עברית
Halachot and Customs
Regarding Raising a Parrot
Question
I am a religious parrot trainer and receive many halachic questions on the subject... Is it permissible for me to publish the answers I receive on my website? • Is it permissible to raise a parrot at home? • Is it permissible to let the parrot out of its cage on Shabbat? • Is it permissible to return the parrot to its cage on Shabbat and close it there? • Is there a halacha that one must feed an animal before eating, and if so, when does it apply? • Is it permissible to train a parrot on Shabbat (training means giving a treat as a reward for good behavior, also used to teach tricks such as shooting a basket or putting coins into a piggy bank)? • Is it permissible to clean the parrot’s droppings from clothing on Shabbat? • Is it permissible to crush or sort food to give the parrot on Shabbat? • How is the prohibition of "tza’ar ba’alei chayim" (causing suffering to animals) expressed in our times?
Answer
Greetings and blessings, You may publish the answers while citing the source — the Hidabroot website. It is halachically permissible to raise a parrot at home. It is permitted to open the cage and the parrot may come out. A domesticated parrot is not subject to the prohibition of hunting, but it is still subject to the prohibition of muktzeh, so one should not hold it in their hand on Shabbat. One must feed a living creature before we eat when it is the time to feed the bird. It is proper to refrain from training the parrot on Shabbat. It is forbidden to wash the clothing on Shabbat, but it is permitted to gently wipe the droppings with a dry towel or the like. Generally, there is no leniency regarding the prohibition of sorting (borer) on Shabbat for an animal or a bird, but halachically there is no problem. Good luck, Binyamin Shmuel
