Parrots and parakeets are victims of the trade, of the lack of legal protection, of ignorance and of “good intentions”. Below we give some examples of where things go wrong:
The trade in parrots and parakeets
Parrots and parakeets have been captured en masse in their countries of origin for the legal international bird trade for many years. In this way, many thousands of Gray Redstart parrots, Blue and Yellow Macaws, Blue-fronted Amazons and lovebirds have ended up in the trade that have been caught in nature.
The majority of the captured birds did not survive capture or transport. In addition, contagious diseases were spread, causing birds to become ill and die later. There is also a risk to humans due to the spread of parrot disease.
Partly because of this trade, the survival of countless species in nature is threatened. By cutting down or damaging nest trees to steal young birds from the nests, the birds lose nesting opportunities. The loss of nesting trees is a disaster for survival in nature.
Parrots and parakeets were victims of the lack of legislation that makes this trade impossible.
Due to years of action against this import, an import stop was imposed in Europe from 1 July 2007. In the Netherlands, the Parrot and Parakeet Welfare Foundation (SPPW), now the Parrot Foundation, has played an important role in collaboration with the Bird Clinic in Meppel (now an Advisory Practice for Birds).
By catching parrots in nature, there are more parrots and parakeets in captivity than there are flying around in the wild in their countries of origin. Many parrots and parakeets are now bred in captivity.
Thanks to the collaboration between the Advisory Practice for Birds and the Parrot Foundation, hand-rearing of parrots was banned in the Netherlands as of July 1, 2014, due to the structural behavioral welfare problems when young birds are separated from their parents.
The purchase of parrots and parakeets
Remember that owning a parrot or parakeet is a big responsibility and a lifelong choice. The Advisory Practice for Birds and the Parrot Foundation do not recommend purchasing a parrot because of the consequences for the parrot and because of the consequences for the owner.
If you want to purchase a parrot or a parakeet, make sure you have sufficient expert information to ensure the health and well-being of the bird.
If you want to purchase a parrot or parakeet, do so in the right way
Avoid the trade and the pet shop as an extension of the bird trade. It is best to adopt a bird that has fallen through the cracks and is looking for a good home. This is comparable to purchasing a dog from a dog shelter. The alternative is to purchase a bird from a breeder who handles the birds responsibly and works closely with an avian veterinarian, providing a health declaration signed by the avian veterinarian indicating which diseases the bird has been examined for. In addition, a statement from the avian veterinarian that there are no indications of infectious diseases within the breeding stock.
The advice is to only buy birds with a permanent foot ring on which the year of birth and the breeder's details can be found. Make good agreements with the seller. As a buyer, the advice is to have the bird checked for health by an avian veterinarian as soon as possible, with the purchase only being final if research shows that it is a healthy bird.
For many years there has been an increasing trade in baby parrots that cannot yet eat on their own. Baby parrots that are hand-raised in particular develop behavioral problems. The advice to raise a baby yourself because the bird will then become tamer is nonsense and mainly motivated by the commercial interests of the seller. Since 2003, the Parrot Foundation, together with the Advisory Practice for Birds, has campaigned against the hand-rearing of parrots and the unwanted trade in baby parrots. This campaign has been successfully concluded with new legislation that banned the hand rearing of parrots in the Netherlands on July 1, 2014, as it had been prohibited for decades in dogs, cats, chimpanzees, etc. This is a breakthrough in the field of the welfare of parrots in captivity.
An important part of the purchase inspection within the Advisory Practice for Birds is also a behavioral consultation to teach the owner the principles of dealing with and preventing behavioral problems. A purchase check is also intended to provide additional advice in the interest of the health and well-being of the bird.
Ignorance
Parrots and parakeets are victims of ignorance. Bird owners are generally poorly informed about the requirements of birds for food, housing and care. Moreover, owners have no expertise to respond to behavior. Traders, pet shops and unfortunately also breeders who sell parrots and parakeets often do not appear to have the expertise we would expect.
nutrition
Nutritional errors are the cause of disease symptoms in 80-90% of cases and are the main cause of death of parrots and parakeets.
This means that the budgerigar will be happy if it lives to be 6 years old instead of 15-20 years old. The cockatiel is considered old when it is 12 years old while cockatiels can live 25-30 years. Lovebirds can live up to 35 years but often die within 10 years. Almost all parrots develop serious health problems within 10 years due to nutritional errors.
