Saving Sugar: A Moluccan Cockatoo's Fight for Life

Sugar is a beautiful, strong-willed Moluccan cockatoo who overcame unimaginable odds. When she came to us, she was trapped in a cycle of violent self-mutilation, unable to cope with captivity or the loss of her original home. After years of care and love, Sugar is now thriving, but her survival depends on critical, ongoing care: daily medication, enrichment toys, and annual trips to her avian vet--400 miles away.

This GivingTuesday, we need your help to keep Sugar healthy and happy. Your donation can make the difference between life and death for her.

Sugar’s Story: A Plea for Hope and Care

When Sugar first came into my life, she was a shadow of the magnificent bird she is today. Her elderly caretakers, a loving couple who adored her, were no longer able to meet her needs due to their failing health. They sought desperately to find someone who could care for her before their own limitations became her undoing.

At that time, Sugar was caught in a heartbreaking cycle of self-destruction. She was severely mutilating herself, with feathers either ripped out, chewed, or bent beyond recognition. When I first saw her, she was crammed into a small dog carrying cage. Despite her physical condition, her eyes shone with hope. That beautiful face—on a body that told the story of so much pain—looked out at me, pleading for another chance at life.

I hadn’t planned to take in another bird that day. I was at the veterinarian with two of our cockatoos for their checkups, but I couldn’t leave Sugar behind. The alternative for her was unthinkable: a facility where self-mutilating birds are kept out of sight, with little opportunity to thrive. Sugar deserved better than a life in the shadows. I returned to the sanctuary that day not with two birds, but with three.

Caring for Sugar has been a labor of love and persistence. Her self-mutilation was severe and relentless. I tried various Elizabethan collars to protect her, but she screamed and found ways to remove or destroy each one—13 in total. Medications seemed to fail as well, and she resisted eating the fresh vegetables and nutrient-rich mash she needed to heal and regain strength.

Two years later, after countless trials and errors, I finally discovered the right combination of medication, diet, and care to stop her self-destructive behavior. Today, Sugar is thriving, full of feathers, and exuding the strong, unique personality she was meant to have. She plays with toys, interacts with her feathered companions, and experiences the joy she was once denied.

But this didn’t happen by chance, and her recovery remains fragile. Sugar’s care requires meticulous management: daily medication, a carefully balanced diet, constant mental stimulation, and annual visits to her avian veterinarian—a 14-hour round trip to the only specialist who truly understands her critical needs.

Without this care, Sugar’s progress could unravel. Her life depends on the ongoing support of compassionate people who believe in second chances. Your generosity can ensure that Sugar’s journey continues, not back into pain and despair, but forward into a life filled with hope, health, and love.

Together, we can keep Sugar thriving. Every donation brings us closer to securing the care she needs to stay healthy and happy. Thank you for believing in her and in the work we do at the Chloe Sanctuary.

Sugar’s life is a delicate balance of medical care, environmental enrichment, and social interaction. Keeping her healthy and happy requires daily attention, specialized treatment, and a substantial financial commitment. Here’s what it takes to ensure Sugar continues to thrive:

• Daily Medication: Sugar needs medication twice a day to prevent self-mutilation. This lifesaving treatment costs $25 per month.

• Environmental Enrichment: To maintain her mental and emotional health, Sugar requires constant stimulation with toys, socialization with her flock, and plenty of human interaction (including her favorite—beak petting!). These costs average $700 per year.

• Annual Veterinary Care: Every year, Sugar must visit an avian vet who has cared for her for over a decade. These visits are critical to monitor her condition and include a CBC and exam. The trip requires a 14-hour round trip (over 800 miles) and costs approximately $600 annually, including travel.

• Food and Essentials: Like all parrots at the sanctuary, Sugar needs a carefully balanced diet, as well as resources like heating, air conditioning, housing and upkeep, and other daily necessities to keep her comfortable and safe. These costs are high.

These expenses are a reflection of the commitment required to care for a parrot with such complex needs. Sugar’s progress and happiness are a testament to the power of dedicated care, but we can’t do it alone.

Your support ensures that Sugar continues to receive everything she needs to stay healthy, safe, and loved. Every contribution makes a difference in her life. Thank you for helping us give her the care she so desperately deserves.

Thank you for being a part of Sugar's story.