Dumb things people ask when you have your bird in public?

[GreatBlue320]

Well I've only taken him out ONCE so I'm sure I will be a victim of the more annoying, stupid questions when I start taking him out more often. We had one bad time getting the harness on so now I'm having to proceed slowly to get him to accept it again!

 

[Birdman666]

You really usually only get one or two idiots each time you go out...

And frankly, I'm so used to it anymore that I just answer the stupid question with a pat answer and keep doing what I was doing.

It's not something you see everyday, so people are naturally interested.

Some people just aren't especially adept at starting conversations, so you get the stupid question routine.

And other people think they're funny, when they're jokes are lame and stale. (My jokes are occasionally lame and stale too... occasionally... be nice!)

So, for the most part you give these folks a break.

 

[Taw5106]

Husband and I were talking about this thread and the comment that birds want to be free. Husband said Buddy would never survive in the wild and he'd end up being some other animal's dinner because he never shuts up. So true, I'm still cracking up, lol.

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

Some of the questions are dumb but mostly this one.
-is it real

Other recurring q's, but that I don't necessarily consider dumb coming from people that likely have little or no companion bird experience
-can i touch it
-can it talk
-what's it's name
-where'd you get it

 

[Solo]

"She is GORGEOUS! I have a male that I can't handle, do you want him and you can breed them!?"

Palm to forehead!!!

Also.. "How much did you pay for it"
And from most of my friends, "I'm so JEALOUS I wish I had one" ( no you don't, you have a child and complain you have no time and money)

 

[cnyguy]

Last week, I took Ralph to visit an elderly friend at a nursing home. His visit was a big hit with the residents of the home, and I had to answer lots of questions. The usual ones were asked-- "Does he talk?" and "Does he bite?" but there were plenty of others. "What kind of bird is that?" "How old is he?" "How long have you had him?" "Is he fully grown, or will he get bigger?" "What country did he come from?" "What do you feed him?" "Can't you let him out of that cage?" ("No, not here," I had to answer; leaving him in the cage was a condition of the permission given for our visit). I was happy to answer all the questions. It was nice to see all those people smiling at Ralph and taking an interest in him. They often have dogs visit at that nursing home, but I think Ralph was the first parrot to visit there.

 

[Bandespresso]

I usually get a whole slew of good ones! My favorite is "does it talk?" There was on over excited family in particular who basically screamed "DOES IT TALK???!!!!" To which Espresso firmly responded with "no." I was doubled over in tears over that one!!

"Was it expensive?"
"What kind of bird is she?" (Come on it is one of the most well-known parrot species!!)
"My so and so has one too! It's a green one! But it is not nice."
"Will it fly away?"
A lady at Home Depot told me "you can bring your bird in but, if it flies away, we are NOT catching it!"

I have a really good interaction to combat all the stupidity, though. I was in PetSmart and there was a little girl whose face just lit up when she saw Espresso all the way across the store. She pulled her mom to get a closer look but stopped a very respectful distance. I introduced them and she asked all kinds of good questions. Then I asked if she wanted to see her tricks (she knows a handful of very half-butted tricks that she does on very rare occasions) and the little girl nodded excitedly. Then Espresso busted out all the stops for this little girl! She waved, danced, flapped, and did bat bird all 100% beautifully!! She doesn't even do that for me ever! I'm sure she would have stepped up for her too but the little girl was too scared. Best interaction ever.

 

[babydill]

can I touch it?! will it bite?!
*touches bird anyways*
*bird bites* smh

 

[BirdmanGlass]

I get a lot of the questions you all have posted here..

Is it real?
Does it talk?
Make it say something.
Does it bite?
Aren't you afraid it might bite your finger off (or other nose, eye, etc)
Why doesn't it fly away?
Can I touch it? -- sometimes people are already reach for her, or some people don't even ask and are already trying to pet her.
Why do you have a bird?
Birds should be free.
How much did it cost?
What's wrong with it? (she's a plucker and has a mostly bald chest) - this one makes me sad sometimes.

It bothers me when people say "it", even after I'll answer questions with "she". I suppose it's not a big deal though. Exotic bird encounters are just not a typical thing on most peoples' outings, so really many questions aren't too unreasonable, but yes, many could be considered dumb questions. I try to be understanding... but sometimes I have to bite my tongue. Some days I feel like I'm doing a meet & greet at the zoo! Sometimes I'm okay with that, and other times I'm not so hot about the attention.

 

[SilverSage]

Living in hawaii I get a lot of people who say things like "oh my auntie breeds lovebirds! Maybe you want a lovebird, too?"

I breed birds, so some of my pets were produced in my house. So when they see, say, Titan, and ask where I got him, and I tell them, it goes right to "ooohhhhh, how much you get for them?" And "it's not hard right?" Or even more often I get my LEAST FAVORITE question, which I get asked 2/3 of the time people find out that I breed..... "You got Greysor eclectus for sale?" After I say no, I often get asked "no? What about cockatoos. You have cockatoos? No? Macaws? You know where I can get one real cheap? Don't wanna go to Pet Hale, too expensive! Just want one real cheap!" It makes me sick. But rather than getting mad I try to use it as an opporumity to explain the deep and complex needs of any parrot, and how hard it is to not screw them up as babies (using whatever example of nasty parrot is owned by their cousin, friend, boss, etc), and how much harder it is to take good care of a parrot than a dog or cat.

 

[WilliamKenyon]

The worst thing I've ever had was when this lady asked why my cockatiel wasn't rainbow colored because according to her all parrots are rainbow colored.

btw i am finding this a really funny thread to read.

