Greg Glendell
Regular Member
Much of the above posts, re. feeding of other dead birds to parrots, relates to what people are feeding their birds *in captivity*; it is not based on what we already know of the birds' natural diets. Parrots are *not* obligate carnivores and instead have a digestive tract adapted to deriving all their protien needs from vegetable sources. Until I hear of parrots like greys and Amazons etc eating other birds in the wild, then I would not think of giving them such foods; they are not adapted to such things, and provision of cooked animal protien is alien to them. It may also increase risks of food poisoning. Keas do eat other birds; they eat them raw, and they are usually alive (shearwater chicks) as they are eaten. Yes, if I kept keas, I might offer them complete/animal protien, as this species is obviously adapted to this.
It's no good saying we *are* going to use what we know of the birds' needs in the wild as a basis for their care in captivity, if we then choose to ignore it....
I would not take *any advice* re. raising of birds, from a convicted criminal/Sissens who has been jailed for his activities re. bird care.
So, again, to provide properly for a species, (any spp) I feel we should be guided by what they do in the wild, and try to use that info as our guide. We don't have to kill other birds, to feed parrots.
It's no good saying we *are* going to use what we know of the birds' needs in the wild as a basis for their care in captivity, if we then choose to ignore it....
I would not take *any advice* re. raising of birds, from a convicted criminal/Sissens who has been jailed for his activities re. bird care.
So, again, to provide properly for a species, (any spp) I feel we should be guided by what they do in the wild, and try to use that info as our guide. We don't have to kill other birds, to feed parrots.