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Updated - Recent Article In The Sunday Age M Magazine (melbourne)


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Hi there, I know I haven't been on the forums for months, but my new job has taken a massive slice out of my life. That said, reading the article in the weekend's paper has prompted me to poke my head back in the room and see if anyone else read it.

 

In the M magazine in the Sunday Age (presumably there is an equivalent in the Sydney Morning Herald, and possibly other Fairfax papers around the country), I was delighted to see an article about budgies. It started off lovely with a 29 year old woman talking about her pets and how great budgies are. How sweet. But then, and I quote:

 

"Bird expert ********, owner of ******, usually recommends that people buy two birds rather than one, especially if they are buying small ornamental birds such as budgerigars , finches or canaries."

 

It then goes on to state that: "Ornamental birds . . . . which are mostly on display and live almost exclusively in their cages" and "need only a little love and attention to keep them happy."

 

Needless to say I'm somewhat miffed about this.

 

I'm not sure if this is the right forum topic for this sort of thing, but I'm interested to see what others who saw the article thought. I've already written a letter into The Age to express my view at the risk of sounding like a nutty old crank. The previous weekend had a similar 'advertising feature' on pet toys which claimed that birds and rabbits needed little to play with, which put my nose out of joint too.

 

Sorry for ranting, but some things just need to be gotten off your chest.

Edited by Molly_Cule
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That's a truly awful and incorrect message the writer is sending to the public. :P How can such stupid people write things like that stating them as "expert" opinion and fact. :)

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:) Some people are idiots. The fact that they choose a public place like a newspaper to prove what brainless morons they are defies logic. It's amazing how such "experts" on birds get to influence others by the mere fact of opening their mouth under the guise of a purported "expert" on a subject !! I am gobsmacked :P
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That is the worst thing I have read about our beautiful, loving and playful companions that I have seen for a while. How awful. How many people are going to buy these birds, after reading that article, and go buy 'an ornamental' bird, shove it in a cage and ignore it, except for when they get around to changing food and water. I would be writing to ******* to complain and educate them a little.

 

 

Feathers.

Edited by **KAZ**
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Oh hey guys, as bad as this is, I think it may be in the best interest of the forum for the mods to edit out the name of the bird store involve here. Just a thought.

 

I totally disagree with what's said as well. how can people think and say things like that... ppfffttt.. expert.. yeah sure....

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Oh hey guys, as bad as this is, I think it may be in the best interest of the forum for the mods to edit out the name of the bird store involve here. Just a thought.

 

I totally disagree with what's said as well. how can people think and say things like that... ppfffttt.. expert.. yeah sure....

:) Good suggestion and EDITED :P

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I don't think the name would have been a problem as it was reported in the newspapers and the above was a quote from there.

 

 

Feathers.

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I don't think the name would have been a problem as it was reported in the newspapers and the above was a quote from there.

 

 

Feathers.

 

That is true that it was a direct quote from the article, however the article was actually more or less 'praising' the store, whereas we're not saying much nice thing about this person from that bird store. It is the same as not mentioning any names about bird stores that aren't doing what's best for the birds they have. well that's is in my opinion anyway.

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Sorry guys, I didn't think edit the name of the expert or her business (which I believe proports to be a cattery/kennel/holiday home type thing for birds rather than a pet store per se, but that is just going from other articles published in the same paper, not from personal knowledge). As pointed out, I thought since the article was in the public domain anyway it would be safe to produce a straight quote.

 

My letter to (newspaper) didn't discuss their 'expert' personally but rather the very fact they published those views DESPITE obviously talking to one owner who loves and respects her birds very much who seemed to be advocating that budgies need a lot of out time and socialisation (however brief her bit was). It was obviously written by someone with no real interest or knowledge of birds as pets or friends at all: for example, the article also placed cockatiels in with galahs and cockatoos as the "correct" type of parrot to keep as a "pet" (as opposed to "ornamental" or "breeding" birds). Encouraging anyone to believe that keeping a galah is exactly like a cockatiel is just bizarre and irresponsible!

 

Plenty of people have opposing views when it comes to pet ownership - Dr. Harry, for example, says on his shows that rabbits are happy to live outside on their own, but if you speak to anyone with a house rabbit you'll find some very strong opinions on that!! I'm not slandering their expert, but I do disagree - wholeheartedly! - with her views.

 

(Here's another link to another article from the same paper I have beef with - see the bit about the birds and rabbits Pets & Toys. I can't find the actual article printed online though )

Edited by Elly
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Did you send a letter to the editor about this article?

The sad thing is that I read this kind of misinformation everywhere not just in newspapers but on the net and more...

 

15 minutes a day is all your budgies needs, fresh food and water that is it daily...very saddening.

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Just a thought about the comments from the "expert". Most pet stores that I have been in, have budgies in aviaries with lots of others. From my very limited experience aviary kept budgies don't really want much human interaction as they would prefer that of other birds. Maybe the comments are based solely around this and not anything else? It doesn't excuse the incorrect information but it would explain it somewhat. Personally I like to get as much information from many experts but unfortunately many people will take this as gospel truth and mistreat their birds.

