i think too often that people think that parrots are the Only Pet Bird and for that reason don’t adopt a bird even though they could be a great fit for their lifestyle. parrots are not the only pet bird nor the “best” or “end goal” pet bird. there are different challenges with any species, but parrots are not domesticated and you shouldn’t feel bad for not having the lifestyle to accommodate their (many) needs. there’s plenty of options out there, including the classic canary:
all different species of finches:
pigeons/doves
and many species typically viewed as “farm animals” rather than companions
don’t let your options be limited by what other people feel is the best pet! and if you aren’t able to take on a bird at all and still love them, that’s perfectly okay too!
I don’t have one yet! Here are a couple of graphics from one of the Facebook groups I’m in, for easy reference & picture inclusion. The group is Hermit Crab Owners (link also in the graphics) & I do have permission to share the pictures –
I still need to do the other post I have planned, that includes links to safe food lists and some links to nutrition info & balanced diets, but it’ll be linked to from the shopping post once it’s done!
As far as how many you need of things….
– Two pools, one of fresh & one of salt (deep enough to submerge completely, but with a way to get out safely, like plastic craft mesh or fake plants/vines)
– food bowls can really be as many as you want – I have a main dry food dish, two supplement dishes, and a foraging/wild foods dish. Fresh foods go in in clam shells or separate dishes so I can remove them sooner & wash.
– Hides – as many as you can! Sometimes they’ll all clump & hide together, sometimes they want their own space. Coconut hides are popular most of the time. Having lots of cover in the form of fake plants & such helps make them more comfortable, I think.
– Shells – at least 5-6 extra shells per crab, of appropriate type and size
Let me know if you have more questions & I can help! 🙂
Hate it. It’s a hugely success anti pet ownership ploy by the AR groups that could one day lead to not being able to have pets at all. Buy from a responsible rescue or breeder. It’s your choice. Pick the dog that is right for you. Don’t just get a dog because it has a sob story attached to it.
THIS!!! Helping animals in need is great and all, but I see so many people adopting dogs who are a horrible fit for their home and lifestyle, just because of their sob story. Both adopting or buying is fine, but do your research on the breed/type, get to know the individual dog, and be realistic about what you are capable of handling.
She’s doing really well with her flight exercises, but this is still all we have to work with.
Wing clipping is cruelty. It has a lasting effect on the bird – physically, mentally, emotionally. Do not brush it off as harmless – “Like cutting your hair or nails!”
It’s not harmless. And don’t you dare ever tell me it’s “only temporary” when I have watched my cockatiel continue to struggle to fly a decade after his wings were last clipped. When I have spent hours upon hours teaching this broken cockatoo how to catch herself when she falls. When I have watched a macaw bite off his own first intact primaries because he’d been clipped so long the full length felt wrong.
It is not for their safety. It is only for your convenience.
And it’s cruel.
All of this, plus, honestly? Clipping does not solve the problems you think it’s going to. My bird was clipped before coming to me, after being allowed to fledge – not my choice, and she’s never been clipped again since I’ve had her – and even while she was clipped, she still flew shockingly well. Like almost as well as she flies now as an adult, with beautiful full primaries.
Best case scenario, clipping does absolutely nothing, as in my bird’s case.
Worst case scenario, the above post. A bird who cannot navigate its environment due to lack of strength, balance problems, confidence/anxiety issues, etc.
Plus, clipping gives owners a false sense of security. They think if a bird is clipped, they can take it outside unrestrained (you cannot – please don’t do this), or if they have cats or dogs then they think that clipping will keep the bird safe and they can have them all out together (but when the bird flutters to the floor, it has no quick escape route).
I just… I don’t see any reason to clip. It’s less like cutting hair or nails and more like declawing a cat. If you choose to bring an animal into your home, you adjust the environment to suit it, not the other way around.
If you’re a prospective bird owner who hasn’t put much thought into wing clipping, please consider it carefully. It is NOT a given. For a lot of people, it’s just a given, something that’s just always done and it’s normal and fine. “Common knowledge” about pet birds, and especially parrots, is constantly shifting and changing. Clipping does not have to be the norm, and it shouldn’t be. (And, IMO, it’s slowly becoming NOT the norm these days, which is great).
ifesbob 