What have you given up for your birds?

Have you had to give up anything? Make any lifestyle changes that you weren't anticipating? Did you give up having a perfectly decorated and clean-all-the-time home? A favorite activity? A partner who didn't see eye-to-eye with you on the "bird thing?" A house plant that wasn't bird friendly? Your favorite spray deodorant/perfume/cleaning products?

Before you got your bird, did you know you would be making these changes or did they come unexpectedly? Have you replaced what you gave up with something else?

I'm curious how having a bird/birds impacts people's lives, or if it impacts them at all. I'm also interested in knowing whether any changes made as a result of having a bird are considered good or bad (in general).
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I'm interested mainly because I want to know if I'm, well... not normal, that's already been determined! But I'm interested in knowing if I'm... I guess I just want to know if everyone else who loves their birds is like me! (In the important ways! LOL!)

Most of the things I've given up, I knew I'd have to give up. Teflon pans and cookware wasn't that big of a deal. Getting rid of things like lysol and ammonia to clean was. I knew I'd have a chronically dirty floor, no matter how much vacuuming. I didn't anticipate never sleeping past 7 a.m. again.

Vicki5280 wrote:

Make any lifestyle changes that you weren't anticipating?

I wouldn't say lifestyle, but I can't watch TV in living room after dark. Otherwise Mango start singing, which affects all of them to not sleeping and Chico wakes up starting with: WEE WEE! So I watch TV in the bedroom. No big deal.

Vicki5280 wrote:

Your favorite spray deodorant/perfume/cleaning products?

All of sprays, plug in smells, candles, carpet powder, etc. - also no big deal.

Vicki5280 wrote:

A partner who didn't see eye-to-eye with you on the "bird thing?" A house plant that wasn't bird friendly?

I choose bf wisely, he loves animals as much as I, so I'm pretty sure in the future we'll have a jungle at home

Vicki5280 wrote:

Before you got your bird, did you know you would be making these changes or did they come unexpectedly? Have you replaced what you gave up with something else?

Hm, my first bird was Mango taken from the house we was cleaning. I even didn't know what kind of parrot he/she is at that time. I learned fast- cute troublemaker

Vicki5280 wrote:

I'm curious how having a bird/birds impacts people's lives, or if it impacts them at all. I'm also interested in knowing whether any changes made as a result of having a bird are considered good or bad (in general).
:
I'm interested mainly because I want to know if I'm, well... not normal, that's already been determined! But I'm interested in knowing if I'm... I guess I just want to know if everyone else who loves their birds is like me! (In the important ways! LOL!)

You are still wondering if you're normal? You wake up and start talking to them, you escape from some meeting to be with your birds, you don't buy things for yourself and instead you buy toys/etc for your birds, you spend late evenings with another parrots maniacs instead of sleeping, you follow craig list almost every day, etc, etc.. If that what is normal- we're still normal. If not, as henpecked said:"we need a shrink!"

Margaret wrote:

If not, as henpecked said:"we need a shrink!"

I have a shrink. Well, I have two. A therapist and a psychiatrist. Both recommended more birds.

Clearly, they did not get the memo that true bird people want every bird they see, spend hours online researching, buy toys and food for their birds instead of things for themselves..

KayLayUh wrote:

Margaret wrote:

If not, as henpecked said:"we need a shrink!"

I have a shrink. Well, I have two. A therapist and a psychiatrist. Both recommended more birds.(...)

O, that's the best excuse to have another one bird

Margaret wrote:

O, that's the best excuse to have another one bird

I was only allowed to have Cheney Bird because both doctors said he'd serve well as a therapy bird.

I gave up a lot of my free time and money and energy. I spend so much of everything more on them than on me.

I was only allowed to have Cheney Bird because both doctors said he'd serve well as a therapy bird. [/quote]

That's cool! I'm curious as to why they suggested a bird, instead of a dog or cat? I'm just asking because I would have thought that dogs or cats are more common (although that may not be correct).

Jan wrote:

That's cool! I'm curious as to why they suggested a bird, instead of a dog or cat? I'm just asking because I would have thought that dogs or cats are more common (although that may not be correct).

Well, it was actually my idea. I had already had Pigpen and No Name without my landlord knowing and I was really interested in adding to my flock. In order to adopt from the rescue, I needed to have landlord permission to have a pet. The only way to get landlord permission was with a medical necessity or a ridiculously high fee.

I figure, hey, I'm crazy anyway. May as well use it for something. So I told my therapist that I was thinking of adding another bird and what the deal was. She said she thought it sounded like a wonderful idea, especially since the two I already have are well taken care of and force me to get out of bed when I'm depressed and focus on something when I'm manic.

