I've been feeling kind of badly lately just for having pet birds. I love them very much and try to talk to them as much as I can and let them out when I can but I can't shake the feeling that they're probably unhappy. It's not like I can let them fly free or even let them take charge of the house and fly around all the time..... I feel bad for them and wish there was something I could do....
Has anybody ever heard of anything like a sanctuary or anything like that that lets birds fly more freely? Just thinking too much maybe....

The cage is pretty big-the biggest one I've ever had and I had birds throughout my childhood. I never thought it was cruel until I started reading stuff online. I'm not mean to them, of course! It's just the mere fact that they're in a cage that makes me feel badly.
But thanks for not making me feel like a mean monster.
Thanks for the links and stuff! I'll check them out later when I have more time

ok this is slightly random but that totally reminds me of me dream last night....i was in some kind of zoo, and I had to make a biology report, but I didn't want to make a report because I was sad about the caged animals. I said I'd do it on the owl, and (someone? my teacher?) said 'it's really supposed to be a report on the zoo in general', and I said I didn't want there to be a zoo, and the zookeeper got annoyed with me.

Any dream analysts out there, lol?

About the parakeets - I agree, if nothing else you can get them a bigger cage. My friend's grandmother had a bird that lived in a cage but they let him out now and then and he always seemed happy and playful to me.

You are very kind-hearted to think seriously about your birds' quality of life. You love your birds - don't rush in to anything, and put in some serious research about what parakeets need to thrive. Your birds are used to you and your home; if you can meet their needs for space and stimulation you will save them the trauma of moving, as well as keep some spaces free at a shelter for other birds in distress. However, if you determine that giving them up is the right choice, then I salute you for putting your emotions second to their welfare. Best of luck!

I've never had more than one parakeet, and in hindsight, I think they're happier with at least one cagemate. The one I had in graduate school, I could let out of the cage, because she didn't really seem to like flying all that much. She'd make a few passes around the room and then would land on my head or shoulder. I just put my hand in her cage with some seed in it, and let her get accustomed to sitting in my hand. Then I would stroke her with my other hand. After a couple weeks, I brought my hand out of the cage, and she'd sit on my hand or climb up my arm.

I think one thing to consider about pet birds is that some species really need a cagemate. Otherwise, they get veryy attached to their owners and can get very lonely if they're left alone too long. My grandmother always had a parakeet, and they seemed very bonded to her. Her favorite was a green and blue male, who loved to take a bath. She'd put a little plastic bathtub on the kitchen table and let him take his bath.

You will get a lot of opinions on keeping pets. How to do it, or whether it's ok to do at all. Some people believe we should never use any animal, for any purpose including, for example seeing eye dogs. Personally, I don't believe in wild-captured pets, but feel that long-domesticated species live different, but not necessarily inferior lives as pets than they would a life in the wild.