an experiment, if you will

[Mare Miller]

I've found with my U2, that people who come into our home, who are high strung, stressed, have a bad attitude, etc. (like a lot of us), his demeanor changes, (he turns on his aggressive pose). I've been discussing this with my family, and the members that have been an "issue", have changed their ways. Our friends that come over have also been involved with this experiment. I find the change in Amigo's aggressive behavior, astonishing! It works, it really works! Always be calm, or try, patient, and act like he is just your other friend sitting next to you. Amigo free flights during most days but if someone, besides me or my husband, is in the house, he's knocking on the window to come in. He is the judge and jury!

 

[roxynoodle]

I think you are probably onto something there. My BC hated my ex bf though would be friendly with strangers after they were here and acting normally for a bit. But, he was very high strung and the biggest complainer I think I've ever known. He would come home from work and complain for the next 2-4 hours (every night, I'm not kidding). It would get me down in the dumps. It was always stuff none of us had any control over like the economy, the price of food and gas, and the weather.

I also have a friend with mental problems I mentioned in the other thread that seethes hostility toward them. She is also the type to go completely off the handle over very minor things like dropping a pen on the floor. My birds all hate her.

Parrots respond well to happy, smiling, laughing people. They like us to be silly.

 

[oled]

Yes they know directly who is "good guy and bad guys" and turn around in a second.

 

[wenz2712]

I think your right. Codie is a sweet Angel with me, but my other half is quite a loud person and this tends to make her aggitated I had a friend come over last week who is a very calm and gentle person and Codie took to her instantly but this week I have a different friend come to stay for a few days, and she is a very highly strung and loud person and Codie has taken an instant dislike to her so most definately she is so much more at ease with calm people

 

[Lukask]

My dad is a very nervous and twitchy person. My GCC usually loves everyone. She would not even go near him. She wasnt mean to him, just very very watchful and kept her distance. I thought it was interesting. Even more interesting is what I found out at the bird sanctuary I used to volunteer at. It seemed like different species would gravitate towards certain people. The opposite also seemed to be true. For me, Moluccan Cockatoos would follow me wherever I went. I dont mean just one. I had a herd that would follow me. They wouldnt pay attention to other volunteers that were there. I also found that Cockatiels and myself did not click too well. While speaking to other volunteers, they had a specific species that always seemed to "understand" them more then the others. Now THAT I found interesting...

 

[Mare Miller]

Lukask, I find that very interesting, also. I would love to hang out and help at a sanctuary, there are none in our area, just to be around different kinds of birds. I find them all fascinating.

 

[roxynoodle]

When I meet parrots at pet stores, the ones that usually take to me instantly are macaws and conures, and to some extent, cockatoos. I don't think I've ever interacted with a Grey in a pet store, but Merlin seems to have taken to me right away. Amazons have always gotten very excited upon seeing me, and that used to scare me. Now that I have Pete though, I have come to really enjoy them.

 

[ann]

this is all so interesting! i have also noticed that quakers tend to like me. has anyone noticed a certain species that you just seem to gravitate to, i dont mean by just their looks, but like a parrot or bird you just seem to connect with? i am always drawn to hyacinth macaws.

 

[roxynoodle]

I haven't interacted with a lot of Quakers or Ringnecks, but so far the ones I've met didn't seem to like me, or were downright scared of me. I did meet a Senegal at a bird show that also liked me instantly. I almost bought her.

I've never felt a big connection with cockatiels for some reason.

 

[HalfInsane]

I always used to joke my lovebird could smell fear. She normally adored meeting new people (totally attention loving ham), unless they were nervous. She'd attack anyone who was even a bit apprehensive about her.

I had many a conversation going along the lines of:

"So, just making sure, you're not at all uncomfortable with birds, right?"
"Nah, I mean it's just a little bird, you know..."
"You sure? Be honest. She doesn't like nervous people."
"Oh yeah, I'm fine."
*violent carnage ensues* (I exaggerate)
"You lied, didn't you?"
"... yes..."

Honestly, she was sometimes better at reading people's moods than I was. And an excellent lie detector to boot.

 

[Mare Miller]

I've not been around a lot of different birds. The pet stores in our area don't have much going on. Amigo, I think, was a crash course in bird 101!

 

[lizardsmells]

this is all so interesting! i have also noticed that quakers tend to like me. has anyone noticed a certain species that you just seem to gravitate to, i dont mean by just their looks, but like a parrot or bird you just seem to connect with? i am always drawn to hyacinth macaws.

