So you REALLY want a parrot huh???

[mtdoramike]

I spoke to my mobile bird groomer this morning, who informed me that the tip of her finger was bitten OFF but a Scarlet Macaw while she was grooming him.

It's incidences like this that I reflect on when someone especially with children post that they are wanting a parrot.

 

[Mayden]

Poor groomer, was she able to get to a+e with it or is she finger-tipless forever now?

 

[mtdoramike]

They found the tip and I believe it was reattached.

 

[Safira]

I hope she recovers from it quickly! While I hate to hear of anyone hurt, it's a good reminder that these animals can be dangerous.

 

[lizardsmells]

I think a lot of people who want a parrot want the colorful, antic-filled, talking clown well socialized parrots can be. The reality is so much different though.

I went into this with rose colored glasses on, but volunteering at the shelter took those off pretty quickly. For a few weeks I wasn't even sure I really wanted a parrot after seeing the reality of it, but luckily, for me and Kazi, I decided I did. And, actually, I'd kind of like another, but unless my husband falls madly in love with one or I get divorced, that's pretty unlikely to happen any time soon! Plus, I think Kazi might divorce me if I got another bird.

 

[Spiritbird]

I know that had to hurt big time. I was just playing with Rosie last evening as usual. Out of the blue she lunged at my finger and I could not stop the bleeding for quite a while. I think they are trying to remind us they are still wild creatures. I just covered her and went to bed so I would not yell or make a fuss at her.

 

[KatherineI]

Ouch!

Yep. People think "oh but they're cuddly and they talk and they're funny!"... they also can have some nasty to them. Sugar lunged at my daughter last night when she came to kiss me goodnight. Didn't know if Sugar was trying to kiss her as well (her "kiss" is kind of weird and a little harsher than I think she intends and has appeared to be "lunging" at both Hubs and I when she was trying to "kiss" us), or if she was trying to say "back off, MY mama", but either way, cuddle time was over and in to her cage she went. No talking, no fussing, no explaining. No harm to the little one, I think it just startled her. I had told her not to come yet but she didn't listen. It happens, and could have been much much worse and I'm thankful it wasn't.

I still wouldn't rehome her, take her back or anything. Sugar is here to stay, just like when Loki was going through his rough patch and I put my foot down and said that he was ours, for better or worse!

 

[brianlinkles]

Don't you wish there was a crash course that potential Parronts could take? Something that would show the "good, the bad & yes the ugly"! LOL I don't really think that anyone can fully prepare for what it really takes to truly live with a parrot! They can be such amazingly wonderful little (or big) creatures! They can amaze us with their intellect! They can crack us up with their humor! However they can also tear open our skin in a nano second! (I don't know about you but it makes it even sweeter to have Dorothy lay her beak on my cheek and just give kiss after kiss when I know that she is working so hard at being gentle!) It also means so much when my dear rescue Kiwi who truly never knew love for fifteen years until coming to us raises the feathers on her head and allows for a scratch when I know she is still so nervous to have us touch her too much! Her first reaction is often to bite-hard! She has never bitten without drawing blood however those times when she lets me rub her neck and just looks at me with such a mix of fear and desire to overcome it almost breaks my heart!

 

[Remy]

I got an informational DVD on parrot ownership from my local parrot rescue. It definitely was educational, and I think everybody should have to at LEAST watch it. "And here is ____, an Amazon that was given to us after she pierced her previous owner's nose! *photo*"

Puck never lets me forget that he is a wild animal. He's cute and fun, but he's not too afraid to show his attitude at me in public, so I feel like he's giving people a realistic idea of what parrot ownership is like.

 

[Mudkips]

Sometimes I do feel quite bad when I take Birdie around with me in public.
Every time without fail, I get asked slight variations on the same questions:
Is that your pet? (when he's sitting beside me on a parkbench/table)
Doesn't it fly away?
Whats its name?
Is it a boy or a girl?
Does it talk?
How much did he cost?

1 in 500 people recognise him as a GGC
1 in 100 people recognise him as a conure
1 in 75 people call him a Rosella!
1 in 50 people take pictures/video of him with their phones*
1 in 5 people will try and touch him*
*often without warning/asking.

Not one person asks about what its like to own a parrot. Apparently all they see is a happy Birdie and assume he is completely obediant to me, Which is not the case at all. The reality is he's just happy to be with me and excited to see the world.

Many parents at the park with their kids ask me some worrying questions about where to purchase a parrot and how much he cost me.

I've gotten to the point where I have to hold an almost negative point of view when talking to strangers about Birdie (-very messy -demanding on time -can bite -expensive) just to stop people from going out and buying a bird on impulse. :smile003:

I should carry around a card with Birdie's infomation so I don't have to repeat myself. Or even better, train Birdie to answer them himself

 

[mtdoramike]

Sometimes I do feel quite bad when I take Birdie around with me in public.
Every time without fail, I get asked slight variations on the same questions:
Is that your pet? (when he's sitting beside me on a parkbench/table)
Doesn't it fly away?
Whats its name?
Is it a boy or a girl?
Does it talk?
How much did he cost?

