Bob, thanks a lot for your detail reply. You let me know the situation of the states. I'm happy to know that magicians there are more concern about animal rights. I'm so relief when you say "I don’t know an entertainer in the USA that mistreats his animals. If I did, I would report him to the authorities. Most American would. "

Too sad, I met some today. I just came back from a magic show performed by a magic club of a university. Among the seven or eight performers, half of them used dove. The last one vanished 5 doves in a birdcage-like prop, which was merely around 2 feet x 1 feet. 5 doves inside! My god! The last dove shown was put inside his jacket throughout of the rountine, it was about 15 mins!

As a student, that magician is really brilliant, nice rountine, excellent manipulation. But I couldn't appreciate his show, not even a little bit. My mind is occupied by those 5 doves squeezed inside the props.

Very sad.

By the way, Bob, I'm young in magic, but my clockage is already 30.

Mouliu,

Oops! Sorry I said that. I don't have any thirty year old doves. Matilda the world's oldest chicken lives in Alabama and is used in a magic act. She has been on the Jay Leno show. (Not me! I'm jealous!)

Doves will fit in small places and often get there on their own, but there is a limit. There is no reason to ever endanger them or hurt them. There is also no reason to defend those who do. I won't.

My human age is sixty but I've been doing magic since I was sixteen. The good news is that "magician years" can't count against you! Can they?

Enjoy your magic and keep us posted.

Bob
Magic By Sander

James, why not use pigeons? Fried pigeons that is.

Oh Bob, you made me laugh.

Thank you.



Sure. Thanks.

Let's see, the upside: producing a bird is startling and amazing. They are cute and often colorful.

Now, the downside: There are something like 43 different diseases that birds can get that are communicable to humans... birds also shed feathers and ... other material ... birds are also a fairly common focus for phobic reactions (people scream and run away or become catatonic and curl up in a little ball on the floor and cannot be made to respond) ... birds are easily injured ... many birds are susceptible to rapid temperature changes, which can lead to illness and death within hours ... birds can become aggressive and attack if they feel threatened (species dependent) ... resetting the tricks that use them often takes time and secrecy (not readily available in the average restaurant environment) ... they require special transportation ... your liability insurance may not cover accidents involving them (check your policy) ... they moult (when they do, they look terrible, regardless of species) ...

Do the math.

Now ask yourself: Is it really worth the hassle and possible expense and possible loss of the gig?

Lee Darrow, C.H.