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PlaxMacaws
03-19-2015, 07:38 PM
2741

StitchynMe
03-19-2015, 08:03 PM
Wow! That's a high percentage! Perhaps 85% are impulse buys from pet stores? With that said, I purchased Stitchy from Petco but I'd never give him up. He's mine forever.

Lady
03-19-2015, 09:16 PM
:'( That is very high and very sad, but I am not surprised.

PlaxMacaws
03-19-2015, 09:25 PM
Wow! That's a high percentage! Perhaps 85% are impulse buys from pet stores? With that said, I purchased Stitchy from Petco but I'd never give him up. He's mine forever.

Yes, it's a harsh and terribly sad reality :(. I think the collective stems from a combination of impulse purchases and semi-planned purchases. In both cases it often seems that genuine 'parrot presence' particulars don't end up meeting the expectations of those who decide to bring parrots into their lives. Many folks don't do enough research prior to acquiring a bird, and/or they tend to ignore what they don't wish to hear about the responsibilities of parrot guardianship. People are often too stubborn to heed important advice before bringing home a bird :(. And too many folks regard pet birds as objects rather than the sentient, intelligent beings they truly are! It's nothing less than tragic :'(

Casper's 2nd best friend
03-19-2015, 09:53 PM
And too many folks regard pet birds as objects rather than the sentient, intelligent beings they truly are!

Exactly and here's the problem: people see how cute and wonderful they are and immediately want one without being aware of the obligations and the time and the money needed.

Our neighbour's kid came in to see Casper and asked why he wasn't in his cage. So I asked the kid (in a nice way) if he would like to be shut up in a cage all day. That made him think and he is an intelligent kid so I am hoping that he will work it out for himself.

jtbirds
03-19-2015, 10:49 PM
Gosh no wonder there is a need for so many rescues! I wish That wasn't so high:/

spiritbird
03-19-2015, 10:55 PM
Some people get new cars every year I guess this may be the type of person that easily tires of a pet bird.

jtbirds
03-19-2015, 11:16 PM
The new Car thing actually started way way back after world war 2. Many new jobs where found and it was standard for anyone working one of them to have a nice house and get a new car yearly. At least I believe I heard this somewhere dont hold me to it. Thought it may be an interesting thing to add

kendrafitz
03-20-2015, 11:16 PM
That is so very sad.

Many times when a new non parrot person sees how Rosie is with me they say, ohhhh, maybe I should get a parrot. My answer is always NO. I then tell them how much time, work, mess, noise and expense keeping a parrot entails. Which usually changes the starry eyed look they have. Bringing one of these guys home is not a decision that should be made lightly.

StitchynMe
03-21-2015, 01:04 AM
That is so very sad.

Many times when a new non parrot person sees how Rosie is with me they say, ohhhh, maybe I should get a parrot. My answer is always NO. I then tell them how much time, work, mess, noise and expense keeping a parrot entails. Which usually changes the starry eyed look they have. Bringing one of these guys home is not a decision that should be made lightly.


I'd have thought one would have to be rather experienced to start off with a big macaw? I see them for sale at a store I buy my millet from. To me, they are a bit intimidating, pretty birds nonetheless. But ouch! That beek!

kendrafitz
03-21-2015, 01:08 AM
Lol. Rosie is our first bird. We met when she was two months old and have been together ever since. Funny, but the small beaks scare me more than the big ones. The big guys apply slow pressure, the little ones seem to go for blood. ;)

StitchynMe
03-21-2015, 03:02 AM
Lol. Rosie is our first bird. We met when she was two months old and have been together ever since. Funny, but the small beaks scare me more than the big ones. The big guys apply slow pressure, the little ones seem to go for blood. ;)

I have to give you a lot of credit! Im kinda scared of them myself lol the biggest bird I've ever held and wanted to take home with me was a cockatoo, this was many years ago. It totally won me over! The owner was selling it at the time but my then boyfriend said No! Way! It was so incredibly affectionate too.

Cedardave
03-21-2015, 12:11 PM
Thats a pretty high number.Curious....is that a worldwide, north America or United States statistic.

Casper's 2nd best friend
03-21-2015, 01:30 PM
"There are lies, damned lies and statistics." - Mark Twain

PlaxMacaws
03-21-2015, 05:10 PM
Thats a pretty high number.Curious....is that a worldwide, north America or United States statistic.I'm unsure concerning the origin of the statistic. But I've seen it reported in multiple places. Granted, that certainly doesn't mean the 85% numeric wasn't created by someone and then echoed by others without validation. However, I'm inclined to believe that 85% is a fairly accurate representation considering the huge number of companion birds sold commercially and the huge number of companion birds flooding into rescues on an ongoing basis here in the United States. It genuinely seems believable to me that only about 15% of purchased parrots (i.e., 15 out of every 100 sold) find themselves in good, stable homes where they're able to remain for longer than 2 years. And that of course makes it reasonably believable that the remaining 85% are either purged or locked into neglectful living situations by those who initially purchased them.

