Taking Your Parrot Places

[Inger]

1)

I have had adults get quite cross when I have physically pushed their hand away as they reached for a shy bird on my shoulder. I have had to learn to establish my course of action ahead of time and not hesitate to act upon it if necessary.


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Sorry to hijack this thread but WHY do people think it's okay to do that? It makes me SO angry. In addition to my bird, I have two Chihuahuas that are fearful of strangers. A (relatively speaking) giant hand coming directly at their head WILL result in a bite. And it's always adults. Children seem to instinctively know better. And then they get all offended when I grab their hand and say "He's not friendly." I'm tempted to let them take the bite, but I don't want my dogs upset to the point they think that's necessary. [emoji36]



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Because they are idiots.

No really. I think they are stupid. It's downright rude! My dog is very friendly with strangers and it drives me NUTS when people touch him without asking. Even worse when they want to hug or pat HUMAN CHILDREN without consent!


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I tend to agree, unfortunately. Have you had anyone randomly pat your belly yet?


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[Inger]

My bird, Bumble, is a parrotlet and I've only had her since April. We have taken a couple of outings in her flight suit harness. When we go to the pet store, I let other people offer her treats but she's not interested yet - the experience is still too new to her. Parrotlets can't scream son noise isn't a problem. Also, since she's nervous, she doesn't really make any noise at all yet.

She's also small enough that somehow people don't often notice her. I guess they think I'm just wandering around talking to my arm. LOL

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Well
Your arm must be quite the conversationalist! It really is interesting how many people completely overlook a small bird. And then there are the ones that love to ask "is it real?"


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YES they all ask that! Or when they see her move, they say "OH! It's real!" [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] Because even better than talking to my arm is talking to a stuffed animal sitting on my arm.


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[Kiwibird]

YES they all ask that! Or when they see her move, they say "OH! It's real!" [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] Because even better than talking to my arm is talking to a stuffed animal sitting on my arm.

I get asked this ALL the time when out with Kiwi. "Is that a *REAL* bird???" or "OMG it's real!".

I can't think of the last time I personally saw someone out with a fake parrot:06: but I can only imagine these people must routinely see people carrying around phony birds to be so shocked when they see a *REAL* one (always this emphasis on the word "real" too)

 

[clark_conure]

Like Pilaf I only take my bird places where no one will really be around and it's no big deal. For example last summer I needed a new shrubbery for my landscaping. It's mostly outside and I knew no one would be around really maybe one other customer so we picked out our new bush together. I always give him a kiss and thank him for all the hard work he does as I dig the hole, plant the bush, dig up dandelions etc.

My bird isn't 100% potty trained but he will go on command. Usually when I first get him out I take him to the sink and say "go poop". The run the water to rinse it down. Then he's good for a while...the times he doesn't go where I want him too are generally my fault for forgetting and not routinely taking him back there because he won't really leave me.

There's a few local stores I know he's welcome in that are small mom and pop type stores. I would take him to a pet store, but usually I hit the main one I go to on the way to work because of my schedule so....

My truck was hit in an accident back in April (literally on my birthday) and while it was being fixed I went back to the garage (with clark) to get my garage door clicker in the rental and the auto body guy and a customer where like, I've never even seen anything like that before.

 

[Inger]

@Inger I had considered a parrotlet as well. I actually heard they can be very loud and very beaky when they want to be. Has that not been the case in your experience?

Well loud seems like a funny word. They physically can't scream. She does occasionally do some flock calling and she can probably be heard outside my apartment, but I can also hear my upstairs neighbor go to the bathroom so take that part for what it's worth. But I certainly wouldn't call her loud by any stretch. She is quieter than a budgie and quieter than a cockatiel by loads.

As for beaky it's never been a huge problem, and I found it very helpful to read Birdman666's sticky on big beaks in the Macaw forum, believe it or not. Some of it applies to all parrots, and when I understood the different information she was conveying with her beak, it got even better. She has given me a couple of good hard nips, but no blood, and I know what I did wrong every time (it's always the fault of the human. It's never the fault of the bird).

I spend time with her every single day training and playing. I work full-time and I wish it could be more, but I give her as much time as I possibly can. I've heard that they can untame very quickly (like within 2 days) so I don't want to find out for myself if it's true.

She is outrageously smart - she usually gets a new trick within a couple of tries, she says peekaboo and makes kissy noises (but mostly when she thinks nobody is listening), and she is as sweet as anything.

I got her at 7 weeks old, and she's only 5 months old now. That has made training her easier. I suppose this could all go sideways when she hits puberty, but at the moment I feel she is the perfect bird for me and my lifestyle.


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[SilverSage]

Sorry to hijack this thread but WHY do people think it's okay to do that? It makes me SO angry. In addition to my bird, I have two Chihuahuas that are fearful of strangers. A (relatively speaking) giant hand coming directly at their head WILL result in a bite. And it's always adults. Children seem to instinctively know better. And then they get all offended when I grab their hand and say "He's not friendly." I'm tempted to let them take the bite, but I don't want my dogs upset to the point they think that's necessary. [emoji36]



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Because they are idiots.

