Talk:Hyacinth Macaw
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I disagree with this articles discussion and potential encouragement of pet ownership of a possibly endangered species. While I am sure there are some in loving homes receiving good care, Hyacinth Macaws like all large parrots, are not domesticated animals, and difficult to care for. Many avian veterinarians, including myself, frown upon the ownership of these wild animals. Conservation groups such as those already mentioned in the article are working hard to prevent the export of these animals and try to greatly discourage people from buying wild caught parrots. The Association of Avian Veterinarians is also of the same opinion. While importation of these animals may not be illegal in some states, it is considered by many in the animal care industry to be irresponsible at best. As a veterinarian, I think the discussion of pet care in this article should be deleted. Jensteve2000 (talk) 00:04, 25 November 2007 (UTC)
- 1. I disagree that the care section be deleted. I don't think that encourages people to take a Hyacinth as a pet -- the price barrier alone would often do that. Some readers may be genuinely interested in what is required to care for the animal in captivity without ever considering seeking one out as a pet. Perhaps massaging the language a little bit to change it from "pet care" to "captive care" (analogous to care sections for zoo animals that are not normally pets) would suffice?
- 2. It is illegal to import wild caught parrots into the USA - this is a federal law.
- 3. I'm not entirely sure discouraging the proliferation of the already existing captive population is a good idea. It may very well be that the wild population goes completely extinct in the future, at which point the only hope of restoring the wild population would be from the captive population's offspring. Keeping the species going is incredibly important!! The key is to make sure that these breeding birds are all decendents of the existing captive population and to not bring in ANY more wild caught birds (which I believe was your point, but it wasn't completely clear to me). But this is really getting into a political issue and it's probably not appropriate for this wikipedia article unless research is done from respectable citable sources. (my two cents) Thx1200 (talk) 04:18, 6 December 2007 (UTC)
The statement about trade in hyacinths being illegal is too vague. In the US, import/export without a permit is illegal. However, trade in hyacinths within the US is governed by state laws. Using Texas as an example because I live here, trade in hyacinths within the state is legal. A band isn't even required.
I have owned a Hyacinth Macaw for the past 15 years and can describe the behavour of this hand-raised bird in many situations.
First, I take exception to the statement that the powerful beak can disassemble a wrought-iron cage. This is absolutely false and misleading. This bird, although both powerful and gentle, cannot break the welds of a properly constructed cage. A reference that a "wire-cage" is not an suitable enclosure would be more accurate. An appropriate cage would be made from stainless or electroplated steel with 3/16" bars on 2" centers. Also, a properly designed safe cage would not bring any bars into a "V" configuration. Although this "fan" design is visually attractive, it is a dangerous trap where a bird can slide it's leg or head into the crevice. Unattended, this may lead to broken bones or death.
K0rc 17:25, 19 June 2007 (UTC)k0rc
