JanMarie Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 (edited) Hi...I haven't run across this yet, I have to leave out of town tonight. I will be back early Sunday morn. So my grey will be home alone all day Sat. Is this OK to do? I have the option to take her to a vet who keeps birds for the weekend. I visited the vet, it was nice but so many cockatoos screeching (the normal screech) and I don't want Dolly to learn that! Plus we have only had her three weeks and I DON'T want her to think we are giving her away. Not sure which is more traumatizing, being alone for a day and night or a new environment. Please advise. PS...no one will be stopping by to look in on her. The people who would are going with me! Edited November 22, 2013 by JanMarie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Since you have only had her 3 weeks, I would leave him/her home. It is a lot of trauma being placed in a new home, that can take a long time of adjustment, but to so soon take it somewhere else and then back again is a lot of stress in my opinion. Put the tv on so it doesn't feel so alone, and make sure to have plenty of food. Is there anyone who could come over and just sit and visit with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanMarie Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 Hi...thanks for the reply! The people who I trust are going with me! I will leave the Christmas music on~she seems to like that....and a night light since she won't be covered up at night. I did feel more comfortable leaving her home than putting her someplace strange and noisy. I will lavish her with attention the minute I walk in the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKparrot Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I agree with Talon. Leave your parrot at home. Provide plenty of food and, what is more important, water. If there is any hanging toy on chains or laces in the cage that parrot may entangled in- remove that toy. Leave TV or radio turned on, but use timer that will turn off/on the device in appropriate time (your parrot should have a regular sleep). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Great advice about the hanging toys & timer for tv/radio. Don't be surprised if she is mad at you when you get home and gives you the cold shoulder of bites...some birds will let you know they weren't happy about your disappearance.. But they get over it soon after Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I just had another idea....if you can spare the extra $$ ....for $99 I bought a wireless one way camera with audio that I have in my bird room, I can log onto my phone as it has an app & watch & look at my birds anytime anywhere. But give you piece of mind to know she's ok.. You can also use a computer to log on. MY daughter also checks on her phone as well as me. It's D-link if your interested. Has a mobile app, very easy to use & set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Excellent suggestion. I have one also so I can check on Timber when I'm at work or away. It does give you peace of mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanMarie Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 I love the camera idea! I am heading out now to get a timer for the Bose. Thank you for all the great suggestions. I feel much better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Do you have a tv in the room? If so, I would leave it on cartoons or Nickelodeon, my birds really like watching it, it entertains them instead of the same boring walls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanMarie Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 I don't have a TV in there...might be worth the investment to get one I can sit on the kitchen table. She could see that with no problem. Another good idea! Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyparrot Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I think all the advice the others have given is spot on. I would be inclined to part cover her cage as I think that might make her a little more secure. Misty seems to prefer this if I have to leave him more than a few hours. when I return he is often snoozing under the covered part. Also don't forget to talk to her and explain where you are going and what is happening and when you are coming back. This is important because she won't understand all you are saying to her but the next time she will have a better idea what is happening. As for webcams many people have spare mobiles due to updates. They can often be pressed into service to make excellent wifi webcams . There are lots of free or very cheap apps for all platforms that will do this. Steve n Misty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 I'm sure your grey will be fine for this short period of time, but you might consider developing a network of people who can at least stop by for company, feeding, and water changing while you are away in the future. I went to funeral in April and most of my CAG's most trusted people also attended the funeral. I asked two friends to stop by and keep Gracie company for a few hours at a time. Neither had bird experience or confidence, but they just came to my condo and changed Gracie's water and food and kept her company while I was gone. I don't know if your city has a bird club, or you have some friends who might be willing to do this, but it gave me peace of mind while I was gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 I have learned to meet my neighbors, and have met a TON of kids ( teenagers), that Sophie absolutely LOVES! Young teenagers don't have the " natural fears", that adults have. While I don't hire teenagers to care for my birds, I DO hire them to come and play. I work with teenager a few weeks ahead, to get to know Sophie. I pay them to come and play with her. She is thrilled! