Whats the matter with you parrot people

Peta

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Sep 7, 2006
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WHAT IS the matter with you parrot people?

Because, let's face it, parrot people are weird. Now don't deny it
or send me indignant notes about how normal you are - you're not
fooling anyone. Think about it: When a normal person brings a pet
such as a dog or a cat or a goldfish into their homes, they continue
to lead normal lives. They socialize with other normal people, they
continue to listen to the same types of music, read the same types
of books, and eat the same types of foods as before. You, my parrot-
afflicted friend, do not.

So how odd are you? Let's make a list!

#1. You are a scholar of psittacinism. You scour the Internet and
bookstores for research material on parrots. You join discussion
groups and share in agonizing detail each tiny movement of your
parrot with other parrot owners, who then share a more-than-unusual
interest in everyone else's parrot's poop. In fact, poop now
occupies so much of your thought and free time that you have lost
interest in politics, career, and IRA earnings.

#2. You have begun avoiding normal people, because your parrot seems
to have taken a dislike to normal people. This includes your spouse.
When he (or she) walks into the same room as you and your bird,
there is obvious resentment at the intrusion. However, you are
trying to stop reacting this way.

#3. You eat parrot food. That is, you have taken to eating the
special healthy people food you fix for your parrot. It's so much
easier than separately preparing the usual junk for yourself. This
is, in general, a good thing. (Just remember to avoid the birdie
bread you made with Harrison's.)

#4. You have rearranged your furniture to accommodate your bird and
future birds. If you are severely afflicted, you have bought a new
house especially designed for parrotly needs, including vaulted
ceilings, screened-in porches and rooms with drains in the floor.

#5. You buy only healthy and interesting pet toys that cost the
equivalent of two months' salary and can be destroyed by a beak in
five minutes. You ask store clerks questions such as, "Is the dye on
this wooden block human grade?" and "What types of chemicals were
used to treat this suede strip?" and "Where can I find your organic,
preservative-free unshelled imported almonds?"

#6. You make your own bird toys. Sometimes you do this even when you
can find bird toys you like. "My toys are cheaper to make, or more
interesting," you tell yourself. And then you set up an Internet
store or auction site to sell your toys. You use your other talents
For the Good of Parrots. You make quilted cage covers, human
clothing protectors, jewelry designed to be worn by humans and
chewed on by parrots, paintings of parrots, key chains engraved with
the parrot's name.

Parrots are the dominant species on earth and they are simply using
us to perpetuate their race and eventually take over. If you doubt
that, just remember that it's the dominant creature who gets other
creatures to take care of it. Think about all you do for your bird,
the hours spent cleaning his cage, cleaning the floor, cleaning the
food and water dishes, cleaning the bird toys, cooking food,
cleaning the walls of said food, bandaging your skin from the latest
nip. Then think about how you sit down exhausted and feel grateful
and honored to look upon his pampered plumage and big dark eyes.
This is not normal. You'll never see a dog person made misty by the
beauty of their pet slowly lifting its leg.
I say it's high time we parrot people reclaim our lives and save the
human race from certain demise. Be strong - it won't be easy or done
quickly, but by acting together we can thrive as a species again.
I'll be right there with you, just as soon as I finish sewing this
bird cosey and taking the pellet casserole out of the oven.
 

Eclectica

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Oct 8, 2006
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Dory - Cockatiel
Know this is old, just had to bring it up again! Oh so true! Since i got to this forum, i have done some homework on how to properly care for my fids, and i must say, being a student and all, all i do on weekends is work to buy more toys and the best food for my fids and other furry kids!!!:D
 
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Peta

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I'd forgotten about this one, I am still doing all the things on the list, even though I said I would change a few things. :D The fids still rule this household, and Normal people, well thats us isn't it. The non bird people are the strange ones in my book. :D
 
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Peta

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Just thought I'd bump this up again so you can all see how odd we really are. :D :D

I'd rather be odd with parrots than be normal without them. :D :D
 

TexDot33

Bird poop and baby poop
Dec 26, 2006
2,576
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4
10
New Hampshire USA
Parrots
15 year-old Sun Conure: Hamlet &
14 year-old Green-Cheeked Conure: Mac
oh my ... I'm personally guilty of #'s 1, 4, 5 & 6.

#2 - No way, I just try to socialize Hamlet to accept everyone (although he LUNGED :eek: at Christy's brother last night ... I have NEVER seen him do that ...)

#3 - I pretty much eat healthy anyway, I am just giving Hamlet my food now ... except for the Harrisons, have you guys tried that stuff ... it's pretty dry!

