Hi all. OK, tell me if I am the only one getting that reaction from people when I tell them I am getting a bird? I am a hairstylist and have heard everything from, "ew.birds are dirty" to "aren't you nervous about the avian flu?" Seriously. I am so glad I have found this forum of people who share in my love of birds. People just don't get it! Thanks for being here!

thats all i hear at work ....they think im cray the way i treat my bird....it gets me mad that people think birds are meant to stay in a cage and when i tell them i take him out u should see their faces...only bird people understand

I'm always amazed that people are surprised that the birds come out of their cages! LOL But I have a friend and she was always - "birds are so noisy and dirty" because growing up she had a friend with several parakeets - and every time she went to her house - there ware bird seed and droppings all over and they never did anything with the birds apparently - besides look at them. So she grew up with thinking all birds were noisy and dirty. Since she's been to my house a few times - she now has started to think they're pretty cool - and not so noisy and dirty. Most people just don't have a clue!

Well what do you do when they poop on you?
"I wipe it off"
I hear there messy.
"why yes they can be"
Birds bite.
"so do words"
Aren't you worried about Bird Flu.
"no more or less than you".
Birds are noisy.
"hows your dog"?
Birds carry diseases.
"no more than humans".

Keeping, Caring for, Loving Birds is a passion, Not many are successful when it comes to keeping a bird as a pet, they come to find out that having a bird is simply put "to demanding", welcome to the re-home world.

There is a false belief that plagues the animal kingdom, "Mankind is the master of all animals", the animals have Mastered themself, this is something that Mankind has yet to learn and more importantly, EXCEPT.

Love it ARty.

I get the same thing, mostly from my family (my friends already thought I was off the beam, but they actually love to see, hear and get bit by the birds). My family thinks they're too loud, too messy, too mean (one bit my sister for poking at it with her finger), too much work, too expensive, yada, yada, yada. I just sit and ignore them and their complaints. Their pets don't say "love you" like mine do and give them kisses when they wake each morning. They don't know what they're missing.

I think we all hear those comments. I guess I'm lucky. I work in the Biology Department at a college, so nobody thinks it's strange to have birds. We even have some there. Everybody there likes it when I take a bird in to work with me. Someone else brought a lamb in last week, so a bird seems normal.
It is just easier if you can find some bird friends to hang out with in real life. Then everyone else who doesn't have birds seems weird.

That type of reaction always makes me think of the poem Lisa B has stickeyed up top "Just a Bird"

If they have to ask, they'll never understand!

Yep I have gotten that reaction alot! People always say negative things until they meet one of my birds and then they at least understand how much of a pet they can really be. People have misconceptions about birds. They think they are just to look at, and why would someone have a messy, expensive pet that they can only look at? I have converted one of my friends who when I got my first bird was like "Why?!". She would literally scream if Doyle came near her. She now loves him and holds him and gives him kisses. Now she really wants one but her hubby says no.

yeah sometimes I laugh at the way people will cock their head to the side and look at me like I'm stupid. "you mean, like a bird?" lol