No really. I think they are stupid. It's downright rude! My dog is very friendly with strangers and it drives me NUTS when people touch him without asking. Even worse when they want to hug or pat HUMAN CHILDREN without consent!


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I tend to agree, unfortunately. Have you had anyone randomly pat your belly yet?


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Yes; but not since I have ACTUALLY been pregnant. You want awkward? Having to CONVINCE a stranger you are "just fat" WHILE THEY RUB YOUR BELLY.


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[Sunnyclover]

YES they all ask that! Or when they see her move, they say "OH! It's real!" [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] Because even better than talking to my arm is talking to a stuffed animal sitting on my arm.

I get asked this ALL the time when out with Kiwi. "Is that a *REAL* bird???" or "OMG it's real!".

I can't think of the last time I personally saw someone out with a fake parrot:06: but I can only imagine these people must routinely see people carrying around phony birds to be so shocked when they see a *REAL* one (always this emphasis on the word "real" too)

OMG with Ollie they are the worst. I hate the "is THAT real!?" I'm first of upset they are calling my precious baby boy a "that" and then some even go so far as to say "really?" After I say "yes HE is REAL". Then people ask me how much "it" costs and where can they get one. I want to tell them that I'm not even sure they're qualified to continue to care for THOSE THINGS...you know the little people that fallow them around whining. Kids...oh yeah they're called kids....
Unbelievable...HIS name is Ollie and he's a better person than 99.9% of the world kthanksbye

Lol

 

[Kiwibird]

OMG with Ollie they are the worst. I hate the "is THAT real!?" I'm first of upset they are calling my precious baby boy a "that" and then some even go so far as to say "really?" After I say "yes HE is REAL". Then people ask me how much "it" costs and where can they get one. I want to tell them that I'm not even sure they're qualified to continue to care for THOSE THINGS...you know the little people that fallow them around whining. Kids...oh yeah they're called kids....
Unbelievable...HIS name is Ollie and he's a better person than 99.9% of the world kthanksbye

Lol

For some reason, no one has ever asked where they can get a bird like mine:16: Maybe it's the slightly evil looking orange eyes

Isn't it the most irritating thing though when they keep calling your bird an "it"? Worse when they ask if he's a boy or a girl (guess it's not obvious like with a dog) but still continue referring to him as an "it" Overall though, I think most people are just really ignorant about birds, rarely see them out and are simply curious. Kiwi is very well behaved in public and I try to answer questions politely. He makes a good ambassador for parrots and if someone goes home knowing a bit more about birds and is a bit less tempted to buy one on impulse in the future, I guess he'll never know he was called an "it" and enjoyed all the attention he got while the person asked about him

 

[SilverSage]

Yes I often get asked where you can get one and how much, etc.

I usually laugh politely and say something like "oh you can't buy one like this; this is the result of a very close relationship, a lot of work, and a lot of money. They typically go for $300- $500 but you will need to spend 2-3 times that just on the initial setup, and plan for at least $500/year in vet visits if nothing goes wrong. I always suggest you have at least $2,000 in an emergency vet account before getting one though because when something goes wrong it's really expensive..."

Or I talk about noise, or biting, or mess, depending on the person. Usually their eyes roll back in their heads and they change their minds about wanting one!

On very rare occasions they are still interested. In that case I give them my card and invite them to come get to know my birds and maybe clean my cages! No one has taken me up on the cage cleaning practice but a couple of those people are now my friends and so are their birds


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[Sunnyclover]

I always answer questions politely but secretly I'm annoyed by all the aforementioned questions. I too talk about how much time and work I put into Ollie and how it's like having a 3 year old who will never grow up for up to 35 years. I sometimes let a person who is very very genuinely interested in Ollie and hadn't hurt my brain muscle too badly a go at holding him. He is not a bitter at all and so far I trust him with others. He's not super excited to be there though and clearly wants to be back with Mommy or Daddy asap! Which reinforces to them that it takes a lot of work. I once met a mom and 5 kids who have a love bird who wasn't tame ... that conversation haunts me to that day and I find myself drifting off and thinking about that poor little love bird. This was in Washington DC where Ollie quickly because the newest celebrity on Capitol Hill and our hotel. Attached pic for those who missed it. And yes he's wearing a red harness... it's just hard to see.

 

[witchbaby]

I take my Galah out with me occasionally (always with a harness), mainly because he's the social butterfly of my flock. He gets excited when meeting new people and really enjoys the attention he gets from them. He also LOVES car rides. I'd say it really depends on the individual bird and their disposition.

For me, biting has never been an issue. Not even once. He willingly steps up for strangers without hesitation.

As for noise, he mostly says cute phrases and acts goofy. Lots of dancing and peek-a-boo games. He's such a show off. Certainly no screaming or anything else that would bother people nearby.

Poop happens. That's kind of unavoidable with parrots. Bring something along to clean up the mess. You can wear a small towel over your shoulder to protect your clothes.

