This really shouldn't be funny, but it is....

[all4stvoyager]

This is def funny...I feel kinda sorry for your friend though...she was scared...and at least she didn't swat at him as an automatic reflex...

Poor Kiwi...so misunderstood!

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

I am a little surprised and alarmed that it took till the 32nd entry for anyone to express sympathy for the friend's obvious fear of the bird. I find that so very, very sad. That girl was terrified enough to cry and yet she was nice enough even in her fear not to hurt the bird. To be that callous to her fear and belittle her feeling I think was incredibly...rude. Yes, we are used to birds and we know what our birds do and how loving they can be, but people who do not live with parrots do not. I try to be very respectful of their feelings. My own mother is one of those people afraid of birds, even though she has seen me time and again cuddling, kissing and petting my fabies. Mom grew up with some really mean chickens in her back yard and was flogged several times a week by those roosters. She simply cannot get past those memories and learn to enjoy my birdies.

Myself, I have always loved birds and have been totally fascinated with them since I was a young child. My grandmother kept parakeets constantly for many years and I really liked playing with them even though, sometimes, they bit me. I was well on the way to being a parrot person until my family moved to Baltimore, MD when I was 5 years old. Down the alley lived a huge green parrot who had a very bad attitude who was owned by an retired sea captain with an even worse attitude. Those two, the parrot and human, had very loud shouting and screaming matches and the human often put the unrestrained, wing-clipped parrot out in the yard on a T perch. Of course, the kids would tease the big bird but when they threw stones at the bird, he started to chase the kids and even caught a few and bit chunks out of their feet and legs. The kids learned to avoid the alley. I, of course, was fascinated by a bird that big and would spend a lot of time at the end of the alley watching him. One day my Mom and I were on the way home from the Chung King Chinese Restaurant and were walking down the alley. The big green bird came off his perch and chased us all the way down the alley and halfway home. From that day, I was terrified of parrots. I could not even pet my grandmother's parakeets any more, I was so afraid. So I know what it is like to fear a bird. Luckily, thirty years later, a roomie of mine moved out and abandoned her lovebirds. I couldn't let them starve, so I took care of them.

And that started my education on parrot care and finally on parrot love. I wrote an article on it, but it is too lengthly to post on this site.
What I am asking is to have compassion for others. You don't know why they fear what they fear and it is never nice or good to belittle another persons' fears or emotions. Please practice compassion and tolerance of other people's fears.

I just was so surprised there were only three replies on the forum that stood up for the friend. That makes me very sad because I really do believe you guys are better than that.

 

[IggyPepito]

I know what you mean. I must have misunderstood the post though because I didn't know she actually FEARED the bird. I thought she just disliked it. I don't really know what it is like to fear an animal because I never have but I know people who do and for reasons. So I do respect that. If I had known and understood she had a fear of Kiwi then my response may have been different.

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

One time, after I got my second knee replacement, I was getting home PT to help me get full use back in my knee. The therapist came to the house three times a week. One day when he came, my Mom wasn't feeling well, so I took the therapist into the birdroom so we wouldn't disturb her nap. It never occurred to me he might be afraid of the birds and quite a few of them were loose in the room at the time. Unfortunately, my Meyers cock, Hobbs, had a terrible sense of humor and his favorite trick was to land on someone's shoulder from behind them and shriek in the person's ear as he landed. He did it to that poor therapist who was suddenly jumping around like a bucking bronco shrieking, "Get if off me! Get it off me!" Hobbs, happy with his prank, flew off and sat on his play gym chortling. Unfortunately, I did burst out laughing at the sight of this six foot tall, physically fit guy acting like a panicked little girl because a harmless little bird landed on his shoulder. It took me a minute or two to calm the guy down and the poor guy was trembling. I apologized for laughing at him immediately took him out of the birdroom. I was afraid I had hurt his feelings.

Luckily, the next time he came, he asked for me to take him back in the birdroom and introduce him to Hobbs. Which I did, and the guy learned a little about parrots that day. Hobbs, true to his bad boy attitude, promptly nipped him instead of taking the treat from the therapist. The therapist then told me that he was angry when he first left my house that day. But the more he thought about what had happened, the funnier it seemed to him. So instead of holding a grudge, the guy asked to meet Hobbs. He also said it gave him a good anecdotal story to tell on himself to help put new clients at ease during their initial evaluation and beginning therapy.

Luckily, it all came out well. But I still to this day am unhappy with the fact I laughed at him before helping him. But then, I am human and he was so very funny.

 

[Bridgette]

I'm always laughing at inappropriate things. It's a personal vice and I try not to, but sometimes you just can't help the giggles.

Although, the metal picture you painted with your experience gave me a good chuckle. See, there I go again....

 

[IggyPepito]

One time, after I got my second knee replacement, I was getting home PT to help me get full use back in my knee. The therapist came to the house three times a week. One day when he came, my Mom wasn't feeling well, so I took the therapist into the birdroom so we wouldn't disturb her nap. It never occurred to me he might be afraid of the birds and quite a few of them were loose in the room at the time. Unfortunately, my Meyers cock, Hobbs, had a terrible sense of humor and his favorite trick was to land on someone's shoulder from behind them and shriek in the person's ear as he landed. He did it to that poor therapist who was suddenly jumping around like a bucking bronco shrieking, "Get if off me! Get it off me!" Hobbs, happy with his prank, flew off and sat on his play gym chortling. Unfortunately, I did burst out laughing at the sight of this six foot tall, physically fit guy acting like a panicked little girl because a harmless little bird landed on his shoulder. It took me a minute or two to calm the guy down and the poor guy was trembling. I apologized for laughing at him immediately took him out of the birdroom. I was afraid I had hurt his feelings.

Luckily, the next time he came, he asked for me to take him back in the birdroom and introduce him to Hobbs. Which I did, and the guy learned a little about parrots that day. Hobbs, true to his bad boy attitude, promptly nipped him instead of taking the treat from the therapist. The therapist then told me that he was angry when he first left my house that day. But the more he thought about what had happened, the funnier it seemed to him. So instead of holding a grudge, the guy asked to meet Hobbs. He also said it gave him a good anecdotal story to tell on himself to help put new clients at ease during their initial evaluation and beginning therapy.

Luckily, it all came out well. But I still to this day am unhappy with the fact I laughed at him before helping him. But then, I am human and he was so very funny.

Oh my, poor guy! haha That does sound like a funny story though. Sweet that he wanted to be introduced to your bird though afterwards! I guess it would be quite frightening to have a strange bird land on your shoulder and yell in your ear. lol If you didn't expect it anyways. I like that story.