Socializing

lizardsmells

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Dec 2, 2011
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Eastern panhandle of WV
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Kazi - 13 yr old yellow nape amazon rescue
Since Mother Nature decided winter wasn't necessary this year it's unseasonably warm for January. Our high today is going to be 65 (WTH? We should have snow on the ground!). Since I need to take my vehicle in for an oil change and inspection I was considering putting Kazi in his travel cage and bringing him with me.

I want to get him socialized and comfortable around people. Are there any tips you guys have for doing this or should I just try to take him anywhere I can with me? No doubt he'll attract attention. I want him to get used to being around different people and get used to being comfortable out in public with me, but I don't want to stress him out either.

My plan is to start with short trips out in his travel cage. I'm going to be ordering an aviator harness in the next day or two with the hope I can acclimate him to it (over several months or more) so we can use it so he can be with me in public and not in his cage.

What have you guys done to socialize your birds or do you not bother?
 

usamimi

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Oct 30, 2011
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North GA
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Kevin the Congo African Grey (DNA'd F) and Ra the Sun Conure
I bring my birds everywhere I can with me. My worry about the oil change would be any oil fumes that seep in. I know even in the little room it's still a bit stinky.

Our birds don't love their flight suits but they like seeing people enough that its worth it.
 

roxynoodle

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Dec 1, 2011
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I was thinking the same about automotive fumes. I think I'd skip that outing for Kazi. Even the instant oil change places get pretty stinky.

I need to start taking Pete more places as well. He seems very much to be a one person bird who isn't thrilled with strangers. Rowdy on the other hand loves car rides, going places and meeting new people. And I guess Merlin used to go to work everyday with her former owner, so she is good about it as well.

It's very warm here, too, today, but in the 50s. I just finished putting away a big load of hay, and how nice is that for the last day of January? I do have to go to my pain management doctor this afternoon. Maybe I should take Pete with me. One of the ladies who works there owns a Grey so I don't think they would mind, especially since I don't have an appointment; I'm just picking up my script.
 
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lizardsmells

lizardsmells

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Kazi - 13 yr old yellow nape amazon rescue
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I bring my birds everywhere I can with me. My worry about the oil change would be any oil fumes that seep in. I know even in the little room it's still a bit stinky.

Our birds don't love their flight suits but they like seeing people enough that its worth it.


Good point about the fumes, I didn't think about that. I know I've been in some service centers where the waiting area is far enough away from the bays that it didn't stink, but that's not usually the case. I haven't been to this place yet so I don't know how it's set up.

I see you're in N. GA. That's where I'm originally from! I think we've got your weather! ;)
 
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lizardsmells

lizardsmells

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Kazi - 13 yr old yellow nape amazon rescue
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It's very warm here, too, today, but in the 50s. I just finished putting away a big load of hay, and how nice is that for the last day of January? I do have to go to my pain management doctor this afternoon. Maybe I should take Pete with me. One of the ladies who works there owns a Grey so I don't think they would mind, especially since I don't have an appointment; I'm just picking up my script.

I'm considering, since it's going to be SIXTYFIVEFREAKINGDEGREES! today that maybe Kazi and I could hit the park down the road from us. I could bring some knitting or spinning and we could just hang out in the sunshine and warm air for a while.

I might do that or I might decide I need to get some actual work done today and do that instead. :p
 

usamimi

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Oct 30, 2011
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North GA
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Kevin the Congo African Grey (DNA'd F) and Ra the Sun Conure
Good point about the fumes, I didn't think about that. I know I've been in some service centers where the waiting area is far enough away from the bays that it didn't stink, but that's not usually the case. I haven't been to this place yet so I don't know how it's set up.

I see you're in N. GA. That's where I'm originally from! I think we've got your weather! ;)

You've got warmer weather than we do lately! It won't stop raining!
 

henpecked

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Dec 12, 2010
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Jake YNA 1970,Kia Panama amazon1975, both i removed from nest and left siblings, Forever Home to,Stacie (YN hen),Mickie (RLA male),Blinkie (YNA hen),Kong (Panama hen),Rescue Zons;Nitro,Echo,Rocky,Rub
I take jake every where ,except places where people say no pets.Even places that have a no pets sign,i test them.People i sell baby amazons to , i tell them, intro your bird to 100 people in the first 6 weeks, 2 people a day.If your worried about fumes ,take him outside for a walk while your waiting.There's no subsitute for a well socialized amazon.
 
