is it moral to keep parrots?

[Dinodude]

I just a had a heated debate with someone and we were debating if keeping parrots is ethical. He said that home is like a prison for a bird and that I'm ruining my cockatoo's life and I should let it free, etc. I kept mentioning that my cockatoo is happy(she vomited for me) and mentioned that my cockatoo looked forward to spending time with me. He kept saying that you don't know if the cockatoo is happy and that it should be with its own kind.
What are your thoughts on keeping parrots in general.
One thing I'll say for sure is, my life has changed ever since I got my little girl and I don't know what I'd do without my cockatoo.

 

[Kiwibird]

This is a very multi-faceted issue. I think EVERYONE can agree we shouldn't be taking any further parrots out of the wild unless for species preservation programs. I also think that there should be greater regulation on breeding parrots and licensing to own them. To be truthful, I do have ethical issues with owning them. More people than not, it seems, can't or are unwilling to provide proper care for them. I think parrots *can* be very happy in human families, but unfortunately, too many human families are unwilling to put up with the irritating natural habits of an (essentially) wild animal.

That all said, bird who have been born into captivity and/or were wild caught and have spent the past 40 years in captivity can't just be turned loose to the wild. They'd die. We have a moral obligation to care for the animals we chose to remove from their rightful homes in nature and breed in captivity in the best way we can. I strongly support adoption of birds as a first choice. People always seem to go for babies so they don't have to deal with the "issues" that come with older birds. That leaves tens of thousands languishing in overflowing avian shelters who just can't catch a break! Virtually all birds have the capacity to forgive and forget, and ALL of them want to feel love and like they belong. And that is where my ethical issues with owning them stems from. OBVIOUSLY humans aren't proving themselves (as a whole) to be good stewards to these highly intelligence, highly social animals. It's not so much that no one should own parrots, but I think it should be a privilege and you should have to prove yourself capable and willing. It should not be so easy as just drive down to the nearest pet store and drag home an exotic bird to neglect...

 

[Dinodude]

This is a very multi-faceted issue. I think EVERYONE can agree we shouldn't be taking any further parrots out of the wild unless for species preservation programs. I also think that there should be greater regulation on breeding parrots and licensing to own them. To be truthful, I do have ethical issues with owning them. More people than not, it seems, can't or are unwilling to provide proper care for them. I think parrots *can* be very happy in human families, but unfortunately, to many human families are willing to put up with the irritating natural habits of an (essentially) wild animal.

That all said, bird who have been born into captivity and/or were wild caught and have spent the past 40 years in captivity can't just be turned loose to the wild. They'd die. We have a moral obligation to care for the animals we chose to remove from their rightful homes in nature and breed in captivity in the best way we can. I strongly support adoption of birds as a first choice. People always seem to go for babies so they don't have to deal with the "issues" that come with older birds. That leaves tens of thousands languishing in overflowing avian shelters who just can't catch a break! Virtually all birds have the capacity to forgive and forget, and ALL of them want to feel love and like they belong. Unlike dogs and cats in shelters, these birds who are 10/15 years old still have 40/50 years ahead. And that is where my ethical issues with owning them stems from. OBVIOUSLY humans aren't proving themselves (as a whole) to be good stewards to these highly intelligence, highly social animals. It's not so much that no one should own parrots, but I think it should be a privilege and you should have to prove yourself capable and willing. It should not be so easy as just drive down to the nearest pet store and drag home an exotic bird to neglect...

I feel like the ones to blame are the negligent breeders and owners. There are people(like on this forum) that just want best friend at home(like me) and are taking extremely good care of their parrots and they appear to be happy. I have so many mixed feelings on this...
I think ultimately speaking, birds should have a license or have some restrictions to get one so not some negligent person can go down the street and get a Moluccan cockatoo.

 

[Dinosrawr]

Personally speaking, birds that have entered the bird-trade and have not been raised by their parents from a juvenile into adulthood are ill-prepared to survive in the wild. If they were to be released back into the wild, they would require substantial rehabilitation to do so by wild parrots.

That being said, some bird species should have NEVER entered the pet trade. More often than not, birds become objects of fancy or status and are simply not well made for living in a domesticated environment. However, many birds that have entered the pet trade that are welcomed into homes by individuals who have taken time to research and work to provide their companions with positive interactions, mental stimulation, and physical exercise are very happy individuals who life happy, fulfilled lives.

