Angry Dil by Windelbo on Flickr
Someone asked me the other day, “Do parrots have feelings?” She apologized in case it was a dumb question, but she was curious to know. This makes a difference doesn’t it? Or does it?
Of course parrots have feelings. I imagine that all animals have feelings. I simply don’t know what those feelings are at any given time. Think you can tell what a parrot is feeling? You are going to have a hard time convincing me of that. We like to think we know, but really, we’re guessing. Hell, we don’t even know what our spouses are feeling most of the time. How many times have you told your husband that you’re not upset even though if it were legal you would likely be strangling him. And he believed you when you said you were fine, didn’t he? How many times has a colleague not even noticed that what she said just infuriated you? Lot of good feelings do us in managing behavior.
Happy, sad, glad, mad, jealous, angry and grumpy. You parrot may be any or several of these things at any given time, but you’ll never know for sure. He won’t tell you. Even if he did tell you, how would you know he was telling the truth? If you want to have a bird who is well-behaved, lives nicely within the expectations of your household and never takes a chunk out of you, then you cannot depend or even lean on the “feelings” guessing game.
When you interact with a parrot you should base what you do on what is quantifiable – behavior. What a parrot does tells a story that can be changed and shaped. What he’s thinking is not for you to know or manage. Not unlike the people around you. Don’t guess if your parrot is “grumpy”. Instead break down the behavior that you can see. If when you approach the cage he steps to the back, he probably does not want to be picked up. That is quantifiable. If you go to pick him up, he may bite you. You can’t do a whole lot about what he’s feeling, but you can certainly avoid the behavior of biting.
So it was a great question! Sure, parrots have feelings, but if you don’t want your own feelings and fingers to get hurt, keep them out of your training!
Great post Rebecca, I tend to gtt mired up in the behavior and forget that Parker might be tired or cranky, or just simply doesn’t want to deal with me at that moment. I think it comes down to being sensitive and respectful. Loved it and a great tap on the shoulder for me.
In complete agreement, though I would love to know what they’re thinking/feeling. Especially those greys.