I went to visit my husband for lunch in another part of London. While we were walking around, we passed a small pet store, and through the window I could see a parrot in a cage. I dragged my husband in, and in the cage was a beautiful CAG. Then I noticed his food dish - seeds (mostly empty). And his toys - 2, both old and faded wood toys. When you guys post the pics of your birds' stands and cages, I can see the love that went into the placement of every toy. THis was the opposite. I could see no thoughtfulness in this parrot's environment.

I wanted to check out his water. I couldn't see a water dish or bottle!! I went running up to the counter and said, "DOES YOUR AFRICAN GREY GET WATER?!" They woman laughed and said, "of course!". I replied, 'They need a source of water at all times - they can dehydrate and die really quickly." My husband was pulling me out of there by the hand - he could sense I was about to lose it. My husband said, "you can't do that - you can't tell people what to do". Can't I?! When the welfare of a bird is at stake you better believe I'll say something.

Now, admittedly I didn't handle it well. When I was in Mexico, there were some budgies in a cage at our hotel. No toys, nothing, just plastic perches. I searched Mexico City for something for them - I found some cuttle fish and a beaded toy. I said to the owner (in Spanish I might add - the owner didn't speak English "I bought some gifts for your birds. I love birds, and I have my own in England, and I miss her very much."She put the stuff in the cage. That was an example of a time I handled it well.

Still, it really pisses me off. African Greys especially are getting very popular, with many more people buying them.

Don't people wonder what a bird is supposed to DO all day, just stuck in a barren cage?

No wonder they need a sign 'Don't touch parrot, it bites" :-(

I think you handled that better than I would have.

Aughh, situations like that disgust me. Why get a bird in the first place, if you don't want to take care of it? Some people!

I know what you mean. Especially with birds in pet stores. I think a lot of people that buy birds at pet stores, don't know a whole lot about birds and they go by how the pet store is keeping the birds. So if the bird is in a small cage, no toys and a poor diet - they assume it's okay to continue that kind of care once they get the bird home. I know there are informed/experienced bird people that buy from pet stores - but I still think a majority probably don't really know what they're getting themselves into. And unfortunately - there's still some people that see birds as a symbol of wealth etc. or just a pretty thing to sit in their living room.

awww that poor CAG. That just makes me so sad I'm sure I would have reacted even worse to that lady who owned the grey.

It warms my heart that there are caring people like us in this world. How sweet of you to buy those budgies a few toys!

Thanks for your comments, guys.
I can understand being ignorant (well, sort of) about proper nutrition. People think "birds eat seeds".*
But what I can't understand is someone putting creature like a parrot in a cage and giving it nothing to do. Don't they wonder if the bird is bored? Don't they wonder what it is feeling? If it is happy?

(I can 'only just' forgive the nutrition thing. There are so many books/websites available, that if you have a bird like that, and you love it, wouldn't you want to check out if you were treating it properly?)

Grrrr.

I will go back there in a week or 2 and if that bird has no water or no different toys, I will try a different approach. As you will see in the second quote in my signature.

Michele, some people just have no clue that parrots have such intelligence and feelings. The best thing you can do is eduacte them and try to get them to come to forums like PC so they can learn. I used to have no clue about proper care of birds, I learned a lot since then! Thanks for trying!