Teaching Jaffa Not To Attack Birds

A.A.A.

Regular Member
Decided to teach Jaffa that birds can be ignored, I made the black headed caique toy to try use in a prank to convince my mum / sister that I'd bought a bird without permission (too proud of it so I showed it off when done).
Doesn't smell, sound or move like a bird, but looks a little like one so might work as early desensitization.
I love my fur ball & would like him to be around for years yet, but I would like a parrot (or parrots) sooner than that (only if I can be sure he's desensitized enough to ignore the cage & the breeder supplies birds accustomed to other animals).

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Figure this is the only time it's safe to put a bird on a cats back, the bird's beak can't hurt him, and I can tell him off if claws or teeth touch this one without it hurting another living thing.
Jaffa was just cuddling up next to me on the sofa (his favourite place to sit is beside me - never on my lap, but always touching me) as I finished sewing and was comfy enough to ignore me and my silly bird.
 
Thing is …. its in your cats DNA programming that birdies are prey and its in your birds DNA programming that cats are predators. A none moving toy is not the same as a living creature so your not desensitising unfortunately it doesn't work like that.
But I really do love the birdie sitting n your lovely cats back :)
Have you thought about making lots of them selling them and that way starting a "birdie fund" for the future?
 
I do know enough about biology to know it's not likely to work, I wouldn't risk that sort of contact with a real bird.
I'm actually in the middle of a mass crafting for a Christmas craft fair I'm doing in November (at Huddersfield University, the stall price raises money for a local hospice charity) so knitting gloves, hats, Christmas puddings (to go over ferreros), making ornaments, crackers & novelty survival kits, wreaths out of pine cones...

A bit too busy to make more parrots, plus can only sell them as ornamental if they're not heavily (and expensively) tested - someone at the fabric shop who used to make and sell toys told me.
 
ooo excellent knitting for a charity all for that one, especially with one of our Admin team Jude (TomsMum) passing away in a hospice on Tuesday of this week. Wish I could do something artistic that I could do something for a charity. But have got an artistic bone in my body :(
I have bought things friends have made and knitted and can honestly say … with the H&S can't do this that or the other … I don't have kids so its for me and not as a toy so beggar H&S :naughty2:
Sorry wasn't meaning to be rude about the DNA programming but as have no idea how experienced you are reading the written word on forum you have to try and over all sides of the coins which at times isn't easy.
 
I don't take offence at well meant and sound advice (especially when there's been times people have pointed out something I'd overlooked), and given Jaffa has 'chittered' (mewing and chattering teeth) watching the pigeons (wood & collared doves) on the bird feeders out the window I know he wouldn't be safe mixing with birds.

With the fair it's stall price & a donation for their tombola to the charity organising it, but if all goes well I usually give 10-20% of my profit to a charity too (20% if I don't take much so the charity still gets a worth while donation & 10% if I had an good day). I've given to cancer research, local maternity unit & knitted hats (new born & premature sizes) & bought chocolate biscuits for the nurses of the nearest neonatal unit before now. Usually it's a charity for something that's affected someone near me but otherwise a bit random choice (grandma had breast cancer, guide leader had a baby that needed treatment at the local hospital so that won the guides vote, neonatal was from knitting hats & bears for school staff having babies & they paid rather than taking the gift so I bought more wool & made hats for other babies). Given I don't keep proper track of costs the money I keep is for materials & time (would never meet minimum wage which is why I haven't set up a business like some people have suggested - plus then you've got tax and other fees & can't just give in when you're bored).
The plan for some of the stuff I'm making (mini gift stockings & ferrero Christmas puddings) if I don't sell up on the fair is to let mum take it to work & sell it for GOSH (mum's work has Great Ormond Street as their supported charity) so it's not wasted.
I never had (or really wanted) a social life so learning crafts was my 'thing', but I make more than I can keep so a useful outlet is great, and if it helps others too all the better. Crafting is my method of destressing (along with pet cuddles) so my hands are rarely still, so much so I even knit & sew on the bus to & from work (3 & 1/2 hours a day 5 days a week in term time), at least when it doesn't get in anyone else's way.

With health & safety regs this time I've had to buy public liability insurance (didn't need / know I needed that last time) & it's safer to have a declaration on the stall that "these items are intended for ornamental / display use only", just so someone can't break it & hurt themselves & sue me claiming a toy wasn't fit for purpose (cos there's always a risk someone will pass the blame of their not having common sense on to the person who made / sold the item - even though I do my best to make things sturdy & secure).


I hope you manage to build up a good variety of crafts to show your skills

It's more a case of limiting what I take with me, otherwise I could probably fill multiple tables. Plan is a pocket money side (things less than £5 for the most part) & a more expensive side (alpaca & merino wool hats scarves & gloves, wreaths & wire ornaments that take 10 hours + for £10-20+) with limited display & boxes under the table for restocking when what's on show sells. Mum's coming with me to help on the stall - and drive there & back.
 
I think it's totally awesome your spending your time helping all these other people
Last time I sewed a button back on my blouse I managed to stitch the flipping thing right through and sewed the ruddy thing to the back panel DOH! As for scissors …. well with my track record of being accident prone as others on here would tell you I am soooo not safe being let loose with something sharp like them :watchout: should probably kit myself up in a suit of armour before handling them!
 
My sister doesn't even try, she brings it to me (or grandma) or bins broken clothes. I like making things, seeing how broken things come apart shows how things go together to replicate them. Charity is a case of makes me feel good, if I can afford a donation I've had a good day on the stall.
 
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