Rant

[Pajarita]

No, I don't. The truth of the matter is that none of us can give parrots a good life as pets in captivity. Not you, not me, not anybody here on this board or on any board in the world. And another truth is that most people who keep birds (and I am talking 95%, easy!) don't keep them anywhere near an acceptable level of wellbeing. We can't reproduce the conditions that nature meant for them to live under in captivity and still make pets out of them. It's impossible. So, if we want pet parrots to have a semi-acceptable level of care, we need to make sure and, for that, you need somebody checking the infrastructure and husbandry methods. The government does it for the American species but not for the species that are not American. I find that a terrible double-standard which has terribly detrimental consequences to the wellbeing of members of the exotic species.

[GMV]

The government does it for the American species but not for the species that are not American. I find that a terrible double-standard which has terribly detrimental consequences to the wellbeing of members of the exotic species.

I do find that disturbing! Typical humans.
do parrots really like life in the wold though? all they do is run from predators, right?

[Wolf]

No, they do have to watch out for them, but that is only a portion of their lives.
Consider, you live in a human society and lurking in this society are many predators, they can reach you anywhere, on the street, in your school, at work or even in your home, is that the only thing that you do, fun and hide from these predators? Same difference.

[GMV]

No, they do have to watch out for them, but that is only a portion of their lives.
Consider, you live in a human society and lurking in this society are many predators, they can reach you anywhere, on the street, in your school, at work or even in your home, is that the only thing that you do, fun and hide from these predators? Same difference.

yeah, i guess you're right. i guess at this point all we can do is adopt from rescues and give the best lives we can.

[Pajarita]

People mention predators all the time when one mentions how bad life in captivity is for birds but what they don't take into consideration is that species evolve right alongside the predators that try to catch them so nature has already given them mechanisms to avoid them (for parrots, it's flight and that means not only the ability to fly but also all the special features in their physiology that allow for flight). It's like Wolf says, in your natural habitat, you don't really stress out about the dangers. We don't worry all the time about getting run over by a car, we are careful when we cross the street, look both ways, teach our children how to do it and just keep on going happy go lucky but, take us out of our habitat and we are wrecks - put us in a jungle and every single little noise and movement makes us jump. It's the same thing with all animals and why it's so bad for them to live in an alien environment.

[GMV]

People mention predators all the time when one mentions how bad life in captivity is for birds but what they don't take into consideration is that species evolve right alongside the predators that try to catch them so nature has already given them mechanisms to avoid them (for parrots, it's flight and that means not only the ability to fly but also all the special features in their physiology that allow for flight). It's like Wolf says, in your natural habitat, you don't really stress out about the dangers. We don't worry all the time about getting run over by a car, we are careful when we cross the street, look both ways, teach our children how to do it and just keep on going happy go lucky but, take us out of our habitat and we are wrecks - put us in a jungle and every single little noise and movement makes us jump. It's the same thing with all animals and why it's so bad for them to live in an alien environment.

i understand.