but if you do not have any other online resources this will give all the animals in your shelter system a new way to reach new homes. We have had many, many contacts from listings on Petfinder. It may indeed be the reason why we have had such a successful placement year.

Also if you have an active 4-H group in your county, it might behoove you to notify the 4-H coordinator when the rabbits come in! The 4-H has a wonderful husbandry & educational cavy program.

Response from Denise:

I would say identify venues in which to get these other animals better exposure. Even though someone comes in to adopt a dog or cat, let him/her know you have these animals for adoption in case they have a friend. Mobile adoption is another means to bring these animals to the public. Try to work with species-specific promotions such as an Adopt-a-Rescue Bird Month. Another option is to create special events that will generate awareness among the public about the plight of these animals and that they are available at your shelter. Highlight an extraordinary bird (bunny, ferret, or reptile) rescue story. Contact the local news media or television shows that sponsor pet adoption spots, and offer to occasionally showcase animals - other than dogs and cats.

You might also search for opportunities to tie-in with dog/cat adoption events that are already in progress. Often these groups get inquiries on these animals and are looking for other sources to work with or refer to. I would not recommend bringing live birds into such venues, but you can include poster boards with photos and stories about the birds for adoption. Use them to distribute educational literature. Also, don't forget that veterinary offices and pet supply stores often devote space on bulletin boards for rescue groups and humane societies to post announcements about animals for adoption. Use them!

For example, Best Friends includes LA based Parrots First, as well as rabbit rescue organizations at their Super Adoption weekends. They draw between 7-8,000 people per day. They also arranged for Parrots First to periodically present their birds on the local Fox TV pet adoption spot. Several of the birds found good homes as a result.

However, I would be very cautious about advertising birds for adoption on the Internet or in newspaper ads. They are many people who troll these lists looking for valuable birds that they can turn around and sell, or are looking for "breeding stock." This is a drawback particularly with larger species. This can be addressed with a very thorough adoption screening process. Again, if you are a shelter that needs assistance in formulating an avian adoption program or needs sample materials, contact an avian rescue organization like MAARS, Foster Parrots, or Parrots First, or contact the Avian Welfare Coalition.

Response from Eileen:

Many shelters experience similar challenges when attempting to place animals other than dogs and cats. Again, I encourage you to develop working relationships with local rescue and placement organizations, specializing in other animals, their care, screening of potential adopters and placement. These groups are likely to be the best resource for potential homes as well as information and shelter staff training. If shelter staff is knowledgeable about other animals, the placement of those animals will be easier and more successful.

While I sympathize with the challenges that shelters face in this area, I would regard this as an ideal opportunity for raising community awareness regarding the truth about the "exotics" pet trade. Why not run an ad that says something like, "Mayberry Humane Society-We're Not All Cats and Dogs", or "Homeless Animals Come In All Shapes and Sizes", or "Take a Walk On the Wild Side". This type of advertising may draw interest and offer a unique opportunity to educate the public on why these animals ended up in a shelter in the first place. At the same time it may attract potential, qualified guardians for animals requiring special care.

Stopping people from releasing these domesticated species into the wild

Question from Mary:

I often hear stories of people letting their rabbits or birds loose outside if they can longer keep them. Because they think that since they see wild ones outside, these can survive ok in the wild too. It is so hard to convince people to keep their cats and dogs indoors - how can we ever convince them to keep other species inside and that this is not the best way to re-home an animal?

Response from Karalee:

It is a challenge to get the public to understand that domestic rabbits will not survive in the wild. We have educational materials explaining that fact plus a fantastic poster with a picture of a rabbit on it that says, 'Setting Your Pet Rabbit Loose Doesn't Make Her Free - It Makes Her Food".

Some of you may remember this past year when Subaru aired the commercial where the mom was driving the little girl into the woods with a domestic rabbit to set it "free" to live happily ever after. Well, thank goodness everyone jumped on the bandwagon and we got the commercial pulled. What a nightmare. Even to this day, it is hard to tell how many people saw that commercial and will always think that it is okay and the right thing to do to release a domestic rabbit into the wild.

Another constant battle with rabbits is the whole perceived image of rabbits being housed outside in hutches as the proper way to have a rabbit as a pet. The more people that see a rabbit in the house, feet kicked out sleeping, using the litter box, greeting you at the door, jumping on the couch, or all the other things they do as companion rabbits in the home, the better chance we have at making people understand that domestic rabbits do not have wild instincts and cannot survive if set free.

Response from Alicia:

This is such a good point!

With ferrets we get the same type of problem! Folks release the ferret so it can go live in the woods. Unfortunately the ferret can't hunt, it's instinctive nature has been pretty much eradicated over the 2500 years of domestication, and once released does not have a food bowl and kibble to go to.

Usually, a ferret once released, will either fall victim to prey, owls, hawks, fisher cats and others, or starve/dehydrate within a few days (4 - 5), largely due to high metabolic rate and burning off limited fat supplies. Some ferrets have been recovered engorged with bot fly larvae and nearly starved to death from abandonment in the wooded areas.

I don't know what the answer is. I have even heard overzealous pet shop employees instruct purchasers that they CAN release them if the owner becomes disillusioned. Once again, curtailing sales in pet shops seems to be the rational approach for many of these animals.

Response from Eileen:

It is true that people, if they feel they are not able to care for an animal any longer, will often release or abandon the animal rather than carry out their minimum responsibility to insure that - at the very least - the animal is in a safe place. Other than 'educating' (a word I am loathe to use because of its inherent challenges and lack of effectiveness) the public, making shelter services widely visible and available, and your interaction with the public as positive as possible, there is probably no pragmatic approach to end this all-too-common practice. I suppose that some type of legislation might prevent some people from releasing captive raised, human-dependent animals. But, then we'd face a problem with enforcement. It is already problematic enough insuring that law enforcement upholds existing animal cruelty statutes.

As I said earlier this week, until there is a radical change in human values regarding animals and their 'inalienable rights' and our role as 'stewards', animals will continue to be victimized by human arrogance, ignorance and indifference.

Response from Denise:

This is a tough one for sure. The biggest obstacle is getting people to understand that just because an animal is wild by nature, doesn't mean they can survive in the outdoors or in the wilds of cities like New York. Non-native and exotic animals that have been raised in captivity or kept as a companion or pet may retain some of their natural instincts. However, they lack the necessary learned survival skills from their elders. Consequently, they have little chance to survive when released, and exotic animals that are wild-caught from their countries of origin and imported to the U.S. have even less.

In the cases where they do, this brings it's own host of problems. Releasing non-native species is as much an environmental issue as it is an animal welfare issue. There is the risk of introducing disease into ecosystems and transmission of it to native species. Should introduced species interbreed with native species, it could result in hybridization thereby compromising the genetic integrity of the native species. Moreover, they could compete with native species for food and resources.

Non-native animals that establish feral populations have no protection under wildlife or companion animal laws. Therefore, they become victims of lethal control methods without impunity.

All of these factors spell disastrous results for all of the animals involved and the environment. Hard-hitting educational campaigns that highlight these factors are needed. Getting people to listen and act responsibly is another issue.

Bottom line is that releasing animals into the environment should be avoided at all costs.

Animals as prizes

Question from a member:

I know you've talked about getting pet stores to stop selling these animals, but what can be done about giving away certain species at fairs a