~ Tex
 

meghanxx4

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Feb 1, 2007
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|Cockatiels:Tara and Shylo|
Budgies:Fresca and Domino|
Senegal Parrot: Kayto|
This is good! and very, very true... im probably guilty of all of them.

My dog LOVES pellets! i give one every once in a while and he just gulps it down.. he probably cant even taste since its so small but he still comes back for more.. lol i geuss thats not an odd thing with dogs...

Yes i make my own bird toys, but i also buy them as well.

Im a kid... well fine teenager...... either way hey we eat junk.. but i still eat good food.. but the birds encourage me to eat more good food because im always cutting up little peices of broccoli or whatever so its like well hey im cutting it already so might aswell nibble on some.

I moved my desk, shelf and bed just to make room for the tiel cage(and so my room didn't look bad :D)

and just other day my dog chewed up one of the bird toys i had made because it had rawhide on it..... my dogs must thing im crazy.
 
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Minzer84

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Mar 14, 2007
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Massachusetts
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Iggy- YCA
I'm guilty of most of those...had to buy a condo where Iggy could have his very own room...there's no walking room in my living room because of his playgym, and I spend way more money on him than on myself... I don't eat healthy like him, as a matter of fact I have almost forgotten what a vegetable is...maybe I should try to start that habit of bird people...
 

TexDot33

Bird poop and baby poop
Dec 26, 2006
2,576
Media
4
10
New Hampshire USA
Parrots
15 year-old Sun Conure: Hamlet &
14 year-old Green-Cheeked Conure: Mac
I'm guilty of most of those...had to buy a condo where Iggy could have his very own room...there's no walking room in my living room because of his playgym, and I spend way more money on him than on myself... I don't eat healthy like him, as a matter of fact I have almost forgotten what a vegetable is...maybe I should try to start that habit of bird people...

And you shouldn't be ashamed of any of those ... (well, maybe the whole vegetable thing ... but I'm not going to judge...) I think that having a bird is just like having a kid ... you think of the bird before you think of yourself ...
 

Minzer84

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Mar 14, 2007
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Iggy- YCA
Wow, Tex, you ARE up late, hehe. Yea, I didn't realize coming out of high school that I was basically buying a $1000 child. But I know it now! Now if I could just get him to be a little less homicidal...And I'm working on the veggie thing...but more often than not Iggy gets my bad habit snacks...he sure likes goldfish crackers and mac n cheese :27:
 

TexDot33

Bird poop and baby poop
Dec 26, 2006
2,576
Media
4
10
New Hampshire USA
Parrots
15 year-old Sun Conure: Hamlet &
14 year-old Green-Cheeked Conure: Mac
Well, you know, the Sox game ended about 10, and I've just been ... well, goofing off ever since ...

Gold fish, and mac and cheese huh? Well, the goldfish are OK (as long as there isn't too much salt) and even the MAC would be OK by itself ... but I am not so sure about the cheese ...

Ham loves fruit, apples and oranges are his faves ... he won't touch strawberries (I don't get that at all .... ) and LOVES his almonds (1 a day/ 1 every other day) as a treat ...
 

Minzer84

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Mar 14, 2007
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Iggy- YCA
Yea, I missed the sox game, but I'm happy they won!!! :D

Anyway, yea, Iggy gets more cheese than a parrot should, being lactose intolerant and all...but he seems to like it and I don't give him very much at a time. Amazons have a tendency toward obesity, but he's always been a perfect weight, so I don't worry too much about that yet...if it ever got to be a problem I would put him strictly on pellets/veggies.

He's funny about what he'll eat too...he's terrified of any red foods (strawberries, tomatoes, etc.) He picks the things he likes out of his veggies...corn is always his favorite. Come to think of it, yellow and orange foods are always his go-to choice. Weird. :confused:
 

TexDot33

Bird poop and baby poop
Dec 26, 2006
2,576
Media
4
10
New Hampshire USA
Parrots
15 year-old Sun Conure: Hamlet &
14 year-old Green-Cheeked Conure: Mac
Funny, Hamlet stays away from anything purple. There are purple pellets in his Zupreem, always left over ... his wooden chew toys ... all the colors are chewed off except for the purple ones ... it's really crazy.

Ham's go-to colors seem to be orange, green and red ... which are the colors that are in his plumage ... I wonder if that has something to do with it ... does Iggy have any red on him ... probably not, right?
 

Minzer84

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Mar 14, 2007
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Massachusetts
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Iggy- YCA
Iggy has red on his shoulders (or whatever they're called)...but maybe he doesn't know it!! He always chews the yellow and orange blocks first on his toys, come to think of it...maybe he knows there's a big yellow spot on his head! He doesn't seem to have any opinion of green though...
 

