Polite response regarding "poor caged animals"

[OrnithAudrey]

My people-patience meter has exceeded capacity, so I am seeking suggestions for a short, polite response to the all knowing "animal experts."

It's expected to get the occasional person that complains saying these poor animals belong in the wild and must be miserable in cages instead of frolicking free in the rain forests, but generally speaking, most people enjoy learning about them and watching our training and play times. But there must be something in the water because I've gotten more complaints in the past week than I have in the past 7 years of working with wildlife and exotics.

It has been one person after another. "Why'd you take them from the wild only to put them in cages?" "Don't they miss their family?" "Aren't they sad living in cages?" "Aren't they endangered? Do you have them illegally?" "You don't think they'd be happier in their natural habitat?" I've been getting these (or variations of them) CONSTANTLY and it's becoming painful trying to explain that these are captive bred animals who's "natural habitat" is captivity to countless people who think they know better.

We all know the average person doesn't know anything about parrots, which is why I've always tried to address each individual's concerns, but at the rate things are going, I'm wasting my time now. But from a professional standpoint, I still feel the need to at least provide a broad-spectrum 1-2 liner regarding keeping exotic birds in captivity. Anyone have any suggestions for a blanket "mini-speech" so to speak?

 

[chris-md]

Explain that most birds they see are actually bred in captivity and never saw the wild. Many are decimated in the wild because of habitat loss and particularly over harvesting. For the pet trade. Now that captive breeding is occurring, it reduces the illegal poaching to an extent. It's a sad way around, endanger a species to create the conditions to save it. But that's the world we're in. If it weren't for captive breeding, most of these parrots would be extinct.

I also recommend a bit of patience and understanding on your part. It's not ignorant, per se. They are absolutely right: so many of the problems we experience in captivity is because being kept too much in cages and not being stimulated properly. Responsible owners find ways of dealing with this (out of cage time, toys, foraging, etc) so it's not an issue - something else you can point out. They are not domesticated at all, so we are keeping in effect wild animals in our homes. You need to come from a place of truth when dealing with these queries. This is the sad truth, which is why you shouldn't be too upset with these kinds of questions. Generally they adapt well, but they are in fact wild animals.

 

[WilliamKenyon]

Very very well put (ornithaudrey)

 

[Piasa]

People tend to care about what they can see and experience. A captive animal is an ambassador, it allows people to interact and care about that animal and by extension their species.

 

[RavensGryf]

Many people also don't take into account that it is a rough life in the wild. The lifespan is shorter, the conditions are much harsher, survival of only the very fittest. Many times they don't get near the nutrition that they do in captivity, lots of stress from predators, etc. Many are extremely long lived in captivity, much beyond their wild life expectancy and that's no coincidence.

 

[wrench13]

Wow you guys are polite. I would tell them to just F off. But thatsme.

 

[itchyfeet]

Wow you guys are polite. I would tell them to just F off. But thatsme.

Haha agreed!

Chris I hadn't thought it through that much before. I'd simply gone as for as 'captive bred - wouldn't cope in the big wide wild'. You've worded it very well.

 

[SailBoat]

I am guessing that you have recently changed your area of activity, which is resulting in you coming in contact with individuals different from your normal social group. Or, due to your day to day activities, this group(s) have come to you, seeking answers or worst, testing their poorly formed notions of the World, i.e.... products of an Education System that has failed them with half-truths and no tools to learn outside of what was feed them.

The prior Posts provide the foundation of a good 'mini-speech' (a discussion base). The danger is that some of them are so frozen in their miss-beliefs that they may / will be combative. The hard core individuals are not looking for answers, they are looking for a word fight or at worst an actual fight. If you want to have a 'discussion' with these individuals, you will need to be watchful of any signs of confrontation and have an exit plan or route in place. Some of these people are just plain dangerous!

Take note of what they are wearing, their body language and YES, pre judge based on what you see. If you feel any discomfort, leave. If you are alone, do not engage, leave.

FYI: A Rain Forest is an area that Parrot 'may' (rarely) seasonally migrate into and back-out. A Rain Forest is prone to heavy rains and in the Winter periods of snow and therefore temperatures that will support snow! A Jungle is a totally different place and a place that parrots are common. Jungles transitions to forests, to light forests, than to plains, and to dry lands.

Be careful, the World is no longer a safe place!

 

[OrnithAudrey]

Wow you guys are polite. I would tell them to just F off. But thatsme.

LOL oh trust me, I've thought it a time or two! And while I have the rare boss that would actually think that's funny, that's not my personality (usually ) I genuinely strive to educate because it breaks my heart how utterly stupid people are regarding animals. The Yellowstone bison incident is the ultimate proof of that!

 

[OrnithAudrey]

People tend to care about what they can see and experience. A captive animal is an ambassador, it allows people to interact and care about that animal and by extension their species.

That's a great approach I haven't used and exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for. There's a lot of mega sports fans here, so I could potentially relate to them better that way, similar to a team mascot.

