Another great article

This time from the NJ Star-Ledger, which is a big paper and will hopefully bring insome new blood in the way of volunteers...

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/11/friends_of_a_feather_blairstow.html

Cool! Love the cuddly 'too picture.

I do too. They both look so cuddly, don't they?

There are comments people posted at the end and I am fighting not to respond to the one who went off about birds pluck because they aren't allowed to fly. I really hate know it alls who don't know it all and make a perfectly good situation bad.

Umm, Before I saw that you weren't responding... I responded.

Sorry. The guy wasn't very smart.

He said:

Corrections: (1) photo — it's spelled Moluccan. (2) photo — they're called blue and GOLD macaws. Captive parrots are predisposed to plucking their feathers because it's a neurotic condition that stems from being denied the ability to flight, forage, fly, and mate. These are wild animals that have evolved to thrive in tropical jungles. When all their behavioral and mating instincts are suppressed by being caged for life, they develop severe neurotic conditions such as feather picking and other OCD behaviors. Avian veterinarians have even resorted to using Thorazine! In fact, the best treatment is to release them back to the tropical jungle where they belong.

In any event it's rare to see even a domesticated blue and gold macaw with such a severe feather condition. The #1 bird for feather picking problems is an African Grey. All parrots need to be kept in warm, humid conditions — essentially a tropical jungle. But instead, stupid owners keep them in their homes at room temperature 68 degrees with 40% indoor humidity, which exacerbates any feather picking conditions. These birds like to be in an environment that is more similar to your bathroom during a hot shower than your living room.

So I said:

Sir:
While I appreciate your correcting the errors made by the editors (however nit-picky) as well as your attempt at providing further education regarding the plight of our avian friends, your comment misinforms and unfortunately, leaves room for nit-picking itself. As I prefer to avoid being petty, I'll address only the misinformation.

First, to say that, "Captive parrots are predisposed to plucking their feathers..." is incorrect. It's true that feather plucking is only seen in captive parrots but that fact does not make it a predisposition. That would be the same as saying that because ovarian cancer is only seen in women, all women are predisposed to ovarian cancer. Moreover, your assertion that the reasons for plucking are related the denial of "the ability to flight, forage, fly, and mate," is also suspect. There are many captive parrots who have not been denied these things, still have plucked. There are also birds who have been held "prisoner" in dirty cages barely larger than they are, subsisting on substandard food in a terrible high-stress environment, yet they appear to have never plucked a feather in their life.

Second and most importantly, your claim that, "the best treatment is to release them back to the tropical jungle where they belong" is not only wrong, it's dangerous, or to use your oft repeated word, stupid. Domesticated parrots have no more idea how to live in the wild than your Labrador Retriever. They have not been taught by their parents how to forage for food, what food is safe to eat, what sounds indicate danger, how to find a safe roost for the night, how to contact a flock, or any other of the hundreds of skills needed for a bird to survive in the wild. If a predator didn't kill the bird first, stress and starvation most certainly would.

As I said, I appreciate your attempt to expand on the information provided in the article but please be sure the information you provide is correct.

Brava! You said exactly what I wanted to but didn't.

Awesome response Vicki, well said!

And great article Vikki! Happy Thanksgiving my American friends!

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all

A few months back I met someone with two full flighted AND FREE flighted (flown outdoors) umbrella toos. Both plucked their chests. One had a mutilation scab.

Happy Turkey Day!
Eat lots!

man oh man that guy was or is a jerk...good response and article


dusty

I love when ignorant people cry and say we should let them loose because its more natural. I feel like saying "I will, as soon as you let your dog loose in the woods"