Do You Feel Guilty About Keeping an African Gray in a Cage?

If you have an African gray parrot, or other pet bird about that, it will spend most of its life in a cage. It's like putting the bird in jail for a lifetime. “But wait a bit”, “Parrots are only birds.” Yes, it's just a bird, an animal given wings to fly freely. Privileges that other animals and humans do not have. Still, humans keep birds in their cages to prevent them from flying.

If you feel guilty about keeping a pet parrot, don't do it. In captivity, parrots have a better life and can live up to 80 years of life. In the wild, parrots may not survive that long. We recognize that flying freely and living freely is beautiful, but the jungles and forests with most wild parrots are not really heaven. Parrots are at risk of all kinds of wild. First, there are people who hunt birds for food and don't care if the birds they catch are chickens or parrots. If it was a parrot, he would probably sell it for more money than a chicken, given that some country parrots can be considered exotic. In addition, some poachers hunt bird species for medicinal value that they believe they own.

In addition to humans, the jungle community itself poses many dangers. There are big birds that prey on small species. And there are monkeys sharing the tree. As more and more countries advance industrialization and modernization, parrots are losing their natural habitat as land development continues. Birds compete with other wild creatures for food, not to mention other birds. It is survival of the fittest, and only the strongest survive.

Then there is illness. How do parrots cure illnesses and injuries in the wild? There is none. Most birds die when injured or sick. And what happens to young chicks and eggs when the mother parrot dies? Unlike humans, there are no bird orphanages in the wild. They either fight for themselves, die by hunger, or eaten by other larger creatures.

So if you have a pet parrot and feel that you are denying freedom to fly, think about the good side. What is the chance that your pet parrot will live a full and happy life in the wild? Your parrot enjoys living in a cozy home with a great master. Eating bird food full of nutrients not found in the wild. The love and attention your birds get from your friends and visitors is different than they live in the Amazon or Central African jungles. The toys they play with and the veterinarians who specialize in health care are privileges that can only be seen in captivity. If your parrot can talk to you, thank you for giving me a fun, safe and fulfilling life.