Family birds? Do you have one?

snowflake311

New member
Jun 7, 2016
500
8
Tahoe
Parrots
Sprinkels, Black capped Conure/
Olaf, male, Budgie/
Sweetpea, female, Budgie/
RIP Kiwi, female, Senegal
I have a black capped conure that I love he is my little buddy Yeah he can be nippy but its all in love and fun. Well He was good with my husband to the point that I thought I was going to lose sprinkles to him. Sprinkles always wanted to be with him. problem was My husband did not always want to be with him. he was happy with 5 minutes of bird time then would send Sprinkles back to me.

I know birds I am the bird person I am the reason We have birds. My husband is a dog person only and not even as crazy of a dog person as I am. I am just a crazy animal person I love them all even my Geckos. Hell I get attached to my fish and Orchids.

So what I am getting at does it bother any of you that your partner or kid does not like or get along with your bird?
 

GaleriaGila

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
May 14, 2016
15,045
8,742
Cleveland area
Parrots
The Rickeybird, 38-year-old Patagonian Conure
With a bird as ... ummm... uhhh... difficult... as the Rb, I'm just grateful for TOLERANCE. :)
 

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
17,646
10,008
Western, Michigan
Parrots
DYH Amazon
We are a forever home for very special Amazons, which are either very ill, injured or both. The first year really doesn't allow much for developing a relationship as the Amazon is likely receiving some kind of evasive care. Once the Amazon has stabilized a relationship with one or the other of us commonly occurs. But that does not mean that the other is out in the cold since we have always shared duties and the one on the outside this time gets to provide the goodies. This works toward a favored person, but when needed either of us is a safe harbor.

Sounds like your guy has a tough time with relationships. Us guys are not really good at being open books and commonly not that good at talking about our 'feelings' (whatever that is). But, if you can tie something with our basic drives, wants, etc... You can at least get a good look.

Anyway, Family Birds are found in families that are together with their activities with the Parrots. Socializing is a major key as is the parrot games that are included as part of that, i.e. 'Pass the Birdie,' etc...
 

itzjbean

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2017
2,572
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4
119
Iowa, USA
Parrots
2 cockatiels
I'm also the animal person in the family. :) We weren't back one day from our honeymoon before we picked up our first pet - a female ragdoll kitten. Then we got her brother (another ragdoll) the next year. Then we got a Doberman Pinscher the next year. Hubby never thought he'd end up with a Doberman or fluffy cats but he loves them :) He leaves the two cockatiels and the fish to me, though! He'll let Boo perch on his shoulder and play but he doesn't like to get pooped on....lol :D

I have told him though, when I take the plunge into a larger, long-lived species (cockatoo or macaw) I'll need his full support and openness to handling and being with them a lot, as it will be like our child that will outlive us. He's told me he's down with that, as long as they don't bite him!! I'll have to train both of them...
 
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wrench13

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Nov 22, 2015
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Isle of Long, NY
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Yellow Shoulder Amazon, Salty
Salty is Def a family bird, in that all can handle him. Believe it ornot, I am not his special person, my son Erik is. But Erik Isa 29 you old, with all that implies, so his time with Salty is limited. And Erik knows that my time with Salty is limited, and when I go, he gets the bird. He is letting me enjoy Salty as much as I want. My other son is not a bird person, because his g/f is not a bird person, but Salty will hang out on his shoulder. Geri the Queens wife, became a bird person, from me having Max, and now she is the main caregiver. She is the only one Salty will sing for. I think a big part of having a parrot become a family bird is to have meals with him. Six days out of seven, we all eat dinner together, an Salty eats with us. That goes a long way to making them feel like part of the Flock
 
OP
snowflake311

snowflake311

New member
Jun 7, 2016
500
8
Tahoe
Parrots
Sprinkels, Black capped Conure/
Olaf, male, Budgie/
Sweetpea, female, Budgie/
RIP Kiwi, female, Senegal
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #6
We are a forever home for very special Amazons, which are either very ill, injured or both. The first year really doesn't allow much for developing a relationship as the Amazon is likely receiving some kind of evasive care. Once the Amazon has stabilized a relationship with one or the other of us commonly occurs. But that does not mean that the other is out in the cold since we have always shared duties and the one on the outside this time gets to provide the goodies. This works toward a favored person, but when needed either of us is a safe harbor.

Sounds like your guy has a tough time with relationships. Us guys are not really good at being open books and commonly not that good at talking about our 'feelings' (whatever that is). But, if you can tie something with our basic drives, wants, etc... You can at least get a good look.

Anyway, Family Birds are found in families that are together with their activities with the Parrots. Socializing is a major key as is the parrot games that are included as part of that, i.e. 'Pass the Birdie,' etc...

Yes pass the birdie is what we were doing. My husband Joe never put much time into it. My husband is not a bird person. He never wanted a bird but he met me when I had Kiwi my old parrot. He knew what he was getting himself into. So he has excepted it.

Yeah He does nothing for the bird unless I am gone for days he will feed the bird and change the water that is it. That does not help. They were getting along great when we first brought Sprinkles home but now both have given up on each other.

Sprinkles runs away from Joe now where before he would always want to go to him. I think part of that is because Joe was the one that would put Sprinkles away or back to his cage.
 

trimblegirls

Member
Dec 30, 2016
183
1
Northern CA
Parrots
African Grey: Jasper
Blue and Gold Macaw: Lulu
Eclectus: Pickles
Tillie, our GCC, is a family bird. She picks and chooses who she's going to bite or not bite that day. You can be the fav one week and on the outs the next. She'll go to anyone as long as she gets a ride.

