I know EXACTLY what you mean! Too many folks think "birds smell" --ohh, I've heard that so many times! People ask me how we live in the house with them. It's funny--I invite them over and they are shocked that the walls are not covered in down and droppings.

I work in a hospital, and I get the looks from staff members when anyone asks me about my parrots. I presume the think I'm 'weird' but that's okay by me! I do have one ace in the hole; our neurosurgeon is a parrot owner himself, who, like me, has a caique, amazon, and a quaker. I have those and then some! So if you can group me in the company of neurosurgeouns and the likes of the bunch here, then strange or weird is what I love to be!

You know, they never really understand until they start allowing themselves to be in the company of parrots. Until they do, they just don't get it. Our little secret.