Veterinarian warns parrot owners must meet birds' complex needs

Parrots are highly intelligent but often misunderstood pets, requiring long-term commitment and constant stimulation, warns veterinarian Cristina Mora de Aragón. In an interview, she highlights that people are often drawn to parrots because they talk and imitate sounds, but overlook the bird's need for a life matching its cognitive abilities.

The Misconception

Mora de Aragón, a specialist in exotic animals, explains that many owners focus on the parrot's ability to speak or mimic, neglecting that this same intelligence demands enrichment, interaction, stability, and an adapted environment.

The Reality

Parrots are not independent pets. They have complex emotional and cognitive lives, requiring daily quality interaction, constant stimuli, and a stable routine. A crucial point is their longevity: some species can live for several decades, meaning a long-term commitment.

Key concerns

• Long-term commitment: Parrots can live for decades, so ownership is a long-term relationship. Source: Clarin, La Vanguardia
• Intelligence demands: Their intelligence requires mental occupation; without it, they may develop frustration, excessive screaming, or self-destructive behaviors. Source: La Vanguardia
• Signs of distress: Changes in behavior, screaming, or feather plucking should alert owners to unmet needs. Source: Clarin

Mora de Aragón emphasizes that the problem is not the parrot's intelligence, but owners' inability to respond to it.