I love cats, but with a cat you can just lay in bed with them all day and do nothing. There'd be no use in getting a pet for a "therapy" purpose like that. And I really don't like dogs. But the birds force me to get out of bed to make their breakfast and dinner, they break out of their cages and come hang out with me when I'm not paying enough attention to them, they require daily newspaper changes and water changes.

It works well. I've been out of medication for about two weeks now while I've been waiting for my insurance issues to be cleared up. (Do you know how much crazy people pay for medications? Jeez.) I've found that I'm much more likely to actually get out of bed, my hallucinations (which I'm prone to without medication) aren't as severe, and I can focus my energy on taking care of them rather than the self destructive behaviors that are common with bipolar disorder.

Since the kids have left home josie doesn't travel as much,and stays home with the birds, that's the biggest change. Before, the kids could take care of the birds and josie and i would load up jake and go.

Now Kaylayuh - if you could hook us up with a therapist who'll give us a group discount, that would be impressive!

Given up - the ability to vacation at will, the funds to vacation, the ability to leave the house without multiple containers of birds, the ability to leave the house without water and formula. Um, so for me, I'm a chronic mother. I just don't have to change diapers, I change bedding.

I can't say I mind. Ask my family members though. . .

patdbunny wrote:

Now Kaylayuh - if you could hook us up with a therapist who'll give us a group discount, that would be impressive!

My therapist has group sessions! I'm sure she could squeeze all of us in.

That said, I don't go to those because the people are obnoxious. And, you know, I'm not a people person.

Quote :

My therapist has group sessions! I'm sure she could squeeze all of us in.

I used to have a therapist that did telephone sessions. We should all call in to your therapist for a group PAA (Parrot Addicts Anonymous) session!

Your therapist will probably back out of the room slowly. . . and stop taking your calls.

patdbunny wrote:

Quote :

My therapist has group sessions! I'm sure she could squeeze all of us in.

I used to have a therapist that did telephone sessions. We should all call in to your therapist for a group PAA (Parrot Addicts Anonymous) session!

Your therapist will probably back out of the room slowly. . . and stop taking your calls.

LOL. I tend not to call her. Actually, I don't think I've ever called her. I only go to the sessions I absolutely have to. The waiting room at their offices is packed with really, really annoying people. It stresses me out and I end up getting worse every time I have to sit there for a long time.

So far, I don't feel like I've given up too much either, but if I look at it objectively I've probably given up more than I realize - it just doesn't feel like much. I've given up completing puzzles with all the pieces intact. I've given up having floors without bird-poo on them (I clean up after the birds, nobody else does). I've given up sleeping in, though I still do that more than I should.

I've given up scented candles, spray deodorant (I DO miss that), salt (surprisingly don't miss that!), and furniture without sheets covering it (miss that too). I've ALSO given up having a quiet house most of the day (thanks to Bucky), but that doesn't bother me as much as it bothers my husband. There are times when he's squawking incessantly, my son is playing his game thing, my husband is on his computer, and my daughter is watching a movie in the kitchen while she's cooking that I want to run out the door screaming - but when it's just the birds I really don't mind it. Bucky's noise bothers hubby more than it bothers me.

I'm sure there's more, but I just can't think of it right now. I guess that tells you how important it is!

Ive been lucky so far. My birds are integrated into my life and I havent given anything up. But again one bir refuses to leave her cage so shes easy o care for (I just leave Shiva alone unless Im working on her bad habits like biting) and my tiel is so young that I just tote her around every where to expose her to as much as possible. Tomorrow she's going to the beach



(ps. Im using a work computer and the keys on the keyboard stick so bare with me.. I know it seems like I cant spell but I promise Im educated)

I don't feel like I've given up anything and gained so much. I've met so many great people and without the birds, that would never have happened.

small things like candles and incense. I don't have quite the freedom to do all the things I'd like(like taking some trips) but hey I love my bird and she's always here for me so thats a small sacrifice. I can always get someone to look after her if it is really important for me to go somewhere. Plus rainbow fits into my life style ridiculously well.

I really gave up nothing but real estate didn't fall into all the "girl" thing and just as well... didn't care about the perfect home it should be used...iI am sitting here and Stacie is busting out laughing I asked her if she was any trouble LOl. A shrink.... I like my birds just the size they are and I have a couple of corners and cages open should anyone need a loving home. I am blessed beyond measure and am no where near normal...I am happy and covered in feathers