Take my bird to lunch.

[horsesculpter]

Hi, We have a very loved and spoiled Catalina Macaw who adores going places with us. She loves people and especially children. Favorite places are Petsmart, garage sales, first monday, etc. Often when we take her out it is for several hours and we all get hungry. She has been known to order her own french fries at drive in windows, usually much to our surprise and the delight of the clerks [no lectures, this is a rare treat and she is in beautiful health!] I would like suggestions, other than picnics, for any restaurants in the Dallas, Fort Worth area that might have outdoor dining where she would be welcome. Anybody know of any? Also other places she would enjoy going and of course be safe?

 

[PortaPerch]

Most of the Starbucks here have outdoor seating. In fact, there are clusters of small restaurants with common outdoor seating. Lowes and Home Debt are always good outings, especially the garden section, if it's not too heavy with noxious spray. Ours usually like riding on the carts.

 

[MacawGuy]

Thats pretty cool. I take mine to pet stores a lot he loves it. Your macaw mix with blue and gold and scarlet right

 

[horsesculpter]

MacawGuy, Her daddy was B&G and mama was the scarlet and maybe that is where she gets her saucyness. She told an admiring group of Petsmart employees that "Ima bird" just in case they didn't know. I have no idea where she got that. PortaPerch, I'm glad to know ours isn't the only parrot that enjoys shopping at Home Depot. I hope this picture comes through. Starbucks is a great idea. A lot of places have outdoor seating but I don't know how many of them will welcome a parrot even one who may put in her own order if she doesn't think we got the right stuff. She is not shy.

 

[MacawGuy]

That's a very pretty bird u have there. I bet u get a lot of comments taking her out with u

 

[brianlinkles]

She is gorgeous! How do you keep her from pooping all over the store? I would love to take Dorothy out with me but without a flight suit I think she would poop everywhere!

 

[Cowtown]

MacawGuy, Her daddy was B&G and mama was the scarlet and maybe that is where she gets her saucyness. She told an admiring group of Petsmart employees that "Ima bird" just in case they didn't know. I have no idea where she got that. PortaPerch, I'm glad to know ours isn't the only parrot that enjoys shopping at Home Depot. I hope this picture comes through. Starbucks is a great idea. A lot of places have outdoor seating but I don't know how many of them will welcome a parrot even one who may put in her own order if she doesn't think we got the right stuff. She is not shy.

She beautiful.... I would love to take Abby out... but I will have train her to wear a suit... she gets spooked easy.

BTW what part of DFW? I'm in Benbrook.

 

[horsesculpter]

Cowtown, We are in Springtown, about 30 miles northwest. Brianlinkles, Pooping isn't a big problem. One of her previous owners taught her not to go on him and so she gets pretty vocal and squirmy and lets you know when she has to go. She is a big bird so she can hold it quite awhile and usually doesn't poop in a store. Yes, she gets a lot of compliments and pictures taken. She loves the attention and will tell me "we love that bird" or that she is "perfect". Not modest at all! Here is Sunny getting a toy wooden car at a garage sale this morning, and singing along to "On the road again" in the pickup.

 

[brianlinkles]

She is so fabulous! I have been working on potty training Dorothy, I would love to be able to take her out like that! Sunny sounds so wonderful, I wish I would run into you guys at a store. It really must be quite thrilling for people, especially those that are not exposed to birds that often! She is a great representitive of our birds!

 

[solobaby]

she sounds like a doll

 

[Parrotmamma]

She is beautiful , I think Catalinas have such pretty coloring : )

 

[horsesculpter]

Thanks everybody.for all your compliments. Sunny is pretty cool and quite the personality. I just read a disturbing thread from someone who gave up on a new bird after a week! That is so sad. If we had done that we would have missed one of the greatest companions of our lives. Sunny had three homes in the first two and a half years of her life and while they were not abusive those owners gave her up to get her a better situation. When she was just a year old her owner's job hours became too long and Sunny started to pluck her wings. You can see how beautiful her feathers are now. Her next owner had to keep her in a big city backyard on a busy street and she was retrieved from the neighbors pear tree several times by spraying her out with a hose. She still jumps at loud noises, but what did she hear there all night? Car backfires, gunshots, sirens, barking dogs [she calls them varmits]? When we brought Sunny home she was heartbroken and very angry.I think she thought we had kidnapped her! An angry big macaw is not easy to deal with and we had some rough weeks with her growling and lunging at us every time we got near her. YES, she can bite! The first months with Sunny were no picnic but she got a little better each week and we had made a commitment to her so we stuck with her. You can see the reward we got. We have had her for 18 months now and while she isn't perfect even if she does say so, we wouldn't part with her. She is a very special part of our family. I guess the point I am trying to make is don't give up on these birds so easily. These wonderfull, sensitive creatures would spend all their lives with one flock, family in the wild and it is very hard on them to be rehomed.

 

[horsesculpter]

Brianlinkles, I don't know where Oakwood is but we do spend a month in Columbus every October. Here is Sunny running the show as usual at the Ohio State fairgrounds last fall.

 

[Wulfgeist]

I wish I could take Jasper out like that. So far I do take him places but in his carrier. I need to get more litter soon, maybe I could try taking him in with his harness to Petco.

 

[horsesculpter]

I don't think Sunny has been to a Petco, but she loves Petsmart. She loves to window shop on the toy aisle and interestingly a couple of times little jenday and sun conures have fallen head over heals for her. They might change their minds if they could actually get near her but I think it is her bright orange breast that attracts them. The green varieties don't pay her much attention. She doesn't think she is a bird so is not impressed by their attention. LOL.

 

[friedsoup]

knew you were from Tx the moment I read First Monday! Love that place me and my bird went there last Feb and he loved the red beans and Corn bread.

 

[horsesculpter]

LOL. First Monday is coming up next weekend so we will have to try some red beans and cornbread and see what she thinks. It is the people she likes to see more than the shopping. Is First Monday only a Texas tradition?

 

[friedsoup]

darn my post didn't stick I knew you were from Tx. the minute I read 1st Monday,(hehe) I love that place my and my bird went there in Feb. and he loved the red beans and cornbread.

 

[Pwr_wrx]

Hi Horsesculptur,

Im not too far from you, im in flower mound right next to grapevine lake. If you are ever in town let me know, I will bring my BnG out. Ive been looking for macaw owners to interact with so my macaw can meet new birds. The only place we take our bird is to the Tree Top Bird Store in richardson and he just sits on my arm quietly while all the other birds are screaming on the top of their lungs and jumping around. Dont really take him out too much although i want to. Dont want him getting spooked and flying off. He did once in our backyard and flew about 1/2 mile to the neighbors tree and we were calling his name and he flew back to the neighbors behind us but didnt want to get off their tree. So we had to get a long pole and make him get on it. Once hes on a tree he doesn't want to get off. I have a harness for him but hes scared of wearing it. Any ideas to get him used to it?

 

[Mare Miller]

I was about to ask if you all keep your birds wings clipped?