Birds and visiting people/places

[noodles123]

I often have considered bringing Noodles with me to people's homes and into gas-stations (on road trips), but I don't usually (unless I am sure it is safe). I worry about Teflon in gas-stations and at other people's holiday dinners etc, plus, there is the risk of strong air fresheners, candles etc....I have brought her to work on numerous occasions because it is a huge building and I knew that the Teflon risk was VERY unlikely there (air fresheners were already banned due to asthmatic children lol). When my parents (or myself) entertain, I know there is no Teflon because I have beaten this into their (and my) heads...much to their chagrin...

How do you guys handle this?


I know for a fact that the risks are real, but I also feel like she misses out on social opportunities because it is very hard to control non-parrot owners (nor would I want to, especially as a guest lol).

 

[charmedbyekkie]

Huh, when you phrase it that way, I guess I really have forgotten that part of my old life!

Cairo comes everywhere with us, but I now realise, it's largely because we live life here quite differently. We've never had to encounter a gas station because only the more affluent own cars here and so we either walk, cycle, or occasionally take a cab (and even then, we roll down the windows). As for other people's houses, people tend to meet up outside their homes here, so we've only encountered it once, but we all ate and stayed outside on the... 'porch' (the concept is the same but looks totally different).

Frankly speaking, Cairo is rarely without one of us - we've only left him alone maybe once a month. But I'm hands-down with you on the people's homes thing.

There are a few homes I would consider, only because I've helped those friends cook before and I know those friends extremely well. So I know they're very eco-friendly, they don't go for scents, they don't use Teflon or variants of Teflons, and I also know that, for one couple, they value Cairo's life like a child's life - they would go out of their way to accommodate him. And it's for that one family-friend that I would consider bringing Cairo. Even then, I'm considering it only because in this country, all homes are built to have natural airflow, so it's not like American homes where everything can be quite sealed up, especially in the winter.

I know it's a pain, but for us, we find just meeting up with friends in parks or eateries with outdoor seating easier. In fact, it's simpler for us to just host people at our place instead. Then again, I know gatherings in the US tend to be on a bigger scale - we've only hosted one couple at a time with Cairo.

 

[EllenD]

I feel your pain Noodles...I take Kane, my Senegal, all over the place with me in the spring through the fall, when it's warm enough in central PA, but I make a point to NEVER take him to places where there are other birds, that's rule #1, for obvious health reasons...That's why I couldn't at all understand someone on here a few months ago making the decision to take their Macaw (I think) to a "Bird Fair" with hundreds of birds for sale from dozens and dozens of different breeders/owners...that's asking for your bird to get sick with some kind of Bacterial or Fungal infection, or much more worrisome is obviously the risk of an Avian Viral Disease...

So we avoid places like pet shops, and usually we go for hikes in the woods, or we take drives (he loves to sit on his car-perch on the front-passenger seat and look out the window), and we visit my mom and stepfather's house, where I know they don't use anything at all harmful to birds...

Rule #2 is we never go inside anyone's house that we don't know is bird-safe beforehand...Teflon, cleaners, candles, etc.

I do take him to things like fairs, the Central PA Arts Festival and other Arts Festivals and events at Penn State, like lots of outdoor concerts and sporting events, but I don't let other people touch/handle him unless I know them, because I don't know if they have birds at home or not that could be sick...I will take him on runs to Lowes or Home Depot because they allow pets inside the store, I think it's good for him to socialize with people, but again, no one touches or handles him that I don't know....and NO pet shops...

Walmart is another place that he loves to go, in fact he looks forward to going. I have no idea why Walmart is any different than any other public place, but he loves it there...He gets lots of attention from people who are just amazed that there's a parrot wearing a harness and on a leash, lol...I usually sneak him a grape or two, lol, or I'll buy some fresh greens, veggies, and fruit and Kane will help himself to some of it...I think his favorite thing is simply riding around on the cart!!! As soon as we walk into a store and I grab a cart, he jumps right down onto the back of the child-seat and faces forward, like he's on a ride at an amusement park or somethi3ng...So I humor him and we walk all over the store a few times just for him...We stop and talk to people who are amazed by seeing a parrot in the store, I get him to say a few words and they love it...but again, NO TOUCHING!

