Re: Parrot worked to death?

Ocean of Nuance wrote:
> "
> | >
> | > M.J.
> | >
> |
> | You are clearly ignorant of the methods that Dr Pepperberg used with
> | Alex as well as the life and relation****ps he had
> | with the other lab helpers and fellow parrots.
> | Alex's sessions were typically half hour or less. He was quite capable
> | of ending sessions when he had had enough.
> | Where on earth do you get the idea that Alex had an 8 or 12 hour
> | working day?
> | It would be safe to say that no pet parrot had a better life than Alex
> | including yours.
> | Now as you still have 20 years or so to go before Mbeki reaches Alex's
> | age perhaps you can do us all a favor
> | and repost in 20 years to let us know that he is still alive.
> | (Of course I hope he is)
> 
> Plus aren't we all forgetting that there is a possibility the bird was
an 
> idiot savant of the parrot world and therefore whatever work he had may
have 
> PROLONGED his life?  Since folks are throwing around evidence-free 
> assertions, I just thought I'd toss one in.  ; )
> 
> sharon
> 
While the larger parrot species may live between 50 and 75-80 years, a 
whole host of things such as stress factors, disease and poor diet can 
take them out at an early age. Birds are great at hiding illness as a 
sick looking bird= a dead bird in the wild.  By the time a bird looks 
ill, it is often too late to save its life. Birds fed an extruded diet 
and fruits and veggies that also tend to get regular veterinary exams 
tend to live longer than those that are fed an all seed diet. Likewise 
birds that are kept solitary without interaction will often die early or 
develop stereotypical behavior such as self mutilation and 
plucking..Alex was afforded the best of care, a great diet and regular 
veterinary exams, as well as an interesting interactive environment to 
live in.  Many cage birds don't live as long as Alex did, so to say that 
he died from stress and overwork may be a fallacy. It may have just been 
his time to go..