Hi everyone i am new to birdline,and i have put in for a foster bird and all i can say is it is like waiting to find out if your pregnant or not  some people might find that a bit extreme but that is how i feel .I am just so excited, i cannot explain what its like every time the phone rings. I have wanted to own a parrot for soooo long now (at least 25 years but dont tell any one ha ha )and at last i have all the time and energy that my new addition will need .....I have been out and purchased a big cage ,and we are really enjoying shopping for toys and things for him/her. ...So i just wanted to say hi and let any one else who is waiting for the phone call,to know i know just how you feel 

Hi good luck with the phone call when it comes.  However if you are not successful I would certainly recommend safehousing as you get the chance of looking after lots of different species. 

me too .... it's been a very long three weeks now! Have no nails left at all! lol

Welcome, i hope you hear good news soon.....We are awaiting a phone call too for our homecheck.....so we must be one step in front of you...LOL.....it's so incredibly hard waiting, i thought i had the patience of jobe but this has tested it......I jump every time the phone goes, i've been a bit short with 'window salesmen' and other ' salesmen' blocking my phone for my awaited important phone call, the call which will  get me closer to my 'forever parrot mate'.  Good luck....Freda

 Of course! As long as you have the room and the time, there is no reason why you cant safehouse as well 

Yes you can just safehouse if like me you are not sure about long term fostering.  I didn't have any experience with birds so felt offering to be safehouse was the way to go for me.  I've only been doing it since Feb this year and it means I already have experience of 5 different birds now.  Yes it is a bit sad when they go BUT there is nothing to stop you from applying for the bird you are safehousing if you want to.  You are never alone in doing safehousing your ACO or Area Manager are there if you need help advice etc as well as the forum.  The only thing is you cant say anything about your safehouse bird until they appear on the rehoming list which is understandable but sometimes you want to let everyone know if your bird has done something amazing!!  Good luck with whatever you decide.

It's so exciting isn't it?.... We have only ever been without a parrot for the first 4 years of our marriage....then we had Charlie our beautiful Blue fronted amazon!...that's him on the side, just had a bath...and standing proud, giving us a look to say 'look what i've just done in that clean water you've just given me'.....Very sadly he died of a liver disease at the age of 36 in june this year.  Our house is so empty, our hearts are aching to love another, but more importantly in the back of my mind i still have the thought that in some way i am helping Birdline in a very small way. Later i may be able to help in other ways.

In the meantime whilst we are awaiting our phone call i am thinking and thanking all those volunteers that are doing their bit, especially those who have very full lives. My husband and i are very lucky that we are retired altho we keep ourselves busy with family and grandchildren, however we do not have the stress of the volunteers that want to make such a huge difference to birdline and especially the birds themselves. We fostering applicants are last in the chain for the volunteers to think of really as the birds should always come first.

Sending a huge thank you to all the volunteers out there you are doing such a great job.  Us as Foster applicants would never get the chance to have another parrot  if it wasn't for all of you, so we are most grateful, you will be fullfilling our lives.  Freda

Nicky welcome to Birdline, I hope all goes well for you.

To all of you, I hope your phonecalls come soon and the results are what you're dreaming of.  Believe me, the wait is well worthwhile

Freda, I love your post, when you eventually get your special birdie it will be a real little treasure and will help to fill the empty hole in your heart.

Sue

HI Su,

I must say you bought a tear to my eye earlier when i read your post....'my special little treasure will fil the empty hole in my heart'......you don't know how  right you are. 

Us birdie people  can explain to unbirdie people til wer'e blue in the face what they are missing, but they never get it! Thanks for that Sue.

Best wishes to all of you waiting!......Freda