gilbert woman takes unwanted birds under her wing
TRANSCRIPT
Most Popular Top Videos
Friend blames timing of Gilbert inventor’s suicide onfear of impending article
Gilbert town salaries, by job type
State strips Gilbert doctor of license after inquiry intodeaths
Unique hamburger joints in Southeast Valley
In Home Pet Euthanasiahome-vet-care.comMobile Pet Euthanasia. Caring Vets Come To You. Call For Free Consult.
Meet rescued parrotsWhat: Gilbert-based Ginger’sParrot Rescue, owned by GingerDuplisse, is marking its new non-profit status with an educationalprogram featuring New York Cityparrot trainer Michael Sazhin.Watch parrot-trainingdemonstrations, meet adoptableSenegal parrots and cockatiels andeven adopt one. Sazhin will signcopies of his book, “The ParrotWizard’s Guide to Well-BehavedParrots.”When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday;doors open at 9 a.m.Where: Grace Inn Phoenix, 10831S. 51st St., Phoenix, located offInterstate 10 and Elliot Road.Details: gingersparrots.org.
Community » Gilbert » Article
Gilbert woman takes unwanted birds under her wing
In Ginger Duplisse’s basement, three featherless cockatiels she calls“The Bare-naked Ladies” huddle nervously in a cage.
They ignore the human drama on the TV in the room, perhaps becausethey have their own.
“The Ladies” were once targeted for euthanasia by the ArizonaHumane Society. They were given to Duplisse because she is listed asthe society’s “last effort” for life for unadoptable parrots.
No one knows how the parrots’ crests atop their heads all butdisappeared or how their necks and chests were plucked of their softwhite feathers.
“I decided there’s nothing unhealthy about them, and there’s noreason for them to be euthanized other than they are unadoptable,”Duplisse said. “Because they don’t have feathers, people are notinterested in them.”
Over the past seven years, with help from her husband, Ian, Duplissehas run Ginger’s Parrot Rescue on her 1-acre property in southGilbert.
In that time, 42 birds have ended up there, some casualties of abuse,neglect or ignorance and others simply relinquished because formerowners tired of them. Several cockatiels are one-legged, one hasfused legs and another manages with one eye.
Besides the love, companionship and necessities for a healthy life, the
Aaron Lavinsky/The Republic
Ginger Duplisse, founder of the non-profit Ginger’s Parrot Rescue, wantspotential bird owners to know what they’re in for: “It’s going to be messy, it’sgoing to be expensive and it’s going to live a long time,” she says.
208Recommend Tweet 26 FONT: A A A
6 Comments
RELATED INFO
By Srianthi Perera |The Republic | azcentral.com
Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:27 AM
SHARE URL EMAIL
GET AZCENTRAL ANYWHERE
MORE FROM AZCENTRAL FROM AROUND THE WEBHoney Boo Boo's Parents Need to Get a Handle on Her
birds also receive individually tailored behavioral rehabilitation tobecome well-behaved companion parrots. The Senegal parrots aremostly healthy, but because they are territorial and bratty, they arebeing trained to be more sociable.
Just recently, the rescue received non-profit status, anaccomplishment Duplisse is marking Saturday with an educationalprogram at the Grace Inn Phoenix.
Michael Sazhin, a parrot trainer from New York, will attend and imparthis knowledge on training and socializing birds kept as house pets.About 25 of the rescue’s birds will be there, too.
Duplisse believes in educating the public on the hazards of ignorancewhen raising pet birds.
“Parrots are really not good pets at all,” she said. “They are demandingof your time — they need that — they require socialization, theyrequire out-of-cage time, they need toys, they need interaction. If theyare not (given attention), this is what happens to them: They pluck andpull their feathers, they have behavioral problems, they scream, theybite.”
While she does offer parrots for adoption, Duplisse says it’s a “toughcall.”
“My goal would be for people not to do a gut response to get a bird justbecause they think it’s fun, it’s exciting, it’s a wonderful thing. It’s not adog, it’s not a cat, it doesn’t cuddle, it doesn’t snuggle. It’s going to bemessy, it’s going to be expensive and it’s going to live a long time,” shesaid.
Cockatiels live an average of 30 years, while Senegal parrots live 35,and parakeets live an average of eight.
Duplisse’s African gray parrot, Ozzie, has a lifespan of 50 years, buthe is the couple’s pet and not part of the rescue.
With non-profit status, Duplisse is hoping for donations orsponsorships to alleviate some of her expenses.
The 42 birds cost more than $200 per month for basic food without treats, fruit and vegetables. When anew bird is taken in, it requires a veterinary check that costs about $200, plus a cage, toys and dishes —all of which totals about $300.
Then there are the extras, such as the tiny heaters in the Bare-naked Ladies’ cage and the misters andfans that cool the birds in the outdoor aviaries in the summer.
Last year’s total veterinary bill was $8,000, all of which came from Duplisse’s personal funds.
The couple’s children have grown and left the nest. So Duplisse’s life revolves around the birds that inhabither living area and basement and three outdoor aviaries.
The retired computer technician has developed a daily timetable to give them a routine, so that they sleepand are woken up, fed and socialized in two shifts. Besides the birds, she has three donkeys and chickens,so the birds’ routine allows her to sleep from 3 a.m. to about 10 a.m.
Asked why she cares for birds, Duplisse replied:
“I just have an affinity for them. I’ve loved birds my whole life, especially the outside birds, but I neverconsidered having a parrot, because I always considered having a parrot isn’t something you can havewhen you have other animals.”
