Birds in a cage?

Question

Is it cruel to have birds in a cage? They have wings and are meant to fly and humans are trapping them?
Or are we saving them from extinction or falling prey to big birds?
Are they happier with us? Or out in the open?
Give reasons for your answers.

Answer 1

Humans aren't trapping birds for pets. It's illegal. Pet birds are born captive and many are raised by humans from hatching and are bonded to humans. Birds see their cage as their home and don't feel 'caged.' Some might get a little cramped though if they can't stretch their wings, so bird owners are recommended to get the largest cage possible and give their pets a lot of attention.

Answer 2

There are valid arguments for both sides. Birds born and raised in captivity know no other life. And if well treated and loved they spend happy lives that way. Wild birds, on the other hand are not always capable of living contented lives in a cage. Some birds in this situation would never settle. They thrash around in their cages and stress endlessly, no matter what you do. That being the case I make the very difficult decision to have them humanely euthanized. There can be exceptions though. I recently received a juvenile Laughing Kookaburra with a badly broken wing. There is no way to repair the wing so that he can be released. So the choices for him are death or life in captivity. This kooka has settled very well. He sits on an open perch during the day, eats his food, and watches the world go by. He seems content to me. Birds that are wild are meant to be wild. And captive birds are contented with their lot in life as well. But there is no black and white. Some birds in Australia are legally trapped and sold into the pet trade. Some of these thrive while others never do. It's a very complicated and multifaceted issue. There are some species of birds here in Australia like the Orange Bellied Parrot and the Golden Shouldered Parrot that are on the verge of extinction in the wild, but captive bred populations are going very well. So?? What choice do we make? See these amazing birds totally disappear from the planet or count our lucky stars that they adapt so well to captivity?

Answer 3

Most birds kept in cages are bred for this purpose. They are genetically tame and they enjoy human company; often they would not survive in the wild.
Keeping a wild bird in a cage is a different matter. Care has to be taken to provide an adequate habitat to keep the bird happy.
Even wild birds raised by humans have the instincts of a wild bird. Keeping these birds is more complicated, but it can be done. They do it in zoos, right?

Answer 4

I keep mine in a cage at night for their safety, but during the day i think it is cruel to keep them cooped up like that. I also make sure the cages are large. I also do not like to keep their wings clipped, just until they are trained down a bit, and then i let them grow. I once found a cocktail that someone released into the wild, i suppose to be free, and he could not survive, and was dying trying to get water from the pool. We were able to scoop him up he was so weak and nurse him to health, we kept him to the end of his life. So maybe it is best for some breeds to have in captivity, but not always in a cage.

Answer 5

I think birds are happier in the open because they get their freedom of flying around and even though some people have them in cages then I think the cages should be big enough for them to be able to fly around as much as they wish too! If you want to save them from exinction then we can give them much food and and much water. Making big size pens or cages for them could be good!
~Hoped this helped!

Answer 6

I think that it's better for a pet bird to be able to be out of his cage. I mean honestly if you love your bird why would you want him or her to live their life behind bars.

I have a cockatiel and the only time I close her cage door is when I'm going to bed and then in the morning when we get up we open the door for her and as soon as she eats she comes out of her cage to play and hang out outside.

Answer 7

We arent saving anything. The birds we keep as pets were captive born and never saw the "wild' I have finches in a good sized cage and they fly their little heads off and are very happy : )

Answer 8

I question the whole "cage" thing myself.
Most of these birds that we keep in cages are birds that would NEVER survive in our community's.
I just give then the best of all I can . And enjoy their company...

Answer 9

Quakers and senegals may be loud. are not getting a Aratinga conure (solar, jenday), as they're VERY loud. in case you get a conure, get a eco-friendly cheek conure (Pyhurra conure, the quiet style). bear in options now to not get a huge parrot, they're all very loud, needy, messy, expensive, and problematical to take care of. i'd get a eco-friendly cheek conire if I were you. :D

Answer 10

Yes it is, let them roam free, they know where the food is, and will fly back if they ever get out.