Читать книгу Birds For Dummies - Gina Spadafori - Страница 72

A hand-raised bird has the best pet potential in those species that humans enjoy interacting with — the parrots, from budgies and cockatiels all the way through to the giant hyacinth macaw. As aviculturists learn more about raising birds in captivity, though, they repeatedly find that it’s not the hand-feeding so much as the social contact with humans (really just a by-product of handfeeding) that increases the pet potential of birds.

In one study, orange-winged Amazons were allowed to raise their own babies, while they were also handled regularly by humans during the preweaning period. The results? The human-socialized, parent-raised babies made fine pets.

The study’s results make good sense, considering what we know about other companion animals. For example, experts recognize the importance of a puppy being fed by his mother and of the lessons he can learn from his mother and siblings. We don’t hand-raise puppies or kittens (unless they’re orphaned, of course), but we do understand the significance of socializing them. The best breeders of dogs and cats make sure their babies are gently handled from the time they’re born and are exposed to the sights, sounds, touches, and smells of human existence. Logically, the same rules apply to birds: Breeders should ensure they’re positively exposed to a variety of foods, objects, sounds, and situations. Without such socialization, baby birds will grow up to be suspicious or fearful of unfamiliar foods or objects. And yet, until recently, hand-feeding was the gold standard for raising and socializing baby birds. We think it’s time to change that belief: Successful raising of baby birds may rely on hand-feeding, but proper socialization is the key to developing companionship qualities in many ways. The two do not necessarily have to go together (and often don’t).

Although the situation may change in years to come, the practical reality for now is that if you want a baby bird who has been lovingly handled, you’re likely to buy one who has been hand-fed. And that’s fine — they make outstanding pets. But ask the seller about socialization — have the babies been handled regularly and gently? If you run into a breeder who lets parent birds do the feeding but still makes sure the babies are socialized, you’re probably in good hands — and you may have found the best of both worlds.