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A parrot has a question for humans

nautil.us

71–75 of 75 posts

Re: A parrot has a question for humans

#71
post #6

Parrots get the attention because they are the classic imitators of human voices, but among birds, corvids (crows and their relatives) are the ones that have been shown to have mammalian-level intelligence.

It is probably the result of some kind of cognitive bias, having heard similar things for a long time, but I have been captivated by crows ever since I moved to the bay from Austin. In Austin, the resident blackbirds (grackles) just seem like mean-looking pigeons. Here, the crows seem to have personalities, moods, just generally complicated internal lives.

Re: A parrot has a question for humans

#72
post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are also several movies about faster-than-light spaceships which are crewed by humans even during combat. Movies should not be the basis for an argument.

I very much want to see a sci-fi where combat begins with the captain (aka the token human) saying, "Ship, you are weapons-free. Lethal force is authorized." Then their acceleration pod seals, and fills up with perfluorodecalin. The rest of the action is the ship AI trying to save itself, its crew, and the cargo. If you have a FTL spaceship, the modal weapon will likely be FTL torpedoes, armed with thermonuclear warh…

[deleted]

Re: A parrot has a question for humans

#73
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lem's books are great but the hero you refer to is Ijon Tichy. Pilot Pirx is also Lem's character but stories on him are classical sf. Pirx is also a main character in Fiasco, Lem's last sf book.

> Ijon Tichy So, if you write it Lastname Firstname, do you (almost) get Tachyon? (I suspect Lem of always pulling legs ...)

As much as I would like this to be true, I think it's unlikely - Tachyons were first suggested in a scientific paper in 1967, while Tichy first appeared in Star Diaries in 1957, 10 years prior.

Re: A parrot has a question for humans

#74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a long time parrot owner, sadly I must agree with you. I devote about two hours a day to my parrot, and even at that he wants even more attention. Volunteering at a parrot rescue organization is probably the better alternative to owning a parrot.

This might be ignorant, but in this case would it be more humane to own two so they can entertain each other?

You are not legally allowed to get only one in for example Sweden.

Re: A parrot has a question for humans

#75

From Richard Stallman's Rider: https://github.com/ddol/rre-rms/blob/master/rider.txt >If you can find a host for me that has a friendly parrot, I will be very very glad. If you can find someone who has a friendly parrot I can visit with, that will be nice too. >DON'T buy a parrot figuring that it will be a fun surprise for me. To acquire a parrot is a major decision: it is likely to outlive you. If you don't know how…

I have had multiple parrots over my life and the way i reason things out is very simple.

Parrots in the wild rarely live until they are 80 years old... More often than not in the wild they succumb early to disease, predators, weather, human threats (e.g. cars, and pollution), or starvation. If you could ask a parrot which life it would prefer, the answer is pretty much a no brainer... Otherwise, NO animal should lead a domesticated life pretty much IMO.

Birds in the wild do not have a clean living environment with plenty of toys to stimulate and placate their learning and need to destroy/chew things. They also don't live in climate controlled houses, and are not fed food on regular schedules. Pet parrots can regularly get acquainted with and get attention from other birds when owners board them in safe "bird friendly" boarding places, or when owners know other owners with birds and arrange for meet-ups. Parrots can also be taken outside on occasion to fly in safe locations where hawks won't swoop down and bite their heads off.

I do all the above, and provide my bird lots of attention, and it will be for as long as I physically can. By training my bird to be friendly with everyone I also am preparing him for an easy and desirable transition to someone else when I can no longer take care of him.

I want to destroy the myth that some present about lonely birds in "cages". Terrible owners are responsible for being terrible owners, not all bird owners.

With all that being said, it's up to each individual that takes in any pet to ensure that they can be cared for properly for life. I lost a dog prior to having my parrot after 16 years and it was like losing a child for me... There are no rules to having pets in my world, as long as a good plan and action for care, self education, and best intentions are involved, anyone can give their pet the best life possible. Parrots also make great pets if you have to soul to bear the noise, and their poop is much more manageable than most other domesticated animals. That being said, all of them are inherently wild animals, so don't expect them to always behave themselves and it will all be fine.

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