 

[PetoftheDay]

All good, considered responses. And important information - these are not bald eagles plucked from the next. You can use the example of "Your average miniature poodle wouldn't survive long in the woods, right? Wouldn't know what is safe to eat, how to find food, hunt, stay safe .... Neither would these guys."

 

[OrnithAudrey]

I am guessing that you have recently changed your area of activity, which is resulting in you coming in contact with individuals different from your normal social group. Or, due to your day to day activities, this group(s) have come to you, seeking answers or worst, testing their poorly formed notions of the World, i.e.... products of an Education System that has failed them with half-truths and no tools to learn outside of what was feed them.

The prior Posts provide the foundation of a good 'mini-speech' (a discussion base). The danger is that some of them are so frozen in their miss-beliefs that they may / will be combative. The hard core individuals are not looking for answers, they are looking for a word fight or at worst an actual fight. If you want to have a 'discussion' with these individuals, you will need to be watchful of any signs of confrontation and have an exit plan or route in place. Some of these people are just plain dangerous!

Take note of what they are wearing, their body language and YES, pre judge based on what you see. If you feel any discomfort, leave. If you are alone, do not engage, leave.

FYI: A Rain Forest is an area that Parrot 'may' (rarely) seasonally migrate into and back-out. A Rain Forest is prone to heavy rains and in the Winter periods of snow and therefore temperatures that will support snow! A Jungle is a totally different place and a place that parrots are common. Jungles transitions to forests, to light forests, than to plains, and to dry lands.

Be careful, the World is no longer a safe place!

It's become an issue of late due to the onslaught of college students coming back home and some events that have been hosted at our location recently, bringing in a very different demographic. Unfortunately, it is the combative variety I am facing, so I feel no matter what, my efforts will be in vain. But since the issues are with my work animals and not my personal ones, I am trying to remain as professional as possible. As far as the rain forest comment, that was actually what an aspiring animal science degree holder told me, although I believe he said, "chillin'" in place of frolicking. When I informed him I already possess a B.S. in wildlife and fisheries science with a focus in wildlife ecology and conservation and a minor in ornithology, he walked off. Go figure...

 

[OrnithAudrey]

Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone! A lot of points mentioned have been the basis of my "speech" I've developed over the years, but there are some great new ideas I will incorporate. Unfortunately, as mentioned in Sailboat's reply, the root of the problem has in fact been due to a different crowd of the combative sort that hopefully won't be around much longer. While it's wishful thinking to believe I can do anything about them, I don't want their misguided beliefs (mixed with a crappy attitude) to taint the onlookers around them, so I will continue to try and give insightful responses, even if it is in vain.

 

[Jayyj]

My general response is to point out that when keeping any animal as a pet or in captivity comes down to whether the animal's emotional needs are met. Many animals thrive in captivity given the correct care and habitat - many don't and in those cases it's reasonable to question whether it's morally acceptable to keep them as pets. I then point out the similarities between parrots and dogs - that they both need to be part of a family and given plenty of one on one attention - and that I absolutely agree that keeping a parrot caged all day is as cruel as keeping a dog in a crate all day, but that's not how responsible owners keep their birds.

I also point out the aspect of the lives that birds live in the wild is not quite as romantic as they might think: that many meet violent deaths from predators, many die of starvation, that any form of illness is usually a death sentence. Pet birds may miss out on a few things compared to wild birds but they also have a lot of advantages.

I understand the frustrations of people making judgements on keeping birds as pets - particularly when they tell you keeping birds is cruel, then you ask them if they have pets and they fondly tell you about their cat who, don't tell me, he's a a darling but he's always leaving half eaten sparrows on the door mat, but that isn't cruel because it's just what comes naturally to them. However it's a fair point that many pet birds actually are kept in conditions that are cruel and inappropriate and that part of our role as people who care for these animals and go to great lengths to ensure they are kept in a way they can thrive is to act as an ambassador, to educate people as to the idea that there's a correct way to keep birds that is hugely rewarding for the owner and a pleasant, comfortable environment for the bird to grow up in and be happy.

 

[wrench13]

Audrey, it seems like the F. Off option is sounding better and better. Life's too short to try an convince the unconvinceable. Of course, you want to be polite, so maybe
"Thank you for your opinion, but could you please just F. Off!" That's polite, right?

 

[SailBoat]

For us bigger, older guys who can still side step a punch and land a return favor, telling the Dim Wit to 'F' off, is clearly an option that I would use!

Having said that, when working in a public facility options reduce rapidly. Hence, I believe a discussion with management regarding Policy and Procedures when thing start going wrong is a worth while pre-caution.

The reason I went to the dark side regarding reacting to this faction is that they are become far more forceful and confrontational then ever before. Therefore my recommendation to having an exit plan in place and be ready to use it has real merit! Your facility needs to understand such realities and provide necessary training and support systems.

Yes, the majority of those asking the questions are the run of the mill College students trying / testing their new found beliefs. But mixed in with these students are the hardcore and it would be foolish to brush them-off.

