Just wondering. ....Where do your birds go with you?

[Birdman666]

Dad! You're wearing a preening toy on your face...

Is that my present?!

(Whoops... that wasn't preening toy. Those were lips... sorry... went a bit too far that time... my bad.)

 

[ruffledfeathers]

haha, we are both crazy....birds with Santa.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

I took Sydney into work a few times when I worked for a certain pet-supply-store. Had his picture taken with Santa (I was running the event, they threw a hissy fit when I brought Sydney on my break, even though I paid for the picture that I took with my own camera!) and the person who was Santa (my coworker husband) threatened to walk out when they took me off picture duty and yelled at me for my bird, but that's a whole other story!

I used to take my SunDay out on walks down the bike trail/forested area where my old apartment was, she was great with the harness, but never left my side anyway. I'd really like to get my other birds out, though it's getting colder now so I'll have to wait for spring unless we're going anywhere inside!

I brought Gil to my work Christmas luncheon. He also sat with Santa for a photo. Santa was scared of him I think. haha

Sydney tried to eat Santa's beard.

LMBO!! Now THAT is way too cute

 

[Birdman666]

Sydney tried to eat Santa's beard.

First the beard, then the liver...

PUT ME ON THE NAUGHTY LIST WILL YOU?!

I'll show you naughty... pass the fava beans please!

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Weather permitting, I take Amy to a lot of places..no carrier...no harness <she is clipped> She just LOVES car rides When I first got her <about 28 yrs ago> she was just 16 weeks old,and at the time I was an owner/operator of a tractor-trailer and my plan was to bring her with me on day trips..I set up a perch with bowls,screwed into the sleepers wall and she would sing and yell at cars and trucks going by lol..but I stopped because riding in a big truck bouncing..her food and water went everywhere! lol

She loves the car..I have her on my arm looking out the front door and she'll say "outside?..in the car"? she has gone with me to my doctors to pick up a prescription..the ladied love her,coz she gets very vocal..saying HELLO!! HELLO!! or mumbling in Amazon gibberish she has been to my favorite car parts store..climbing down my arm to the counter to throw the pens on the floor...the guys crack up..she'd go to dunkin donuts with me and sit on the back of the chair,chattering like a mad birdie...till we got thrown out

I had a car that had a sun roof that you opened manually and she would hang from the handle,upside down...swinging to and fro..I almost got rear ended TWICE from people wondering what the heck was hanging and swinging lol..

Ya, take you fid with you..99.9% of the people you will meet will love it!


Jim

 

[happy410]

Thanks for all the advice. We are planning on taking Happy to an antique store this weekend. He loves riding in the car so we'll see how he does out and about.

 

[kalypso123]

Honestly, I am a little nervous taking my bird out. I want to get a pak-o-bird or some other carrier to get her outside first. I am worried about hawks as I live in the woods. I am also worried she may fly out in front of a car or something even when attatched to the harness. Maybe I am being to cautious, I dont know. I would love to take her out and socialize her. I am going to build an aviary sometime this winter so it will be ready by spring and summer.

 

[cnyguy]

Ralph has gone with me a few times to visit a friend at a nursing home-- and has become a popular visitor with lots of the other residents and staff. I've also brought him to a bird supply store where I shop (one that doesn't sell birds, only food, toys, etc.). I don't think he'd like going to busier stores or noisy places of any kind, and wouldn't be welcome in some of the places I go. Homes of most friends and relatives aren't bird-friendly, so Ralph stays home when I visit them.

 

[SilverSage]

I mostly focus on outdoor places that have people, but aren't too crowded. To the park, to sporting events for kids where there will be people but I can have some space and control my immediate surroundings, etc. We go on walks, and there are certain stores we go into, such as hardware stores like Lowes and Home Depot. Only certain pet stores, ones that I trust to be clean.

Also certain restaurants with outdoor seating if I am with friends. One person goes in and orders for everyone, the other waits outside with the birds.

I also go to parrot club meetings; in my opinion that is one of the BEST places to socialize because as a rule the people know what they are about when it comes to parrots. But our club is also small and really pushes vet care and disease testing, so I trust my birds around them health wise.

Our local walmart has a different pet policy than most; it says as long as your pet never touches the floor and behaves well while in the store, they can come in. You see dogs in carts here all the time. The did this to keep people from leaving their dogs in the hot cars. So we go to Walmart. If you ever wonder, you can always call ahead and ask. In general you will usually not be allowed anywhere medical or places with food or carpet.

 

[SilverSage]

I should also mentioned I have learned to be a meany-head about my birds, too. Sure, you can pet her. No, you can't hold her. Or sure, you can hold her. Now give her back you did what I told you not to. I know which birds are ok with which people for the most part, but sometimes you get caught off guard. I let one child hold Cache and he was great until his brother came to look, and then he started squeezing her. I gave him a warning, he kept doing it, I took her back, and he began to cry. I apologized for the drama, but explained to the mother that my bird is tiny and I just can't risk it. She understood, but honestly I wouldnt really have cared if she didnt. My birds are my treasures. I will not share them if they are not safe.

I'm also careful with outdoor animals, trees, fences, cars, bodies of water, and other risks.

 

[torrap]

I am taking one at a time to the stores with me in a pak-o-bird.
Most of the time people are busy doing their shopping and can't see through the SS mesh of the pak-o-bird.
Many times someone would notice a bird. Some people are genuinely curious about birds, but sometimes just start with the "How much did you pay for her?".
The most important thing is that you are engaging your bird in something different than sitting in the cage doing nothing.
My birds love going out. I just wish they had more freedom, they are not clipped, so have to be enclosed.....

 

[Birdman666]

The most important thing is that you are engaging your bird in something different than sitting in the cage doing nothing.
(

EXACTLY...

and it also helps socialize them around strangers, helps them cope with new things, changes in environment, things that might otherwise seem scarey, instead of stressing them out over them.

