 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Send us your poem about your bird or other pets by email. We'll add it to this page!
A Parrots Bill Of Rights
By: Stewart A. Metz, M.D.
1. GET TO KNOW ABOUT PARROTS BEFORE YOU BRING ME HOME- I am not a domestic pet like a dog or cat. I still have the spirit of the jungle in me. I have special needs, which you may find it hard to fill. Please don't learn these too late for my well-being. And please don't aquire one of my cousins wild from the jumgle, it will jeopardize his survival and well-being, and that won't be a party for you either!
2. GIVE ME THE LARGEST HOME POSSIBLE- I am used to flying through rainforests or savannas. I have given up this great gift for your pleasure. At the very least, give me enough room to flap my wings and exercise. And I need toys for my amusement and wood to chew otherwise, I might confuse your HOME with the forest and it's trees.
3. GIVE ME A NUTRITIOUS DIET- I need a wide variety of fresh and nutritious foods, even if they taketime to prepare. I cannot survive on seed alone. Take time to learn what my needs are.
4. LET ME HAVE A "SOCIAL LIFE"- I am a gregarious flock animal but, I am not one of you. I need lots of socialization to learn how to act with you, and with my siblings. I also need to have adequate quality time with you every day, no matter what your schedule or other needs are. I am a living, feeling creature. Above all, I need to be able to have complete trust in you, and count on your predictability in looking after me every day.
5. LET ME BE CLEAN- I may like to drop food or even throw it, but I need meticulous cleanliness to be healthy. My skin itches without frequent showers, the barbs on my feathers won't seal if they become oily and worst of all, I may become ill if my food or water is not always sanitary.
6. I NEED MY OWN DOCTOR- You may not understand my physiology and therefore you may not recognize it early on when I get sick. And it may be too late when you do, because I hide my illnesses (remember what I said about my being an animal of the jungle, where there are lots of predators). And I need an avian vet, a specialist (no HMOs for me please). If you can't afford one, perhaps you shouldn't have taken me home.
7. PLEASE DON'T PUNISH ME- Just as I don't always understand your peculiarities, you may not understand mine. I don't TRY to get in trouble, remember; a house is not the jungle. If I do mess up, don't yell at me and NEVER hit me. I have sensitive ears and I may never trust you again if you strike me. Hands are sometimes scary things to us (why in the world would you not be zygodactylous like us)? Even more importantly, we don't learn by punishment. We are gentle creatures who only strike back to protect ourselves; we learn through patience and love.
8. SPEAK MY "LANGUAGE"- I know you get upset with me when I knock over my water bowl, throw food, scream or pluck my feathers. I don't do these things to annoy you, I am probably trying to tell you something (perhaps that I am hurting, lonely or sad). Learn to speak MY (body) lanuage. Remember that I alone, of all creatures on this planet,learn to speak yours!
9. SEE ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL- I am a unique and feeling being... No two of us are alike. Please don't be disappointed in me if I don't talk like you wanted, or can't do the tricks that your friend's parrot can do. But if you pay close attention to me (and I always empathize with you, whether you know it or not), I will show you a unique being who will give you so much more than talking and playing... Give me a chance to show you who I am; I think you'll find the effort worth it. And remember, I am NOT an ornament; I do not enhance ANY living room decor. And I am not a status symbol, if you use me as such, I might nip at your up-turned nose!
10. SHARE YOUR LOVE ITH ME- Above all, please remember that you are my "Special Person". I put all my faith and trust in you... We parrots are used to being monogamous. (no bar-hopping for us)! So please don't go away for long periods or give me away. That would be a sadness from which I may never recover. If that seems to be asking a lot, remember, you could have learned about my needs BEFORE bringing me home. Even having a baby or taking a new job isn't a fair reason, you made a commitment to me FIRST! And if you think that you must leave me because you might die, provide for m forever after you leave. I may live to a ripe od age but can't provide for myself. Remember, I'm in a small cage amongst peope who are not of my blood.
11. YOUR RIGHTS- You have lots of rights, but I can only assure one. And that is, if you treat me the way I described above, I will reward you with unwavering love, humor, knowledge, beauty, dedication and a sence of wonder and awe you haven't felt since you were a child. When you took me home, you became my Flock Leader, indeed, my entire universe for life. I would hang the moon and stars for you if I could...
WE ARE ONE IN HEART AND SOUL
A Parrot's Prayer
By: Sally Brooks 8-03-00
Edited By: Dyann 8-02-01
For all the wild caught Parrots so savagely netted and swept away from their families while their babies, dumped into burlap sacks, cried out in TERROR!
For all the exotic birds that witnessed the destruction of all the blessed trees and fled in fear from man's thirs to dominate, stripping the land of all it's inhabitants, leaving nothing but bare ground behind.
For all the parrots that struggled through the capture, but died merciless in transpost from the stress of overcrowded, barbaric, confinements and inconceivable horror. For all the suvivors that made it into captivity but exist in a nightmare of confinement, unable to use their God given wings of flight as they once remembered.
For all the baby birds bred in captivity whose crops burned or have died needlessly from harshness of human hands. For all captive birds that have been erased from their owners consciousness and are abandoned to a lifeless existence with only a distant memory of what it was like to hear a gentle voice from someone that used to care.
For all those helpless creatures who don't now what it's like to live life as a bird or even to feel the breeze or sunlight but are doomed to darkness in closets or garages, trapped inside covered cages or shackled.
For all the Macaws, Cockatoos, Amazons and Conures that are stripped of their vocal cords for screaming; their sensitive beaks cut back to prevent biting.
For all birds that end up for sale in pet shops or breeders like used merchanise, unwanted and frightened in strange surroundings with nothing more than the familiar sight of bars on a cage.
For all the neglected birds that are sick with infections from filthy conditions and malnourishment that may never recover and know what it WAS like to feel healthy and be playful.
For all the misconceived parrots who were beaten, stabbed, blinded and burned for just being a parrot.
For every African Grey, Cockatoo and Macaw that punishes itself from confinement and boredom by maiming their bodies and plucking their feathers and for those who have lost all spirit of life and sway their head low from side to side slowly into insanity!!!
Precious Lord, we ask you to look upon all of your magnificent feathered creations and protect them from evil and harm caused by man. Lord, bring forth an AWAKENING in our hearts and make it a kinder, gentler world for all captive birds.
Thank you in Jesus' Name...
AMEN
This poem came from a bird rescue board on aol.. When you consider the fact that many species of birds have a life expectancy of 100 years, it's hard to imagine any living thing suffering that long!!
BAGGAGE
Author Unknown
Now that I'm home, bathed, settled and fed,
All nicely tucked in my warm new bed.
I'll open my baggage, lest I forget,
There's so much to carry, So much to regret.
Hmm... Yes, there it is, right on the top
Let's unpack Loneliness and Loss,
and there by my pearch hides Fear and Shame,
As I look at these things I tried so hard to leave,
I still have to unpack my baggage called Pain!
I loved them, the others,,,
the ones who left me,
but I wasn't good enough, it's easy to see...
Will you add to my baggage? Will you help me unpack?
Or will you look at my problems,
and take me right back??
Do you have time to love me and help me come through,
To throw out old baggage and live here with you?
I pray that you will I'm so tired you see,
But I do come with baggage,
WILL YOU STILL WANT ME???
