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Keeping Parrots as "Pets"
Our Position Whether captured in the wild or born in captivity, parrots are not domesticated animals like cats and dogs. They are still wild animals. Their natural curiosity, sensitivity, intellect, playfulness, and ability to form bonds with humans can tempt people to keep them in captivity. Unfortunately, the traits that make parrots so intriguing are the same ones that make them extremely difficult to live with as companion animals. Many parrots find themselves displaced as their natural behaviors and needs clash with human expectations. Before you buy or adopt a parrot, consider the following facts:
Educating yourself about parrots before bringing one into your life is crucial to solving the displaced parrot problem! Only people who thoroughly understand that parrots are wild animals and who can commit to meeting their demanding needs should consider providing a home for one. Only then will all parrots kept in captivity be properly cared for and appreciated for the wild animals they are, the pet market's demand for "impulse purchased" baby parrots will decrease, and the displaced bird epidemic will become a thing of the past. Recommended Reading
Recommended Articles Avian Welfare Issues: An Overview by Denise Kelly, Eileen McCarthy, Krista Menzel & Monica Engebretson A good home environment boots birds’ morale Chlamydophila psittaci transmission from pet birds to humans. The Welfare and suitability of parrots as companion animals: a review A Delightful, Awful Marriage to a Pet Parrot Behavioural Problems in Companion Parrots Not doing enough for your parrot? Get creative Birds as Pets: What You Should Know by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Bye Bye Birdie: Parrots’ Demands Often Prompt Owners to Take Flight Exotic Birds Are Not Pets, Really by Morgan Henderson, originally published in The Philadelphia Inquirer by Dr. Lorin Lindner & the Animal Protection Institute (API) More Beautiful Wild: Captive Birds by the Animal Protection Institute (API) Parrots and People…A Relationship of Conflict by Tami Myers and Mary Margison, The Beak Retreat Should Wild Animals Be Kept As Pets? by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) 10 Things You Need to Know Before Adopting a Bird by Monica Engebretson, Animal Protection Institute (API) The Top 10 Reasons Birds Are Surrendered to MAARS by Midwest Avian Adoption & Rescue Services (MAARS) Treating Parrots As Birds, Not Mammals by Greg Glendell by Denise Kelly, Joan Rae & Krista Menzel by The True Parrot
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