Surprisingly enough for me it seems to be Amazons. God knows I wanted it to be macaws, but an Amazon picked me and I really enjoy the ones at the rescue. The macaws not so much

 

[Mare Miller]

hi HalfInsane, I know what you mean about telling people not to be nervous, but it's really hard not to be afraid. The clincher is, birds can sense this. What a wonderful world! I guess we have to trust them. I've seen the damage my U2 can do to flesh and every time I handle him, I'm always positive. I figure that if he bites me, maybe I deserved it.

 

[HalfInsane]

hi HalfInsane, I know what you mean about telling people not to be nervous, but it's really hard not to be afraid. The clincher is, birds can sense this. What a wonderful world! I guess we have to trust them. I've seen the damage my U2 can do to flesh and every time I handle him, I'm always positive. I figure that if he bites me, maybe I deserved it.

Oh, I absolutely agree. Plenty of people are afraid of birds; there's times I haven't gone near a certain bird because they make me uncomfortable and I know they'll pick up on that. I never faulted anyone for being nervous around my bird, which is why I would always ask. Unfortunately, they'd often lie rather than admit a little bird made them nervous. I'm not always great at telling if a person is lying. But my lovebird ALWAYS knew.

 

[Mare Miller]

Yes...they know. Isn't it amazing!?

 

[roxynoodle]

It has been very hard to resist the many macaws I've met over the years who chose me. All of them were babies though and I was very reluctant to bring home such a long lived creature knowing I was childless and had no one to leave it to. And now I'm reluctant to own an older one due to my financial situation not being what it was when I was working. I know the expense involved with constantly needing new perches and toys. I suppose I could cut some of that down making them myself, but I don't want to get over my head financially.

I take back what I said now about not meeting any Greys. I did meet one, but it wasn't in a pet store. I don't remember now what kind of store it was, maybe antiques. Anyway I walked in, heard a loud wolf whistle and spun around to see what man was whistling at me. It was a Grey, in the most horrible cage you can think of. It was a tiny, cylindrical thing I wouldn't even want a budgie in. Everyone in the store started laughing at my new admirer. The man who owned the store said the bird hated everyone and he was surprised that it seemed to like me. I offered to buy the bird, to get it out of that situation. The owner kept saying, "no, you don't want him. He's wild caught and very mean." I said I would buy him anyway, but he refused to sell it. Even if it was never a tame pet, I'm quite sure the bird would have been happier and better off with me.

 

[Lukask]

Lukask, I find that very interesting, also. I would love to hang out and help at a sanctuary, there are none in our area, just to be around different kinds of birds. I find them all fascinating.

There was a sanctuary an hour away from me. It was a long drive to not get paid, but the things I learned are so valuable. I would do it again in a heartbeat if college didn't get in the way It's something that every single bird owner should be forced to do prior to owning their first bird. Maybe some will realize how much work, time, and dedication goes into them. Maybe they will also figure out why there is such an overpopulation in the few sanctuaries there are. People tend to want something to "entertain" guests and talk. Whenever I mention that I have a bird, the FIRST thing people ask is "Does it talk??" When I say no, they immediately lose interest. I am always so tempted to ask "Does you'r dog talk?" People are idiots though and wouldn't understand the correlation...

...rant over...lol

 

[roxynoodle]

Lukask, I find that very interesting, also. I would love to hang out and help at a sanctuary, there are none in our area, just to be around different kinds of birds. I find them all fascinating.

There was a sanctuary an hour away from me. It was a long drive to not get paid, but the things I learned are so valuable. I would do it again in a heartbeat if college didn't get in the way It's something that every single bird owner should be forced to do prior to owning their first bird. Maybe some will realize how much work, time, and dedication goes into them. Maybe they will also figure out why there is such an overpopulation in the few sanctuaries there are. People tend to want something to "entertain" guests and talk. Whenever I mention that I have a bird, the FIRST thing people ask is "Does it talk??" When I say no, they immediately lose interest. I am always so tempted to ask "Does you'r dog talk?" People are idiots though and wouldn't understand the correlation...

...rant over...lol

Ah, this is true. "Do they talk?" is the first question I get, too. Although this morning when the mail lady was dropping off packages, she asked me which bird was the "alarm bird" and i said it was the conure. She had thought it was the amazon. But, I found out she has a Quaker, and we both started laughing over our birds and suddenly we heard Pete laughing along with us.

I think some people don't realize birds can do things besides talk. That they do amusing poses and acrobatics, tricks, and can be cuddly as well.

 

[Mare Miller]

At the end of this month I'm heading to central Oregon, with my daughter, to pick up a 25yr. old B&G macaw. The folks that own him are retired and want to start traveling. I didn't know I was a cockatoo person till I had one planted on me, now, I'm hoping I'm also a macaw person. If not, they said they will take him back. Deep down inside, I hope it works.

 

[roxynoodle]

I didn't know I was an amazon person, but it turned out I was. Good luck with the macaw and I hope you become buddies.