 

[SilverSage]

I personally LOVE all the tiel mutations! They are all soooooo pretty. Even the "normal" greys are so pretty. Yours is t rainbow because it would only detrCt from his beauty

 

[SailBoat]

Our now past, Darby (Yellow-Wing Amazon) and SueSue (Blue-Fronted 'classic' Amazon) would 'at request' make appearances at our local elementary schools. Our DYH Amazon, Julio is not far enough along for large groups.

With a detailed introduction and the Amazons behind, but leaning out either side of me, I got the basic dumb questions out of the way early-on by addressing them before they came up. With that handled and the Amazons in full view, the questions from the kids are always great. Sadly, the Adults would show-up at the door and it would be stupid question time:

Which 'Rain Forest' do they come from? (When I stated; commonly to cold, I was informed that 'Rain Forests' are very warm - when I stated that would be a jungle, I got the evil eye.)
What part of America (yes, he meant USA) do they come from?
Why do they need sharp claws?
Do they really loss all their feathers in a year (no, it only looks like it sometime.)
How do they fly (science teacher no less) (provided a quick low pressure/high pressure answer, and the facial expression stated straight over the head)
So pretty, can I 'take' a feather? (yes, she meant pull-out a flash-feather)
Do you keep them in your house?


Always love the kids, the Adults, most tented to scare me.

 

[cnyguy]

Here's a new one I was asked this weekend: "Do you ever put Ralph out by your birdfeeder to let him play with the wild birds?"

 

[Doublete]

Here's a new one I was asked this weekend: "Do you ever put Ralph out by your birdfeeder to let him play with the wild birds?"

Oh my.....

 

[Helitorian]

When I had Con and still worked at PetsMart, I took her in with me on a day off. She was sitting on my shoulder watching the fishtanks (she was fascinated by fish) while I was talking to a coworker. Suddenly, she let out her pissy, high pitched screech and lunged at something. I turned around to find some idiot and his girlfriend pulling their hands away from her.

"I was just trying to pick her up!"

Really, jerkwad? Pick up a bird that 1.) you don't know and 2.) not asking permission from the owner and 3.) letting the owner know you were even there! Now that I think about it, I wonder if he wasn't trying to steal her right off my shoulder. It would have been a stupid thing to do considering I had a decent sized crowd around me. I sure gave him a piece of my mind for being so rude. Ugh it still makes me so mad. What a jerk.

 

[Birdman666]

When I had Con and still worked at PetsMart, I took her in with me on a day off. She was sitting on my shoulder watching the fishtanks (she was fascinated by fish) while I was talking to a coworker. Suddenly, she let out her pissy, high pitched screech and lunged at something. I turned around to find some idiot and his girlfriend pulling their hands away from her.

"I was just trying to pick her up!"

Really, jerkwad? Pick up a bird that 1.) you don't know and 2.) not asking permission from the owner and 3.) letting the owner know you were even there! Now that I think about it, I wonder if he wasn't trying to steal her right off my shoulder. It would have been a stupid thing to do considering I had a decent sized crowd around me. I sure gave him a piece of my mind for being so rude. Ugh it still makes me so mad. What a jerk.

Some of mine really loved watching the fishtanks as well...

I actually had someone try and steal sweepea from a tree in the park one day. I was paying attention to the other birds, and he tried a "snatch and grab." Grabbed Sweepea by the feet, and started to run...

Sweepea was fully flighted and recalled at the time.

She sunk that big old beak into the side of his neck (deep puncture wound trapezius muscle), and when he let go (to stop the bleeding) she was over his shoulder, and back on my arm...

He says, "Oh, was that YOUR bird?! I thought it was a stray!"

Yeah, right!

Needless to say, he left in a hurry.

 

[SilverSage]

I don't even want to know what I would say or do if someone tried to touch the bird on my shoulder. I'm getting mad just thinking about it! I have given a lecture or two to people who touch my dog in public without asking though. Its one thing at a dog park when he runs up the them with a ball begging to play; its quite another when he is on a leash an we are walking somewhere!

 

[Mimsy01]

I don't even want to know what I would say or do if someone tried to touch the bird on my shoulder. I'm getting mad just thinking about it! I have given a lecture or two to people who touch my dog in public without asking though. Its one thing at a dog park when he runs up the them with a ball begging to play; its quite another when he is on a leash an we are walking somewhere!

If they have children, you should pet them. If they say anything or give an alarmed look, say huh? Does it bite?

 

[SilverSage]

I don't even want to know what I would say or do if someone tried to touch the bird on my shoulder. I'm getting mad just thinking about it! I have given a lecture or two to people who touch my dog in public without asking though. Its one thing at a dog park when he runs up the them with a ball begging to play; its quite another when he is on a leash an we are walking somewhere!

If they have children, you should pet them. If they say anything or give an alarmed look, say huh? Does it bite?

BAHAHAHHA!!!! I literally just burst out laughing!!!! That is a GREAT IDEA! I'm not going to do it just because I would absolutely LOSE MY MIND if someone touched one of my brothers or sisters (I dont have kids but I come from a large family; my youngest brother is 6) no matter what I had done to their pet, but thats a great mental image! Its usually parents letting their kids run up and pet him so I go with "Did you ask? What if he got scared and bit you? Its very dangerous to touch a dog without asking his owner, he could bite you." all the while giving the parents a look of "are you listening? because you are an idiot." then the kids usually ask and I let them pet him. If an adult does it, I pop them with the leash. Then I say "What? That's what I would do to him if he were being that rude." I got that from service dog trainer I worked with.