When an owner decides they need a vacation?

[GoDiego]

Hi everyone, not that I have a vacation booked and will probably not be going anywhere until next year. I just wanted to pre-empt how this will effect Diego and the best way of going about it.

 

I have several friends that will be able to look after Diego whilst we go away, both have birds of their own. One of them has a Quaker Parrot, which I have heard can carry a virus similar to herpes which although is not harmful to the Quaker, can be very dangerous for other parrots. Is it best he avoids going to this person, or will he be ok if their cages are a long way from each other and they have no contact?

 

Also, how to people prepare for going away and leaving their beloved parrots behind?

 

Is it best to take them for trips to the house a long time beforehand to get them acquainted with the surroundings?

 

Another thing I am worried about is that the people that can look after him have both said that they would not have the confidence about letting him out of the cage. Diego is out of his cage for most of the day at home so would this effect him in a very negative way or would 1 week out of a year be OK and will he get over it?

 

What are other peoples experiences of going away and how this effects their parrots behaviour?

 

Thanks everyone

[Elvenking]

This sort of echos a post I did a little while back....

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?190526-Future-Thoughts-Concerning-My-Baby

[GoDiego]

Thanks Elvenking, It's good to know I'm not the only one who worries about these things. They certainly pull on your heartstrings and the guilt of them feeling like you have abandoned them is awful. I know that I will return but I would hate for Diego to think I was never coming back.

 

There are some really good posts in your thread and the thread Jayd posted so I will take all this info and maybe start the process of introducing someone I can trust now. Just in case we have an urgent trip come up or something.

[judygram]

Even if you have to keep Diego caged the whole time you are away on holiday it isn't going to harm your relationship when you get back, we all need some time away and that means the fids are usually left behind. I have left Josey and Sunny before and they are usually so glad to see you return that all is forgiven but yes now is the time to start looking for who will be the ones to look after him when you go away for a break.

[Elvenking]

Thanks Elvenking, It's good to know I'm not the only one who worries about these things. They certainly pull on your heartstrings and the guilt of them feeling like you have abandoned them is awful. I know that I will return but I would hate for Diego to think I was never coming back.

 

There are some really good posts in your thread and the thread Jayd posted so I will take all this info and maybe start the process of introducing someone I can trust now. Just in case we have an urgent trip come up or something.

 

Man, I have had Issac for about 7 months and I can bearly go to work without feeling bad. I cannot imagine what it would be like to go a day without seeing him. By about noon...I am already looking forward to coming home to him. What is it about these guys that makes us so crazy about them? LOL

[Jayd]

Diego should not come in contact with this person, Amazon's have a poor survival rate with this disease... "herpes which although is not harmful to this Quaker,[maybe a carrier] can be very dangerous for other parrots." Pacheco's disease is a highly fatal, contagious disease of psittacine birds. http://kgkat.tripod.com/medical.html....Sorry, Jay d

Edited August 13, 2010 by Jayd

[GoDiego]

Diego should not come in contact with this person

 

Thanks Jayd, at the moment she has no confidence around him and so has no contact with him. If in the future she wanted to give him a pet, would she be able to if she first washes her hand and used an antibacterial hand gel? Although I love this person dearly and know she would look after Diego well, I have now ruled her out to look after him if we go away. Her Quaker flies freely in the house so do not want to risk it.

 

What is it about these guys that makes us so crazy about them? LOL

 

I have no idea Elvenking, this morning I said good morning and made a fuss of Diego before my husband, which was noticed LOL. I can never just walk past Diego without giving him loads of fuss, it takes me ages to get on with anything, they are very distracting! I think they make us crazy as all they expect from you is unconditional love without any strings attached

[Jayd]

Hi, here's another site for you, my feeling only, and I could be wrong, would be no, sorry. Has your friend had blood work done, to ease their mind?...

 

http://www.avianbiotech.com/Diseases/Pacheco%27s.htm

Transmission: Transmission of PDV is generally through infected feces and nasal discharge. PDV remains remarkably stable outside the host body as a dust or aerosol. This dust or aerosol contaminates the air that is then inhaled by another possible host. Contaminated surfaces, food, and drinking water may also contribute to the spread of the disease.

Birds can be asymptomatic carriers of Pacheco's virus. Some believe that any bird that has survived an outbreak of the disease should be considered as a possible carrier. PDV can be reactivated when the bird is under stress such as during breeding, loss of mate, or change and environmental changes. Once it is reactivated the virus is shed in large numbers in the feces of the infected bird.

[GoDiego]

Thanks Jayd, I knew it was very dangerous for other parrots, but I did not know how resilient the virus was and how long it could stay active for. I've explained this to my friend and she is now giving Diego a wide berth when visiting, which is killing her but she understands. We have decided to ask our other friend, if she will Diego sit for us, plus she only lives over the road so is nice and close for Diegos pre-holiday visits

[Jayd]

What wonderful friends.......Jayd

[pfcarquejo]

We are in vaccations now, at the beach. What have we done with the parrots? Well, the two of them, along with 3 dogs and two more birds ( a canary and a Saffron Finch), have come with us. At this moment I am sitting in bed with my wife at one side, my daughter in the other, two dogs at my feet, another one in the floor, and in the kitchen I can hear the birds calling! Is this vaccations or what?

I have more around 80 birds at home (small birds), and I hired someone (I trust) to take care of them while we are gone. They go there daylly, especially to change the water.

[GoDiego]

We are in vaccations now, at the beach. What have we done with the parrots? Well, the two of them, along with 3 dogs and two more birds ( a canary and a Saffron Finch), have come with us. At this moment I am sitting in bed with my wife at one side, my daughter in the other, two dogs at my feet, another one in the floor, and in the kitchen I can hear the birds calling! Is this vaccations or what?

I have more around 80 birds at home (small birds), and I hired someone (I trust) to take care of them while we are gone. They go there daylly, especially to change the water.

 

Hehe, now that's what I call a family vacation! Would love to see some of your vacation photos

[Jayd]

How wonderful, enjoy yourself......all of You......Jayd