04/01/2024
The Aspca has posted a statement regarding birds as "pets" and I couldn't agree more with them. They state that if you do "own" a bird, you are considered their "guardian" not their "owner". I wanted to share the post and take the time to do a little rant/speech on bird care and guardianship.
Birds, especially parrots, are not domesticated like dogs and cats, and are essentially wild animals that humans have brought into the US for a profit due to their beauty and "entertainment factor".
When in reality, most have a lifespan of between 30-80 years and have the mindset/needs/wants of a perpetual 5 year old human toddler. They require regular veterinary care, daily fresh organic food, diverse/daily mental stimulation and lots of love.
Sadly, most of those same birds (or their offspring) that are either abducted and illegally transported into the US for "ownership" or bred in bird mills, end up in shelters or terrible situations with low quality of life as most people don't understand the care that goes into being a bird guardian.
Birds cannot just be kept in a cage, they don't just talk and say funny words on command, and they don't just sit pretty and quiet 24/7. Those funny words they might speak are usually overshadowed by birds mimicking much less pleasant noises like fire alarms, car alarms, doorbells, phone rings, and other random noises (even swears or other abusive words depending on the bird's past environment".
Birds will become destructive, depressed and will develop major medical and mental illnesses, like even self-harming, when kept in an insufficient/incorrect environment.
No cage is big enough for a bird of any size. Birds, especially parrots, belong in the wild but if you do have a bird in your care it's your responsibility to be as knowledgeable as possible to create the best possible life for them as you can.
Training your parrot (using positive reinforcement methods) isn't just for tricks, parrot training is a way to help you AND your parrot bond and learn how to interact properly with each other. It also teaches your parrot how to best interact with his/her environment and set them up for success and learn the concept of confident independence.
I promise you most of the time your parrot will be happier and healthier in your care providing the best you can for them versus in a shelter environment that will stress them out and have them jumping from one home to another.
However, if you do decide that your bird would live a happier and healthier life in a different home, please go through the proper channels. There are lots of "Bird Flippers", or people who "buy" or "adopt" birds and then turn around and try and sell them for a huge profit or keep them for breeding in small cramped cages. This is a terrible life for a bird or any creature in general.
Please contact a reputable and knowledgable shelter that can help w**d through potential adopters and find the best forever match for your bird. Birds can be very particular, especially parrots, so finding a good match for both parrot and human is essential and can take a while.
Some bird rescue organizations even offer fostering if you can't care for your bird and need immediate housing. Availability is usually limited, even for bird sanctuary spots, but the rescue community is always there to help and try and find a way to help.
Help is available to all animal guardians, you just have to ask! Specifically for birds, I'm always happy to help educate bird guardians on proper bird care and how to improve your bird's quality of life. I also have experience with lots of other exotic animal care (and of course with dog and cat care as well.)
Contact me through my business of All Animals New England LLC and we can set up positive reinforcement training or can discuss your other care needs for any animal species you may take care of!
Other great sources for bird, exotic and animal guardians in general would be:
ASPCA
Foster Parrots Ltd. and The New England Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary
Connecticut Parrot Rescue
Rhode Island Parrot Rescue
Rhode Island Parrot Rescue
Animal Rescue League of Boston
MSPCA-Angell
MSPCA at Nevins Farm
New England Wildlife Center
Odd Pet Vet
Heart of Feathers Education & Behavior Training, LLC
https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statement-birds-pets?fbclid=IwAR3loyupJWUjSS3766ZCXmbYA8dJKtb78Rm9NIr_-Va__vEIFp5Re8GpuRE_aem_AbzY84s5KnE7Jfa2IQt60jlM2267gSl6hnA200tuVXPgZFgm3wg8MsTz4xzBrR1JGZfv5Hf6ZQWnVIBxHK4PVq9N
Medium and large parrots such as cockatoos, Amazons, African grays and macaws are highly intelligent, social animals with complex care requirements that include the opportunity to fly, climb and exercise; social and mental stimulation; at least one bird companion, especially for birds who mate for l...
