Why are some of us good "bird people"?

[Kenny]

Do you ever wonder why you love and connect with birds, while others don't?

I have no expertise on this question; I have only my personal experience so I would love to hear your thoughts.

Significant to my experience is, birds are fear-based beings.
They must be delicious because they have been hunted for millions of years.
Fear, suspicion and caution must be deep within in their DNA, even after several generations of life as pets in loving homes.
A few generations does not erase a zillion generations of survival instinct, where careless, trusting birds got eaten but careful birds got to breed more.

I was abused as a child long ago and I understand fear on a gut level.
I had an alcoholic father who'd come home from the bar at 2 AM, wake us up and literally abuse and torture all us four kids and my mom.
I'm over 50 now and years of therapy have help me find a happy life for myself, but I wonder if one reason I really connect with parrots is my sympathy and understanding of living in a universe of fear and impending doom.

With birds I instinctively do whatever alleviates their fears.
I talk before entering his room and move slowly.
I say, "Step Up" a few seconds before moving my hand towards the bird.
I put a new toy in his view several feet away and him approach it when ready.
When I'm in another room I'll hum so the bird knows I'm okay and nearby.

I feel an enormous sense of peace and satisfaction when I have won his trust by coming to me and putting his head down for affection.

This thread is not about me or about child abuse.
Mine is just one story.

Anyone can get a dog to love them.
After all, dogs have been bred for thousands of years to please humans; the ones that didn't did not get selected for breeding.
But getting a parrot to connect with you is quite an accomplishment.
What do YOU feel explains why some people are good bird people?
On the other hand, what is it about some people that makes them NOT compatible with parrots?

[Michael]

I love to fly and would not dream of taking that away from my feathered friends!



I think it begins with a fundamental love and admiration of birds (as opposed to "cause it's cheaper/easier than a dog but almost as good" mentality). You have to want to have a parrot for the right reasons to really appreciate them.

[Kenny]

I love to fly and would not dream of taking that away from my feathered friend. s

I can appreciate that.
I have a friend in Brooklyn who has 14 lovebirds who are free to fly around his apartment, and when I visit him I get it.

Our house is from the 1920s so it is full of lead paint that Puppy, the Senegal, would certainly chew on.
There are windows and mirrors to fly into that would break his neck, toilets to drown in, stoves to get burned on and two dogs that I do not trust when I'm not home.

I would never make decisions that may take life away from my feathered friend.
If I am to violate nature by keeping a pet I feel responsibility for his safety.
BTW, he has never flown from birth.

[GlassOnion]

Something that bothers me about dogs, is that they're the ideal, well bred, manufactured pets, rather than creatures with free spirit. Dogs to me, are more like products than animals. I like the fact that birds have a mind of their own, and I respect that.

[Cage Cleaner]

How about just not wanting a mammalian pet? I recently had to deal w/ my cat being indoors after being neutered and OMG that was more than enough of a reason for why I never want an indoors mammal as a pet.

That, and I've just never connected w/ dogs. Cats, yes, but never dogs. I remember wanting my first bird at 11 years old, and absolutely insisting on a bird. At the time I didn't have any relatives that had birds, and really probably have never even seen that many of them in person. But it had to be a bird.

But what the OP posts is pretty interesting. I am also a believer of past lives, so who knows what countless experiences could have piled up there, too.

[pennyandrocky]

my birds have always been flighted and have never flown into a window and broken it's neck, never flown anywhere near an open toilet(no reason to be in the bathroom unless showering it has a lid when they are in there) never had one offer himself up for dinner by flying into a boiling pot. my cousin gave me my greencheek because she blaimed him for pushing her other clipped greencheek out of the cage where he was ripped apart by her 2 dogs, i have a dog and never had a bird ripped apart by her.

[HungryBird]

Something that bothers me about dogs, is that they're the ideal, well bred, manufactured pets, rather than creatures with free spirit. Dogs to me, are more like products than animals. I like the fact that birds have a mind of their own, and I respect that.

Haha, come meet my dog! I don't care for ideal, well bred, manufactured pets. My dog has oodles of free spirit and I need a dog like that. A dog that can think for himself. When I tell him to do something or not to do something I can see him thinking about it. "Should I listen or is my human wrong?" I need a dog that is independent and still somewhat wild. My dog is a cute little thing but he has a very savage side to him that shocks people who don't know him. I like dogs that remember why humans and dogs came together in the first place, because we both can do things for one another. I feed you and you guard me. Not all dogs were bred to be social family dogs and when people try to keep dogs like that as pets (I'm thinking Caucasian Ovcharka or Karelian Bear Dog) in an area where there are tons of people and nothing to guard you get huge problems. I love both of those dogs but I live in a city and could never have one here.

I am also not a person who didn't want a non-mammalian pet. I had always wanted birds but never had any. My parents didn't want birds. I didn't even mean to get any. Squeaky was my first birdie and it was an emergency situation.

I guess I just love animals. I've had a bunch of different pets. I'm a huge dog person and will always have dogs. I've known this forever. After getting Squeaky I learned I will probably always have birds too. I may not always have five though. Of course if I move to the country all bets are off. My maximum amount of dogs to own will shoot up from two to four or five and my maximum number of birds will shoot up if I have land to build an aviary and a big enough house to have at least one bird room. And I will have tons of rabbits and probably some goats too. And donkeys.

I agree with you about the fear factor but I don't have the same personal experience. I think my thing is that I like nurturing. I have a very nurturing personality, something you would never think by looking at me. I love caring for other things and figuring out what I can do to make them happier. I love it when the birds are excited over a new toy or treat. I love it when I bring home a curly chew toy for my dog and he smiles up at me. I love it when something is wrong with one of my pets and they come to me for help. My dog stepped on a sticky and disgusting lollipop on the street and he held his foot up for me so I could take it off. When the birds get stuck somewhere (I'm looking at you Squeaky the explorer) they were always happy to have me come over and help. Even before they liked me. They knew what time to be a pain and what time to actually listen and recognize that I was helping them. I like making them secure and not afraid of things. Romeo and Juliet are very nervous in general and I like that they are not nervous around me. They aren't afraid of me or my boyfriend.

I don't know. The difference between the way Squeaky was when I first got him and the way he is now is astonishing. He would try to bite you through the bars of the cage and was super aggressive and terrified all at once. I love seeing him so happy and well adjusted now. He is so friendly and sweet and it frustrates me to think of all the "mean" birds that are really just unhappy.

[GlassOnion]

Oh, I absolutely LOVED my australian cattle dog who died last month. But.. that's only ONE dog. All the others I've met seem to fit into the generic category.... But everyone says their dog is special!

[HungryBird]

My dog is special...

Goes in a corner to cry...

[gabbagabbawill]

I have grown up with cats and dogs and have always been more of a fish person, scuba diving since I was 16 and currently with very large elaborate reef aquarium.

Though I had never before had much interest in other birds, I have always wanted a companion parrot. Getting Jello has completely changed the world around me. I now have a new found appreciation for all birds, and I find myself watching, listening and attempting to identify the ones around my house. I've gotten a bird feeder outside so more wild birds visit. I'm watching nature shows about birds and find myself in awe of them. I guess I wasn't really a "bird person" until Jello opened my eyes to it. I'll never see the world the same way again, and I can thank him for that.