"Aviculture is not falconry. It is not agriculture. Aviculture is the fair art and science of keeping companion birds. COMPANION birds. What does this mean? Birds that are not intended and cannot be used as food for human consumption (those birds are the birds of AGRICULTURE). Aviculture birds are also not raptors, that is, birds of prey. Birds of prey do not like human companionship. At best, they will tolerate it sometimes in a symbiotic relationship that benefits them known as the art of falconry."
"..in defining aviculture, remember that aviculturists are not pet keepers. They do not regard their birds as property to be used and abused at will. Aviculturists are STEWARDS to their FEATHERED COMPANIONS. It is the aviculturist’s duty to try to understand their birds and alter their bird’s environment to her or his needs, not the bird to the human’s need. The aviculturist understands that the bird is not a toy, not a puppet for humanity’s amusement. Aviculturists understand the long term, very time consuming commitments involved with keeping their chosen species and are willing to make those sacrifices, often for the rest of their lives, in order to secure the well being of their birds. In many cases this means NEVER being able to leave town overnight or for more than three days at a time for the rest of their lives or paying hundreds of dollars per month or thousands per year for food, toys, veterinary bills, and other needs. LET IT BE SAID AGAIN THAT KEEPING BIRDS IS EXPENSIVE. If you want healthy, happy birds that will live anywhere near their normal life spans, it will cost a lot of money. A typical vet visit for two cockatiels in New York City with exam and regular health screening lab tests easily runs this examiner from $400-800 FOR HEALTHY BIRDS. That’s with an office visit fee of just over $100 per bird plus the extra fees for whatever lab work needs to be done. Tests for such things as Psittacosis and yeast infections. Though parrots don’t normally need shots, they do need regular screenings for illnesses from routine physicals. That costs money. Most people do not think about the cost of veterinary care incurred by parrot sanctuaries. If it costs over $200 for a regular checkup for just two cockatiels, just imagine what it costs your local sanctuary for a house call for a vet to check on 50 to 500 birds? NOT CHEEP."
If you read no other parrot-related article this month, be sure to read this one: Aviculture 101: companion bird basics.
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