Schedules & Transcripts PetHobbyist.com Main Chat Week Schedule Reptile & Amphibian Chats Dog Chats Cat Chats Bird Chats Fish & Aquarium Chats Small Mammal/Exotic Pet Chats Subscribe to our free email newsletters about pets and animal issues Email Address:

BirdHobbyist.com
Diane Lazicki,
The Creation and Running of a Successful Bird Rescue and Sanctuary Program
March 4, 2005

PHCoosmom: Welcome to PetHobbyist's 7th Annual Chat Week Thank you for attending our chat with Diane Lazicki, founder of Lazicki's Bird House & Rescue, Inc. located in Conneticut. Diane will be speaking on "The Creation and Running of a Successful Bird Rescue and Sanctuary Program"

This is a protocol chat. Please do not send chat to the room during the program.
If you have a question or comment for our guest, please send a "?" or "!" symbol to the screen and you will be placed in the queue and called upon by the host when it is your turn.

We appreciate your cooperation and hope that you will enjoy our chat tonight.

PHCoosmom: Diane Lazicki, is one of the founders of Lazicki's Bird House & Rescue, Inc. located in Conneticut. Diane will be speaking on "The Creation and Running of a Successful Bird Rescue and Sanctuary Program"

Please welcome Diane to The Aviary.

Lazibirds: Hi All GA

PHCoosmom: First Diane, can you give us an idea of why you started your rescue and sanctuary

Lazibirds: Well, we didn't start OUT to do rescue work...

Lazibirds: I wanted a little Teil

Lazibirds: we looked in the news paper and saw an ad for a Nanday Conure...

Lazibirds: and answered it....

Lazibirds: When we went to get the poor little thing, the NEED for rescue work was apparent. GA

PHCoosmom: How many birds do you currently have in your rescue and how many of them will be rehomed?

Lazibirds: We have about 150 counting all the little guys and HOPEFULLY the majority will find good homes but ....

Lazibirds: the going is slow GA

PHCoosmom: Diane, why is it slow? No adoptors or just finding the right folks?

PHCoosmom: Please feel free to ask questions folks. Diane is here for you.

Lazibirds: There are plenty of people that want birds espically when they think they are for FREE... (the magic word)

Lazibirds: I explain that there is NO SUCH THING as a FREE bird

jeffb: ?

Lazibirds: These guys have been through so much, we strive to find the RIGHT home for each one

Lazibirds: in order for the bird to get proper care, there are vet bills, "good" food and a multitude of expences GA

PHCoosmom: thank you. Jeff, GA

jeffb: do you think that so many birds end up at sanctuarys because the owners didnt realize what they were getting into?

Lazibirds: DEFINATELY!!!

Lazibirds: We try so hard to educate....

Lazibirds: I hear people say all the time "if only I had known" GA

PHCoosmom: ?

Lazibirds: GA

tex_parrot_nr: ?

PHCoosmom: Diane, can you tell us about some of your eduacational outreaches?

Lazibirds: Be happy to....

Lazibirds: We do therapy at nursing homes with "Smokey" little white face and we work at schools, fairs, we've done.....

Lazibirds: The Big E (Eastern States Exposition) which is a 17 day fair with over a million and a half people....

Lazibirds: we tried to get in there for 3 years and finally made it last year and....

Lazibirds: have been invited back again this year. GA

PHCoosmom: Tex, GA

tex_parrot_nr: do you see any type of birds more than others come into rescue?

Lazibirds: Yes actually.....

Lazibirds: the first are the Too's and then Conures

Lazibirds: Toos are the most misunderstood in my opinion GA

PHCoosmom: ?

OneLittleRugRat: ?

Lazibirds: GA

jeffb: ?

PHCoosmom: Diane, is that because of the noise issue with toos and conures?

Lazibirds: With conures definately.....

Lazibirds: with the Toos, it's a combination ....

Lazibirds: noise and they become demanding if you don't set the presidence from day one They seem prone to self mutilation GA

PHCoosmom: Rugrat, GA

OneLittleRugRat: What steps should you take to resocialize a bird that has been in rescue or had little to none to begin with from first owners? I came in late so hope this wasn't asked already......

Lazibirds: You're fine....

Lazibirds: I think it's a little easier for us because....

Lazibirds: we have all the other birds here.....

Lazibirds: they learn from each other and once they are out w9ith the rest of the guys...

Lazibirds: they get to see us interact with everybody else and they become anxious for 'their turn' GA

OneLittleRugRat: TY

PHCoosmom: Jeff, GA

jeffb: What requirements do you have for adoption?

Lazibirds: Well, we are not easy to get a bird from.....

Lazibirds: Because most of these guys have been through so much before they got here....

Lazibirds: our policies are on our site and our adoption contract as well.....

Lazibirds: we check refrences....

tex_parrot_nr: ?

Lazibirds: we do a home visit....

Lazibirds: don't care what kind of house just need to see where the bird would be and if it will be part of the family....

Lazibirds: once approved....

PHCoosmom: ?

Lazibirds: the family will come here and interact with the birds to see who bonds GA

PHCoosmom: Tex GA

tex_parrot_nr: how long does it take to feed that many birds?

Lazibirds: ha ha... Never ends

Lazibirds: pellets and fresh water about two hrs in the AM

Lazibirds: then baking or cooking, then etc etc.. TRULY never ends

OneLittleRugRat: ?

PHCoosmom: Rugrat, GA

OneLittleRugRat: When you say baking or cooking....what are you making for the birds?

