Loaner Parrot

[MandyG]

LOL that's the gist of what I said but you said it better! We are on the same wavelength!

I wrote out my reply before I knew somebody else had replied lol. I wouldn't have replied if I read yours first!

[Azure Hanyo]

LOL that's the gist of what I said but you said it better! We are on the same wavelength!

I wrote out my reply before I knew somebody else had replied lol. I wouldn't have replied if I read yours first!

No no, you had good points and added a little oomph to my shove!

[Michael]

But I said that if everyone that borrows the parrot follows a minimal standard of behavior and care, I wonder if the parrot can generalize its bond/trust to any human being? I'm sure we all look the same to the parrots until we start treating them differently. That is what makes them begin to realize the subtleties in appearance.

[MandyG]

I guess it's up to you if you want to pursue that course of action to find out if the parrot would be ok with it or not. I don't think that parrots see us all as the same. Even if you were right and they only realize we're different when we start treating them differently, everyone is different and each new person will treat them differently, no matter how much each person tried to keep the routine the same for them.

[pchela]

I still absolutely disagree with this idea. As Mandy and Azure said, your parrot has you as her source of security and safety when she is out with you. A parrot in the wild forms a natural pair bond. When they can't bond with another bird, they bond with a person. Even the most social, friendly bird in the world will still have a natural instinct to form a pair bond with one person. When a bird is out of sight from its bonded mate, it constantly calls out in order to make sure that the other one is okay and so they know where each other are. When their chosen mate dies or disappears, they mourn. I cannot believe that a creature that is designed to pair up like this would be okay in such an unstable environment like you are proposing.

Having fostered several parrots, some very social and friendly, some not so much, I can tell you that each one reacted the same way when they got here. They were uncomfortable and scared. Their true personalities did not come out for at least a few weeks, but more like a couple of months. They are simply not designed to move from one person to another which is why rehoming is so stressful for them. It has nothing to do with the communication between owner and buyer unless the potential buyer is going to spend weeks to months visiting the parrot regularly until it is comfortable with them and even then the bird will most likely be stressed when they move to a new home.

I cannot see any reason to try this out that would outweigh a parrots natural instinct to form a pair bond and have a stable home.

[MandyG]

Perhaps there will end up being a modified version of this where there is a club parrot but only available at meetings.

I do think that this idea may be beneficial to members. As long as the parrot has one primary caretaker and is very well socialized it shouldn't be a problem for them. This version is really the only one I see as being beneficial to all parties involved.

[Azure Hanyo]

I'm sure we all look the same to the parrots until we start treating them differently. That is what makes them begin to realize the subtleties in appearance.

If we all look the same to parrots...then parrots are stupid, stupid, stupid. I completely and respectfully disagree whole heartedly to this. My caique can most definitely tell the difference between me and everyone else; she notices subtleties of voice, tone, posture, face, the way someone holds her, etc. You are implying that the parrot is like a fish, and won't care who is with it as long as it is fed and taken care of in the same manner by everyone.

A parrot has the intelligence of a toddler human. And I tell you a toddler human has fears of certain people for no reason, just as parrots do, and can definitely tell the difference between people no matter HOW similar they are treated by a new person.

[pchela]

I'm sure we all look the same to the parrots until we start treating them differently. That is what makes them begin to realize the subtleties in appearance.

If we all look the same to parrots...then parrots are stupid, stupid, stupid. I completely and respectfully disagree whole heartedly to this. My caique can most definitely tell the difference between me and everyone else; she notices subtleties of voice, tone, posture, face, the way someone holds her, etc. You are implying that the parrot is like a fish, and won't care who is with it as long as it is fed and taken care of in the same manner by everyone.

A parrot has the intelligence of a toddler human. And I tell you a toddler human has fears of certain people for no reason, just as parrots do, and can definitely tell the difference between people no matter HOW similar they are treated by a new person.

I absolutely agree with this.

[Michael]

I disagree, I think they are actually smart enough to generalize until stimulus discrimination carries any importance. Look, practically speaking, yes they differentiate between people because some are scary, some are safe, others are fun. However, these are all conditioning factors that lead to such discrimination. But until we give them reasons to see us differently, I don't think they do.

Go take a look at a dozen zebras. Good luck finding any difference between them. However, if you are a researcher or zoo keeper that spends a lot of time with them, you'll learn to tell them apart. I think it's exactly the same way with parrots.

[Azure Hanyo]

I disagree, I think they are actually smart enough to generalize until stimulus discrimination carries any importance. Look, practically speaking, yes they differentiate between people because some are scary, some are safe, others are fun. However, these are all conditioning factors that lead to such discrimination. But until we give them reasons to see us differently, I don't think they do.

Go take a look at a dozen zebras. Good luck finding any difference between them. However, if you are a researcher or zoo keeper that spends a lot of time with them, you'll learn to tell them apart. I think it's exactly the same way with parrots.

What book of logic are you reading from? Bringing up the zebra thing is just you grabbing for straws, because it is an entirely groundless point that has absolutely nothing to do with the discussion. Yes they "look" the same, but guess what? If you interacted with said zebra you would notice subtle differences. Some are shy. Some aggressive. Some inquisitive. SAME THING with parrots and people. If you interact with them, you will notice a difference, and naturally and instinctively prefer one over the other. The parrots will do likewise.