This bird is NOT for sale!

[Pajarita]

:p!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! E.t.c.

I have NO idea what this means....

[patti]

Thanks for this thread... so true. sometimes we put ourselves at risk just by exercising our freedom, and you have to weigh those risks when you step out of your door (or sit on your porch). but at the same time, if something bad were to happen, the responsibility falls on the shoulders of the person who did the wrong, not the one who "should have known" something or took some sort of risk that is within their right and freedom to take. that's what i think is wrong with our society - my two cents. while we claim to value freedom and integrity in words, we put our money in hostile mergers and split labor markets where anything goes. that sets a bad example for the next generation, who then drive up steal our parrots. and think that it is okay, because our culture has subtlely convincced them it is acceptable.

i get constant attention with my bird out in public. most are people who pretend they are at the zoo for a moment. i warn everyone that she bites real hard sometimes, even though she is always sweet as pie.

[Pajarita]

I agree with you 100%, Patti. The ultimate responsibility does fall on the person who did the wrong thing but, in my personal case, if I did something that ended up having a real bad result, regardless of whose responsibility it really is, I would feel terribly guilty about it and berate myself for been naïve and trusting. Do you remember Ethan Patz? If you don't, he was a 6 year old that was kidnapped in NYC while walking by himself to the school bus stop which was only 2 blocks away or something like that. Now, obviously, it was the kidnapper that did the wrong thing but I bet you anything his mother feels guilt every day of her life for allowing him to walk those two 'safe' blocks on his own. Me, I don't take risks when it comes to my animals. None of my dogs ever goes out without a leash and my cats and birds don't leave the house unless they are in a carrier, I have buffer zones (a mud room to the backyard and a closed in porch in the front) so no dog or cat can zoom out between my legs, the property has a 6 ft privacy fence all around with a gate placed 15 ft from the sidewalk (so people cannot walk by and grab one of my little dogs) at the driveway which is not only kept closed at all times but also has a chain with a lock securing it (I have large dogs and I am always afraid one of them would push it open and run out to the street). And I don't even allow my grandkids to walk on their own to their parent's car waiting at the curb unless I am right there with them. I do NOT take risks with my babies.

[liz]

I don't take mine in public. Too many things out there to hurt them including germs.
Almost all the people who come here and see my kids say they want one. I try to discourage them by saying there is a lot of work involved in there care.
Because Rambo runs with the dogs they think all they have to do is get one and turn it loose in the house and it will be like him. They don't realize that each one has it's own personality.

[marie83]

Nobody is inviting anybody by going about their lives minding their own business. Others should mind their own business and because they don't does that mean we should all hide away and never speak to anyone? Sorry but I intend to go about my life as I see fit, nobody is going to take my freedom from me again and my pets/future step children/family will not be allowed to suffer because I'm scared.

Anyone out with an animal is at risk. Probably the ones out walking dogs are more at risk than the parrots as usually dog thefts are planned and way more common rather than opportunistic even if they don't know the exact dog they are going to target they usually know where to wait and how to get away. You don't see parrots often so are less at risk because the shock of seeing them, you may get the odd idiot and it would be quite simple to follow you home and wait for the next time you go out with the bird. Anyone out carrying a handbag is at risk, anyone out alone in the dark is at risk, any child playing outside is at risk, old people are at risk....

This thread has made me angry tbh. Jaydeparrot has obviously assessed the risks and is doing what she can to minimize them without being to restrictive on herself and her parrot.

[Pajarita]

You are right, it's a sad state of affairs but nowadays, almost everything that we used to take for granted as 'normal and safe activity' constitutes a risk. It depends on the individual what measures you are willing to take to minimize it.

[chika]

i kind of understand why she thought that you could buy that bird because it is a very rare sight to see someone walking a bird and i think you said you were in a store so it would probably seem you were advertizing a tame bird. but then again i would have been offended too if someone asked me to buy my bird. i would probably have said " over my dead body!" and walked away. or i would probably walk away because i dont know her

[Michael Reynolds]

I am well known in my area for walking around with a parrot or two no harness and free to fly my Beryl a male is with me most of the time and yes the amount of offers that I get to sell him at times I have been offered over a Thousand pounds more than once. but he is very handle able by the young and the old trained in all noise and public events if I get asked that question I normally reply look he is free to do what he wants. originally wild not feral and not clipped and not harnessed he was not aviary or captured bred it is his choice to be with me. I love the people I meet and some of the questions I get asked including Is it a budgie? or are you scared it will fly off but the one that got me the most is a chap came up to me and said "birds should be in cages and not out on the street" I just replied "So should a lot of humans"

[Wolf]

Great answer.

[Pajarita]

Yes, the answer is great and the sentiment behind it even better but walking around on the streets with people and traffic with one or two unharnessed birds is not what I would call responsible, my dear. I don't meant to hurt your feelings or criticize but you are putting your friends at risk for no good reason.