Giving a loving forever home to traumatized Birds can be a very different experience to caring for those with no bad past. Trauma has an effect in ways we could never expect & at first, the Bird may not want to live any more. There is hope for a bright future where they can shine again, here are 4 truths about loving traumatized Birds.
1- You can’t choose what stays & what fades away- Sometimes a traumatized Bird will remember past events (flashbacks) which can trigger trauma responses. You can’t choose which bad memories stay & which ones fade away, you will want so much to control this, but you can’t. You have to trust their body’s ability to heal & shine once again. Be the support they need during difficult times, learn the triggers so that you can try & avoid them & work on building magical memories for a bright future. Their lives may always be touched by trauma, but that doesn’t mean you have failed, it doesn’t mean their life won’t be worth living. If you want them to have a bright future, you must give them a bright future & that involves allowing yourself to let go of the things you can’t control for them so you can focus on the changes you CAN make. You are good enough, you will get there together.
2- Happiness is sacred moments where peace can flow- We often think of happiness as a constant state, a whole lifetime where nothing happens but constant, unwavering joy. This isn’t life. Happiness is actually little moments. Moments where peace can flow & you have the ability to be present. The same is true for our Birds. Rather that trying to create constant happiness (which won’t happen), try to create (or learn to find) these precious little moments in the day. Moments full of beauty, peace & connection where fear, trauma & sadness are not welcome. These moments are where true happiness can be found, & it’s in these moments that we find our magic.
3- Just because that’s how it’s started doesn’t mean that’s how it has to end- Many people think that a traumatized Bird will always be ‘beyond help’. This just isn’t true. It takes hard work, love & connection to help traumatized Birds, but it CAN happen. Every individual Bird (even if they came from the same home) will have their own unique process of recovery that must be nurtured & encouraged. Some take longer than others to feel better. The Bird MUST be the leader, never the human. Their life may have been traumatic, sad & they may have been let down by the very people who should protect them, but that’s not how it has to end. Don’t give up, don’t end their life, don’t send them to ‘Bird asylum’ style places who dump ‘mad’ Birds in a group aviary with no hope of recovery. Their life matters. They aren’t broken, their body is craving gentleness & belonging.
4- love IS the answer!- What medicine do you give to traumatized Birds? Love! Love & connection (to both humans & sometimes conspecifics) is the most healing thing for a traumatized Bird. These Birds have often lived for years in a constant state of fear, sometimes their entire life has been this way. All they need is love, connection & a good environment. Helping a traumatized Bird isn’t something you can go into without knowing about Birds in depth (their behavior, nutritional needs, enrichment needs & environment) but it is worth every moment. Never underestimate the power of a Bird who is treated like they matter!