Dumbest questions people ask about your parrot?

[Erithacus]

I used to get dumb questions from people in street when they saw my Grey.

1. Is that a pigeon?
2. Your parrot will look beautiful when it changes color to green, red and etc.
3. Did you dye its tail red?

Another stupid guy I really wanted to scold him when I was hiking with my Grey. He said, "set your bird free. Let her fly away". What an idiot!

[YungAndintrigued]

Haha!! is that a pigeon !!

[JadeW]

I don't consider myself a dumb person, but I haven't even had Cas for 2 months and I'm sure I still have questions that must seem ridiculous. I don't have a whole lot of bird intelligence yet, but I want to learn! What is frustrating is when you come across people who are arrogant, think they know everything. I'm currently working customer service and more often then not I do go home with a headache from stupidity...

That said, I think people who actually want to learn and are doing so are much less infuriating than they could be

[penelope's person]

I'm a high school English and Biology teacher. Maybe it's my background, but I honestly believe that there is no dumb question, ever. To me, a question indicates that the person is engaged, interested, and wants an answer. Once they have an answer, they won't ask the question again (unless it's about Shakespeare).

Look, I have been asked some things by 17-year-olds that they should have learned in grade 4, but the bottom line is, they are where they are, and if I ever want to get them moving forward, I have to meet them in grade 4 and answer the question. Then, I tell them where to find more information. It's not spoonfeeding, it's educating. Answering a question with sarcasm doesn't help anybody learn anything, except perhaps, that you have the ability to be a sarcastic jerk.

I used to be a very sarcastic and snide 'i'm so superior' person. Then I realized it not only makes others feel stupid, it left me feeling tired, cranky, and unsatisfied with the world.

[Michael]

Yes but it is your job. Others of us have no obligation to answer any questions in the first place. So being asked the same pointless questions begins to get frustrating. For the most part these people do not own a parrot, will not own a parrot, and I would feel like a real jerk if I in any way convinced them to own a parrot. It may seem selfish but I really don't think most people should own a parrot. But when I do see a dedicated and loving owner (like the people on this forum), I am just absolutely thrilled that these birds are getting a good home.

[tacotaco]

I think a lot of these peoples approaches are just wrong. The saying, "there are no stupid questions" ~ Only nice people say that (I'm not one of them lol I will admit when I'm asking a dumb one..)

Take the pigeon example: Instead of asking if someone's African Grey is a pigeon ~ if you're not sure then you should ask, "what type of bird is that?" People get too specific and assume when they really have no idea - thats what makes people look silly and thats what I think gets the person being asked frustrated.

Just my opinion

[MandyG]

The dumbest question I routinely get asked is the "is it real?" question. Mojo is never still enough to even come remotely close to looking like a toy!

I also get the "Wow, he's getting bigger! How long until he's fully grown?" question. And that one is from people that see him quite often that I've told multiple times over two years that he's full grown.

Another one that's really common isn't really the dumbest question, but it comes from the dumbest people. It's the "Does it bite?" question. Which in itself is not a dumb question, but when it's paired with somebody that's quickly reaching out to touch Mojo while they're asking the question it's really stupid! And then there's the people that keep trying to quickly touch him while he's not looking because they want to touch him even though I said he bites (which he usually doesn't, but I'd rather people think he does rather than try to grab him). I'm far from polite to those people.

[Michael]

Yeah the people who want to sneak a touch in because they're afraid of getting bitten are the ones that get bit! The parrot snaps at the fast motion. On the other hand the people that are deliberate and not scared can pet them just fine.

[lzver]

Another one that's really common isn't really the dumbest question, but it comes from the dumbest people. It's the "Does it bite?" question. Which in itself is not a dumb question, but when it's paired with somebody that's quickly reaching out to touch Mojo while they're asking the question it's really stupid! And then there's the people that keep trying to quickly touch him while he's not looking because they want to touch him even though I said he bites (which he usually doesn't, but I'd rather people think he does rather than try to grab him). I'm far from polite to those people.

Ran into this on the weekend. We had a group of people over for a barbecue from my husband's work on Saturday and I warned adults and children that they could look at the birds, but if you try to pet them I warned that they could get bitten.

There was a 10-year old there and he liked to push the envelope to see what he could get away with. He kept teasing Jessie (I think Lucy escaped the teasing because she's not the 'colorful' one - lucky for Lucy) and poking his fingers into his cage. I asked him if he insisted on doing it that he wash his hands first and then warned him again (and his mother) that he will probably get bitten.

Sure enough, Jessie had enough at one point and nailed the kid pretty good ... didn't draw blood, but he really chomped down on the kids finger. Even after warning the kid and mother numerous times, she told me I should keep the birds inside when kids are around to prevent kids from getting bitten. I apologized, but reminded them that they were warned. They were guests at our trailer ... Lucy and Jessie are part of our family. I said to my husband later that day after everyone left that I wonder if she thought it would be acceptable to lock her annoying kid away in the house while they had company. People have nerve!

[Natacha]

I said to my husband later that day after everyone left that I wonder if she thought it would be acceptable to lock her annoying kid away in the house while they had company. People have nerve!

Here here!

So agree with this. And truthfully, I think you did everything right. If it had been MY kid, I as a parent would have made him stop, specially after many warnings.
The nerve of saying that the birds should be kept inside...when you are invited somewhere and you are the guest, you go with what the people tell you. It's not like you had set Jessie on the kid, by what I can tell he remained in the cage all the time - more that I would have done had I been inside

Some kids....and parents...sigh.