Bird health: Is a lifetime cage fair for budgies and other birds?

Question

Two questions : How to keep a Canary from getting an off-season Molt? Also, Is it fair or kind to keep a Budgie in a cage all of it's life? Pet's info: Bird | Unknown - Bird | Male | unneutered

Emi Knafo, DVM, DACZM · Accepted Answer

Hello. Molting is a complex physiological process influenced by nutrition, hours of daylight, reproductive hormones, etc. therefore it’s not recommended to try to manipulate molting except under the guidance of your veterinarian, if indicated. Here is a hormone injection that is known to stimulate molting, but to prevent it is likely much harder or impossible. As for keeping a budgie in a cage for its lifetime, this is unethical in my opinion. Birds are meant to fly, exercise, explore, forage and be social. A life on a cage is not a fair life for a bird. If an owner is unable to provide proper socialization, exercise, nutrition, etc to a bird then they should not be keeping birds as pets. Please watch Parrot Confidential (documentary online) for a very honest look at life in captivity for parrots.

Bird health: Is a lifetime cage fair for budgies and other birds?

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