Games???

[BillsBirds]

Why are there so many games here now? This used to be a site where we would come to learn about our Birds. Share ideas, ask questions, review products for our Birds, etc. If you have so much time to play games, you are not interacting with your Birds enough! Get away from the computer, and go pick up your Bird. Teach them something. Train them. They'll love you for it. As far as they are concerned, you cannot handle and interact with them too much. They need that "flock bonding". You will get a lot more from them, and them from you. I cannot spend enough time with my boys. Even when I had so many more, I always spent as much time as I could with each one of them. And feel our lives were so much the better because of that. Remember, you are all that they have got. And all that they want!

 

[Terry57]

Everyone still pays attention to their birds, and reads the threads and discusses their opinions.
We added the game room because it's fun for the members, and fun for us Mods.
The fact that we also like to play games does not take away from the time we spend with our birds, and the people I see here every single day still manage to answer questions or pose their own.

If you don't like the games, then you can not click on them. But telling any of us who play that we should be spending that time with our birds is uncalled for and incorrect. You have no idea how much time we spend with our birds, and I find that offensive.
What is the difference between someone being here reading about birds and them being here playing an occasional game in between helping people?

 

[ravvlet]

Took your advice. At first Sammy thought I had a treat, and she was interested, but when she realized I didn’t, she went back to grooming herself in the window. Still, I persisted.

She looked at me, as if to say “Don’t you have ANYTHING better to do?” and I replied, “No, because someone on the internet said I was spending too much time on my computer and not enough time with you!” She thought about that for a minute, and then pooped on my windowsill and proceeded to ignore me.

I think I’m supposed to make an appointment first? Unclear. She’s been in Zoom meetings with my partner all morning (she loves to show off for the team leads and tell the execs hello, to their delight - funny how that never gets old!) so she clearly considers herself still on the clock I suppose!

Worry not, dear reader, for I have a second bird!

I approached Kirby as he was eating pellets. We looked at each other - a classic standoff. I could hear the wild west music playing - a tumbleweed could have rolled past! We gazed into each other’s eyes, until… He grabbed another Harrison’s Pepper Lifetime Coarse (product placement!), and proceeded to chow down on it and firmly ignore me also. He’s an old guy - in retirement - and all he wants to do most days is nap, destroy his toys, and shout for pets (but not too many pets). He’s on heart medicine so we try to make sure he’s exercising but not overdoing it.

So anyway, I’m going to go play games. Don’t worry, when they need me, they’ll bark/yell/yodel/etc. It’s almost time for their second serving of chop, and then about an hour after that it’s Yelling Time With Kirby, where we get very excited and yell nonsense to each other for no reason, because it pleases his highness to do so. I will relay your concerns to him when he’s in a listening mood.

—-

In all seriousness - I think fussing at people who have formed a community centered around providing first class care for their birds for sometimes having non-bird-related fun is a bit overkill! I would confidently vouch for most of the active members of this forum based on their photos and stories of their own parrots.

I understand your concern, and see that you’ve worked in rescue so I know you’ve probably seen awful stuff - but fostering a sense of safety and community so that when people ARE in crisis they feel secure in asking for help is really important, and having silly threads where people blow off steam can help with that.

I can also tell you both my Amazons frequently want nothing to do with me, they just want me present and nearby so if they DO want something I’m available immediately; and being on my computer allows me to be productive (or unproductive) while awaiting an opportunity to serve Their Royal Birdnesses.

 

[Terry57]

Took your advice. At first Sammy thought I had a treat, and she was interested, but when she realized I didn’t, she went back to grooming herself in the window. Still, I persisted.

She looked at me, as if to say “Don’t you have ANYTHING better to do?” and I replied, “No, because someone on the internet said I was spending too much time on my computer and not enough time with you!” She thought about that for a minute, and then pooped on my windowsill and proceeded to ignore me.