Honestly, the argument could be made for any animals that humans have domesticated. Is it fair to use horses for personal entertainment and "selfish" purposes? Wouldn't dogs or cats be happier to freely roam the world? Shouldn't cows have the freedom to explore, and is it fair that humans have significantly impacted their intelligence through selective breeding purposes?

People who know little about an animal and keeping the animal will often argue against keeping them, or people who are extremists in animal freedom will argue against keeping them. It's acceptable to think either way... what isn't acceptable is abusing the animals you welcome into your home. Those are my thoughts at least.

 

[goalerjones]

Hahnzel was born and raised in captivity. To let her go now would be immoral.

 

[Mekaisto]

I have a lot of opinions on the issue, so I'll try to keep it brief.

In the wild, cockatoos (and other animals) have predators, disease, intra-species disputes, famine and pests. They are not spending their time flying around, leaping through rainbows and revelling in their freedom. They have a very high and specific set of things that cause them stress.
However, having said that, cockatoos have had millions of years of evolution to equip them with the tools to deal with these stresses. The reason birds don't drop dead of fright whenever they see an eagle, is because they have evolved with the eagle as part of their environment.
They are stressed, but they are able to deal with this stress, to a point.

In captivity, there are usually no predators, pests, disease, etc. Or if there is, it is dealt with.
However, there is a whole new set of stresses to deal with, stresses the parrot has not evolved to deal with.
Loneliness, boredom, confinement. These are not things a parrot has evolved to deal with. It does not have the neural history to comprehend such things.
A young parrot, raised in captivity, will cope with these unnatural stresses much more than a wild-caught parrot or an aviary-raised parrot, but it will still suffer in these circumstances.

Luckily for us, as good parrot-keepers, we understand this, and try to prevent our parrots from experiencing these stresses. We give them company, toys, play-time, etc in order to protect our parrot from these unnaural stresses.

So yes, some may consider it unethical to keep parrots in confinement. However, if the parrot is cared for well, I see nothing morally wrong at all.

(I didn't keep it brief...)

 

[Taw5106]

I agree and support what others have said. The person that said you should set your bird free clearly doesn't see or understand the whole picture of birds living in the wild, predators, lack of food, finding food, finding water, weather, natural disasters, etc. everything isn't sunshine and daisies and letting a bird free now would be certain death.

 

[Birdman666]

Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig...

Arguing with someone who considers you to be an unethical person simply because you keep a parrot, is a waste of your time and mine.

Try a different approach next time: "Well, if you feel that strongly about it, then by all means DON'T GET ONE. We obviously have a difference of opinion on this issue. Kindly keep yours to yourself. I have an ethical responsibility to see to this bird's care needs, and I do that thank you very much. NOW GO AWAY! "

 

[torrap]

We've had this discussion on the forum number of times, sometimes heated ones too.
I feel very strong about breeding new birds and buying little babies for someone's amusement. I think things like that need to be limited if not stopped all together.
Also I feel very strong about adopting birds that need a good loving home. There are so many birds in sanctuaries and rescues. It's not their fault they were hatched in captivity and have no clue how to survive in the wild. The only attachment they know is a human kind.
My YSA originally was purchased by a person for $1300.00 as a baby. I know that because I have the original receipt (and the rest of the papers). He had her for couple of years, and then poor thing went from home to home 3 times at least.......
I got her for $100 from CL. I don't think she is attached to me, but I am trying very hard to provide everything she needs. She looks so much better now than the day I got her. That makes me feel good.
So, yah.....you can't let the ones who is hatched in people care go to the wild. There are few special programs that teach confiscated chicks to survive in the wild, but I don't think you can fully adopt a captive adult bird to the wild.

 

[veimar]

As Saint Exupery said:
“You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.”
I think this is very true. In original language the word "tamed" has warmer meaning - sort of the ones you made your friends and made them depend on you. The birds in captivity are those the humans have tamed, and the humans (we!!!) are responsible for their well-being for their whole life. The word "forever" is very important in this quote. It's unethical to capture the wild birds, but for those who were born captive we are fully responsible.

 

[kq_fan]

In my opinion keep the wild wild and the pets pets! Your cockatoo loves you so much! It would be so heart breaking and confusing to him if you just abandoned him! Also pets don't know how to survive in the wild!!! Lilo hates me if I even just leave her at grandmas for the weekend! I'm sure your bird wouldn't have it any other way!

