"I like birds when they are outside..."?

[sphinxface]

Quite a few of my friends have said this, including my boyfriend... Of course we all know Beezle isn't trusting of me yet, but how can I show/tell them that he's okay, and maybe get them to love him just as much as I do? Or is this impossible?

[beckyg]

I would think that spending time around the bird would be the only way for them to get used to the idea of an inside bird. I mean with him in his cage until they felt comfortable enough to see if he would come out. I had never been around inside birds before I got Luna several mths ago. It was really weird at first and my family still doesn't like the idea of a bird in my house. They won't come into the house if she is out of her cage.

[carrier]

Honestly the best thing is for people to be around your bird.

My mom always said she would never like a pet bird because they were caged, etc., and that she felt it wasa cruel to keep them as pets. She also didn't think they had any personality or lovable qualities.

UNTIL she met Fenway and had spent time around that little clown.


Now she comes and visits and can't wait to see him! She always has stories about things she sees him doing in his cage while she is in the room. She had NO Idea that birds play! She was in hysterics watching Fenway the last time she visited, and when he landed on her to say hello she rather liked that attention as well...

She's coming today for Christmas and I can't wait for her to meet Wrigley and see the naughtiness the two of them get into together.

[beckyg]

She also didn't think they had any personality or lovable qualities.

I had no clue that birds had personalities of their own. I thought they were purely "fly here, fly there, chirp chirp chirp, lay eggs, protect the nest..." ya know run by their instincts and such. I know it is silly, but I hadn't ever had one as a pet or been around one someone else owned. I am so glad I have Luna now, she has opened up a whole new world to me. Now when I go anywhere I am such a bird watcher. When I went to the beach in October I couldn't take my eyes off of the pidgeons, sea gulls and such! I know it is funny, but now that I know they have personalities I am noticing them more.

[Janie]

In my circle of friends and family, only one person has come over to my side as far as really liking my birds. Fortunately that one person is my hubby! He's had to be responsible for them when I'm gone and I know that made a difference. They've gotten used to him and will even fly to him. Another thing....Oliver really is impossible not to like if you're around him for any length of time. My sons and friends like him.

Personally I think there are "bird" people and non "bird" people. Not much in between. You're either crazy about them, hook line and sinker, or you can't understand at all why anyone would want a bird as a pet.

[Screamer]

how can I show/tell them that he's okay, and maybe get them to love him just as much as I do? Or is this impossible?

Some people are just not comfortable around birds.

[michael]

I have strict rules for anyone who wants to interact with my lovebird. And I have strict rules for myself before even allowing it to happen. Depending on the person, by consent only will I allow anyone to spend time with my bird. Although always short of a written contract, they must still agree to the possibilty of being bit. If they don't want my bird on them then there's no reason to have to ask me twice to keep him caged. Fortunately my circle of friends include some who own birds that will take your fingers off, so a lovebird bite to them is no big deal. Others like him so much they stop to see him instead of me . I have one close lady friend who wanted to see what is was like to have a bird on her shoulder as she never touched a bird in her life. Goof was about 1 1/2 years old at the time and seemed to like her quite well. A lip bite along with a cheek bite followed shortly afterwards leaving her with minor injuries and me feeling absolutely terrible. Much to my dismay even after explaining this was just a fluke of sorts and that Goof was still in his taming/learning process she no longer had any desire to let anyones bird so much as come near her. Oh, we still laugh about it occasionally, and if she ever would want to try again I would definitely let her. Besides, obviously he could not possibly bite her now . Then again, I felt the same way when she first met him . Well, at least she wasn't one of those duck and flail your arms type poeple that we really have to watch out for !........... ...........Michael and Goofy

[graushill]

I agree with Janie on this. I think too that there are always going to be those that just don't get birds and those that love them . I've seen people with what to me are suspect looking dogs or cats (I'm not much of a dog/cat person myself ) sniffing: "Look at that mangy looking parrot" over what to me looks like a perfectly beautiful, fully feathered bird. We just don't see things the same way. And it's a good thing we don't, of course, otherwise this would be one boring world, like the cliché goes. I don't think there's much you can really do to turn someone from a bird hater to a bird lover, and it can even be a bit dangerous to try if for example the person in question is of the arms flaying, hands swatting, head ducking variety like Michael put it. If someone looks very unsure, scared or just plain negative, IMO it's better to just let it be and not force the issue.

I've also come across those who say keeping birds in captivity is cruel. How it goes against all birds stand for: freedom and wonderment and all that. Having seen how some birds in captivity are kept, I can agree with the sentiment sometimes. But then you come to forums such as this one and look at the pictures in the photo gallery and read through the post and what you see is happy, cared for, beloved companions and at least to me, you can't just dismiss all that love and say all pet birds are being cruelly treated. I think being too radical about such things can do as much harm as turning a blind eye to the problems.

Not so long ago, a group in my hometown that works for animal rights, I guess not unlike PETA in the USA from what I've read, started protesting against a city park where they kept two outdoor aviaries with lovebirds. Now these were really beautiful aviaries, almost exhibitions, with greenery and running water and proper nest boxes, I mean really well kept and spacious. The flocks in them looked perfectly content, healthy and well cared for. I have enjoyed watching them since I moved to Sweden. The protesters would vandalize the park, leave threatening messages, follow the aviary caretakers around, etc. etc. I got so angry sometimes because some of the stunts they pulled terrified just the animals for whose "rights" they were supposedly fighting for. Well, things with this group got so bad that the park authorities decided to close the aviaries and rehome the flocks rather than risk the group breaking into the cages and letting the birds escape. They were given to a well known bird breeder here in the south of Sweden, but whatever conditions he has, I don't believe could surpass what they had in the park. And I mean they will still be kept in captivity. There is just no other choice here in Sweden. You can't just let them escape. They would never make it, never. All in all I thought they had done a huge disservice to those poor birds. And I, and many others, miss them terribly.

As I often do, I babbled on and on . I'll just stop now .

Gloria

[lucky melatonin]

Some people are just not comfortable around birds.

it's so weird because my boyfriend bought me my first bird because i really wanted one, and he liked them too. but once we got him, my boyfriend really doesn't have much to do with him. he says it "creeps him out" when it gets on him or hangs on him. my bird also likes to preen my boyfriends neck and it drives him nuts... haha, i guess he thought it would be different. he enjoys me getting enjoyment out of them, but does not enjoy them himself now that he's experienced them. but before he only liked small birds and he really doesn't like big birds, so i'm not sure what his deal is.

but for the most part, i think when people who love you see the enjoyment you get from your bird, they appreciate them a little more, regardless of whether they really like birds as pets or not.

[Janie]

Gloria,

A young boy, about 16 I'd guess, was here a few weeks ago delivering my Christmas tree (helping his dad) and the minute he heard the birds that was all he could think about! I took him into the bird room which is right off the family room where the tree was going and he just had a total look of awe on his face! I told him that there is no doubt that he is a person that should have birds someday! I was sure to tell him how messy they can be and what a pain in the a$$ they can sometimes be () but you could just tell....he is a bird person! My birds all three freak out when a stranger walks into their room but they were unusually calm when he came in.