JACK

One day we took a call from a lady who asked if we could take in Jack, a Blue & Gold Macaw. He had been in the family longer than anyone could remember, but his owner had recently died.

Jack had always lived in an outside aviary with his mate Jill. They had a tea chest for shelter and had bred once, digging a hole in the ground in which to rear the chick. Jack had allowed the youngster to stay for quite a long while, but eventually decided enough was enough so the young one had to become a family pet.

Though he lived only to the age of 12 apparently. He had been given whisky to drink every night, probably to his cost.

Unfortunately, Jack's mate Jill died 15 years ago. Jill's absence and his consequent loneliness caused Jack so much stress that he gradually nibbled away both of his own feet. What kind of owner has such little caring to allow such as thing to happen ? Not only that, he had also grown blind in his right eye.

When Jack arrived at Safehaven on 23 July 2000, we were faced with two problems: how would he take to living in a cage after the freedom of an aviary? and, how could we care for such a disabled bird who was not at all tame in anyway? Fortunately, Jack somehow clambers around his cage very well and can even balance well enough to sleep on one leg with his head on his back. In the beginning, he would cry most pitifully because he was so scared but he is making progress and will come to the front of the cage to take food now from Christine's fingers instead of cowering at the back of the cage.

He enjoys sitting on the top of his cage watching the other Macaws through a glass window, and, when he is ready we will gently introduce him to some of the other elderly residents. Jack is now playing with bits of wood and is eating well to date. We are giving him lots of tender loving care and attention and he is rewarding us with his progress.