TexDot33

Bird poop and baby poop
Dec 26, 2006
2,576
Media
4
10
New Hampshire USA
Parrots
15 year-old Sun Conure: Hamlet &
14 year-old Green-Cheeked Conure: Mac
I bet they know more than we think they do ... I mean, you've seen the pics of Ham, he almost looks like he is posing, and his eyes, they look so intelligent, there's more going on in there than we will ever understand.
 

Minzer84

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Mar 14, 2007
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Massachusetts
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Iggy- YCA
Yea, Ham is really cute, I almost got a 6 month old female sun conure instead of Iggy, but NOOOO, I needed a baby bird (as if 6 months isn't young enough). I love how bright he is...but yea, there is a lot going on in those birdie brains, I wish I understood it better, then maybe I wouldn't be a target anymore!!

Birds can see UV light, which is really interesting and maybe also has something to do with their color preferences...has to do with their mating and feeding in the wild...
 

TexDot33

Bird poop and baby poop
Dec 26, 2006
2,576
Media
4
10
New Hampshire USA
Parrots
15 year-old Sun Conure: Hamlet &
14 year-old Green-Cheeked Conure: Mac
Yea, Ham is really cute, I almost got a 6 month old female sun conure instead of Iggy, but NOOOO, I needed a baby bird (as if 6 months isn't young enough). I love how bright he is...but yea, there is a lot going on in those birdie brains, I wish I understood it better, then maybe I wouldn't be a target anymore!!

Birds can see UV light, which is really interesting and maybe also has something to do with their color preferences...has to do with their mating and feeding in the wild...

hmmm, a 6 month-old sunny or a baby Yellow Naped ... hmmm ... well, I'll take my chances with the sunny thanks ...

Has Iggy's screaming/behavior gotten ANY better? :confused: :15:
 

Minzer84

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Mar 14, 2007
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Massachusetts
Parrots
Iggy- YCA
Well if I knew then what I know now maybe I would have a somewhat different family here, but don't tell Iggy that!!!

He was doing better for awhile, but now he's kind of regressing...he'll be 5 in 4 days. On Friday when I came home, the house was quiet, no t.v., no laundry going, calm...then all of a sudden he starts this continuous screaming while he's in the same room as I am...so in the cage he goes, which usually works. Not this time, he kept screaming and screaming and screaming and I was forced to go back to school to study for the 5 hour test that I had today. So I don't really know what he's thinking. I haven't been bitten lately, but he tried the other day when I was putting his food bowl on his dinner stand...ripped into the oven mitt I was wearing on my hand. I'm trying really hard to be understanding, I just don't know what to do.
 

TexDot33

Bird poop and baby poop
Dec 26, 2006
2,576
Media
4
10
New Hampshire USA
Parrots
15 year-old Sun Conure: Hamlet &
14 year-old Green-Cheeked Conure: Mac
Do you think that maybe the oven mitt (btw, I have a couple of catcher's mitts if you'd like to borrow one ... *lol* ) scares him, you said that he's not biting you maybe if you took the oven mitt off? I don't know ... the screaming ... it's such a double edged sword. You can't run to them when the scream, and you can't let them scream for fear of your neighbors ... if it were up to Christy Hamlet would be allowed to scream at 7:30 in the morning ... I will go to him then, but when I am sure that there isn't anybody around ... that bird can scream his little lungs out and I can ignore him ... (mind you I work in a portrait studio with little children who scream and cry in my lobby all the time [and really, most of my employees aren't much better], I am so used to it, I can just phase it out)

Ok, it's way past my bedtime ... I am about to doze right here ... I am off ... we will talk later ...
 

Minzer84

New member
Mar 14, 2007
470
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Massachusetts
Parrots
Iggy- YCA
Hehe, way past your bedtime! I think one of my oven mitts does scare him, but I try to use the one that he's normally ok with, and move really slowly and whatnot. I'm so afraid to touch him with my bare hands, I still have about a one inch scar on the heel of my hand from the bite back in December. I know it's something I have to get over eventually, but he's just so unpredictable sometimes (no body language then BAM!).

The screaming is really hard. I really like the quiet too, and I'm pretty much always studying for something. Normally he's ok if he can see me, but sometimes even that doesn't matter. And I try to ignore it, but I have to leave the house or I just want to throttle him :mad: I remember not too long ago when I could leave him out and take a shower and get dressed without a problem...I miss those days :17: It's just about mid-April...end of mating season? ::sigh:: I need a bird psychic.
 

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