Vegetarian, Vegan and Animal Rights

I have four parrots—two Orange wings and two African greys. The greys were gifted to me by a neighbour I’d never met… Her daughter drove her by our house and they stopped me in the driveway to say they knew I was a good bird mother because they’d enjoyed hearing our happy birds over the years.

Mum was being forced into an assisted living facility, and they wouldn’t allow her to bring her birds… so would I consider taking her pair with the promise I’d keep them and never sell them off? African greys—hell yes! But to this day (now maybe a dozen years later?), it still hurts my heart to think this woman was reduced to asking a total stranger to adopt her babies. It hurt her so much that she insisted the second half of the deal was that I would never try to contact her to let her know how they’re doing. She just wanted to trust she chose well.

They’re lovely birds and so sweet. However, as I’m getting up there myself, I’ve started to wonder what we’re going to do with these rascals. Daughter thinks she’s too scared to handle the bigger birds and has asked to inherit the Amazons. Son is very cautious with the greys as he’s been nipped a few times, but is definitely game to take charge.

The only other option would be to bequeath them to a local attraction with birds, gators, monkeys, etc., but my son worked there for a while as the flamingo guy and found the owner to be irresponsible and untrustworthy, so that’s out. Given how big the bird craze was in recent years, I wondered if this wasn’t going to be a widespread issue. I guess this video answers that question.