My Fiance' is scared of Birds!!

[bird_luver24]

Ok, So My fiance'(Eric) is interactive with all my animals! He walks them with me, helps to feed and water them, Plays with them daily, and just loves them as much as I do. But, I guess when I was telling Cathy the other night about him being interactive with my new lovie I thought he would be. But, come to find out tonight he is kind of scared of birds! :eek: I explained to him that they are just like any other pet and can be just as much fun as any other animal!! I think we all were there at one time or another thinking that birds couldnt possibly make good pets and all they would be good for is to sit in the cage and look pretty. But, come to find out that they do have a HUGE mind of their own and can make just absolutely wonderful and rewarding pets!
I also explained to him that my new lovie is very sweet and is tame and I really want my Fiance' to be a part of this lovies life. He/She is going to be apart of ours for the next 15-20 years so, I think we both need to be apart of his/hers.
I probably shouldnt be so worried, it is kind of comical that he is scared of birds. :rolleyes:
Any Ideas on how to bring him around? Has any of your family members not accepted one of your birds or was scared of them?...

[Susan27]

I have read a few posters on here says they have family/friends afraid of birds. So there is probably lots of good advice in here for socializing your fiance.

I am terrible with my friends who are bird shy. I would put Kiko on them and she used to be so curious. It only took a few minutes for my friends to get used to her, as they pulled their shirts over their faces. I wouldn't recommend my method. I think in another thread, an owner's lovie (no names of course...cough...Dave..cough cough) landed on a scared friends head. He proceeded to tell his lovie to poop on said friends head...this is another method I wouldn't recommend...as darn funny as it is!!!:rofl:

I guess this is the opposite of lovies being hand/people shy.

Good luck

ps. Don't rent Alfred Hitchcocks 'The Birds' I don't think this will help the situation.

[bird_luver24]

LOL! :rofl:
Yeah, I dont think Alfred Hitchcocks movie would help at all. In fact I dont think that he would even go with me to get the bird...lol..
I did read Daves thread about Ditto landing on his friends head...lol...I definately dont think this is a way to gain erics trust with the bird either...
Although, I would have to laugh!! :lol
I will check the archives!! Thanks! lol ;) I didnt even think to look there..:rolleyes:

[Mummieeva]

It is not that my husband is scared. More fact my birds do not like him..lol. My birds are mine and I am rather selfish about them. My husband has his cat and I have my birds. Only myself and my daughter care for them. I would not push it just allow him to get use to the idea.





Steph

[Christine9]

I say just give it time. Lovebirds have such intriguing personalities, plus he'll be able to watch you and see there is nothing to be afraid of. I'll bet he will be hooked in no time to your little hookbill. :D Good luck!

[BarbieH]

Hi Kelly;

I think Eric just needs to be socialized. :) To the birds, that is. ;) Let him go at his own pace, just like we do with our birds. Encourage him to sit near the bird cage and talk to them. Eat your meals near the cage, but without telling him why you are doing it. The birds will start to eat when you guys eat, and then you can say, "Hey! The birds have accepted you into the flock!"

Let him go at his own pace when it comes to handling them. If he's nervous, the birds will sense it. Acknowledge his right to go slowly. Most people really are afraid of birds when it comes down to it. But bird lovers seem to flock together, so it looks out of place when someone who is frightened is around.

So, go slow and be patient. :) Let Eric join the flock at his own pace.

Best wishes,

[Janie]

I say just give it time. Lovebirds have such intriguing personalities, plus he'll be able to watch you and see there is nothing to be afraid of. I'll bet he will be hooked in no time to your little hookbill. :D Good luck!

Ditto! :D My hubby was freaked out when we first got Oliver. He thought he was really cute but did not feel comfortable in the beginning when Oliver landed on him. Now? I walked in the kitchen yesterday and all three were on him. :lol Secretly, I know he's pleased as punch that Big Boi and Shy will fly to him since they are both very shy towards everyone but me. :) He still won't "hold" them, not even Oliver and I know it's because they are so small and he's afraid his touch could hurt them.