And as an added plus, it's a bonding thing with you...

 

[Birdman666]

AHHHH... another little training tip for out and about birds.

WHEN WE ARE OUT AND ABOUT, I CAN PICK THEM UP AND HAND THEM TO YOU, BUT YOU CANNOT PICK THEM UP FROM THE PLAYSTAND, OR TAKE ONE OFF MY SHOULDER...

My birds will pretty much just stare at your fingers if you try that when we are out in public. Now, I can step them up and hand them to you, this is the it's okay to go to this person sign... BUT NO. STRANGERS ARE NOT GONNA WALK OFF WITH ONE OF MY BIRDS.

Outside: You only step up if I STEP YOU UP... YOU DON'T STEP UP TO STRANGERS UNLESS I SAY IT'S OKAY. Just like with little kids...

 

[Minimaker]

Some of our home improvement and country stores allow her in. She loves to ride on carts and gets pretty sassy when we try to get her off them because she has no intention of letting the cool ride be over that soon

I really have to fend people off though, because I know Sailor's good with us now but not with new people. That's sort of the point of getting her out and about, so she can get more used to seeing more people. She nipped my mother in law during this last visit when she stayed with us, while we were busy doing something else and not watching. She had been talking to her and passing treats through the cage bars all week. It didn't help, she still nipped her good enough to break skin. So when someone comes up and reaches toward her I step back quick and tell them it's not safe. It really surprises me how many people do that with animals they don't know.

 

[Birdman666]

Sally is my shopping cart bird. LOVES being pushed around on a cart. Sits on the handlebars... says hello to people she finds interesting... the eyes are flashing 900 miles per hour. She just loves it....

 

[RavensGryf]

Some people are genuinely curious about birds, but sometimes just start with the "How much did you pay for her?".

That disgusting comment is made far too often. How can you not realize how rude that is to say to someone? They wouldn't point to your handbag or watch or jewelry and ask how much you paid for it, or anything else in your posession for that matter.

One time I had repair people come in who I didn't know, and one of the guys was staring at the Ekkie I had then, and asked how much she is worth. I told him someone gave her to me, and she is terminally ill . I felt like saying, "why? so you can break in later and steal her?"

 

[Birdman666]

Some people are genuinely curious about birds, but sometimes just start with the "How much did you pay for her?".

That disgusting comment is made far too often. How can you not realize how rude that is to say to someone? They wouldn't point to your handbag or watch or jewelry and ask how much you paid for it, or anything else in your posession for that matter.

One time I had repair people come in who I didn't know, and one of the guys was staring at the Ekkie I had then, and asked how much she is worth. I told him someone gave her to me, and she is terminally ill . I felt like saying, "why? so you can break in later and steal her?"

Well, sometimes it's not all that sinister. Sometimes it's actually a "I want one of those, but I heard they were expensive... I wonder how expensive."

"Where did you get her" is another frequently asked question... as well as the ever popular "Does it talk/make it say something."

That being said, I never like to talk about what a bird might cost/resell for... DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANYONE ANY IDEAS...

 

[RavensGryf]

Well, sometimes it's not all that sinister. Sometimes it's actually a "I want one of those, but I heard they were expensive... I wonder how expensive."

"Where did you get her" is another frequently asked question... as well as the ever popular "Does it talk/make it say something."

That being said, I never like to talk about what a bird might cost/resell for... DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANYONE ANY IDEAS...

I hear you, it's not always asked because of ill intent of course, I just like to be a bit on the overly paranoid side regardless, that's all!

 

[Aquila]

I always like to say "Oh the bird's the cheap part, it's everything else that's expensive! Cage, food, vet care, etc.."

 

[JerseyWendy]

Some people are genuinely curious about birds, but sometimes just start with the "How much did you pay for her?".

That disgusting comment is made far too often. How can you not realize how rude that is to say to someone? They wouldn't point to your handbag or watch or jewelry and ask how much you paid for it, or anything else in your posession for that matter.

One time I had repair people come in who I didn't know, and one of the guys was staring at the Ekkie I had then, and asked how much she is worth. I told him someone gave her to me, and she is terminally ill . I felt like saying, "why? so you can break in later and steal her?"

Well, sometimes it's not all that sinister. Sometimes it's actually a "I want one of those, but I heard they were expensive... I wonder how expensive."

"Where did you get her" is another frequently asked question... as well as the ever popular "Does it talk/make it say something."

That being said, I never like to talk about what a bird might cost/resell for... DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANYONE ANY IDEAS...

That EXACT scenario happened here on Halloween. Ripley was out, flapping on top of his cage rigorously, front door was open (storm door was shut), and folks had a clear view of his antics.

We had the doorbell disconnected because of the dogs, but the SCREECHING folks at the door almost sent me through the roof.

"OMG, they have a parrot." ...Next thing they moved over about 10' and were looking straight through our big living room window, all 8 of them.

"OMG, they have 4 parrots." By then I was at the door, trying to calm them down, because not only were my dogs going ape-$hit, but all 4 of my fids were screeching at the 'peeping toms'. :11:

The man insisted he had to have a parrot. He asked so many questions in under 10 seconds, yet didn't give me a chance to even respond to one before popping the next one.

So...I told them to sit tight, I was actually gonna bring Ripley out.

Once they saw him up close and personal, half of them backed away. FAR away. Wife: "Holy crap, look at the size of that beak. Does he bite?" :30:

"Yes, he removes digits regularly, has children for dessert and screams bloody murder all day", was my response, with a HUUUGE grin on my face. :21:

I told them if they were TRULY interested in learning about parrots to come back any time during the day, with no entourage....and left it at that.