I need to vent...(rant)

[Ocean]

So my Linnie, Tiki is pretty weary of strangers, and she isn't a huge fan of hands, though, whether she likes it or not, I have to handle her to put in in the carrier to take her to get her nails done and check ups at the vet, but this isn't what this vent is about, it's about other people with Tiki.

It just annoys me, how no matter who it is, and no matter how many times I tell them not to touch her, or "she is afraid of hands" the message just never seems to be clear enough. A typical interaction typically goes like this.

P1: Oh! you have a bird
Me: Yes, her name is Tiki, she's a lineolated parakeet, she's four.
P1: Aw she's pretty cute.
Me: Yes, she is she's very cute
P1: Gets closer
Me: She's afraid of hands, and nervous around strangers, so it's best if you don't try and touch her.
and I swear to God, Not even a minute later people have to test to see if my flipping hypotheses is correct, as If I'm some kind of idiot by trying to touch her or getting her on their finger... and of course Tiki runs away, or leaps off her cage to get away from them.. to say this drives me nuts is an understatement.

and it's not just new guests either, oh no, regulars at the house try and touch her, despite my protests on numerous occasions.

I'm trying to build a better bond with my bird, trying to get her to accept food from me (she's fine if I sit by her cage and talk with her, we chatter and sing, she's fine with me) but all my work comes crashing down when people think I don't know my own bird. I know my own pet, thank you very much.

Tiki's cage is light and portable and isn't on a stand, so she's basically in the main dinning area during the day, or outside in her cage on the deck (summer time only... obviously)

I don't trust people with my bird, (except my mom, sister, boyfriend and dad) not to flipping touch her when I say not to. and when I go away on vacation, I give her to my neighbor (she has a bird too) I ask them not to touch her, but do I know for sure they won't? NOPE!

I don't know... I'm at a loss I honestly am, I shouldn't have to lock my pets up because we have people over, Tiki HATES being alone, her gates are open when we are home, so she goes in and out of her cage as she pleases, and runs on the floor a bit (she loves to hide under the couch like a little couch monster)

I can't tell people to leave if they don't listen to me, it's not "my own house" and they aren't always my guests.

Has anyone else had issues with people always wanting to touch your parrots? and what have you done to make it stop?

 

[Marvel_ous]

In my house, my room is mine. I can allow or deny anyone access. I find it handy, especially with two stubborn and annoying sisters. When I had Sky, my sisters were never a problem, as they were both on the receiving end of hard bites. Friends, however, I use a tactic. If I tell them not to touch anything (etc, my great-grandfather's 60 year old bow), and they touch it, a warning. If they touch it again, they leave my room for the rest of the visit.
Of course, if your people are REALLY hardheaded, you could always tell them your bird bites hard
That always worked with Sky. To the point where some of my friends were scared of him.

 

[finchly]

I’m sorry! I get you. People come up to Ernie’s cage (pionus and my avatar) and poke their fingers at him. I have no idea why. The last time someone did it (a minister — and he laughed when Ernie attempted to bite him) I did this.

First I put a floor mat just out of reach of his cage. People don’t realize it, but they’ll stop on a ‘barrier’.
Then I put a sign on his cage. It said: My name is Ernie. I am afraid of you. Please stay back.

No more problems.

People are idiots.

 

[BeanieofJustice]

I'm so sorry, it's really frustrating when people don't listen. I suspect Sam Axe's beak deters a lot of people; it doesn't hurt that he puffs up when someone else comes into our house. I warn anyone new that he can and will bite, they can dance with him, talk to him but touching is off limits. I tend to be bossy and in-your-face when it comes to him in particular.

For your situation, the sign suggested is a great idea, and the floor mat; people will (maybe not fully consciously) at least pause at these. I remember a bird shop that I stopped in a few years ago had a sign for a cockatoo warning people not to pet him.

So she's loose when people approach her? Can you tell them that she bites? That probably won't work for regulars.
Again, it might be because of Sam's size, but I tell people that he does not step up.

And for your neighbor, if they have a bird, could you talk to them about her? Or do they just refuse to listen?

Sorry I don't have much to add, you've gotten some great ideas above. I hope you can find something that works, people can be so frustrating sometimes.

 

[Brittany0208]

For the most part, my mother is afraid to touch Java because he lunges and screams when someone enters his safety space. My sister tries often to pet him but he bites and yells at her, the same with my grandmother but my grandmother isn't afraid of him. She'll talk to him and tell him how handsome he is, then try to pet him again, usually with the same result. She sometimes likes to tease 'can I play with your toys' or 'are you going to share your food' as she's reaching for the food or toy. This is when I remind her 'He remembers every interaction you have with him.' And if that doesn't work, I tell her that's enough and to leave him alone, which hasn't failed me yet.
For the most part, no one is too interested in petting him as far as other relatives or strangers, and I usually hear them say 'look at the size of that beak' or 'what kind of bird is that'. This works in both of our favor because most people think he's a crow or just a backyard bird.
Occasionally, my sister's boyfriend stops by and wants to talk to Java, but I never let him get too close because I see how Java reacts nervously: he flaps around, screams, or quickly goes back in his cage. Then I tell my sister's boyfriend that he's close enough and that Java is telling him he's nervous, which always ends up with him saying 'I'm not really a bird- person'. I typically tell him to piss off then and stop antagonizing my bird. Then poof, he's gone.
Some people you just have to be cut and dry and tell them Don't Touch My Bird. If you say it firm enough, people usually back off when they see you mean business. Unfortunately, a lot of people pick on the smaller birds because they feel they have the upper hand, but once they see a bird that could physically do damage, they're more likely to respect the bird's space.

