Please be aware that all the information in this section is entirely my own opinion. It is based on research, evidence and personal experience. It is not intended to offend but to pass on what I deem as good practise. Please do not respond negatively in any form to any of my opinions.

The Animal Welfare Act should underpin everything we do when dealing with all species.

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 - the five needs/freedoms:

*The need for a suitable environment
*The need for a suitable diet
*The need to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
*The need to be housed with or, apart from other animals
*The need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease

Cruelty is often born out of ignorance.

Scientific research has shown that parrots are at least as intelligent as the apes. Some believe parrots are THE smartest animal out there. Yet we lock them in cages in solitary confinement for days, weeks, months often years. So if you are dealing with a creature that has the intelligence of a 2 to 6 year old child, but with an emotional intelligence of a toddler, how can this incarceration be right? Granted cages have their uses - to keep the bird safe in an otherwise unsuitable environment, for security at night time when they are left alone, and some parrots are so imprinted on humans that it would be crueler NOT to keep them in a cage in a human world. We have done that to so many - removed them from their parents and hand reared them to humanise them. These poor souls live in a half world - neither parrot nor human, and to remove them from their caged, prison like existence would destroy their sense of who they were. But parrots aren’t toys. Parrots aren’t ornaments. Many, many of them are only 2 or 3 generations from their wild caught ancestors. They are NOT domesticated. We have locked them up for entirely our own gains and they pay an incredibly high price for this human whim with their mental well-being. The evidence is there - atypical behaviour: the parrots that pluck - self mutilation; the parrots that sit there unmoving - excessive inactivity; the parrots that bite and have attitude - frustration and hyper aggression; parrots that exhibit repetitive behaviour with no obvious goal, also known as stereotypies - coping strategy for stress and boredom, the list goes on.

Parrots are wild, free living, winged, sociable beings that have complex needs. They need to be left in their ancestral habitats, failing that, most definitely in an aviary with their own kind, with natural enrichment to stimulate their basic needs and incredible intelligence: Perches of various thicknesses to exercise their feet; water features to drink and bath in; willow branches to strip; food in different places to forage; seasonal wild safe flowers and plants to enjoy; ropes strewn for flock gatherings; safe spaces; safe plants; hiding; hanging; exploring places and also with heated indoor shelters for our inclement weather. They need to feel the sun, the wind, the rain but be protected too. They need to be kept safe from predators. They need to be treated with respect. They need to have never been taken from the wild in the first place - humans have a lot to answer for.

“If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Einstein

Photo credits:
High Contrast Wikimedia
African Greys: Andrew Bernard CC by 2.0
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