Holiday Help

[eubankclare]

Hi not posted for a while but still been reading lots

Anyway a friend from work has a grey and she is going away for christmas and new year. She has asked if i would look after it as she know im interested in getting a grey after christmas.

I have said yes and have visited the bird (Pepsi).

Now Pepsi is very attached to her and will not let any other member of the family near her. I really dont want to have to keep pepsi in her cage all the time but im not sure she will allow me to let her out and then put her back.

Doesanyone have any good ideas on how i can build up trust with pepsi?

Thanks

Clare

[dhorje]

When we were away on holidays, my sis in law came to take care of our fids. My grey, Cocoa is not bonded to her. She would not hesitate to bite my SIL.

But Cocoa would fly to her and perched on her shoulder when my SIL was preparing food for her like what she was doing with us. Getting her into the cage was not easy.

My SIL had to bribe Cocoa with sugarcane to get her in. My grey recognized her as her temporary caretaker. She was happy to see my SIL coming to the house.

[danmcq]

Each Grey is different.

 

The good thing with your scenario, is you can go and visit more often. This will get Pepsi very familiar with you and vice-versa. You will both reach whatever level of relationship it is that will establish itself. If you are able to interact with Pepsi outside of the cage while with the owners, that's better even still. You will also get all the normal routine information during this time and when the day comes you are taking care of her, you'll know what Pepsi expects. You'll also know if she is hard to get back in the cage during waking hours and bedtime. The important thing is, Pepsi will have someone she knows with her and interacting with, even if it's with her in the cage.

 

Our Grey is difficult to get back in the cage during waking hours and sometimes at bedtime for us. He is flighted, so that makes him able to elude us if he wishes. Due to this, when those times arise that we cannot take Dayo with us and our family comes over to take care of him, he must remain caged. The one time they decided to let him out over a year ago turned into a bad time for both Dayo and our family. They had to towel him which is no fun for either party and stressful as well.

 

Our Grey just chats away with them and so all have big laughs and enjoyment of each others company when the pet sitting is needed while Dayo is caged.

 

You will know if you can safely and confidently let Pepsi out long before the pet sitting begins.

[Luvparrots]

If you can spend time with your friend's grey before the vacation so the grey can become use to you that would certainly help. I live alone so my grey is very attached to me. She does seem to love the male members of my family when they come over. My oldest grandson makes sure to always give Ana Grey a pecan/walnut when he comes over at least every other day so she has come to expect a nut and always flies to him. Ana Grey also adores my 10 year old grandson and his father and flies to them when they are over. So I believe if your friend's grey can become accustomed to having you around, the grey-sitting should be very pleasant and perhaps you will be able to have the grey out of the cage during that time if you let her out of the cage and are able to put back in while your friend is present.

[Dave007]

Most of the time when a person babysits a bird, the bird should be kept in it's cage, fed, watered, talked to, have music put on, make sure all the regular toys are in the cage. You can't build up any relationship with a bird that's pretty well bonded to someone else in such a short amount of time. There are professional bird sitters that come to a person's house or have the bird brought to a sitter and that's the method used. It's the same method that's used when a person brings a bird to a vet who has a side business of bird sitting. The bird won't suffer.

If this person hasn't been successful in having the bird's relationship changed with others in the house over a long period of time, I doubt that it'll change in a short amount of time.

Edited July 25, 2010 by Dave007

[eubankclare]

Thank you for your replies. I am able to spend time with pepsi so will do that and if i feel confident to let her out of her cage here i will otherwise she will just be very well cared for and talk to alot whilst here.

Clare