It's odd though, both Walmart stores in State College (less than 5 minutes away from each other, it's ridiculous) not only allow pets inside of their stores, including the entire grocery area, but I'd say that every single time I go inside either of them I see at least 2 or 3 dogs at a minimum, usually it's more like 10+ at any given time...I don't know if that's because of Penn State being here with over 100,000 students or what, I'm assuming so, because these are not "Service-Dogs" at all...I guess people call them their "ESA's" and I often see the Emotional Support Animal vests and such on them, but that is obtainable by literally anyone and any dog. But Walmart has no issue at all with it...I've not ever seen another bird in any store before, once there was a Bearded Dragon being pushed around in the cart, and I saw a cat on a collar and leash once, but that's it.

So I think the bottom-line about bringing your birds out with you is just using common-sense...Avoid places where other birds are regularly, especially pet shops or bird shops, and don't let people you don't know pet or touch your bird, not only because of the worry of illness/disease, but also because you don't want a lawsuit due to a bite...And taking your bird's outside for outdoor activities is safer than taking them into stores and such, as long as they are always on a harness and leash...And of course, avoid taking your birds into any homes of people you don't know or that don't have birds, because they probably do use Teflon to cook in, and use harsh commercial cleaning products and the like...The same goes for restaurants, people don't often thing about that but most restaurants are going to cook with cookware/bakeware or appliances that contain Teflon or other non-stick coatings made with lethal, fluorinated compounds...

 

[Scott]

I generally don't because our skies are rife with raptors and the choreography of keeping them safe while outdoors might be problematic. Also, most of my friends are either indifferent to birds or have too many hazards in their homes.

 

[Sandy19]

I don't really take peanut anywhere except for short car rides and errands where I dont have to get out of the car, like going though the drive thru at the bank for example. She likes to sit on my head while Im driving and shes so well behaved up there. She just quietly sits there likes shes on top of the world.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

I don't bring Amy in to anyones home ( the exception being Al and Saltys) or places I have not been in before.

We have been in Walmart and Dunkin Donuts and many other places..my doctors the town hall..Now I'm wondering if the coffee shop uses non-stick stuff?
i'll need to inquire now before going back in.


Jim

 

[ChristaNL]

LOL@ Jim, sorry..I forgot coffee-shop has a different meaning overthere
(coffeeshops in NL is where you buy your softdrugs / they usually also sell really decent coffee though .. )
But I could not help but get a picture of a stoned-to-the-gills-Amy in my head.



Since animals are not allowed in any place where they sell (human) food here my birds go almost no-where.
I got a Pack-o-bird for them lately- so maybe when the weather is back to parrot-friendly it will be just walks outside etc..
(Harness-training is not going that well: they are okay with putting them on, but not so much in tolerating them longer-term)

 

[clark_conure]

I take clark to independently owned businesses that know me and him, and THEY LOVE HIM. It's usually in and out quick purchases with a little socialization. Even now they ask about him, but it's too cold being winter to take him out they realize. I do also take him to TSC because they allow animals and it's not very highly trafficked, they do the OMG thing too.

A polite thing to do would be to ask if they wouldn't mind if, in the future, you came in with your parrot. (keep tissue paper on you just in case, I did have 1 accident but I was prepared.)

Most shop owners see this as like free advertising, a customer walks in and see's OMG is that a parrot on that handsome dude? I need to come back here more often....

Also chicks love men with cute parrots. Thats Fact!

 

[wrench13]

Salty and I dont visit peoples houses excpt for Jim and Amy ans BeeBee' house. We mostly just to to the park or to a bluegrass jam session, whenits warmer out.