"Real" parrot-lover friends

veimar · Nov 2, 2014

Hi again,
I was just wondering how many of you have friends (I mean real "physical" friends) among parrot lovers? The ones you can visit with or without your fids, go to pet shop together or talk on the phone for hours about birds, discuss books and documentaries?

I never had one, and the only people among whom I find support and understanding of my love for parrots are on this forum and maybe some FB pages. Probably there are actually not so many passionate parrot lovers around, since I actually never met one in person.

I met some parrot owners who started offering me their birds as soon as I mentioned that I take unwanted birds (I was offered 3 umbrella toos and one macaw recently - none of which I could take)!

Unfortunately I cannot attend the bird shows in our area because they only happen on Saturdays and Sundays - my busiest days (church people and musicians/artists work on weekends the best). So I just wonder if you guys also have mostly this forum, or do you have your own little parrot lovers communities?

Kiwibird · Nov 2, 2014

Nope. Except for my parents, everyone I know has a problem with parrots, typically one of the following:

A. Keeping birds was highly immoral (Other veg/ans I know, not so much my friends. The kind who have good intentions but don't quite get you can't release the lobsters from Red Lobster into your local stream anymore than you can turn a domestically raised parrot into nature... if you catch my drift)

B. Scared to death of birds in general

C. Couldn't "get" why I wanted "a stupid bird" instead of a dog or cat

D. (Bird makes a few contact calls)- WHY haven't you BBQ'd that noisy, messy glorified chicken yet?!

No one I know really likes Kiwi

RavensGryf · Nov 2, 2014

Same. I really don't talk about my birds to my friends and the non-bird people I know. My personal friends are pretty respectful about it although they have no interest in birds. Everyone understands love for dogs and cats (or especially dogs), but birds are still so unfamiliar as pets to most people. If people don't already understand, I have no interest in attempting to educate or try and spark an interest. You're either a bird-person or not.

thekarens · Nov 2, 2014

We have one good friend that we actually took to the bird show 3 hours away with us this weekend. I also gave her my second clutch of linnies (two chicks) because I knew she'd take care of them.

She also shares my passion for reading (fantasy in specific) and my partner's artistic interests, so we really enjoy her company. We actually met through our cycling club. Otherwise all my parrot friends are online friends.

veimar · Nov 2, 2014

Kiwibird said:
Nope. Except for my parents, everyone I know has a problem with parrots, typically one of the following:

A. Keeping birds was highly immoral (Other veg/ans I know, not so much my friends. The kind who have good intentions but don't quite get you can't release the lobsters from Red Lobster into your local stream anymore than you can turn a domestically raised parrot into nature... if you catch my drift)

B. Scared to death of birds in general

C. Couldn't "get" why I wanted "a stupid bird" instead of a dog or cat

D. (Bird makes a few contact calls)- WHY haven't you BBQ'd that noisy, messy glorified chicken yet?!

No one I know really likes Kiwi

OMG, that's even worse than I have!

Although my parents were never interested in ANY pets. People usually like my birds when they come over to visit, but they don't understand why I have so many.

And everybody asks why wouldn't I get kids… It's so annoying and frustrating to hear, because we wanted kids, but I couldn't have one. So the birds sort of fill the niche.

Most of my friends are obsessed with their own kids, and don't understand why it's not a tragedy for me - there is nothing more stupid than pity yourself over things that are beyond your power to change.
I'm so glad that we have this forum.

tab_xo · Nov 2, 2014

Absolutely none !

Of course all of my close friends care about Fargo because of how much he means to me.. So they always ask how he is going...

There are 3 reactions when people know I have a parrot..

They think they are incredibly scary and afraid of being bitten...

They don't understand why I would want a bird as a pet, because they just sit in a cage right?

Or they think it is absolutely awesome and want to know everything

Like my paramedic lecturer who found out about Fargo and told all the students how amazing and beautiful he was haha

My dad *hates* Fargo... Where as my mum cares about him and knows he is like a toddler, she will sit and play with him!

I don't even know a single person in real life who owns a bird though (apart from my avian vet)!

Except Amanda, however I met her through the forum, so I am not sure if that counts

No one in my family is a bird person, so I have no idea how I was the only one who randomly got the bird obsession haha

Scott · Nov 2, 2014

None of my friends are bird-lovers, though a few co-workers are, but most are geographically spread far away.

The ONLY family member who "gets it" is my mom. So, like others, this forum is a great place to hang-out in cyberspace with folks who understand and share the addiction! The presence of a global avian community only enhances the experience!

Mekaisto · Nov 2, 2014

All of my coworkers love birds, obviously, and I do have a couple of friends that love birds also

I guess I'm lucky in that regard, even my non-bird friends get excited when I offer them an open day.

Bundiibird · Nov 3, 2014

Nope like most people have said so far. Most of my friends have either a dog or cat or both but not birds. We have always had birds for as long as I can remember. Mum raised budgies, then had a couple of cockatiels, galahs etc. A friend of mums and mother to one of my best friends, had a corella named sexy when we were growing up. She was the only other person I knew that had a pet bird.

