05/06/2026
Let's talk a little bit about one thing I've had happen multiple times during meet & greets that I am uncomfortable with and is likely to leave a negative feeling after the appointment is over. In some situations, it may be the deciding factor in whether you are selected as the adopter for the bird.
Many of the birds that are in our care have been abused, neglected, and/or mistreated. Not all of them, but many have not been treated the best. ALL of the birds in our care have been moved from a home they knew to a new place (our rescue) with new sounds, new routines, new people, etc. This is a big transition for many of the birds and a scary one for many of them. While I typically wait a minimum of 30 days before I begin allowing visitors for each bird, the 30 day period is not always enough for the bird to fully relax and begin trusting in humans again. In fact, it can sometimes takes months/years for this to happen.
Because of this, I will often tell people that they may or may not get to hold or even touch the bird during the meet & greet. If I feel like the bird will respond positively to this interaction, I will happily allow it. If not, I will provide clear direction on what you can/can't do with the bird. When you come to the meet & greet, you are a new face, new personality, etc. to the bird. It takes me months to get many of these birds to trust me. You are not going to accomplish this trust in the first 30 minutes you meet the bird, so please do not expect that to happen.
I have had multiple people ignore my instruction not to touch/reach for the bird, which has caused some frustration on my end. If I can't trust you to respect my boundaries, how can I trust that you are going to respect the bird's boundaries when they are in your home? My goal is to find their forever home. Having people that I can trust plays a huge role in that success.
Think of the meet & greet like it is an interview for a job. If you did not follow an employer's directions during the interview, are they likely to hire you? Probably not. The interview is the first time they are getting to see you in action. If you can't follow simple directions when you are supposed to be at your best, how is the employer going to trust that you will meet the requirements of the job on a full-time basis?
The rules/boundaries are in place for a reason. The birds look super cute and cuddly, but many are not. These are not cats and dogs. You cannot expect them to react like the cats/dogs at your local shelter. Prior to the meet & greets I have taken the time to get to know these birds, their comfort levels, and what they react to. I do not want you to get hurt when they react by biting you. I don't want to scare the bird anymore than they are probably already scared. I don't want to stress the bird or backtrack on any progress I've made with them either. One wrong step and the whole process starts over for some of these birds. If you want to make a positive impression on the bird and myself, please follow the simple directions that I give for your appointment. I love these birds, want to protect them, and want them to be happy. Everything I do is to ensure this goal is met for each bird at Feathers Galore.