Several of us travel internationally and most of our Corporations carry very special insurance to recover us. In addition, we receive very specialized training based on being aware of what's happening around us and always having an exit plan. The interesting part is that just as much effort in the presentation is placed on being aware here in North America.

The training has woke me up to the reality of needing to be aware of what is happening around us everyday. Twice in any given week and in the US, I have spotted a Predator.

As America's we are blind the realities of today's World.

 

[plumsmum2005]

My people-patience meter has exceeded capacity, so I am seeking suggestions for a short, polite response to the all knowing "animal experts."

It's expected to get the occasional person that complains saying these poor animals belong in the wild and must be miserable in cages instead of frolicking free in the rain forests, but generally speaking, most people enjoy learning about them and watching our training and play times. But there must be something in the water because I've gotten more complaints in the past week than I have in the past 7 years of working with wildlife and exotics.

It has been one person after another. "Why'd you take them from the wild only to put them in cages?" "Don't they miss their family?" "Aren't they sad living in cages?" "Aren't they endangered? Do you have them illegally?" "You don't think they'd be happier in their natural habitat?" I've been getting these (or variations of them) CONSTANTLY and it's becoming painful trying to explain that these are captive bred animals who's "natural habitat" is captivity to countless people who think they know better.

We all know the average person doesn't know anything about parrots, which is why I've always tried to address each individual's concerns, but at the rate things are going, I'm wasting my time now. But from a professional standpoint, I still feel the need to at least provide a broad-spectrum 1-2 liner regarding keeping exotic birds in captivity. Anyone have any suggestions for a blanket "mini-speech" so to speak?

I feel your impatience with so many comments in the same vain. On a slightly positive note at least they spoke out because they think these birds should be out in their native habitat and not just accepting them in captivity which I feel wouldn't be good. For humans to get to the point that they just accept there are no more birds and animals in the wild and it is OK for them to be in cages/parks/zoos etc. We here know the complexities of their being 'out there'.

I am sure you will crack this perhaps with the aid of a cup of tea to be able to give a succinct but accurate reply to those who deserve one and to the ones that don't there is always the other approach.

 

[Dinosrawr]

I think at the end of the day even attempting to educate people is huge (this coming from a fresh, young teacher [emoji23]).

That being said, many people do NOT know what "normal, healthy" care looks like for a parrot. To me, normal is the bird being out with their humans every day, being fed the best quality food their owner can afford in both pellets and fresh food, being given new toys as often as possible, and being loved their entire lives with mental stimulation from interactions at every opportunity. The cages I have for my birds are by no means mansions for them, but whenever strangers who have NEVER owned a feathered friend come over and see their cages, they always "ohh" and "ahhh" over the sizes of them. Mainly because they think all birds belong in a small cage because that's what advertising in a non-bird specialized store dictates.

My boyfriend's mother was distraught when I told her I wanted a parrot. Told me that they belong in the wild and that they should never be caged. I told her I agree, a wild bird raised by their wild families should never be extracted from their natural habitat and placed in a domestic situation unless absolutely necessary. But birds raised in captivity were no better off than a puppy you adopt from the SPCA - if I put that dog in an environment suited for wolves, well... it would likely feed them. But place that animal in a loving home where it receives exercise, quality food, and quality interactions? That animal will thrive for many years to come.

The biggest part about educating those who don't know is exposure to the quality of lives that these animals live. Showing them, "this is the 'cage' they SHOULD live at when in a home, this is how much you should budget for their toys to destroy, these are the types of toys you should introduce, this is how much variety they should have in their foods, these are the different ways you can give their food, this is what a structured training session would be like, and this is how you show love without sexually frustrating the animal," etc. etc. can have a huge impact on their perception of what a domestic life looks like as a parrot.

When I tell people how much my birds interact with me and love me, or when they see it, they say they want a bird too. When I tell people what I have to do to keep my birds happy, they say, "maybe I'll just get a dog/cat". I think that speaks volumes about the public's perception of general animal care.

 

[Mekaisto]

I usually equate a parrot living in captivity to a human living in a city - would you prefer to live in your home, or out in the wild?

There has been a big swell in the 'animal rights' movement lately, helped along by 'documentaries' such as blackfish (urgh...)
I absolutely detest animal rights advocates. They manage to sway the public using misconceptions and lies - and it works because the general public take everything at face value and have no concept of fact-checking.

Animal rights and animal welfare are two completely different things.

Animal welfare says you shouldn't put a macaw into a small cage because it will get stressed and damage itself.

Animal rights says you shouldn't put a macaw into any cage because it wants to be free and flying through the jungle and frolicking with all its friends.

 

[Scott]

I can empathize with your conundrum; in my line of work ignorance is deigned the "checked brain at curbside" malady.

Not completely sure of the logistics of your work environment, but is it possible to fabricate creative signs near the "poor caged animals" to educate the visitors? The biggest challenge may be to effectively convey the information at a third grade level. If they care to read first, those who initiate conversation may be more amenable to reason.