Of all pets, are any animals more restricted and imprisoned than birds held in cages?
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Fish are allowed to swim in their tanks as restricted as they are…..dogs and cats have a fair amount of freedom. But, holding a bird in a small cage like most pet birds are is a different story. Birds in the wild can soar on wing at their choosing and to keep them in a home in small cages is an abomination.
Think about it. Would you like to be kept in a box? Never allowed to walk or run or even frolic in any way? Some people have just 1 bird so it would be you all alone in your box.
Doesn’t the saying “free as a bird” mean anything to you bird owners?
Obviously I’m speaking about people who keep birds in tiny cages inside their homes. What a horrible life for a bird.
John P—-
“If you bothered to inform yourself, instead of making comments about a subject of which you OBVIOUSLY know absolutely NOTHING”
If you bothered to read my post you’d know I wasn’t talking about those people. Your defensive protest makes me wonder if you’re doing it out of guilt.
“Would YOU ever let a domesticated bird out in the wild to die?”
I would never have one to begin with……do you ever look at the sky and see a bird flying? Your bird will NEVER have that freedom. You might offer better conditions than most but it’s still unfair.
I’ll repost this portion of my original post as all of you have ignored it:
“Obviously I’m speaking about people who keep birds in tiny cages inside their homes.”
Instead of accusing me of generalizing and such understand that I’m talking about people who keep birds in small cages where they can’t fly at will. If you keep your bird in a cage it should be open at ALL TIMES (except for company and such) or you’re imprisoning the bird. You can defend doing it all you want but it doesn’t change the fact that you deprive your pet of even a remotely natural existence.
Do you know wwy your bird seems “happy” around you? It’s all that it has.
BTW….anyone who has just 1 bird is an offender on a deeper level……no matter what you think, your bird is lonely. You don’t compensate for that. There’s no birds in the wild out seeking human companionship.
8 Comments
November 20th, 2009 at 10:38 am
in general I agree. That’s why my parrots cage is always open and he can roam as he pleases
November 20th, 2009 at 11:15 am
I agree with you. I’m sure people who buy pets buy them because they love them. But we all have our reasons for example, my guest are scared, someone is allergic, it’ll fly away because we have our doors open, and etc. But once in a while all bird owners would like to let the birds out and fly around for a while. It’s kinda hazardous to the birds because it might fly into things (My friend’s parakeet almost flew into the fire place but he flew into the wall instead). Like my friend, all bird owners can be a bit paranoid when they let them out. So it’s not like we keep them in the cage forever.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:35 am
My pet birds are all rescues, some of whom came from horrible situations and would probably be dead now if they weren’t with me. All of them have large cages, plenty of stimulating activities, good food, companionship, and out-of-cage time. Are they happy? Well, the three of them who are climbing over me, whistling and mumbling in people-talk as i type this seem as pleased as can be.
Believe it or not, there is such a thing as a conscientious bird-keeper. If you feel strongly about the well-being of birds, i suggest strongly that you find a local pet bird rescue in your area and volunteer with them. You can foster, assist with adoptions, transport birds to vets, and teach people about proper bird care. Posting anonymously out here isn’t going to change any minds or make any animals’ lives any better.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
If you bothered to inform yourself, instead of making comments about a subject of which you OBVIOUSLY know absolutely NOTHING , you would know that good bird owners not only let their birds out of their cages regularly , but that there are special leash devices , called Feather Tethers or Avian Flight suits , which allow owners ( such as myself ) to take our birds outside, to special events, shopping, to the park or even to our friends homes.
Even a rudimentary search on the Internet will reveal hundreds of sites telling how to train your birds to come out of their cages, to step up onto your hand, and more.
Searches for bird accessories will reveal hundreds of places that sell the suits and tethers, as well as articles on how to use them.
Since you are the one who started making moral judgments, allow me to continue with YOUR line of thought.. If my birds lived in cages which were as closed as your mind, they would be in a pathetic situation!
November 20th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Well I have a cockatiel and he’s rarely in his cage. Whenever I go outside, he goes with me on my shoulder all the time. I’m not worried about him flying away or else he’d done it by now. Mine will only be in it for these reasons….1. He tried to nip at me. 2. I need to go somewhere and don’t want him out by himself. 3. It’s bed time. I agree with you. Having a bird in the cage all the time is a horrible life. He’s on my shoulder right now & I’m sure he agrees.
November 20th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Yes, sadly many bird owners use their birds as decorations and never let them out, which is horrible! But I am a bird owner, and my parakeet has a huge cage (I made sure of that) with things he can climb on, chew on, and play with. He is let out of his cage for 2 hours every day at the very minimum, and he hops around while flapping his wings. I also allow him time in my screened-in porch so he gets fresh air. He is a highly domesticated bird and is not meant to be in the wild- he does not know what predators are, doesn’t know how to find food or water, and he wouldn’t survive a minute in the wild. You can’t blame me for keeping him in a house, otherwise he would die! His key flight feathers are also clipped for his own safety, so he can fly a little (half-way across a large room, about) but not far enough to fly outside, where it is dangerous, or hit a cieling fan or have any other accidents. I am getting him a birdy friend very soon. Don’t get me wrong, I hate cruelty to birds which is very common. Macaws and other wild birds should not ever be kept in a home. But domesticated breeds whose ancestors never even set foot in the wild and don’t know anything about survival are very happy in homes, and live long, healthy lives when they are taken care of properly.
November 20th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
How can you say that, when the birds I have seen. As well as the birds I own get time often out of cage. And with my birds they are free flighted, which means I don’t clip their wings and they fly.
Please don’t generalize without knowing all the facts, as a lot of owners have separate rooms for their flock. Have out of cage play stands, hanging perches and the like.
And as for a horrible life for a bird, my birds feel more safe in the cage at times the out of the cage. They will at times go into their cages on their own. Remember they can fly and will fly to their cages.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I have 4 birds. The only time they are locked in their cages, is when I am at work. This is for their own saftey. I kennel my dog while I am at work too. While I am at home, they are free to do what they please. My birds are VERY happy. We are their “flock”, they are safe here, and well taken care of. We have 3 quakers- do you know what they do to the quakers in the wild in Argentina?? They view them as a pest and they kill them. Quakers life span in the wild is only 4 years, compared to in captivity- 20 to 30 years.