Duplisse encourages people to do their homework and understand what a commitment a bird owner mustmake. “If they cannot make that commitment, what’s going to happen to that bird? Where’s it going to go?”she asks.
Most often, unwanted birds that develop behavioral problems end up for sale on the Internet or arebounced from home to home, she said.
Since they are domesticated, they can’t be let out in the wild.
“Many of them are connected to people who hand-feed them, so they don’t think that they are birds,especially Senegal parrots. If you let them out, they won’t last more than two days. They don’t know how toget water. They don’t have any clue. Water and food come in a bowl, that’s all they know,” she said.
If hunger and starvation don’t get to them first, the predators will. They become easy targets for feral cats,hawks, snakes, lizards and even other birds.
“Honestly, if something isn’t done soon, the way that things are going with breeding and putting out andpumping out more and more birds, because of their long life, I can see it going the way that the society hasgone with dogs and cats: euthanasia.”
Download your free copy ofTotal Kid, an interactive digitalparenting magazine filled withtrending health topics, videos,tips and activities. Sponsoredby Banner Health.
azcentral.commobile editionsGet azcentral.com on yourphones and tablets for thelatest news, sports, video,photos and much morefrom azcentral, TheArizona Republic and 12News.» Get azcentral.commobile!» Android | iPad | iPhone| iPhone Sports | AZ
From our sponsor
Banner Children's Total Kid for iPad
Snow falling in Northern Arizona on Sunday
Police seize marijuana-laced candy in Maryland
Cardinals elevate RB Kerwynn Williams from practicesquad
An X-rated morning in the Jodi Arias sentencing retrial
Stop taking 'selfies' with bears, tourists told
Unsanitary Habit (Stirring Daily)
Could Ed Gillespie be the upset of the night? (The
Washington Post)
Kate Middleton's Appearance at Recent Public Outing IsQuite Troubling (PHOTO) (Stirring Daily)
Brittany Maynard, as promised, ends her life at 29 (The
Washington Post)
Static-X Frontman Wayne Static Dead at Age 48,Mourned by Ozzy Osbourne, Other Rockers (E! Online)
16 Pinterest Photos That'll Leave You Breathless(StyleBistro)
Family of 10-Year-Old Murder Suspect Doesn't Want HimBack (Stirring Daily)
Modern Family Is Canceled, According to EricStonestreet's Twitter (E! Online)
Family Adopts A Two-Year-Old Husky, But They Had NoIdea It Was Raised By Cats Beforehand (LolBoom)
Pup Throws Dramatic Grumble Fit When Asked To DoTricks (The BarkPost)
by Taboola
► JOIN THE DISCUSSION
[?]
YOU MAY LIKE
Jodi Arias death-penalty trial resumeswith fireworks
DPS shooting suspectarraigned
Dallas Zoo SellsGiraffe Naming RightsFor $50,000
Chris Rock's 'SNL'monologue: Funny ornah? | DailyDish
by TaboolaSponsored Links
FROM AROUND THE WEB
Please Don’t Retire At62. Here’s Why.The Motley Fool
7 Credit Cards YouShould Not Ignore IfYou Have Excellent …Next Advisor
Things Girls Say toTest MenGlamour
A Brilliant Way to PayOff Your MortgageBills.com
Comments posted via facebook: 6
Join the conversation! To comment on azcentral.com, you must be logged into an active personalaccount on Facebook. You are responsible for your comments and abuse of this privilege will notbe tolerated. We reserve the right, without warning or notification, to remove comments andblock users judged to violate our Terms of Service and Rules of Engagement. Facebook comments FAQ
Facebook social plugin
Comment
Add a comment...
Brandy Allison · Works at Scentsy Fragrance
Does anyone know how to get a hold of this lady ? Our company gets so many calls for her and Ihave no fwd number to give anyone and I feel so bad. If anyone has any info please email me @[email protected] · Like · April 16 at 3:48pm
Bonnie BatesMr. Raven, the newspaper is really organized into different parts that are called "sections". These"sections" focus on different subjects. For example, there is the "Sports Section" that has articlesabout sport for those who are interested in following a specific team. And another section is the"Entertainment Section" section, where you go to see what movies are playing at your local theatre.They even list the times of the shows. So if it is pharmaceutical deregulation you are concernedabout. you would probably find that in the "Business Section." So please do not worry that in coveringthis story about a really amazing individual and the wonderful work she does, the paper hasremoved an article you might deem more worthy. As for helping homo sapiens, you must be cursedwith the arrogance of believing that humankind is the only deserving creature on this gorgeousplanet. Quite honestly, the animals are far more deserving of our compassion, understanding andhelp than most of humanity. After all, WE are the ones who are destroying their homes and lives, andinsist that they serve us.Reply · Like · · July 26, 2013 at 6:42pm2
Zachary Raven · Top Commenter
First there was crazy Cat Lady; now there is Crazy Bird Lady... Somebody needs to bless her or helpher please; the paper needs to get on to more important issues such as the deregulation of genericpharmaceuticals... For the love of God, please donate to the bird seed fund; when you finally get yourwarm and fuzzy from helping some animal, help the rest of the homo sapien's by waking up a littleearlier and opening your buckin eyes........Reply · Like · July 19, 2013 at 5:13pm
Barbara Logan · Top Commenter · Ogelthorpe University
Such a lame comment from someone who clearly knows nothing about companionparrots, and has some screwed-up priorities. Is that how you feel about the dog in yourprofile picture?Reply · Like · · July 23, 2013 at 10:02pm1
Zachary Raven · Top Commenter
I wonder how ridiculous that house gets when everyone begins to argue...Reply · Like · July 19, 2013 at 9:40am
