Parents scared of U2

[fishstick600]

ok how did everyone get their loved ones to listen and not flip out at beaking or grabbing when your parrot loses his/her balance?

 

[weco]

While you may be very comfortable around birds with large beaks, others may be quite intimidated. Like dogs, our feathered friends, from parrotlets to macaws, can tell if you are afraid of them and will exploit that fear, giving them control of a given situation instead of you.

I know a woman who is afraid of most animals, including sparrows and helped her husband repair a screen door that she ruined when she could not get it open after a sparrow had flown in while a grandchild was holding it open.....this fear is real and can be dangerous to the person experiencing the fear and to those who might be trying to prevent the fearful person from getting away from the object of their fear.

 

[noblemacaw]

I had a friend that was terrified of birds. Back then I had my Solomon Island Eclectus, Illiger's macaw and Noble macaw.

When she came over to visit and we would watch movies or what not I had to keep the parrots cages. They would cry with the want to come out but she was so afraid of them I never pushed the issue no matter how badly they wanted out to be with us.

One day she told me she felt bad that they were "locked up" when they wanted out so badly so she told me she would try with only one out. I had to choose which parrot to take out which would be the least threatening to her. Which parrot would not fly to her for attention. I chose to take out my Illiger's macaw Diego because he was very bonded to me and I knew he would say with me while we watched movies. Diego use to like to ly on my neck talking softly and coo at me. She would watch Diego and she admitted she was okay with him being out.

Next she announced to me she wanted to "get over" her fear of birds. I asked her what she was most afraid of and she told me when they fly around above her head she always thinks she was going to be attacked. I explained to her my birds are trained to fly to their cages, playpen or what ever place I tell them to go and they would not fly around the house without my command. I did explain that if one was on the playpen and wanted to get to me they would fly to me without command.

She asked me which parrot was the most gentle and would not be likely to fly around. Since I have used Joaquin my Eclectus for therapy I figured he would be the best choice but at twice the size of my mini macaws I had to consider if size scared her also. My friend did admit although Joaquin was big he seemed the most gentle of my parrots.

I took Joaquin out and put him on the playpen so she could watch him. After a while she asked if she could hold him. I was reluctant to put him on her but I knew all he would do is perch on her hand and stare at her. After she assured me she wanted to try I sat next to her with Joaquin and slowly had him perch on her hand. As predicted Joaquin just stared at her. After several moments he told her. "You're weird." My friend just stared back at him and I was very embarrassed because Joaquin only told people they were weird if in uniform, wearing a beard, or had different colors died in their hair. My friend thought that was so funny Joaquin had told her that but I gave Joaquin a dirty look. My Eclectus could be the most gentle and loving bird outside the house but at home he had some macaw in him.

 

[fishstick600]

My mother will handle him but doesnt know how to react when he grabs her to gain balance or if hes just playing with her fingers. She also cant get down holding his feet to keep him on her hand. My father pulls his hand away the second sydney opens his beak and ive told him that is the worst thing he can do

 

[barw33zy]

I just explain to people that parrots don't have hands, so they sometimes use their beaks as we would use our hands to grab onto things and feel things. I also show this to be true by giving beak scratches and allowing my finger into my birds mouth to show him exploring without biting. Then we finish with a kiss, which is always funny to people because my bird always leads with his tongue, but it shows that he has the fine control of his beak to not break the skin on my lips. Usually they notice how this doesn't hurt at all and it gives them more confidence.

Your U2 has a more intimidating beak than a conure but you may be able to apply this if he is gentle enough. Sometimes people are like parrots in that we also need time to get acquainted and become comfortable so the patience needs to be applied both ways imo.