Quality of Life

[KevinD]

I know at some point this has been discussed, but recent events cause me to revisit it, and get some fresh thoughts.

A lot of you, this wont pertain to as your Grey's were domestically born,  (That is a whole other discussion)

 

But for wild Greys bought, smuggled or rescued from the the eventuality that black market brings, I have a question, and maybe get some thoughts from you guys.

 

A small disclaimer here, I will always keep Sukei until he dies or I do,  I'm betting on me. That being said...

Do you suppose people make the right choice to rescue these birds rather then let them die?

What is their quality of life? I suppose it applies to humans too.

 

I was sitting watching some TV and Sukei said, "Bored, i'm bored"

Well of course he his, he would have been flying around the jungles of Africa, on Elephant's backs.

 

Do we do them any favors saving them to a domesticated life of watching "Sponge Bob Square Pants" his favorite show?

Granted, he does get Nick at night LOL, but I digress.

 

I think getting this site back to an active status, might just be people asking stupid questions like this

 

 

[LNCAG]

If I could go back to the 1996 when I first adopted a parrot; I wouldn't.

At the time they seemed like amazing colourful pets.  I have since placed 3 of my dear parrots in a parrot sanctuary so they can fly free.  I kept Snickers (my grey) because he can be difficult but my other parrots were those well adjusted, social, never-met-a-stranger types.  I think they are happier flying free with others of their own kind -- it's a HUGE aviary -- lot of room for full flight.

Today I wouldn't think breeding parrots is a good thing.  But 20+ years ago -- I thought it was the coolest thing ever.

I have a meme on my fridge: "you are forever responsible for what you have tamed".  Those words mean more to now than when I first put it on my fridge.

We do our best with caged companions, try to give them lots of free time outside their cage, provide toys and attention, cuddles, offer healthy varied diets -- but it's not being free.    Most don't even know better, our world is all they've known, and I want to believe they find some happiness in our homes in spite of us knowing better.

Please... no haters.  I kept indoor (my home) caged/companion parrots for 22 years so I AM you too. I still have Snickers in my home.  But at my death, he too will go the parrot sanctuary and get a glimpse of the world he was meant for.  

[KevinD]

I did not see that coming, at all, I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking about it.

I suppose what is done is done. But I wonder sometimes if I wouldn't have done better by Sukei by just leaving him go in the Middle East.

 

Quite sure he would be dead, and would that have been the kinder thing to do.

 

Like he said, no haters, it is a valid subject.

Not one of us would ever mistreat our fine friends. 

 

Just a thought for someone that hasn't spilled the milk yet, so to speak.

[LNCAG]

Hindsight is 20/20.  Second-guessing yourself will drive you mad.  (sigh)

I figure I made the best decisions I could, at the time, with the knowledge I had.  I just try to make better decisions for my pets as time goes on.  

I originally viewed parrots as just 'pets' - whereas now I realize they had a right to their own life.  Once tamed, they can't just be re-released into their natural environment easily or safely.  So for me, parrot sanctuaries (which you have to pay A LOT to place your babies there) are sort of the next best thing.  Heaven knows my parrots would never make it in their real wild environment now.  And business men are tearing down their natural environments with complete disregard anyway.  Plus climate change. 

I am satisfied with compromise and doing my best by my sweet Snickers (grey) who is still in my home.  Don't we all sort of live fake lives these days?  Away from nature? In our homes watching our laptops and phones?  Internet, artificial light, heat & a/c?  I guess parrots adapt as we have.  But OH to have never been taken any from the wild in the first place.  Or to never have been domestically bred where they never knew their wild cousins and natural landscapes!  But what's done is done.  I do sometimes imagine the families and friends in flocks my parrots might have had in the wild.

We adapted and so did our sweet parrots. They may never have thrived or survived without man's interference anyway.  Or at least I tell myself that when I need to believe it. I can't undo my past choices and my parrots must live with those choices.  At least we can spoil them a little, say "I'm sorry" and give them the best life we can in our safe predictable artificial homes.  

