feed me, seymour @cosmoandco - Tumblr Blog

I’ve been working on some memes for class.

Federal Government Moves to Gut America’s Most Important Bird Law (Audubon)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Solicits Public Input on Proposed Rule and Environmental Impact Statement for Migratory Bird Treaty Act (accepting comments until March 19, 2020)

bukbot

Until March.

iworkatapetstore

moxie-moth

Sweater rat says Happy Holidays!

oatmeal-and-grits

📸 ig: @love.and.oatmeal

wrovv-deactivated20191106

mellifexfarm

oh not to continue to annoy yall with snail posts but have yall heard of rabbit snails because

theyre so cute!!!!

eelpatrickharris-deactivated202

look at this absolutely FANTASTIC saltwater version of my eels. god. what a man. perfection exists and its name is diademichthys lineatus

princesstokyomoon

duchessnibenhu-ofpyromania

is that, a little mouth right on the end?

eelpatrickharris-deactivated202

take a closer look at that snout!

(yes yes it is)

screwyouandrew

Time for frog ass

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He looks like a raw chicken but underwater and adorable

arrghigiveup

Baby flamingo practicing standing on one leg

guppiesandgoldfish

Fish Spotlight #1

The Betta

These aggressively territorial fish were originally bred for competitive fighting. One researcher states “observing the obvious popularity of these fights, the King of Siam started licensing and collecting these fighting fish. ”In the wild, Betta splendens spar for only a few minutes before one fish backs off. Bred specifically for heightened aggression, domesticated betta matches can go on for much longer. Winners are determined by a willingness to continue fighting. Once a fish retreats, the match is considered over. Today, fish fighting is just as illegal as dog and rooster fighting in the USA, though it is still popular practice in other countries.

A common misconception about bettas is their natural environment. Many people have been led to believe that wild Betta splendens live in small, dirty puddles of water and even the footprints of animals. That means they can be kept in bowls and vases with no filtration or heat. The truth is, that is absolutely false. Wild bettas are found in thickly vegetated, slow moving streams, marshes, large vegetated drainage ditches and rice paddies. These are located in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The plants produce beneficial bacteria, allowing a natural filtration system. “These ecosystems are shallow and extensive, providing ample space for establishment of such territories as well as a wide area for hunting insect larvae and finding mates,” says one author. Each individual betta has about two square meters of territory, for which they will battle each other.

Due to their natural environment being mostly stagnant water, the natural aeration isn’t that good. That means there is not much oxygen in the water. To cope, Betta splendens evolved and developed something called the Labyrinth organ. This organ allows them to take oxygen directly from the air and absorb it into the bloodstream, instead of filtering it out through the water. As stated by Lea Mattox, a Betta splendens specialist, “a benefit of the Labyrinth organ is that it allows them to survive (for a short period of time) out of water.”

To sum it up, the Betta isn’t given all the credit it deserves. They have a very interesting history, and there are many neat facts about the species as a whole. As there are many different variations of the Betta species, we still have a lot to learn about each individual sub-family. Between the anatomy and history of the Betta splendens, it can be said that this fish has been through alot, from an evolutionary standpoint.

flock-talk

What is your opinion on people who say birds shouldn't be pets?

If we’re talking parrots specifically, I’m one of those people.

Parrots just do not thrive in the standard captive environment, really the most we can hope to do is provide as much enrichment as we can to mimic their wild environments and natural behaviours to prevent countless stress behaviours. Parrots pluck, toe tap, break their beaks trying to chew cage bars, are frequently nutrient deficient, and often have weaker hearts, lungs and immune systems from being in captivity without the right environments to thrive.

Parrots aren’t a domesticated species and they simply do not thrive in our homes. We can not provide enough room for flight, enough birds for socialization with enough space for them to feel safe doing so, we can not provide the lifestyle these birds really need to be as healthy as they should be. We can do our best but at the end of the day when we’re breeding a species that more often than not suffers in our environments it doesn’t make sense to keep breeding them. If the closest we can get to optimum care is just trying to reduce constant stress then that animal isn’t thriving with us.

There’s plenty of birds that do thrive in our homes, pigeons, chickens, even finches and canaries are all extremely loving, trainable, and interactive birds that aren’t all that different than parrots. They can all be taught parlour tricks, can enjoy human interaction, many can sing sweet songs.

Keeping parrots as pets that are already stuck in the trade? Of course, they can’t be released, they need someone who will at least give their all to lead a good life. But consistently bringing more parrots in to a world that isn’t suitable for them? It’s more selfish than anything really.