Example quote:

Ravens Haven Exotic Bird Rescue, Inc.
Location: 812 41st St Vienna WV 26105 USA
Mission: Raven's Haven was founded in 2002 and grew out of the increasing need for homes for unwanted parrots in West Virginia. With rescue and rehoming of parrots the largest part of our organization we also work toward educating the public on parrots as impulse buys, which is why 85% of parrots are rehomed within the first year. We are completely run by volunteers.Form: [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

StitchynMe
03-21-2015, 07:39 PM
I believe many are locked in neglectful situations. My neighbor got a lovebird about a month ago that they promptly set iout on the outside porch and there it sits, night and day, day in and day out. I never see anyone pay attention to it. They don't even cover it at night! It gets chilly at night here too. I cover Stitchy at night and he's indoors! I do live in a warmer climate but it can turn rather cold at night sometimes, especially in the spring.

cdog
03-21-2015, 07:51 PM
I believe many are locked in neglectful situations. My neighbor got a lovebird about a month ago that they promptly set iout on the outside porch and there it sits, night and day, day in and day out. I never see anyone pay attention to it. They don't even cover it at night! It gets chilly at night here too. I cover Stitchy at night and he's indoors! I do live in a warmer climate but it can turn rather cold at night sometimes, especially in the spring.

Maybe you could try to educate them about parrots, or at least have them cover the poor guy. I had to educate my ex about being a parrot owner. She thought cockatiels were nocturnal so she covered hers during the day!

Cedardave
03-21-2015, 08:06 PM
The reason I had asked where the number came from is because where we live there is only one avian welfare coalition that will take in birds.There is really no rescue for birds other than a few breeders that are able to take in a bird here and there.We have ourselves rescued and taken birds needing new homes out of compasion.Many people online offer to take in your unwanted birds only to resell them for profit.So I dont know how accurate that number could be.Unless its for a specifically bird intense area, with accessable rescues to report the numbers to someone.Its sad at any rate.I look around me here at all the faces....they all have names....and I couldnt imagine sending any of them away, in spite of the fact that we are responsable breeders.

plax
03-21-2015, 09:38 PM
The reason I had asked where the number came from is because where we live there is only one avian welfare coalition that will take in birds.There is really no rescue for birds other than a few breeders that are able to take in a bird here and there.We have ourselves rescued and taken birds needing new homes out of compasion.That's interesting. Yours sounds like a rather isolated area with regard to the proportionally lower degree of pet bird sales and trading.


Many people online offer to take in your unwanted birds only to resell them for profit.So I dont know how accurate that number could be.Unless its for a specifically bird intense area, with accessable rescues to report the numbers to someone.Apparently that's one of the realities contributing to the alleged statistic. There's a great deal of bird "flipping" happening via the Internet and any bird that's forced through the process qualifies as a *purge* to be included in said statistic. I'm sure the 85% is derived largely from extrapolation/estimation, like so much statistical data relied upon by corporations and governments these days. For example, television and radio program ratings have long been derived through techniques of extrapolation. And another great example would be endangered species counts. It's often a virtual impossibility to count all existing members among any particular endangered species group... so scientists resort largely to estimation and extrapolation developed from the number counts within limited areas. That's often all there is to work with.


Its sad at any rate.I look around me here at all the faces....they all have names....and I couldnt imagine sending any of them away, in spite of the fact that we are responsable breeders.Indeed :(

Mare
03-22-2015, 12:06 AM
I imagine that all of us on this forum are hard-core bird people, whether we asked for it or not..we love our birds come what may. In my opinion, the birds that are given up are from people that haven't tried hard enough. I realize that there are circumstances in which there is no other choice..but for people to buy and then decide they don't want,,I just shake my head..unforgivable.

Macaw Lover
03-22-2015, 08:17 PM
See, just another thing why I am an odd ball. Jody has been with me the longest, I picked her up the day after the San Francisco earthquake in '89. Kalea I have had for the past 8 wonderful years. Now Donovan will be here 2 years on April 5th and he isn't going anywhere.

Mare
03-23-2015, 04:26 AM
You're not an oddball, Renee'! You are a great person taking responsibility!

Macaw Lover
03-24-2015, 03:14 AM
Ah, gee-wise (blushing) that is nice of you to say :peaceful:

coltfire
03-24-2015, 11:41 PM
That number does not surprise me one bit . the amount of people on the eckie sites I'm on are forever saying I can't handle the noise there new eckie is making or he/she just keeps biting I'm going to have to rehome the bird . it makes me so mad these people have no idea how to take care of there bird and in the beginning they didn't do there research.

Abby
04-03-2015, 05:15 PM
I think it's lack of common knowledge. Just the other day, my grandmother asked me, "So, what do you feed your birds? Seed?" I explained to her seed mixes are apart of my birds' diet, but would never, ever be the only thing. I went on to tell her a bit about proper feeding of parrots, and she had no idea. A lot of people tend to assume things about parrots that just aren't true or only partially true. I think and hope that as time goes on, information will spread and people will have a better idea of what they are getting into before bringing home a bird.