[KevinD]

5 minutes ago, LNCAG said:

I originally viewed parrots as just 'pets' - whereas now I realize they had a right to their own life.  Once tamed, they can't just be re-released into their natural environment easily or safely. 

That gets to the heart of it.

They are not dogs or cats.

Well, just hope Nick at Night and sponge bob square pants are a small token anyways. They don't exactly have cable in the jungle.

 

Thank you for your candid  thoughts, I appreciate you taking the time to comment and reply.

 

[LNCAG]

We all live with the parrot choices we made.  Some get it sooner than others.  This is an important thread if we want to change our thinking re: wild parrots going domestic. 

"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."  From there: we do our best with forced-domesticated home companion parrots.

Who knows, maybe evolution intended for parrots to watch Nick at Night and Spongebob!  (hopeful -- haha haha). 

I just remind people that we humans don't live as our ancestors did either, if that's any consolation.  It IS a new world out there.   

[SRSeedBurners]

Life is rough in the wild, just remember that.  There's a reason they live so much longer domesticated.   Me personally, I don't want to live 'in the wild' as we were meant to before we domesticated ourselves.  Living in the wild is only for the young and strong.  It eats them alive when their youth wears off.   Pretty much the way it is for all living things.  For predator animals it's even worse as starvation and/or death from the elements is usually what gets them.

My GreycieMae and Huey have a good time in their outdoor aviary or the indoor flight when the weather doesn't cooperate.  One can sense the happiness in an animal if you let yourself.   Just think, there's a reason wild dogs decided to hang around humans and were eventually domesticated.  Even they have it rough sometimes with shithead owners.

[Talon]

This is a wonderful thought provoking subject.

1.  Do I feel sorry for my 3 parrots?  Yes, almost every day....

2.  Do I feel guilty that I have to work and they stay in their cages all day until I get home in the evening?  Yes, absolutely,..Terrible guilt..

But I keep telling myself that my 3 were bred in homes..they do not know the life their ancestors have. The old saying you don't miss what you don't have..

3.  Do I wish they could fly free and experience what their instincts tell them?  Yes, a lot..however, they most likely would not survive in the wild, They don't know what "wild" is.

 

So I do the best I can for them, they all have macaw size cages, filled with toys, and toy baskets with toys wrapped in paper so they can forage.  I give them as much attention as I can. Feeding them as healthy as possible. My house looks like a giant bird cage, I have rope perches, boings, birds tree stands EVERYWHERE, So when they are out, they have every opportunity to fly wherever they chose. They mostly chose to be with me or my honey, eating dinner with us or watching tv on us,

 

I long to be able to give them the kind of out of cage time I used to be able to (some days, all day) when my job was different, but now I am working full time, long hours, but Sat afternoon & I dedicate Sundays to their time. I go nowhere on Sundays as that is there time to be free out of their cages from morning to night.

They only know life with me except for Rikki who was purchased by someone else in a pet store, they had her for 1 year until the man (Rikkis favorite, was too ill and the wife gave her to another couple. After 6 weeks they came on this forum and asked how to keep her quiet as she whistled too much and was too loud! Turns out they lived 2 hours away.. I made a sarcastic comment to them, and next thing I know, they brought her to me..her forever home)

 

So like all of you, I do the best I can and try to not stress over the lives they have..after all thats all they know..<3

 

GREAT TOPIC!!   Thanks to all who posted, it is really nice to hear others thoughts, after all we're not alone like we feel sometimes. 

[LNCAG]

It IS a great topic.  And it's a topic we can easily become defensive about.  This thread didn't go there, thankfully.  

At the end of the day, we all just want what is realistically the best for our parrots.  

[KevinD]

You know the old saying, things in motion tend to stay in motion, things at rest tend to stay at rest.

It was on my mind, and thought it would be a good topic to get folks talking again

There are no right or wrong answers, just thoughts.