I too get they whole "OMG you own a bird. They just sit in a cage. They aren't real pets."

Once I show them how start they can be, either with something Bundii has done or some of the stories from here, they really start to understand what it is like to have a parrot.

As Tab said, we have met but it was because of the forums. You guys are my bird family and I don't think I would have it any other way!!

Bundiibird · Nov 3, 2014

Kiwibird said:
No one I know really likes Kiwi

Awwww. I have not met Kiwi but he is one of my favs here at PF.

tab_xo · Nov 3, 2014

I wish I did have a parrot crazy friend though.. Make toys, go bird shopping

When Amanda and I met, all we did was talk parrots non stop HAHA

It was so great !

We are all lucky to have this forum though... I have so many people who are now like my family!
It is just hard to explain what it is like to someone who doesn't have a parrot, so we all connect on a special level!

I love the quote-

Dog and cat people don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, but the one thing they can agree on is-
There is nobody weirder than bird people :09: :54:

Bundiibird · Nov 3, 2014

I love that quote Tab.

Betrisher · Nov 3, 2014

The boy who grew up across the street from me gets me (even now, after all these many years). He still has his reptiles and I still have my birds. Our other neighbours still think we're both 'a bit odd about animals', but that's OK. We have each other.

People come to my house and exclaim 'Why do you have so many animals? It's like a menagerie!' as if there were something wrong with that. (NB. I only have a dog, two cats and the birds - not as many as I'd like to have).

It's true: either you're an animal person or you're not. True animal people are pretty rare, I think. This is why we, here at the forum, are so special: we're here for each other!

PS. The 'boy' across the street from whom I grew up has now got a grizzled grey beard down to his waist. I don't think it's entirely true to call him 'a boy' any more. Any more than it's true to call me 'a girl'. 'Old boiler' might be more accurate.

Anansi · Nov 3, 2014

Like Tab and Amanda, the only friend I've met in person who is also into birds I met through this forum. (JerseyWendy)

One of the things that I love most about this forum is being surrounded by so many people with a similar passion for birds. Around my family and friends, I'm always careful to limit how much I talk about my fids. Non parrot people's eyes will glaze over right quick (or they'll give you that dreaded, indulgently amused smile! Ugh!) if you allow your enthusiasm for birds free reign.

But here? Your defenses can be lowered in that regard. I've really come to treasure some of the friendships I've found here. It's just a shame that most of you are scattered across the globe. Lol!

henpecked · Nov 3, 2014

I do have several parrot friends. I think because i take my birds out and about with me. It's hard to miss a fellow bird lover when they have one on their shoulder.it's surprising to me how many folks come up and start talking about their birds.Of course because i sell a few babies and rehome older birds many of my friends have gotten birds from me. Jake is such a good ambassador for well behaved/well socialized amazons.

Sunset_Chaser · Nov 3, 2014

I have 1 friend who I can "talk birds" with in real life other than my family, I have met a lot of great people who have bought my babies and some of them have kept in touch which is awesome

As for the non-bird people, they know that I've always been an animal lover and are used to seeing me with "odd" little friends now I guess

This forum is an amazing place to come and hang out and chat with other bird people!

95talongirl · Nov 3, 2014

No, but I would love to meet some fellow parrot owners in real life!
OP - noticed your location is Chicago...

Perhaps we can get a group started over here! Mid-week lunch meetup at Windy City Parrot? LOL

Terry57 · Nov 3, 2014

I have 2 really good friends that I met through the bird club I joined and that thrills me to have people close. One of them runs a rescue so we always have lots to talk about.
My other bird friends I have met through the forum, and I so treasure their friendships. Starlit Night (Christine) from the forum joined our bird club and that was so exciting to get to meet her

I wish we could have a convention so we could all get together and meet!
I find that the friends I made through work, etc, get a glazed look when I start to talk about my birds. Perhaps 2 hours talking about them is a bit too much?

veimar · Nov 3, 2014

95talongirl said:
No, but I would love to meet some fellow parrot owners in real life!
OP - noticed your location is Chicago...

Perhaps we can get a group started over here! Mid-week lunch meetup at Windy City Parrot? LOL

Can you imagine - the Windy City Parrots are 10 min walk from the church where I work, but I have never been there because they work so short hours and are closed on weekends. I would love to meet somewhere!
I hope to attend the Rolling Meadows bird fair this weekend if my hubby is okay with that (it's his birthday). He loves our birds, and our tiel and lsat IRN addition was actually his initiative. I wonder if anybody here is going?

Birdman666 · Nov 3, 2014

Only a handful of people I knew back in my parrot rescue days... they, unfortunately, are back in Cali.

Out here, I know 2-3 other bird owners, and that's about it.

I thought the purpose of these forums was to prevent us from boring "normal" people with our OCD!

"Real" parrot-lover friends

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Took my Mom to The Bird Hut with me...

I'm guessing there was alcohol involved...

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