We Found a Lost Parakeet - SoCal

User Question
A budgie just appeared in to our open garage. It is extremely friendly. We have yet to see it fly. It jumped right up on my finger and seemed to be very calm. How do we find its owner? I put notes on all the mailboxes within 1/4 mile and large signs at both cross streets. I just read the section on how to encourage your escaped bird to return to the cage in the middle of the yard. Should I take it back outside? We live in SoCal, so the weather is not a problem, but cats, dogs and coyotes are every where.

Lisa's Answer
I definitely wouldn't take it back outside. As much as you might hope for it to magically get to its owners again, it would be an amazing bit of luck if it somehow found its way back to its own yard having never been outside before, and then somehow got back into its cage or into its house. It's far more likely that it would be eaten by something.

You did the right thing by putting up the signs and mailbox notes. I'd also post a note at the local pet store. Most parakeet owners don't take their keets to vets so contacting local vets wouldn't really help. Your signs are really your best bet, if the owners are driving around trying to find their keet. If you haven't seen it fly at all yet, its wings may be clipped meaning it couldn't have come from very far away.

Given all that you've done to alert the owner, if you don't hear from someone in a week or two, I think you have a new friendly pet!

Best of luck,

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