1 in 500 people recognise him as a GGC
1 in 100 people recognise him as a conure
1 in 75 people call him a Rosella!
1 in 50 people take pictures/video of him with their phones*
1 in 5 people will try and touch him*
*often without warning/asking.

Not one person asks about what its like to own a parrot. Apparently all they see is a happy Birdie and assume he is completely obediant to me, Which is not the case at all. The reality is he's just happy to be with me and excited to see the world.

Many parents at the park with their kids ask me some worrying questions about where to purchase a parrot and how much he cost me.

I've gotten to the point where I have to hold an almost negative point of view when talking to strangers about Birdie (-very messy -demanding on time -can bite -expensive) just to stop people from going out and buying a bird on impulse. :smile003:

I should carry around a card with Birdie's infomation so I don't have to repeat myself. Or even better, train Birdie to answer them himself

The problem is, we actually want and promote that feeling of tranquility by owning a bird. I see it on the forums all the time. I rarely see a negative post about a members bird. I rarely see a post that says, "my bird just bit the living $%&&**&^^*(&^% out of me for no apparent reason.

I would be the first to tell anyone and everyone that Tiki my Senegal while being a sweet heart can and will bite and I don't mean this little nipping or that little leave me alone bite. I mean the vicious reach for you and bite so hard that the tip of her beak hits bone. It usually because she gets jealous of Mac if I handle him and don't allow enough time between handle him and her. Now, Mac has only bitten me twice that was a bad bleeding bite. But I also know that he can and will bite.

We as bird owners forget all those bites when our birds shower us with affection and go through spells of sweetness. Plus we promote the perception that they are always sweet and funny to be around because if we told everyone that our birds bite us on a regular basis, they would think we are NUTS to own one.

And lets face it, with most of us at least with me anyway, if it were a dog, it would have been gone a lone time ago.

 

[Sulphiria]

SO true. Last night we took our quaker and lori to the pet store with us, afterwards we stopped at the store and my boyfriend ran inside to grab a drink with Puffers, the quaker on his shoulder. He, of course, had poop on his back. Two guys got in line behind him and said to him "that's the only problem with owning a parrot, crap on your shoulder"
My boyfriend says "actually, my girlfriends bird wont poop on her shoulder, she's potty trained, she puts her on her finger, tells her to go potty, and she does"
So of course the guys HAVE to see the Lorikeet now. I reach up to my shoulder for her and she goes into attack mode. It was past her bedtime and she was done with being outside.
One of the guys asked me if her bite hurts.
No, not *usually* but I do have scars from her when I forgot she doesn't like me handling her food dishes.

With as many as we have, it's rare for a day to go by that I dont have marks on my hands from one, or more, of the little guys. Today, I have marks from our Macaw and lori.

I think birds require a lot of responsibility as a pet. Most people understand dogs can and will bite. Most dont understand birds can.. and they can pack some pain! I love being able to take our guys out in public and teach people they arent all fun.

 

[KatherineI]

The problem is, we actually want and promote that feeling of tranquility by owning a bird. I see it on the forums all the time. I rarely see a negative post about a members bird. I rarely see a post that says, "my bird just bit the living $%&&**&^^*(&^% out of me for no apparent reason.

I would be the first to tell anyone and everyone that Tiki my Senegal while being a sweet heart can and will bite and I don't mean this little nipping or that little leave me alone bite. I mean the vicious reach for you and bite so hard that the tip of her beak hits bone. It usually because she gets jealous of Mac if I handle him and don't allow enough time between handle him and her. Now, Mac has only bitten me twice that was a bad bleeding bite. But I also know that he can and will bite.

We as bird owners forget all those bites when our birds shower us with affection and go through spells of sweetness. Plus we promote the perception that they are always sweet and funny to be around because if we told everyone that our birds bite us on a regular basis, they would think we are NUTS to own one.

And lets face it, with most of us at least with me anyway, if it were a dog, it would have been gone a lone time ago.

See, I'd make those poss about the biting, except, I think we all just kind of accept it as part of owning birds. Loki will attack for no apparent reason (or at least, a reason that isn't apparent to us), he's attacked and held on, punctured skin, etc etc etc. I just don't make those posts because, well, I figure everyone has had instances like that and I didn't join this site for it to be my go-to-rant place.

I did keep a dog for a year and a half that bit my daughter in the face (no marks or scars like I have from my dog bite to the face, though). Reason? It was mine and my daughter's fault. He had sleep aggression, he had only been with us a few days and my daughter had snuck back down stairs after she was supposed to have gone to bed, to say goodnight to him. He was out cold and she startled him and his reaction was to snap at what startled him. It was, however, the only time that ever happened.

I'm hesitant to answer people's questions about parrots without trying to put them off I heard an older woman once mention how she wanted to get one when she retired in a few months and I snickered and said "Unless you get a rescue, the bird will outlive you!" and I got a dirty look from the salesperson at the store. The woman gave me a questioning look and I felt bad but explained that birds live long, human-like lifespans and the larger the bird, often the longer the lifespan if given the proper care. She said she didn't know that and I told her to go do some research before spending the money. I don't know if she did or not.

