Bring your parrot everywhere?

[Wulfgeist]

As long as it's not hot outside I take Jasper along if I have to go to the store or something but always in his travel case. Yesterday I thought perhaps we would go to Petco in his harness. He was very well behaved in the van, sat on his seat and stayed there, didn't try to climb over to me. He's gone for rides a number of times now but not loose.

Arriving at Petco was a whole different story. The automatic doors freaked him out really bad. I wound up not even going inside because it scared him so much. I could have put him in the van and gone in quick for my catlitter but I didn't want to do that. He's far to precious to me to lose.

Any suggestions on this? Should I keep taking him in his carrier and try to chill by the door until it doesn't spook him or what? I know there are those of you who have taken your birds to places with automatic doors, were they scared to start with and how did you get them over their fear?

 

[DerSchniffles]

I took Sugar on the bus and to the market the other day. Not a peep out of her, but she wasn't stressed out either. Super alert, looking around at everything.

I did have more people do double takes, and I could faintly hear (good) comments but only 2 people actually came to me and said anything, one being our produce vendor who thought it was awesome. Apparently someone at Pikes Place has a CAG that he brings and does tricks with as a street performer. I've never seen them, though.

Ive seen the guy with the CAG before. I have a picture with the 4 year old holding him. He loved it! Ive only seen him once but I dont make it down to pikes place all that often (im in bellingham).

I've been there loads of times, as I go there regularly, but I tend to go during the week and not on weekends. WAAAY less crowded and I can actually enjoy my trip. I've never seen him to my recollection, and that's something I'm sure I'd remember!

haha yeah, im sure thats something you couldnt miss. The last time I went there was around sept. of last year when my lady's cousin flew up from cali and we spent the weekend in Seattle. She had never been to Seattle so we just stayed there (she flew into SeaTac) and we took her to Pikes Place and it was the 4 year old who saw the bird and pulled us over there and got to hold it while it was on its back. It was pretty cute. The guy and the CAG was right by the crazy fish throwing place haha. Ive only been to pikes place about 5 times and it was the first time I saw them too.

 

[henpecked]

As long as it's not hot outside I take Jasper along if I have to go to the store or something but always in his travel case. Yesterday I thought perhaps we would go to Petco in his harness. He was very well behaved in the van, sat on his seat and stayed there, didn't try to climb over to me. He's gone for rides a number of times now but not loose.

Arriving at Petco was a whole different story. The automatic doors freaked him out really bad. I wound up not even going inside because it scared him so much. I could have put him in the van and gone in quick for my catlitter but I didn't want to do that. He's far to precious to me to lose.

Any suggestions on this? Should I keep taking him in his carrier and try to chill by the door until it doesn't spook him or what? I know there are those of you who have taken your birds to places with automatic doors, were they scared to start with and how did you get them over their fear?

Yeah doors are something you need to work on, it took a while before mine got used to them and still makes them jump. My zon has learned that i'll put my hand on her back if i see something like a door opening and that reasssures her. If she's nervous ,placing my hand over her back calms her and keeps her safe, it's a great trick to learn for getting out of the car or crossing the street.I do it any time a dog comes up or something like that. Practice,practice,practice,never know when it will come in handy.Be on the "lookout" for things when out and about,it will come natural after awhile.And the bird will learn your looking out for her.

Another example is when i have my hen zon out in the truck, i tell her "hang on" when i turn or stopping/starting. She rides on a "neck perch" and when i say hang on she'll place one foot on my chest to steady herself. It comes from just doing it and learning how to live in people's world.They want to be with us ,just need to teach them how.

 

[Mudkips]

Arriving at Petco was a whole different story. The automatic doors freaked him out really bad. I wound up not even going inside because it scared him so much.

Automatic doors, cyclists or bright colored cars passing close by, random loud metallic noises, any kind of bird flying overhead - these are some of the things that can freak birds out. I noticed it doesn't help the situation if you become wary and cautious every time you come across one of these things, your fid will sense it and feed off your worry.
I think the best way to get your bird used to these things would be to drift around close to the object while completely ignoring it and focusing your attention on something else. Once your fid begins to ignore the object, you move a bit closer and repeat the process. Soon enough, they'll pay little attention to it.

Another example is when i have my hen zon out in the truck, i tell her "hang on" when i turn or stopping/starting. She rides on a "neck perch" and when i say hang on she'll place one foot on my chest to steady herself.

That's interesting, the smaller birds have no stability issues in cars as long as they stand on something that isn't smooth or slippery. They don't even appear to notice the car changing direction. Admittedly, they don't stand in the one place for long, there's so much to explore inside a car!

On a similar note: just like we humans automatically brace ourselves for changes of movement while driving, parrots are very good at bracing themselves when they sit on our shoulders. It's yet another way a well bonded parrot will read your body language and emotions. If you cautiously approach an automatic door with your fid on your shoulder, it gives the same impression as being a passenger in a car slowing down as you approach the scene of an accident ahead.

On the bright side, this is a very useful thing to take advantage of. If your fid knows exactly how you move around the house while on your shoulder, he will feel right at home on you if you move around outside in the same way.

 

[Wulfgeist]

He's not a shoulder bird. I don't really let him on my shoulder because it is really hard for him to hang on and he tends to bite at my ear when he is. And good call on the other things, stuff that we wouldn't think twice about could lead to a sudden fright. I wasn't even sure what was setting him off for a bit until I finally realized it was the door. I had grabbed a cart and had him sit on it which he seemed fine with, go to take a step back trigger the door sensor and the bird.

