Parrot keeping- Are We The Problem?

[Pajarita]

Hey, slow is OK as long as it moves forward! I was watching a wonderful movie the other day (it's called "The first grader" and I strongly recommend it!) about this real life story of a Kenyan man who went to school to learn to read for the first time at 84 years of age and the teacher who fought the government so he would be allowed said that her father, who was an uneducated fisherman, always said that people should only stop learning when they had soil inside their ears (meaning when they were dead) and I plan on doing just that.

And don't forget that I've been doing research for many more years than you and the only reason why I sometimes seem to have the answer to the question is because I already asked myself the same question you are now asking.

[Wolf]

I never concern myself with why you may have the answer as I already know why, I am just grateful to have someone to ask when I need help.

[Pajarita]

And I am glad to be able to help.

[DanaandPod]

I will try not to touch my bird other than the head and neck...Admittedly i like to taunt and tickle him under the wings because its so downy under there... And, my favorite is when he wants to cuddle before bed. He is so cute... but I don't want to cause him health problems. As is, when i come home...he acts up with his dance and regurgitates on me. Nothing like the smell of sun flower seed vomit on your cheek!
I like the trick training for myself....but mainly because otherwise it gets boring to provide the greatest one on one attention...which trick training is good for. I also like knowing that he uses his noggin and is stimulated and getting exercise. I was going to purchase a pair of roller skates for him especially because i love roller skating...but decided against it because I think he would not want any part of it. And, it seemed to me to be too much of the type of trick that people are really doing for themselves and not the bird. Believe me tho, when he doesn't want to do something he doesn't!
i need to learn more about the hormones/lighting etc... He does get eleven or twelve hours sleep though. Bed by six-seven and up at six. But on my late nights coming home...I unfortunately wake him up when entering my apartment and having to cover the cage for him. Sort of silly but I also play a baby crib music light up thing for ten minutes in the process as an every day routine.

[TooLove]

Sort of silly but I also play a baby crib music light up thing for ten minutes in the process as an every day routine.

This is too funny. We have a bedtime ritual too, and I'm sure we aren't the only ones.

This topic is really interesting to me because I feel like Wolf is correct in that the vast majority of parrot issues are human-related, but I have to wait until finals are over before I can really weigh in here.

[liz]

I talk to each one of them and call them by name to tell them good night. Most of them will tweet back to me. Rambo and Myrtle both say nite nite. I do good mornings the same way. Rambo likes to sleep in but some mornings I find him on my chest waiting for me to wake up.

[Wolf]

Sometimes I find articles that I like while shop[ng for my animals and I found a nice article on wellness exams on the Dr. Foster and Smith site, that I thought fit here. So here is the link, if you are interested.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm ... 4&aid=3441

Let me know what you think.

[liz]

Very good article. I wondered why he spent so much time talking to me. I thought he was stretching the appointment. The only problem he found was they were a little overweight.

[Pajarita]

Sort of silly but I also play a baby crib music light up thing for ten minutes in the process as an every day routine.

This is too funny. We have a bedtime ritual too, and I'm sure we aren't the only ones.

This topic is really interesting to me because I feel like Wolf is correct in that the vast majority of parrot issues are human-related, but I have to wait until finals are over before I can really weigh in here.

Actually, ALL the problems that pet parrots have, behavioral and medical, are a direct cause of captivity and, as we, the human caregivers, are in complete control of EVERYTHING in their life (light, diet, schedule, housing, social interaction, etc), there is no doubt whatsoever that any problem they might have (and I am including congenital or genetic defects) is caused by us.

[TooLove]

Actually, ALL the problems that pet parrots have, behavioral and medical, are a direct cause of captivity and, as we, the human caregivers, are in complete control of EVERYTHING in their life (light, diet, schedule, housing, social interaction, etc), there is no doubt whatsoever that any problem they might have (and I am including congenital or genetic defects) is caused by us.

I'm sure there are some instances of issues/problems/whathaveyou of captive birds that cannot be related back to human involvement, but without getting into semantics too much I think it is relatively safe to assume that most are.