 

[hrafn]

This sort of stupidity is one of many reasons I'm SO glad I moved out years ago. Now I live by myself and I call the shots. Don't want to respect my animals? Get out of my house lmao

But when I was a kid, trying to keep people away from Kraz (and his predecessor, Fred) was ALL kinds of obnoxious. I'd explain to everyone that they'd get bitten, that they were scaring him, that he would come to say hi if he wanted to, but no dice.

In the end, I found the best teacher was Kraz's beak. People tended to stop harassing him once he made them bleed.
Another fun way to get people away from him was to say "oh, you want to see someone who loves meeting new people?" And haul my python out of her tank. That got them running in the other direction real fast.

In my bird room now, I have little signs outside of each of my birds' cages. It seems to help deter idiocy at least a bit.
A visual reminder might jog some sense into the guests at your house. Otherwise, just slap them.

Absolutely make it clear that they are not to touch her. Stand in front of her if you have to. They'll back off if you stand firm.

 

[Brittany0208]

Another fun way to get people away from him was to say "oh, you want to see someone who loves meeting new people?" And haul my python out of her tank. That got them running in the other direction real fast.

Love it! I used to catch reptiles and frogs with my sister when we were kids. People always thought we were crazy

 

[Ocean]

Thanks guys, I'll try the sign, and yes, for the most part she's either on top of her cage, or under the couch, or just flat out tell them she bites hard (she can but typically reserves those bites for the vet and lady who does her nails )

Other times she is in her cage and people stick their fingers in between the bars to try and touch her, and it doesn't matter, new or old they continuously try and touch her. Sometimes they will say "where's the bird?" and someone will say "under the couch" and sometimes they then proceed to go and look for her.. like can't you just leaver her alone? I get it, she's cute and pretty (see my avatar? xD) but she doesn't like strangers, she wasn't nuts about you when you came in 50 minutes ago, she isn't gonna like you any better now.


OH and speaking of boyfriends, my sister's boyfriend can get on my nerves at times, he's a sweet guy, but not really an "animal" person (never grew up with any animals) at one point her wings were growing out before we clipped again, and she could kind of fly, she leaped off her cage, right at my sister's boyfriend (even before then, he wasn't crazy about her) anyways he started calling her a locus and going on and on and on.. and at first haha whatever I didn't find it funny but ok, but seriously it's been over a year, and it just annoys me every damn time now, like you don't like her, I get it, but she doesn't like you either so....?? He's always saying something smart-bum like about my bird.

 

[Barbara jasko]

I take my birds out in their travel cage often and I can't tell you how many times people come up and want to stick their finger between the cage bars and ask "does he bite"? I always say, "stick your finger in there and you will find out" This usually deters most people. When they insist and the bird nips them they are always surprised and say "he bit me" and I say "I told you so". My friends know how protective I am of my birds. I strongly discourage people who are not bird people from trying to handle them. In my experience most people know birds can bite and are leary of handling them. Only the stupid ones insist, expecting they are special and the bird is just going to love them. Right.

 

[Mizzely]

I tell everyone "Jingo bites, and it's not my fault if you get bit."

Very few people test THAT theory!!

 

[Ocean]

That's good xD Unfortunately though, wee Tiki's beak isn't as "scary" as some of the larger birds, people think because she's small, they can "bully" her (so to speak, not literally)

 

[Alien J]

My friends know how protective I am of my birds. I

When my friends see me they tell me I have 20 minutes to talk about my bird...then on to something else, please...it always comes back to my bird though! When will they realize that, for me, it's all about the birdy?

 

[Birdbabe]

This is why no one comes to our house ...my birds,
My rules...end of story..am I a b!#(#...maybe!!

 

[analliecat]

aaaaaallll of this.

i have two birds, a green cheek (jethro) and an african grey (arthur). whenever guests come over i make a general announcement notifying them that yes, i have birds. no, they do not want you touching them, sticking your finger in their cages, or throwing random food at them. if you approach them and they begin to defend themselves i will ask you to leave that room. if they bite you i will not only feel no remorse, but i’ll ask you to leave. i live with my parents and i have told them that i will kick their guests out. i shouldn’t have to explain to adults why they can’t bother my birds. i just got arthur and i’m in the process of building a bond with him, i don’t need some inconsiderate person ruining that for me. jethro usually recovers after someone bothers him once i go in and talk to him and give him lovings. but arthur tends to shut down and i’m tired of being nice to people who can’t follow a simple rule.

 

[Mizzely]

Was at the vet yesterday with Ripley Jardines and Parker Rat and some guy came by and put fingers in cages while I was checking out! THEN asked if they bite. I said, "well the rat is here because of aggression and the bird is sore and pissed, so I hope they do!"

Just glared at me and walked away

 

[SandraK]

I have a "Beware of Attack Parrot" sign on the Quaker girls' cage but I think the best sign I ever saw on a parrot's cage was "Please do not feed fingers to the parrots".

 

[Mizzely]

What's funny is we had one of my nieces over (she'll be 7), and my almost 4 year old son was showing her Ripley. First thing he said was, "We don't put fingers in their home." before she even attempted. I was so proud!