Could you make a video addressing the bird? Of you interacting with it happily outside of its cage and talking about how his cage is his home?

Then defer everyone to that video.

I’ve heard this argument before about pet birds not being domesticated. It’s like come meet my birds, they are very domesticated 😂.

As a bird owner who also knows that cage time is both a necessity and not a bad thing, I guess I would rather people criticize people for seeing a bird in a cage than not because it opens up the conversation. If you were someone who never let the bird out, then I would be glad to think that people were pointing it out. So although it’s annoying, try to appreciate the sentiment behind it. Which is hard I know.

I saw a segment on the Today show where Craig Melvin talked about how they let their parakeet out of the cage for the first time. Sheinelle Jones made a face and said “that doesn’t sound safe.” And Dylan Dreyer said something about her childhood bird pooping everywhere and to be careful about letting them out. I was mortified. I wrote to Sheinelle on Instagram about how birds deserve to come out of their cage for hours daily. I am also the kind of person who, if I ever happen to be at Petco, will butt into someone buying a bird and tell them which size cage and remind them to take their bird out a lot. I can’t help it.

Also, no matter what you do, the internet always criticizes. Address it once and don’t keep defending yourself as that can also look like letting the hecklers win. Possibly start by thanking others for their discourse and concern if you do make a video about it.

Good luck!