 

[kq_fan]

I have a friend like that so I asked her well why don't you let your dog Yoda go in the woods to run free? No? Why,because that little French bull dog wouldn't last a day! Same with birds.

 

[Kiwibird]

My YSA originally was purchased by a person for $1300.00 as a baby. I know that because I have the original receipt (and the rest of the papers). He had her for couple of years, and then poor thing went from home to home 3 times at least.......
I got her for $100 from CL. I don't think she is attached to me, but I am trying very hard to provide everything she needs. She looks so much better now than the day I got her. That makes me feel good.

Sadly, this is FAR more common than for a bird to stay in the same family it's entire life. And then the bird suffers, looses trust in humans, still can't be released to the wild and has an extremely difficult time finding and staying in one home. Many people give it a year or 2, and when the bird still "hates them" (i.e. has not fully restored it's trust in humans) and rehomes them instead of sticking with it just a little longer to earn their trust. It's a vicious cycle.

And don't think your YSA doesn't like you. She is probably very distrustful of humans and it will take a long time to build it back. Just keep providing her what she needs and working with her. Let her come around in her own time, and you'll make a friend for life! Some birds warm up quickly, others don't. It took a few years before Kiwi really became trusting and comfortable with us. It was very discouraging at times, but we didn't give up on him and now he is absolutely attached to us Unless we die, he's in his forever home and happy to be here!

 

[clofromco]

I don't know if nemo was always a captive macaw or not. I only know heis happy, stimulated and a free man here.

 

[goalerjones]

I think this thread, and of course the "should I clip his wings" thread should be mandatory for anyone who has recently joined. Get the flame wars out of the way first.

 

[henpecked]

BTW , sanctuary birds are not adoptable. Rescues might adopt out but sanctuaries are a forever home, once there they don't leave.

 

[torrap]

BTW , sanctuary birds are not adoptable. Rescues might adopt out but sanctuaries are a forever home, once there they don't leave.

Thank you henpecked, you are absolutely right.
Its just a place where I volunteered called "sanctuary and rescue", so it came out like that.
The reason for the owners of the sanctuary birds to deposit a load of money and sign a contract for the bird to stay as a sanctuary is usually sadly the same - they don't wand their bird to go from home to home who only knows how many times.

 

[Dinodude]

I think this thread, and of course the "should I clip his wings" thread should be mandatory for anyone who has recently joined. Get the flame wars out of the way first.

LOL

I agree, it really is saddening when parrots are moving from one family to another. There needs to be stricter regulations on getting a parrot.

 

[EnglishMuffin]

I think humans are far too eager to anthropomorphise and romanticise the 'wild' life on animals. It's like Mekaisto said: In the wild they have predators, disease, stress, sometimes starvation. The reason they have huge territories and fly (or run or swim, if you're talking other captive animals) thousands of miles is twofold: firstly so that they can always have enough to eat in their territory and secondly so that their territory overlaps with that of potential mates. It's all about survival and reproduction in the wild. Captive-bred birds aren't dreaming of a life they've seen in a magazine of open skies and abundant jungles they've never seen. As long as their needs are met, they will be happy. If they're fed, watered, have companionship, stimulation and somewhere warm to sleep, they're happy.

 

[Scott]

A worthy topic that has the potential to test the bounds of civility!

There seems to be general agreement that hypothetical legislation to free all captive avians at the stroke of a pen would be terribly cruel, as they would not readily adapt to the wild. More likely to endure would be the abolition of capturing parrots for private breeding; a backstop against the extinction of critically endangered species would be accomplished by professional zoos and/or foundations.

Private breeding is most problematic and AFAIK not rigidly controlled by most national governments. On one end of the spectrum are conscientious breeders that educate prospective owners and provide meaningful after-sale support vs. the recreational procreator simply obsessed with short-term profits. Thankfully there are sites such as Parrotforums dedicated to enriching all who contemplate living with avians.

Personally, I have never engaged in breeding-for-sale and have kept all the offspring from my paired Goffins and Timnehs. You can bet it is my solemn responsibility to care very well for my parrots and to formulate a plan should they exceed my lifespan. If granted the mythical do-over, all of my birds would have come from a shelter/rescue, with an open question as to whether they would reproduce.