 

[mtdoramike]

The long lifespan is the reason I decided to get another bird. My black lab died a few years ago after 14 years and it devistated us. I decided that I didn't want to go through that hurt again any time soon so I decided on a parrot that hopefully will live 30+ years and out live both of us.

I know it's kind of like burying my head in the sand and a bit unrealistic to try and shield myself against that kind of pain. But I love my birds and wouldn't take a dollar and a quarter for either one of them

 

[KatherineI]

The long lifespan is the reason I decided to get another bird. My black lab died a few years ago after 14 years and it devistated us. I decided that I didn't want to go through that hurt again any time soon so I decided on a parrot that hopefully will live 30+ years and out live both of us.

I know it's kind of like burying my head in the sand and a bit unrealistic to try and shield myself against that kind of pain. But I love my birds and wouldn't take a dollar and a quarter for either one of them

Similar reason my friend with the U2 and M2 got into birds. Her cat died and she was completely devastated. Then she discovered that birds live almost as long as people, so she and her now Ex-husband, got a B&G, followed by the M2. Her Ex has the B&G, she has the M2, now a U2 and a Senegal who is elderly and my friend is NOT taking her decline well at all

I got Sugar (who's 1) because I can't have any more children. And I don't work nor do I plan on having a career or job that requires me to be gone most of the day, every day. My husband said, when he first saw her, "but this could be your baby" and he's been right so far. I have Loki, but he's quite independent and really prefers Hubs over me most days (even though he is "mine", lol). Sugar is sort of my "substitute" baby, lol. And she REALLY is! But I love her dearly.

 

[solobaby]

i think i almost forget to mention that the scars on my hands are from my birds and that i have a new mark every second or third day. i know it sounds odd but after 2 years it has become a normal part of parrot owning . my friends ask how i can still love my birds after the bites and how can i not be scared of them and i just say how can i not love them and i'm just not scared

 

[mrgoogls]

wow that must of hurt a lot!! at least they got it back, i am one of those people who are looking for a parrot. but i know the dangers/drawbacks of them. that is the main reason i came to this site, TO LEARN BEFORE I BUY!!!! it is very important to reaserch a TON before you EVER buy ANY new pet.

 

[Mayden]

You're right mrgoogls!

I'm covered in bite marks from Merlin - especially because of his bad leg he uses his beak an awful lot more, so it can be misleading sometimes if he looks like he wants to 'step up' (beak first as always) or take a chunk of your hand. Oh the joys.

I have a picture album on my facebook and someone once commented on it saying something like 'oh my goodness, hes just so cute, i never looked at birds like that blahblahblah, maybe i should get one?!' i just said back that maybe if he got to see the other sides of the bird they would think differently. Bird crap in new clothes, my hair before an interview, my bath when I'm trying to have a relaxing soak. Landing poop-ed foot (because it hangs back) first into my nice fresh plate of food. The biting, the scars, the blood and tears that are shed from frustration and taking the attacks far too personally etc.

Theres so much downside to owning a parrot as they are still 'wild animals'. But the joy of them outweighs them so much that sometimes it's easy to forget to warn people that it's not all 'talking and tame' with a parrot.

I got this picture of Merlin

and immediately after it he attacked me and drew a lot of blood. It's my own fault for having a camera so close (I use zoom a lot with him to avoid being too close!) but he went for me. So people see the adorable shot of my birdy being cute, chewing and playing etc. but don't get to see the blood shed afterwards.

Sorry, rant over.

Birds hurt and scar, physically and emotionally. but I'd endure it all a million times over for the love they can give back. The cuddles in the morning, the purring and eye pinning, etc.

 

[mtdoramike]

That's a Senegal for you. That is why I call them the Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde of the parrot world. Sweet as sugar one minute and wanting to rip your arm off and beat you with it the next hahahahahahaha.

 

[goalerjones]

The long lifespan is the reason I decided to get another bird. My black lab died a few years ago after 14 years and it devistated us. I decided that I didn't want to go through that hurt again any time soon so I decided on a parrot that hopefully will live 30+ years and out live both of us.

I know it's kind of like burying my head in the sand and a bit unrealistic to try and shield myself against that kind of pain. But I love my birds and wouldn't take a dollar and a quarter for either one of them

I love Hahnzel, my Hahn's macaw and loved my Jenday Conure George.

George died after one too many escapes, 5 in all. We got him back and then he died the next night, probably from something he ate while out that whole day before. He was supposed to have lived 25 years but we got a really good and full 6 out of him. I learned a lot from him which has served my macaw well.

I was a dog person my whole life but once I got George my heart was stolen and I am glad for it. But I never felt the way I did when George passed away about any of the dogs I owned growing up, a true testimony to the kind of connection that is possible from being a parrot "caretaker".

An, as an aside, I affectionately call my little guy the winged can-opener... so many little puncture marks on my fingers, arms, ears... so many.