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lizardsmells

lizardsmells

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Dec 2, 2011
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Eastern panhandle of WV
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Kazi - 13 yr old yellow nape amazon rescue
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I take jake every where ,except places where people say no pets.Even places that have a no pets sign,i test them.People i sell baby amazons to , i tell them, intro your bird to 100 people in the first 6 weeks, 2 people a day.If your worried about fumes ,take him outside for a walk while your waiting.There's no subsitute for a well socialized amazon.

Thank you, Henpecked! I didn't see this until now, but I did decide to go ahead and take him because it was nice enough out today that we could've gone on a stroll if we needed to. But the waiting area was fume free so we just hung out in there for the hour it took to get everything done. He played statue most of the time but had relaxed enough to let out some very quiet vocalizations. He also willingly went in the travel cage today which was the first time ever.

Let me ask you how you suggest a bird be introduced when out in public. Today when I walked in there was only one family in the waiting area, a little girl and her parents. After getting the ok to bring him in I told them, "hi everyone, this is Kazi." and I explained that he was a rescue I was trying to socialize. He was in his travel cage the whole time, though. I wanted him to have some sense of security and figured his "stuff" would give him some. Should I be taking him uncaged? That actually worries me because I'm not sure how he, or the public, would react. I'm sure I'm being overly protective and paranoid, though. Any tips you have for taking him out would be great!

Even places that have a no pets sign,i test them.

Ha! I got kicked out of Walmart once for having my chi mix with me. She was in a sling across my chest. Two employees laughed and said they thought I had my arm in a sling at first. The first one was on the floor, the second one was the cashier. The cashier didn't even notice until I was paying and gave Isobel a scratch while waiting for my receipt.

I got 'kicked out' as I was leaving. By the same greeter I had passed when I first went in. I just smiled and nodded and told him ok. :rolleyes:
 

usamimi

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Oct 30, 2011
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North GA
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Kevin the Congo African Grey (DNA'd F) and Ra the Sun Conure
I keep seeing pictures of cockatoos on people of walmart, someone is obviously bringing their birds!
 

gazzington

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Nov 28, 2011
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I take our 8 month male blue front out in his travel cage every weekend. I live in Wales and it is too cold in winter to take him outside but he goes out in the car with me (people at the drive through restaurant think its funny!) He goes to visit my in laws with me. Should I be letting other people pick him up? He does bite if I don't follow his guide. In the sense of he likes been picked up for me to hand feed him and take him to things he wants to look at but is not keen at being picked up for no reason!
 

roxynoodle

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Dec 1, 2011
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I think you always have to be careful about letting other people, especially non bird people, handle your birds. Some birds kind of beak a new surface before stepping up, people think they are going to get bitten, and then they freak out and pull their hand away. Then the bird could be dropped or otherwise injured (or it could fly). Or they scream and scare the bird.

One time at the vet's, Rowdy managed to get herself onto the middle of my back, where I couldn't reach her. I just asked the vet assistant to get her off, and the girl got scared and said she didn't know birds well yet. I wasn't expecting that. I had to tell her to just hold her finger out, and Rowdy would step onto it.

But, that doesn't mean they can't meet other people and talk to them. If/once your bird is good with strangers, I guess you should use your judgement about whether to let them hold the bird.
 

henpecked

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Dec 12, 2010
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Jake YNA 1970,Kia Panama amazon1975, both i removed from nest and left siblings, Forever Home to,Stacie (YN hen),Mickie (RLA male),Blinkie (YNA hen),Kong (Panama hen),Rescue Zons;Nitro,Echo,Rocky,Rub
Keeping your bird in the travel cage is fine. Who knows 20 years from now you might laugh at the tought of a travel cage. But it's better for your bird to feel save and have a good time on an outting. Once you learn to read your pet better you'll know wiether other people handling her is a good option.I take Jake everywhere without a travel cage but we've had many years of expereience , i still hold my hand over her back when opening car doors,store doors,crosswalks,etc. but she feels safe with my hand on her back.Start slow, exspose her to lots of people and places, there's plenty of time further down the road to to envolve strangers when you better know your bird.
 

gazzington

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Nov 28, 2011
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Thanks for the advice. I can place my hand on his back now and have been slowly working on him being happy with me touching his wings. He loves it when new people come in the house. For the first few mins he gets over excited and I keep him in his cage, but after he calms he loves to come out and show off at people. In matter of fact if they do not pay him enough attention he is well know for shouting heeeellllllooooooo at them. Everybody who meets him seem to fall in love with our little blue front :)
 

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