I think I’m supposed to make an appointment first? Unclear. She’s been in Zoom meetings with my partner all morning (she loves to show off for the team leads and tell the execs hello, to their delight - funny how that never gets old!) so she clearly considers herself still on the clock I suppose!

Worry not, dear reader, for I have a second bird!

I approached Kirby as he was eating pellets. We looked at each other - a classic standoff. I could hear the wild west music playing - a tumbleweed could have rolled past! We gazed into each other’s eyes, until… He grabbed another Harrison’s Pepper Lifetime Coarse (product placement!), and proceeded to chow down on it and firmly ignore me also. He’s an old guy - in retirement - and all he wants to do most days is nap, destroy his toys, and shout for pets (but not too many pets). He’s on heart medicine so we try to make sure he’s exercising but not overdoing it.

So anyway, I’m going to go play games. Don’t worry, when they need me, they’ll bark/yell/yodel/etc. It’s almost time for their second serving of chop, and then about an hour after that it’s Yelling Time With Kirby, where we get very excited and yell nonsense to each other for no reason, because it pleases his highness to do so. I will relay your concerns to him when he’s in a listening mood.

—-

In all seriousness - I think fussing at people who have formed a community centered around providing first class care for their birds for sometimes having non-bird-related fun is a bit overkill! I would confidently vouch for most of the active members of this forum based on their photos and stories of their own parrots.

I understand your concern, and see that you’ve worked in rescue so I know you’ve probably seen awful stuff - but fostering a sense of safety and community so that when people ARE in crisis they feel secure in asking for help is really important, and having silly threads where people blow off steam can help with that.

I can also tell you both my Amazons frequently want nothing to do with me, they just want me present and nearby so if they DO want something I’m available immediately; and being on my computer allows me to be productive (or unproductive) while awaiting an opportunity to serve Their Royal Birdnesses.

Perfectly explained, and much better that I was able to. Thank you!

 

[BillsBirds]

Sorry for anything that upsets anyone. I didn't mean you couldn't/shouldn't play games. I guess I've spent so much of my life with my Birds that I'm too serious about them. And I am not saying anyone else isn't. So, let's all enjoy ourselves and our Birds.

 

[clark_conure]

I look for topics I can help out on....when I can't I don't opine....In the meantime if a game shows up, I do that, then I go back to the bulletin board....It's something to keep me engaged in the site when I'm bored and....like the "banned" and "tell an outrageous lie about the poster above you" are awesome team building things. Sometimes a word game but it's a time killer while you wait for a update on the threads we are watching.

Also it's fun being imaginative on those types of games.... One thing I do notice....NO ONE ever posts something bad about the parrot in the games...(sometimes the humans) but the birds are off limits and...it's never been said they are off limits.....it's just intuitive. I think the games are mostly positive...

 

[Rozalka]

Agreed with above answers.
Right now I am on a train - I can not go to my fids. Sometimes I am bored during travel, so what's wrong with the games then?
Also - does it mean to resign from all our none bird related hobbies because birds need attention? No TV, no reading books? If somebody loves it, you could say exactly the same thing.
I love parrots but it doesn't mean that I have to spend all my free time with them. I'd get crazy even despite it is my main interest.
We have different people here - some want to train their parrots, other not. Some have single parrots, some have a flock. Some cases need more interaction, others less.

 

[Terry57]

Sorry for anything that upsets anyone. I didn't mean you couldn't/shouldn't play games. I guess I've spent so much of my life with my Birds that I'm too serious about them. And I am not saying anyone else isn't. So, let's all enjoy ourselves and our Birds.

Thank you for your reply, Bill, and I apologize if I overreacted. I just know that the people who play games here take wonderful care of their birds from what I've heard and seen.
I agree, let's all enjoy ourselves and our birds

 

[BirdyBee]

I do agree with some of this post. I have spent a lot of time here on PFs instead of doing other important stuff. But I don't think games should be removed because a few people would rather play them instead of doing more important stuff.

This post is a good reminder for me to spend less time online, so I thank you for that.