Is it Cruel to Have Pet Birds?
July 28th 2008 21:00
Photo by Toumoto. Used in accordance with the terms of Wikimedia Commons’ GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.
The question had me wondering as my sister had several budgies as pets when she was a teenager. There was the green and gold one, the blue one and the grey one. She doted on all three birds and cried when they died. She treated them with love and they seemed happy to be in their cage, chirping away each day. Still, when my parents were out of the house, my sister would close all the doors and windows and let the budgies fly around the house. They loved to fly to the top of the curtains and perch on the curtain rods. We would keep an eye on the time and just before our parents were due to come home, my sister would get up on a chair and grab each bird and put it back in the cage.
To me, being a pet bird doesn’t seem to be such a bad fate. Okay, being caged might not be fun. On the other hand, being caged means the bird is protected from predators. And at least a pet bird doesn’t have to worry about food or water. Or maybe I’m being naïve. Maybe being out in the wild, having to constantly search for food and being on the lookout for predators is preferable to being confined to a small cage. What do you think?
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Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
We are up to our third pet sparrow. They adore being pets! When they no longer have to constantly fight for survival, they play and have very enjoyable lives. My mynah bird loves being an indoor bird....But she has a whole room to herself, and never goes in the cage.
Comment by Queenie
Quirky Folk
Quirky Queenie
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Comment by Queenie
Quirky Folk
Quirky Queenie
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis