Parrots Are NOT Pets

[spiral]

surely happy peaceful coexistance is the aim of things

[friend2parrots]

Its kind of weird where this discussion has gone. I’ve actually been, and am, in agreement with everything khaiqua has posted since he entered this thread. but since then Ive tried to stay out of the discussion as much as possible because it has veered in a direction that I didn’t, and still don’t, want to follow.

To bring the topic back to parrots as pets… I want to state that I think having pets – parrots included - is a wonderful privilege that more people should be able to enjoy. I wish more people could enjoy the happiness that animals can bring. I find it so sad that life circumstances or poverty prevent some wonderful, caring people from having pets to enrich their lives. I guess I do keep animals for my own benefit – because they make me happy – and I don’t think there’s any problem with that.

As far as parrots are concerned, I do believe they make wonderful pets, and it breaks my heart to think their original habitats are disappearing. For the sake of their species, I am genuinely happy that so many are alive in captivity, and are continuing to be bred. And I genuinely believe that it is possible for a captive parrot to be happy – perhaps not as “natural” as living in the wild – but certainly happy if their needs are met – such as flight, space, quality food, mental stimulation, the companionship of other bird/s, etc… (the list is long, as all of us on this forum know from experience) but i do think its possible for them to be happy in captivity, if we meet their needs. In many ways, its a better deal - after all, they get to live longer and don’t have the predators or diseases or parasites they would have had in the wild.

So I see absolutely no problem in having them as pets. Even if we were able to completely save their environments, and bring back every single species to a good number, I think its still okay to have them as pets as well, for the simple reason that they bring happiness. Some species of animals are kept by humans for food (chicken, fishes, cow), some species are kept for labor (horse, oxen), and some are kept for happiness (parrots, dogs, hamsters, hobby tropical and freshwater fish, etc). Humans have kept animals as livestock for the purpose of happiness since the dawn of humanity 2.5 million years ago. Hopefully we will to be able to continue to do so, if we take care of our planet earth.

I’ve already stated the main point I wanted to make in this thread earlier on: I think captive breeding is vital for the continued existence of parrot species on planet earth. to that, I guess i would like to add the following point: I would like the future humans of planet earth to enjoy the kind of happiness that my parrots have brought me. The world is becoming such a technologically driven place. People are losing their touch with nature. Pets help foster that connection with nature, and I think parrots especially do. Breeding parrots today, so future generations of humans can enjoy the wonderful benefits of parrots - and hence nature - as part of their lives, is, in my opinion, a wonderful service to render.

[independentminded]

In an attempt to answer my own question, it's probably what you're hinting at: societal pressure, family pressure, lack of birth control, religious reasons, etc.

yup, probably sums it up.

I have two parrots rather than one because I care and love them both.

Why is it that people can have multiple pets because they care and love them all, but human beings can only have multiple children because of societal pressure, family pressure, lack of birth control, or religious reasons?

Why can't people have multiple children because they care and love their children?

It's much more difficult to care for a brood of children than it is to care for pets. Nobody says that pets don't require feeding, playing with, veterinarian trips when necessary, spraying or bathing, or being kept cool or warm, depending on the climate at the time of the year, but at least with pets, unlike with children, pets aren't constantly having to be driven to Girl Scout/Boy Scout meetings, dancing lessons, etc., and it costs less to feed pets than it costs to feed several children.

Also, I don't think that having pets is at all selfish, unless one can't or won't take the responsibility for taking care of them as needed. I think that bringing unwanted children into our society and into the world at large is one of the biggest, if not the biggest crime against humanity, plus it's way more selfish than having an abortion, imho. Too many people are having children who can't or won't take care of them, and that, to me, is a huge problem.

[friend2parrots]

surely happy peaceful coexistance is the aim of things

Yesterday I was thinking about spiral’s comment above...

I found it to be a beautiful comment, and it has triggered the following thoughts that I would like to share. (hope I’m not boring anyone by returning to this topic in my usual longwinded way… please ignore if so! )

As mentioned earlier, I regard modern parrot-keeping today as simultaneously altruistic (by keeping their DNA alive in captivity, we humans are helping to ensure against the extinction of parrot species from the planet) and anthropologically selfish (humans derive happiness from their companionship), and thus justified along both those lines. I am also aware of the counter-argument raised against parrot-keeping, along the same lines: that the altruism humans feel for parrots should not be directed toward keeping them in captivity, but instead be expressed solely as an effort to save their habitats, and that we as humans should move past our selfish desires for their companionship.

Both positions have their valid points. I think, however, that a compromise between the two positions is possible, which can in fact be good for the parrots, and good for humans, in its outcome – and hence achieve the “happy peaceful coexistence” of both species mentioned in Spiral's quote. In other words, a compromise that lets us help parrots, and lets us enjoy their company, at the same time.

the following is not an original idea, but one I have heard discussed by others. Since I am not a breeder or a parrot-professional of any kind, but just an ordinary pet-owner, I can't really speak on the best way to go about doing it, etc. But I have read about such strategies for certain species of rare parrots, and it makes me think that something like this just might work to make everybody – parrots and people - happy.

would be interested in any thoughts you guys have on it -



Here it is:

Human altruism (desire to help parrots) and selfishness (desire to enjoy the happiness of parrot-companionship) can be reconciled, if we:

-continue to protect and save parrot habitats, and thus try our very best to preserve wild parrot populations
-continue to encourage RESPONSIBLE domestic breeding of parrot species, to achieve the following: 1. a backup measure against the extinction of their DNA, in case the habitats eventually do disappear, 2. to keep the wild birds out of the pet trade 3. To preserve parrot species into future centuries, both for the sake of the parrots’ survival as a species, AND to allow future generations of humans to experience the joys of "parronting" .
- EDUCATE EDUCATE EDUCATE more people – both parrot owners AND non-parrot owners - on the responsibilities, requirements, and joys of optimum parrot care, so that more people can, and will want to, provide quality homes for the millions of homeless parrots currently languishing in overcrowded rescues, and enable those birds to experience happiness in loving homes. Such education will also prevent parrot owners who have purchased domestically bred parrots from abandoning their parrots to rescues, and instead, enjoy a lifetime with their birds. Thus, education can keep the birds out of the rescues, but also enable people to enjoy the happiness of keeping parrots, and enable parrots to enjoy the happiness of having a loving home. If enough caring and thoughtful people are educated, the rescues can be emptied of parrots, and all those parrots can be placed in loving forever homes. and humans can meet the ideal goal: happy people, in happy homes with happy parrots, and no birds in the rescues....

I would like to think that such “happy peaceful coexistence” of
people and parrots is possible….

[pionus]

Well said, you are totally right.