What do all you long haired people do??

FiggiePudding

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Jan 31, 2021
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A bit of an odd problem to have to solve when owning a pet... but what do all you long haired folks do to prevent your fid from getting tangled in your hair?

I’ve tried keeping it up - but my guy wants to either nest into the pony tail or into the base of my neck where the hairs are tied up. I’ve tried keeping it down and brushed and he just wants to snuggle into it and get wrapped up.

I dont know what to do anymore! It makes me so freaking nervous to have my green cheek on my shoulder & that he may strangle himself. I was starting to consider maybe some kind of head band?
 

noodles123

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Jul 11, 2018
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Noodles only messes with my hair when extremely hormonal. If she is obsessing over it, I don't hold her as much and I do usually wear my hair back, but its to the middle of my rib cage at this point, due to covid.
 

Jen5200

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I do keep mine up when I get home - mostly because I had 2 incidents of someone getting a foot tangled in mine and panicking because they were stuck. Mine seem fine if my hair is up in a bun on top of my head. A pony tail, mine still manage to get tangled because they are “shoulder riders”. A bun keeps it out of everyone’s way and we don’t seem to have any issues.
 

Ira7

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I have a pony tail, with 5 rubber bands.

Archie immediately removes them all one by one when he’s perched on my shoulder. He hates those damn rubber bands!
 

wrench13

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Pony tail. Salty never gets tangled and likes to preen around my ears.
 

Alehner529

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I have more problems with feet getting stuck if my hair is in a ponytail, when she sits on top of my head. So I keep it down and she likes to nap with her head poking out of my hair (as long as she isn't being overly cuddly about it).

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 

Stitchthestitch

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I had mine cut to my shoulders (to be fair it did need it as I had caught my ponytail in my clippers at work) as Albie got very tangles in it and fell out with me for the best part of a week.

Now it's at a nice length where he can snuggle under it and snooze and not get tangled up in it
 

Jottlebot

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I have long hair, McCoy does land on my head and will "do" my hair at times. He had caught his foot once when it was in a ponytail, but he (and I) only noticed when he flew off and the hairs pulled his foot unsettling him a bit. A slight pain for me and an "I don't appreciate that" little noise from him was the worst of it. He sits on my shoulder, but isn't a cuddler.

I don't think you need to worry too much about him strangling himself! He'll be in your hair, that means your pretty close by to help! Getting tangled and panicking is not unlikely, but again you're there to support him and make sure he doesn't get into more of a state while he is freed.

You could always try and limit how much time he spends wrapped up or give him other things to do while he's there. I guess if you are still worried you could always wear a hood and not let him inside it? Giving up close birdy snuggles is a tall ask, but if he safety is a real concern it's an option.
 

saxguy64

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Yeah, my long haired days are long gone, as the hairline migrated further and further back, lol! Used to do the multi elastic ponytail thing when on the motorcycle to save me from the tangled mats afterwards. These days, buzz cuts are my best friend, 1/2 inch or less. My guys still love to preen and rub their face against the back of my head. Geez, that tickles! :)
 
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SailBoat

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Per Mrs. Boats: Long hair and big Parrots work better because when they tumble their weight pulls them though!

As a compliant guy, I'll just agree, as I have watched our 500 gram DYH Amazon rolling down her back spinning out of her hair. Upon reaching the bottom, he takes on that smug-look of: well of course I meant to do that!!!
 

fiddlejen

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Chop it all off.

Okay well I guess I'm not on the list for reply to this thread ("all you long haired people"). I actually went short about a year or so before got my first birdie. Maybe 2 years? But I went waayy shorter after I got her, as I shed a lot & I figure if ingested threads can cause a problem, so can hair. My 2nd-to-last haircut I did myself - terrible - and when it grew out enough that she was trying to play hairstylist again, I masked up and got a Super-Short cut from supercuts. (Much shorter and it wouldve been a shave... uggh.) Way, way toooo short. Not flattering BUT at least it doesnt look random (like my Own cut did). AND I believe I will have achieved my goal, which was to stay OUT of salons until safe again, AND still prevent any hair-chewing by birdie.
 

kathyw

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Mar 5, 2021
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A ponytail and knit hat combination keeps birdie from getting tangled in my (really) long hair. Plus it keep him from giving me a beaky haircut!- learned the hard way on that one... I buy large enough hats, do a ponytail on top, then pull the hat all the way down the back and sides and tuck all stray hairs in, all around the hat. I have thin hats for summer, so do all year round.
 
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FiggiePudding

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Jan 31, 2021
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Thanks everyone for your replies! I may also just be overly worried since I’m still new to this whole birb thing. My hair is longish and easily tangles, and Fig always seems to find that tangle to stick his head through. I know he’s just trying to get warm, burrow and get close.
Kathyw - I like the hat idea! I’m going to give that a try.....
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
You say you think he wants to keep warm, but how old is your parrot?
 

Betrisher

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My hair comes down past my bum and is very thick and curly. The thought of my birds gaining entry to it when it's loose petrifies me! I use side combs to keep things in order and wear a single plait down my back: it works perfectly. Birds sit on my head or nestle under the plait or swing from its end, preening the tail. Problem solved. :D
 

ILOVEKIWI

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Dec 15, 2020
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I have shoulder length hair, so I don't really think I'm 'posed answer:D
But when I'm sitting down on the couch and he snuggles up to my neck he doesn't get tangled in my hair, I love this length because I think it looks pretty flattering on me and he can cuddle up and not get hurt, tangled etc. but still I do tie my hair up sometimes and their isn't any problems. If you have longer hair maybe a high pony tail or a bun, maybe some braids? The Dutch braid is pretty simple tons of tutorials if you want to give it a try, of course the average french braid is fine if your in a rush.
Probably wasn't much of an asset to this thread but I wish you the best :)



Also I do want to say that I had this hair cut before I got him and I pretty much always keep it at this length, it just kind of worked out that way with the tangling and stuff.
 

GaleriaGila

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I have mid-back to waist length, and I usually (USUALLY) like some arrangement (loose bun, low ponytail... maybe low bun) that COVERS EARS since the Rb likes to take a nip now and then on a lobe when he has a gripe, or when he just gets excited. So that's the Patagonian two centavos! :)
 

Betrisher

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Jun 3, 2013
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Dominic: Galah(RIP: 1981-2018); The Lovies: Four Blue Masked Lovebirds; Barney and Madge (The Beaks): Alexandrines; Miss Rosetta Stone: Little Corella
LOL! When the Beaks first arrived home, Barney climbed up to sit on my shoulder. He reached out leisurely and took the ball of my large gold stud in his mouth and just... squashed it! I was speechless! Firstly, that the ball was not solid (as I had thought they were) and secondly that he had the bite pressure *and* the desire to squish my earring into a flat bleargh. That was a costly lesson. Now, I wear very small studs and very thick, small hoops (double piercings).

On another occasion, Madge reached up and casually nipped the nose-pad off of my glasses. That was more annoying than expensive, as it's a real pain to have to get around with a sharp little nubbin sticking into your snout (specs shop didn't open till Monday).

Still, all these things can usually be trained away. My blokes are pretty good about face furniture these days. :)
 

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