[Christine9]

He still won't "hold" them, not even Oliver and I know it's because they are so small and he's afraid his touch could hurt them.

I think he's read Of Mice and Men too many times. ;)

[Eliza]

I've met folks who are afraid of birds, much like folks who are afraid of snakes or insects. Interestingly enough, many never had an first person encounter w/ the animal they feared... but sometimes, all it takes is an insect in your salad, a snake on your patio or a bird in your face to freak you out.

I would suggest SLOWLY introducing your fiance to the bird. There's no need for him to start handling the lovie right away... or even start feeding the bird. Have him sit near the cage, maybe reading the lovie a book (I kid you not -- I hear that reading to birdies is a good thing, too). Gradually move his chair closer over time. When your fiance is cool with that, he can move on to changing the bird's food or water. When he's comfortable with that, see if he's OK with you placing the bird on his hand or arm.

Best of luck,

-e-

[LauraKGN]

My husband wasn't scared but he wasn't really a bird "fan" at first! But the other day one of my lovies, Tokkori, hurt his toe (he's fine!) and my husband was great with him. Now Tokkori seems to love my husband the most!

[Z28Taxman]

LOL! :rofl:
Yeah, I dont think Alfred Hitchcocks movie would help at all. In fact I dont think that he would even go with me to get the bird...lol..
I did read Daves thread about Ditto landing on his friends head...lol...I definately dont think this is a way to gain erics trust with the bird either...
Although, I would have to laugh!! :lol
I will check the archives!! Thanks! lol ;) I didnt even think to look there..:rolleyes:


I'll start the chant. Poop! Poop! Poop! :evil:

[Tango's_Mom]

ok you guys are gona laugh at this, I used to be terrified ...... of...... are you ready.......budgies, had one escape the cage and go flying around the office at the boarding kennel where I worked then start dive bombing my head, and that pretty much turned me off of birds, for a while, but when I started looking into my own pet, originally I wanted a rat, my mother will never let a rat into the house, I had also kind of been looking at button quails (which of course come nowhere near resembling a budgie), and when I mentioned this to a friend who had a lovebird and a conure she recommended getting a lovebird, now I had yet to meet her lovie, but the conure was viscious (towards anyone but her) plus to the untrained eye, lovies don't seem that different from budgies, so I forgot about that idea. So anyways, when it was getting close to the time where I would be able to get this as yet unidentified pet, I started doing my homework, looked at ferrets, a few other things, then started seriously looking at button quails and decided pretty quickly they were not the kind of pet I was looking for, at which point I remembered my friends advise, and looked into lovies, and well here I am, it's been 3 1/2 months and I have definately been bit by the birdy bug and one nippy little birdy beak (many times) and I'm lovin' every minute of it.

So I guess the moral of this novel, is, be careful what you wish for, or you may end up with another bird lover in the house, before you know it you'll have to have enough birds to satisfy 2 birdy addicts.

[LauraO]

So I guess the moral of this novel, is, be careful what you wish for, or you may end up with another bird lover in the house, before you know it you'll have to have enough birds to satisfy 2 birdy addicts.

This is how it is in my house. My hubby is sometimes a bigger sucker than me. Did I mention we have over 20 birds:x :x .

[Buy A Paper Doll]

My niece is terrified of my birds. She is a veterinary technician. Give her a grumpy rottweiler any day of the week, but a little bitty birdy? Forget it.

One day Milo was out visiting and he climbed up onto my niece's shoulder. From there he realized she had the most innnnteresting round things on her face. (Those would be her glasses.) Intrigued, he stood on tiptoe to get a closer look. He opened his beak to taste them and suddenly there was screaming. That's Milo's version of the story, anyway.

My niece's version of the story is that he went for her eyes. All she saw was a closeup of a lovebird beak coming at her eyes with only her glasses to protect her from certain blindness. :lol

Now Milo knows that when he goes to lick the glasses there is much excitement so he should try to do it whenever the opportunity arises. :roll: ~sigh~ Lovebirds....