We see molting disorders, abnormal feathers, skin complaints, shortness of breath, growing beaks, growing nails, liver problems, kidney disorders, heart problems with arteriosclerosis and ultimately mortality at a young age.
The Advice Practice for Birds in Meppel, as well as 2,500 other bird veterinarians worldwide, advises not to give parrots and parakeets seed mixtures but pellets. Wij adviseren de voedingen van Harrison’s Bird Foods because they have been developed by recognized experts in America and are the only bird food certified as organic food in the USA. This means that no agricultural poisons, no colorings, odors or flavorings have been added and are free of preservatives.
Housing
Most birds spend years in small and bird-unfriendly cages with the wrong perches and rarely get out of the cage. The well-known shell sand is strongly discouraged due to the unhygienic dust formation and the risk of birds eating sand.
Nursing
In addition to cleaning the cage, the drinking bowl and the water bowl, food is given twice a day, as much as possible outside the cage, preferably in a separate climbing tree and in such a way that the food is given as enrichment.
It is essential that the parrot comes outside as often as possible throughout the year. Sunlight, fresh air, exercise and distraction are necessary to prevent health and behavioral problems.
Taking them to the playground, the petting zoo and walking in the woods is part of keeping a parrot/parakeet.
The advice is to shower/spray daily and to respond to intelligence with games and toys.
Behavior
Parrots and parakeets, unlike dogs and cats, are not domesticated animals. Dogs and cats are domesticated pets: they have been kept and bred by humans for thousands of years. Parrots and parakeets are wild birds that are kept in captivity and whose family flies around in nature. The budgerigar is an example of a parrot species where domestication can be discussed. This species has been cultivated in Europe since 1840. This species comes in all possible mutations and in which the English budgerigar has been bred, which differs in many respects from the budgerigar as it flies around in Australia.
Dogs and cats are predators. Parrots and parakeets are prey animals.
It is important that owners realize that humans have the typical characteristics of predators.The eyes of humans are clearly directed forward, as in the owl, cat and other predators. The eyes of prey animals are mainly directed to the side to observe the environment as best as possible.
Based on long-term scientific research by Dr. Irene Pepperberg, we know that parrots and parakeets have the intelligence level of children aged 6-7 years. Underestimating intelligence is an important reason for behavioral problems.
Without expertise in the behavior and handling of parrots, it is obvious that many parrots will exhibit screaming, picking, biting and demolition behavior.
Behavioral consultations, courses on keeping parrots and parakeets
Owners of parrots and parakeets come from all over the Netherlands to the Bird Advisory Practice in Meppel for behavioral consultations. As part of a behavioral consultation, the advice is to clip parrots' wings so that it is possible to take the birds outside and take them to the playground, on holiday, etc. The 5-step behavioral protocol, as developed by J. Hooimeijer, and the definitions of normal behavior, desired behavior, undesirable behavior, enforced behavior and jumping behavior are discussed and explained. The Advisory Practice for Birds offers one-day and two-day courses for owners of parrots and parakeets on how to keep birds responsibly.
During the course days, the owner learns to evaluate his own behavior and how to ensure that the parrot experiences being approached and treated with respect.
Mutual respect and mutual trust are the foundation of a positive relationship. Furthermore, the owner learns how to respond to learning ability based on observation and how to respond to and reward intelligence. Giving compliments for the desired behavior that has been created is very important. If birds happily display desired behavior and feel good about it, self-confidence develops.
Parrots that are treated with respect are then lifelong companions.
In addition, the Bird Advisory Practice offers courses/workshops for veterinarians and veterinary assistants and training institutes. From the Advisory Practice for Birds, Drs. J. Hooimeijer master classes are presented at international conferences and, at the invitation of universities in South America, the USA, Europe and Australia, guest lectures with workshops are presented for veterinary students.
The care of parrots and parakeets
Unfortunately, many parrots fall through the cracks due to various circumstances and many birds disappear to shelters or go back into the trade. Behavioral problems play a major role in this. The important objective of the Advisory Practice for Birds is to provide information so that the parrot can remain in the family. This can prevent the parrot from being given up to a shelter. If it is not possible for the bird to remain with the owner, an alternative is sought through a donation-adoption program to give the bird a second chance.
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