I Have No Integrity

[OutlawedSpirit]

So I have a bit of a rant. Like Bugs has said recently, you guys are more than just a forum so hopefully you don't mind being a bit if a sounding board.

So I have a coworker who knows I'm the "bird lady". He came up to me one day because his daughter wants a bird and he doesn't know much and asked if I could help him out.

So I told him the good, the bad, and the ugly, but he said that it's really important to her, that he is willing to take care of the bird if she does not, etc. So we talked some more about his daughter, her attitude and temperament, and I thought an English budgie would be a good fit. It might have a little to do with the fact that I've always had a soft spot for the little guys myself.

He asked me to help him find a bird from a good source so that it would be healthy and such, so I started looking. I know several breeders in my area and one had a few not tame babies less than 6 months old.

So I was messing with them a bit to gauge temperament, and then called my coworker and talked to him and said I could get a bird cheaper than I had originally guessed, but that I would have to work with it for awhile before it would be suitable for his daughter, so it would still be about the same price for him because I would take the difference for my time. But it would mean a bird that could otherwise possibly end up as a breeder or an ornament in someone's home could be a cherished pet. He had no problem with it.

The problem was that another person overheard this conversation and then proceeded to tell me that I was no better than a bird flipper and that I had no integrity. Like seriously? Because I am basically just charging some a fee to tame down a budgie to make it a suitable pet for a child to grow up with?

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[plumsmum2005]

Laugh and move on hun. Tell him or her to keept their nose out! Cheer up!

 

[T00tsyd]

What a cheek. The deal was between the co-worker and you. He 'employed' you to find a suitable bird because he didn't have enough knowledge and he knew he was going to buy that . He was probably really grateful to know that he would get a pet for his daughter that would be safe.

Grrrrr!!! Some people. You have your integrity intact - bless you for taking so much care.

 

[chris-md]

I know it’s frustrating, but your coworkers heart is in the right place. They just have never heard of parrot training. Seriously, even some on this board, outside of owning parrots who has actually ever heard of paying a parrot trainer?

Your cowrker simply doesn’t understand.

 

[chris-md]

Also, I’ve thought about this in my own life because I want to practice some parrot training: how sure are you that you would succeed? You aren’t a trained, professionally parrot trainer. If there is a chance you won’t succeed, best not to charge anything.

 

[dhraiden]

In the marketplace of individual interactions, the only parties of concern as to whether any exchange has value are the purveyor and purchaser.

 

[Scott]

The interloper is a dolt. Unless s/he has specific knowledge, better to question in friendly manner. But to state you have no integrity and are equivalent to a bird-flipper? That's inserting a knife and twisting.

Always good to keep workplace relations sublime, so might have to defuse and compartmentalize future discussions.

 

[fiddlejen]

So. I don't do it myself but since when is house flipping synonymous with lack of integrity? Maybe they meant it as a compliment. Buy a house, invest your Time, energy, and funds to make it better, then sell for (hopefully!) a profit.Buy something, Add Value, and then sell for more. It's a time honored tradition which can be performed with or without integrity. I say go for it!

 

[OutlawedSpirit]

Thanks guys. I didn't feel it was a wrong thing to do, or I would not have done it to start with, but it's nice to have confirmation.

To answer your question, Chris, I have always gotten along with animals better than people. Call it what you want, but I generally have a good feeling about certain birds whether they're just babies that have never been handled or older birds I've taken in more in a rescue situation that just seem more apt to want to connect with people. So after attempting to interact with the different birds that the breeder I knew had, I felt confident that I could make good progress with the bird I chose. He was not the prettiest or flashiest budgie there, especially not compared to the violet girls (now they were gorgeous) but he has the sweetest personality. Not that he isn't pretty, but, well I think you get what I'm saying.

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[SassiBird]

IMHO If you care about making a good match between bird and buyer you are not a flipper.

 

[Squeekmouse]

I would define a bird flipper as someone who knowingly passes on a bird with problems and misleads the buyer about the bird's age/health/problem/anything. At best, I would think a bird flipper is in it for the profit and does it a lot, buying a bird, teaching the bird to step up and tolerate handling, then selling to anyone.

OutlawedSpirit doesn't fit either one! She was asked for help, she is providing advice, guidance and training, and is being compensated for the time spent training. Sounds to me like a helpful, kind and friendly thing to do...

...besides which, didn't your coworker's parents ever teach them that it's rude to ease-drop and interrupt other people's conversations? didn't they ever learn that jumping to conclusions and insulting someone isn't acceptable behavior? didn't they ever learn that picking fights with a co-worker is just plain STUPID? If you could go back in time, you should have said to this rude, interrupter: "Better to be quiet and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and prove it." or the less eloquent version: "Nobody here asked for your ignorant opinion!"

Sorry.... just makes me MAD when people are so self-righteous and ignorant and make themselves feel like better people by attacking others.

Also, I agree with you and Bugs... posting here is like gathering with friends to chat about common interests: our beloved Fids.