 

As an aside to this in every field there is an "expert" that gives incorrect information. Eg It was normal to smack your dog or rub its nose in its messes which is just cruel and pointless. This is still told by "experts" to people as correct training methods.

 

Sorry if I offend anyone here but in my opinion unless you have a Dr. before your name you aren't an "expert" and even then its still dodgy. I would rather talk to an experienced enthusiast or a breeder who are more likely to have the information than an expert. These are the people who (Not always) it is a way of life and not a way to make money.

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Just to update you, yes, I did send in a letter to the editor, and yes it did get published today! It's in the Sunday Age if anyone in Melbourne buys the paper, but a copy of it is online too - Scroll down to the bottom of the page. They've paraphrased it quite a bit, but I was expecting that and I think the germ of it is there.

 

Tal - It's hard discussing an article without being able to produce a copy for people to read! I think when the "expert" was talking about budgies, she was talking about them as house pets, as she goes on to discuss avaries - albeit briefly - a little later on.

 

UPDATE! - Wait, they have published the article in question online - Article Here . Have a read for yourselves and let me know if I've overreacted. :wub:

 

And yes, it does recommend having two budgies, but I've seen many cases of people (mostly childhood friends back when I was a kid) having a pair of budgies in a little cage with little or no toys, and the two birds sitting miserable and puffed up in silence. They'd turn to me and ask what's wrong with their birds, why don't they act like your budgie? It worries me that it states that budgies need little interaction as opposed to "pet" birds.

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I believe that you were quite validated in your feelings about this article... Unfortunately, the message that they preach that budgies need little time or attention is echoed throughout pet stores, breeders and even some vet surgeries. The first time budgie owner probably doesn't have the faintest notion that they have just purchased a little bird that could become a best friend, and very much a part of their family. Your response to the article was succinct and professional and I admire you for taking the time to stand up for our little feathered friends, and let's hope it reaches a few "ornamental" budgie owners.

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Well after reading the article I would say that it was poorly thought out. The remarks about "ornamental" birds needing little love and attention would be reasonably appropriate for canaries and finches. Some of the direct quotes from the "expert" make sense. Where its the author of the article repeating what the "expert" has said, to me, it seems that the incorrect information rears its ugly head. I wonder how much the author of the article edited out or forgot to quote to make it fit?

 

Yeah it is hard to discuss a topic without the article in question but I still stand by comments about the average pet store bird expert. Still its just as hard to judge an expert without actually getting to talk to them directly. Second hand information is never very reliable. Who knows maybe the expert actually passes on the right information and was just poorly quoted or misunderstood.

 

Still good thing you wrote in and made an effort to clear up the misinformation.

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I have just read both articles.Molly I think if the people that read your write up & have`nt read the other one.

Wil not see, what you are trying to get over. When reading your first post I wondered what the expert had said.Then reading the whole story,I thought she covered it pretty well,for the biger % of cage bird keeperes.

 

I guess it is from which side of the cage you sit,some are happy to have a bird or birds in a cage have a chat to.Or the ones who have acage full of toys & let there birds out to fly around.Not ever owned a pet bird in a cage,I don`t no anything about the personal contact.But I do know a budgie, that a older couple own,who I see once a week.He is 5yrs old & I dont think he has ever been out of his cage.As soon as you walk in, he says, like a cup of coffee or tea,sugar &milk, & will chat away. He seem very happy with his life. I guess each is to to his own;In away we all think we are experts. :wub:

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I couldn't find your response to the article (can someone tell me where i can find it :) I scrolled to the bottom of the page that was linked to and found nothing), but i did read the article. It's really terrible. I don't see how you could put budgies and cockatiels in separate groups, they the two most popular pet birds in most places for their easiness to tame. :D

Edited by Bea
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Wow after much searching and trying to work out their website I finally found the page with your letter in it. For others I have quoted it here.

 

Or this link might work

here

 

Little bird, big heart

 

Two weekends ago I noticed an advertising feature on pets, stating that birds needed little attention. As the owner of a budgie, this put my nose out of joint, but as it was an "advertising feature" I tried not to think too much of it.

 

Then, in last week's M magazine (3/6), I noticed with delight a feature article with two gorgeous little budgies. However promisingly it started, it proceeded to quote a so-called bird expert claiming that budgies are "ornamental" pets that require "only a little love and attention to keep them happy".

 

Most parrots have an intelligence level akin to that of a toddler, and budgies are gregarious by nature. Would you keep a toddler in a small room, with little love and attention and just a few simple toys to keep them happy?

 

The suggestion that budgies are mere ornaments horrifies me. These are little birds with big personalities, and if you treat them poorly they suffer.

Edited by Nerwen
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Thanks for that Nerwen! :D I think that letter is perfect, i hope people read it and think twice about what they read in the article.

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Excellent, I am very glad they published it --- KUDOS and HATS OFF to you!!! :(

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Eww. I just read that article and I can't believe it. I think the author somehow misunderstood or misquoted Mickey and Johnny's mum. I just don't understand how they can talk about her with her birdies out and playing and then say that budgies don't need to come out and play.

I even think canaries should be allowed out for free flight time too (finches are a little too high strung though) and I let my mum's canaries out whenever I go home. They're a little hard to get back in the cage, but that's because they're not used to being let out.

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