Jasper, our CAG, is my guy. He knows that the others are afraid of getting bit and takes full advantage of it. My youngest daughter continually tries with him. He's tolerant of her. The others don't understand the amount of time it takes to build trust and wanted to rush it. When it didn't work, they blamed Jasper, said "he only likes you" and didn't try any more. I really appreciate that they've figured out a way to let Jasper out of his cage and onto his play gym when I'm not at home.
 

GaleriaGila

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
May 14, 2016
15,045
8,742
Cleveland area
Parrots
The Rickeybird, 38-year-old Patagonian Conure
The Rb is so well-known to all my friends and family, and has been around for so long...
He's famous (infamous) for being loud, rude, vicious, and in general obnoxious.
He's a running meme (a fond one for some, and for others, genuinely disliked).
His name often pops up in conversations... "as mean as the Rickeybird", "even the Rickeybird would think that guy's rude", "I hate this place; I'd rather spend the day with the Rickeybird", "let's send the Rickeybird to North Korea; that'll teach 'em", "stop being such a Rickeybird", etc., etc.


I think it's hysterical, actually.
 

SharlenaSharlena

New member
May 20, 2013
66
0
Portland,OR
Parrots
Skittles - Blue Mnt. Male Lorikeet
Starburst -Blue Mnt. Female Lorikeet
Kiwi - Lutino Cockatiel Male
Starburst is sweet only to my husband and Skittle is sweet only to me and the baby unfortunately lol. They can be loud and obnoxious but having their own room where they can take out their hyper activity on their toys helps tons so they don't take it out on us. Our tiel Kiwifruit is really the favorite because he is the only one that is just chill. He doesn't scream, he doesn't squawk he just peeps when he wants to be let out and loves attention and scratches.
 

trimblegirls

Member
Dec 30, 2016
183
1
Northern CA
Parrots
African Grey: Jasper
Blue and Gold Macaw: Lulu
Eclectus: Pickles
When we first got Jasper, I thought he'd take to my husband quickly and I'd have to work at it because his main person was the man in the house. For some reason, Jasper is my buddy. He won't let my husband touch him at all. He's stopped hissing at him when he comes by but that's about it. My husband is sweet. If he's home first, he push the play gym near the cage and open the door so Jasper can get on it. Then pushes it away so Jasper can't get off. If Jasper gets on the floor, he has to shoo him to the cage.

Tillie is a family bird in the sense that she chooses which person she likes daily/weekly. She used to LOVE my husband but it seems she's chosen my daughter now. My daughter can do anything with her. (Which is how we were able to get the harness on her so quickly) Tillie is funny. She won't poop on anyone but my husband. And she makes it clear that she's pooping on him. She come down from his shoulder, onto his arm and poop on his arm, then run back up to his shoulder. It's not like she's missing, she doesn't try to lean over the edge .
 
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snowflake311

snowflake311

New member
Jun 7, 2016
500
8
Tahoe
Parrots
Sprinkels, Black capped Conure/
Olaf, male, Budgie/
Sweetpea, female, Budgie/
RIP Kiwi, female, Senegal
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #11
I have moved Sprinkles into the living room. Since my dogs have excepted the bird as part of the family. He was in his own bird proof room where I could leave him out safely with parakeets as his friends. He would rather be with his people than the parakeets. In that bird room he saw me the most. Now in the living room he is around all of us all the time. I think this will help. I am going to set up another cage in the bird room. like a sleep cage because that room is quite, safe, and bird proof.

We will see how it goes with Sprinkles being down stairs with us all. He is not an easy laid back conure. I knew he would be a tough from the start. Nothing worth having comes easy. Thats what I say.

I am not sure if this will help or be bad. Sprinkles flight feathers are growing him he can almost fly. I was thinking if he flies around he will burn off some energy and it will mellow him out a bit. I know when my dog gets a good run she is a lot more mellow and happy. So I hope this will work for birds too.
 

keakea

New member
May 9, 2017
39
2
High Desert of California
Parrots
Jenday Conure, Percival,
Goffins Cockatoos, Sunnybelle and Sadieloo, Cockatiel, Alfie
So Far my Jenday, Pericival, loves everyone in my house but he definitley loves me best! Now my Goffins are another issue. Sadieloo HATES my 16 year old son, Ethan. So much that she will jump off her cage walk down the hallway into the living room and sneak up on him and attempt to crawl up his pant leg and bite him! Because of this habit she is in a HUGE Macaw cage with the door shut and latched with a special tool to prevent her from opening it because Goffins are escape artists. She does have lots of out of cage time but always when I am around to keep my eye on her (I have a Maltipoo and do not want cockatoo/dog confrontations on the floor!! Although my dog is afraid of all my birds!) My other Goffin, Sunnybelle is more docile and easy going and is allowed out of her cage all day but is a little iffy with Ethan as well but she won't go out of her way to be mean to him. she absolutely adores my 18 year old son Devin but also likes me best....however she is very moody and some days definitely puts out the vibe that she is annoyed with everyone! LOL!! My cockatiel HATES ME!!!! but loves everyone else! go figure.
 
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Giggleagain

New member
Jul 5, 2014
256
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1
0
Missouri
Parrots
All my rescues: Pepita, Rocky and Eva, my Quaker Parrots Clover and Sweet Pea, YNA Willie Buttons, and TAG Coca.
I'm also the bird and dog person in the house, and a sucker for a sad story. All my birds are rescues, pluckers, and a self-mutilator that I try to keep from committing suicide. They are all family birds, each of them has a "favorite" person but they all allow me to clean up after them and feed them :) One of the Quakers, a female plucker, suffers from extreme love/hate feelings. She loves everyone in the house, and hates everyone as well. It depends on the moment. We are just lucky that our male yellow naped Amazon doesn't have HER temperament, or we'd all live in the ER.
 

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