I watched Rio today,

[Saerphe]

Are you sure it wasn't carob?

In a book I just finished reading "The Parrot That Owns Me", about an ornithologist who owns a Red-lored Amazon, mentions that m&m's are his favourite treat. I was kinda surprised by that. Just how toxic is chocolate for parrots? Especially milk chocolate. I know dark and baker's chocolate are the worst for dogs, it takes an awful lot of milk chocolate to kill a dog but not as much dark/bakers' chcolate.

In a more recent edition, there's an author's note that says to NEVER EVER EVER feed chocolate to your birds, and that her Amazon has since been weaned off of chocolate and prefers sweet corn as a treat.

But yes, asides from the chocolate, I loved the movie. Oh, and they talked about how the cockatoo was a Brazilian bird when it's really from Australia. That drove me nuts too.

[Nevermore]

I agree with you guys. Its a fine line between being a prison guard and being a mum to your bird. Its why I refuse to buy a bird from a pet store. I'm even antsy about the idea of getting one from a breeder, even though I KNOW good breeders don't get their birds from the wild. I have sworn to only rescue birds, and not contribute to the black market trade, or the growing number that are sent to parrot rescues because their owners don't want them anymore.

A bird is never 'free as a bird' when its captive. And never will be. All we can do, is do the best for them that we can. When they're captive bred, and all they know is captivity; they can't know any better. They don't know what they're missing. They also do not, really do NOT have the skills they need to survive in the wild. They don't know whats good to eat, because their parents have never shown them. They don't know what animals are predators, and what calls/noises signify danger. They don't know the proper courtship behaviour, they might even be human imprinted and think they ARE human. And they don't know to fear humans. They'd be easily caught and killed.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I think it's important not to over-romanticize a "free" life, either. Nature is red in tooth and claw. A wild parrot is free from the artificial restriction of a cage and is probably rarely bored and gets a chance to court and breed. On the other hand, they may go hungry or even starve, if they get sick, they often die, they may get killed by other animals for food. I doubt a parrot in its natural habitat lives anything like as long as a captive parrot on average.

[patdbunny]

I think it's important not to over-romanticize a "free" life, either. Nature is red in tooth and claw.

There was an unexpected cold snap a couple of years ago at my house. Next day I found at least 20 dead birds that didn't get enough to eat to keep them warm overnight. Several were even huddled together, dead.

I knew the cold was coming that night. I gave my birds extra food and tarped some of the outside cages. All my inmates lived.

[zazanomore]

I think it's important not to over-romanticize a "free" life, either. Nature is red in tooth and claw.

There was an unexpected cold snap a couple of years ago at my house. Next day I found at least 20 dead birds that didn't get enough to eat to keep them warm overnight. Several were even huddled together, dead.

I knew the cold was coming that night. I gave my birds extra food and tarped some of the outside cages. All my inmates lived.

[TheNzJessie]

lol my favorite part of the movie was the black and red bird and the yellow bird going

i saw this big cockatoo with big ninja telons!
and he was like you coming with me you little princess
and i was like (whoop whoop) i aint yo princess leave me alone!

its in the trailer near the end