 

[witchbaby]

Honestly, and this is my brutal opinion, every breeder should do it. Not all do it automatically, but if you ask your breeder to do so, they should. If you ask and they claim not to have time, RUN AWAY. Your baby needs lots of one on one attention and incorporating a harness into that is ridiculously easy and takes only a few seconds.

I asked the breeder I got my cockatoo from if they would be willing to start harness training my baby and they said no for two reasons:

1) It's easy enough for me to do it on my own in a short amount of time.

2) If they said yes to me, they would have to offer it to everyone.

That sounds like laziness to me and, really, if it's that simple and doesn't take a lot of time, it should be pretty easy (not to mention responsible) for the breeder to offer it to every client or simply begin harness training early with every baby.

 

[SilverSage]

Yes it's lazy. Honestly it takes SECONDS longer per day per baby and SHOULD be offered to every client. But if you wait until the baby is weaned they are in a completely different developmental phase. I introduce the harness before pins break and have found this is the best time to do it.

Parrot breeders in general get away with practically murder because we are a relatively small group and parrot BUYERS usually have no idea what things we are saying are true and what things are complete horse hockey.


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[Inger]

Yes; but not since I have ACTUALLY been pregnant. You want awkward? Having to CONVINCE a stranger you are "just fat" WHILE THEY RUB YOUR BELLY.


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OMG! I'm trying not to laugh, but I can only imagine the horror on their faces when they realize their mistake.




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[SilverSage]

Actually no. I believe she wasn't quite all there mentally because her reaction was indignation that I would deny it lol.


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[LordTriggs]

No one has taken me up on the cage cleaning practice

Any chance you could sort out a visa for me and pay me enough to live? I'll be knee deep in those cages in an instant!

 

[LordTriggs]

Yes it's lazy. Honestly it takes SECONDS longer per day per baby and SHOULD be offered to every client.

Also you could charge like $10 or $20 more!

If I were to find someone willing to harness train whilst weaning I would absolutely pay more for it. Hell when asking I would offer to pay for it!

Could also offer to tech the person how to correctly put the harness on when they come to collect, making things easier for them and so they can see the correct way to do it

Easy money there, happy customer, happy bird, less accidents!

 

[SilverSage]

LordTriggs, the things you are suggesting are things the breeder should be doing anyway. It blows my mind that most don't. It's outrageous.

My birds get DISCOUNTED if they can't wear a harness, and of course I teach the new family how to use them, just like I show them how to care for the wings and nails. It frustrates me that people think they can produce LIVE ANIMALS and not put in every effort to give them the best possible start in life.

You may have noticed; this is a pet peeve of mine.


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[LordTriggs]

LordTriggs, the things you are suggesting are things the breeder should be doing anyway. It blows my mind that most don't. It's outrageous.

My birds get DISCOUNTED if they can't wear a harness, and of course I teach the new family how to use them, just like I show them how to care for the wings and nails. It frustrates me that people think they can produce LIVE ANIMALS and not put in every effort to give them the best possible start in life.

You may have noticed; this is a pet peeve of mine.


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can you just like, move to the UK? Many breeders here are terrible! Most are to put it politely, so far up their own asses they're ready to form a singularity!

Now I'm sure the UK is known as a particularly mild country, cold even. Wet too. Many people house their birds in outdoor aviaries, still sell round cages, believe a seed diet is what's needed. when given Rio I was told he had to have grit and a happy hut and to sprinkle calcium powder on his seeds (I will say the powder is good if you are only having seed) and not even a mention of pellets. She also said to remove the floor grate on his cage and block the hole with a dowel perch which did work for Rio, he loved playing on the floor and was very well behaved with it. when I first went to the person I was pretty unhappy with them but they were the only conure person I knew of, when I went back to collect him we got to talk a bit and they did seem... friendlier than the first time. They gave some decent advice about foods they like and about perches and rotating toys and stuff.

I get so disheartened about the avian situation here. There's just no knowledge at all. I've seen so many horribly upset and stressed birds just because the owner doesn't know better. I saw one advert of someone selling his conure because he stopped talking. This poor creature was in front of a window on the window sill with nowhere to hide away, with 1 dowel perch in a cage that looked too small for a canary let alone with a parrot, with no lining on the floor, no toys and the tiniest food and water bowls that were encrusted with poo. On the upside those here that do research into birds have got to be the most steadfast and brilliant owners I've ever seen. I met one lady with a sweet Muloccan Too who she had worked with for 16 years before he would even step up. It's such a strange divide here. Breeders are mostly just one facebook selling birds asking weird prices. Some say £80 for a hand reared conure, others expect £400 for one with no difference. there's no sense at all

I now pronounce this thread derailed!

 

[SilverSage]

Unfortunately you will find that here as well.

Actually lol it's funny you mention outdoor Aviaries since I'm so excited to build mine; I know my wild birds will be much happier outside! But it's very frustrating. Here, the biggest problems in my mind are parrot mills and back yard breeders who don't bother to educate themselves. Let me link you an article I wrote on the homeless parrot problem here in the USA.

http://www.silversageaviaries.com/unwantedparrots/


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