I guess I need to pay more attention to how he acts when we go in. I've taken him a few times before in his case and by the time we get in he's like looking around at everything.

 

[henpecked]

They're kind of jumpy when in new situations. It'll get better the more you have him out and about.

 

[horsesculpter]

There is a wagon just like Mac's wagon in the Sunday World Market ad.

 

[azdesertrhino]

There is a wagon just like Mac's wagon in the Sunday World Market ad.

That is correct.

We saw that wagon and we were hoping it was a bit larger than our current one but the dimensions are the same + or - 1/2".

 

[Mudkips]

I took a camera with me today while going to the shops with Birdy out on public transport. Just take a look at how terrified he was!

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/182/img0968vq.jpg
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/5253/img0975l.jpg
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/5029/img0974j.jpg
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/2840/img0977wt.jpg

I'm uploading a new video of Birdy at the park. Should be up soon!

 

[Mudkips]

And here it is, a happy Birdy at the park (in High Def)!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIFIsE0R94s&hd=1"]Birdy at the Park[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIFIsE0R94s&hd=1"][/ame]

 

[Wulfgeist]

That is too cute. Must be a conure thing, Tico does that odd little hop strut thing too. Thanks for sharing!

 

[DerSchniffles]

And here it is, a happy Birdy at the park (in High Def)!

Birdy at the Park

His wings arent clipped, your not worried about him flying away?

 

[Janedeaux]

I have posted my story before. I lost a Sun that was freshly clipped right from my front porch. And this was after having her for 6 months as well. She was used to being outside with me on my porch, either on my shoulder or her playstand. One day the circumstances were just right and she was frightened, wind blew and there she went. She got so much height that she landed in a tree BEHIND my apartment. When I say freshly clipped I mean just two weeks prior. I called her for days and could see and hear her in a stand of trees behind my apartment for several days but she was too wary of coming down. Then one day I couldn't see or hear her anymore. I put her playstand under the trees, called to her for hours, brought her toys, everything. Nothing could get her to let go of that limb.
I have heard stories of clipped birds being frightened right off someones shoulder and being hit by a car (flying right into oncoming traffic), attacked by a nearby dog, ect. YOU NEVER KNOW what could happen.
These birds TRUST us to make a responsible decision. Please be aware of the dangers to a bird that is just SITTING on your shoulder. THEY are 100% able to just dive off and anything could happen at that point. If you love your bird and don't want to be remembering her 8 years later like me and missing her all the time then be responsible and use logic. Just because they "HAVEN'T YET" doesn't mean they won't. Sudden loud noise and you probably will have an empty shoulder. What happens then???

 

[MaraWentz]

It is a risk we all take and know of Janedeaux. Some of us do recall free flight or other versions and some of us walk around with our birds on our shoulders. We trust that they won't leave but we are aware that any day they can. It's like raising kids. We let them play in our yards and trust that they wont leave, but they can and its a risk we take whether we're taking a walk in the mall or at the park, or them playing in our yard. If we take them to the beach a tide can sweep them away at any age. We trust it wont but it can happen. I'm so sorry about your loss. I know its a risk you find very obvious and aren't willing to take, but some of use are. Some of us will lose a bird from doing it and others will never loss a bird and will be shocked by others who dont teach their bird to fly or let them outside on thier shoulder or to play in the grass.

 

[MaraWentz]

And if a bird goes missing we look for it and if we find it we try to get it and if its too far we call our local animal rescue/patrol to come get it. And if we never see it again, well, we think more detailed and carefully about whether or not we want o allow another bird out to fly or play outside or even catch a ride on our shoulder.

 

[Janedeaux]

That's just it. Not everyone is aware of it. So many people believe a clipped bird will land just feet from them, they rush over and get sweet bird and no harm done.
If you are aware and allow it that's one thing but there are many new or just un read people that simply don't know. Thats why I share my story. It can happen.

I don't let my children walk around in public, on streets, in parking lots ect. where there is traffic and people without holding my hand. I choose to understand that I know they don't think out situations like we do and therefore may take that step into traffic if their mind wandered. Or my 4 year old that doesn't quite understand yet.

I'm not trying to be contrary but children can't be startled and just fly away from our yards or we'd have many more parents with harnesses on children. I just don't compare circumstances with my birds and my children as I don't see the comparisons. Different situations, abilities, intelligence before and after certain ages, ect. I wouldn't leave my children alone in a house in a cage either.

I know everyone treats their children differently as well as their birds and I don't judge anyone. I may wish people wouldn't take certain chances with a bird or a child but I try not to judge. However I do try to enlighten those that may simply not know. I didn't once and if there had been someone to tell me I might would still have my bailey bird.

 

[MaraWentz]

I wasn't comparing them to being startled and runnign away, but as a young child might stray way in curiousity or even a 15 or 16 year old kid deliberately run away in anger. That sort of thing. It is risk many of us are willing to take.

However, I don't see any one who can be so ignorant not to see that risk.how can one not? The ability to fly is in all bird- some very far and some not so far, and we could never say how far our bird can really go because most of us haven't sen our bird startled and scared for life. Plus, a clipped bird , I have read, but may be wrong can fly up to 30 ft.

 

[PortaPerch]

Until more than a couple of wing feathers grow out, our birds have about a 3:1 glide ratio: three feet horizontal for every foot of height. That's manageable, with caution.

 

[MaraWentz]

PortaPerch- Very manageable lol. I have a question do you encourage your birds to fly?

 

[PortaPerch]

I don't know how we would encourage them to fly. We exercise their wings by moving them up and down while they're perched on a finger. They flap their wings as the arm goes down.