Lazibirds: all different things. I bake them my muffins....

Lazibirds: scrambled eggs....

Lazibirds: french toast...

Maliyum: ?

Lazibirds: all sorts of things GA

PHCoosmom: Mali, GA

Maliyum: What do you recommend as a "starter bird" and why?

Maliyum: ga sorry

Lazibirds: OK we usually recommend a keet or a teil....

Lazibirds: they are sweet and a lot of them will talk and they are not high maintenence...

Lazibirds: not loud and I love them ha ha GA

PHCoosmom: Diane, What is your proceedure when someone wants to give up a bird because of behavioral issues?

Maliyum: thank you

Lazibirds: Well, I first try to determine if this is the best move for the bird and family....

ltdead: ?

Lazibirds: if someone says "I just want to get rid of 'it' ", I try to get the bird quickly....

OneLittleRugRat: ?

Lazibirds: but quite often, it's a matter of frustration and not knowing what else to do....

Lazibirds: when possible and, if it's in the best interest of the bird, we try to help work through issues. GA

PHCoosmom: lt, GA

PHAbymom: ?

ltdead: Why would you recommend a `starter bird` at all? Doesn`t that sort of thinking just perpetuate the `disposable pet` mindset?

Lazibirds: no not at all....

Lazibirds: when people decide to get a pet, they will find one no matter what you say and so....

Lazibirds: I feel it's better to get them off on a better foot than say to have a pet store talk them into a macaw or Too.. THAT could easily be a desaster GA

PHCoosmom: Rugrat, GA

OneLittleRugRat: I know you said Toos and Conures are the most frequent you see come in but are these the hardest to place to a new home? also, Do you get a lot of sick birds that come in?

Lazibirds: These are the hardest to place because we are VERY strict in where they go.....

Lazibirds: we are cautious with sick birds because of our responsibility to the ones we have....

Lazibirds: we have sent people to our vet and paid for it tho' we try not to....

Lazibirds: we get a LOT of pluckers and have had a good deal of success with them GA

PHCoosmom: Abymom, GA.

PHAbymom: Do you feel so many birds wind up in rescue because they're sold in pet stores and not by breeders who would screen the home for appropriatness before the sale and also help educate the buyer and mentor them?

Lazibirds: You've just hit the nail right on the head.. Thank you GA

PHAbymom: LOL, it happens with almost any species sold in pet stores. ga

PHCoosmom: Diane, can you expand on that? What percentage of the birds you take in are petstore birds?

OneLittleRugRat: ?

Lazibirds: MOST of them! I think the people that work in these places are for the most part....

Lazibirds: uneducated in avians....

PHAbymom: !

Lazibirds: they are trying to make a sale and will even sell things that are unhealthy for birds....

Lazibirds: I feel they should all have to take a course and they should be well paid and that would make a great difference GA

PHCoosmom: Rugrat, GA

OneLittleRugRat: What can we do to educate people about backyard avians and how to find the right bird breeder?

Lazibirds: I always recomment ADOPTION first.... We have so many out here that are in need.....

Lazibirds: I have been invited to set up at almost all out local pet stores to educate.....

Lazibirds: I refused but now feel it's a chance to help birds....

Lazibirds: I have decided to do it as long as they realize I will not be controlled GA

PHCoosmom: Abymom, GA

PHAbymom: This is more of a comment than a question. Most of the employees and owners of pet stores are looking to make a sale. In addition, the quality of the pets they are selling may not be the highest. I don't know that it makes a difference whether it is a bird or a kitten or puppy from a backyard breeder or mill.

Lazibirds: Agreed GA

jeffb: To be fair -

jeffb: there are good stores, there are bad stores, good breeders, bad breeders

Lazibirds: Again, I agree

Lazibirds: !

PHAbymom: Jeff, there are speciality stores with knowledgeable staff and quality pets.

Lazibirds: !

Lazibirds: from what I've seen.....

Lazibirds: for every one pet store that I would recommend, there are about three I wouldn't....

Lazibirds: I DO recommend at times as a 'second hand' bird is not for everyone GA

PHCoosmom: Diane, I know you have fostered birds for folks who were temporarily unable to care for them. Can you tell us how that has worked?

Lazibirds: Well, right now I have 2 sunnies.....

Lazibirds: This woman called crying as her husband is terminal and was coming home from the hospital.....

Lazibirds: conures are loud....

Lazibirds: she had to have them out so he could rest.....

Lazibirds: she thought she had to give them up....

Lazibirds: well, needless to say, they are here until she is ready for them... I hope it will be quite a while.....

Lazibirds: the Dr's said they would be lucky if it was 6 months

Lazibirds: we do take fosters for special circumstances

Lazibirds: GA

Lazibirds: We've had other....

Lazibirds: GA

PHCoosmom: Diane, How flexible are you with your adoption requirements? If you find a great home but there is one thing that does not meet your requirements, will you still adopt to those folks.

Lazibirds: It really has to depend on what that one thing is Bonnie....

Lazibirds: if it's something that is detramental for the bird, we will not place it there....

Lazibirds: one thing in our policy is that we will not place a bird as a companion for another bird....

Lazibirds: that one is not written in stone.....

Lazibirds: we just need to insure that the new guy will be as important to the family as what they already have GA

PHCoosmom: Thank you Diane. Any more questions?

PHCoosmom: Thank you all for coming. We appreciate your support during the Seventh annual Pethobbyist chat week.