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 I have learned to meet my neighbors, and have met a TON of kids ( teenagers), that Sophie absolutely LOVES! Young teenagers don't have the " natural fears", that adults have. While I don't hire teenagers to care for my birds, I DO hire them to come and play. I work with teenager a few weeks ahead, to get to know Sophie. I pay them to come and play with her. She is thrilled! Nancy Where were you when I was a teenager? Pay me to play with a bird, I'd feel like I was stealing your money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VStar Mama Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 Heck....I know there is a parrot owner kitty-corner to my backyard. They have a Grey and an Amazon and when they'd leave the porch door open or windows open in the Summer I could hear the Amazon singing and whistling and making all kinds of happy noises. I started to whistle the same notes back and start a "conversation". I'm pretty sure they think they have a crazy neighbor. I'd pay them to let me come play with their birds..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupine Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 When you get back, and well before you next need one, seek out a pet sitter with parrot experience who can come check on your bird and change his food and water. And find a backup. In my opionion, the peace of mind and your bird's well-being are worth the expense. Plus, what would happen if you saw on your internet monitor that something was wrong? What if your return was delayed for some reason (weather, accident, etc). Angie's List or your avian vet should be able to help find good resources. Enjoy your trip...and avoid any tv channels likely to show predators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 Sterling SL Exactly! This is what the teenagers I hire feel! They knock at my door, even when I haven;t hired them. Want to check on Sophie. Play with her. I tell them they are more than welcome to come anytime to visit with her, and they do. I would have hired you to do what you do best! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 No matter what you do... no bird should ever be on their own. Hiring a sitter, etc. All birds need to have someone " accountable" for them. I"m okay with a teenager or anyone! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inara Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 When you get back, and well before you next need one, seek out a pet sitter with parrot experience who can come check on your bird and change his food and water. And find a backup. In my opionion, the peace of mind and your bird's well-being are worth the expense. Plus, what would happen if you saw on your internet monitor that something was wrong? What if your return was delayed for some reason (weather, accident, etc). Angie's List or your avian vet should be able to help find good resources. Enjoy your trip...and avoid any tv channels likely to show predators. Care.com is a website that lists local area caretakers for animals, people, and homes. Very light preliminary background checks have been done, and more in depth can be done for an added fee. I have used their site, and we love the gal whom we wound up hiring. You might find it helpful to just browse the providers listed for your area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 Any update on how things went? Hoping all went smoothly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanMarie Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 (edited) Everything was good when I got home. My husband and I didn't do well leaving her, we worried the entire time...next time I will have someone check in on her and spend time with her too. Us leaving for the day and half was unexpected so we did not have time to find a sitter. Dolly was happy to see us until she remembered we left her then there was "the attitude". She was ok by evening. Thank you all for the good advice. I have a seed question. Dolly loves safflower seeds and I can't get her to eat pellets I have tried just lessoning the amount and leaving the pellets in her dish but she seriously looks like she is going to starve herself. Should I let her have just the pellets? And hope that she gets hungry enough to eat them? OR just leave the safflower seeds in there too. She is not one to try new things. I seriously have to eat it in front of her to get her to at least try it...then if she doesn't like it...it goes flying, looks at me as if I tried to serve her caterpillar sprinkled with arsenic. I keep trying though. I'm just concerned about her eating to many seeds. Edited November 27, 2013 by JanMarie more thoughts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brat Birds Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 I am so glad everything went so well. It is funny because I had to leave my flock for the weekend too. I could only get someone to come in once while I was gone. Peanut (TAG) is the only one of the three that gets mad at me. But, he is fine now - takes him about a day to 'get over it'.LOL As for the food. IF you want to go that route - I would leave only the pellets during the day, but feed him food you know he will eat a couple of hours before bed so you know he will have a full tummy for the night. Don't you just love that "are you trying to kill me" look!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inara Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 (edited) Hi JanMarie, am glad everything was fine when you returned home, and that you and your husband survived! I'm wondering if Nutriberries may be a good intermediate way to move her away from seeds and on toward pellets? They have a much more 'seedy' look and feel, and you can break them apart easily enough. Be sure to get one of the flavors that are not the popcorn, which is a snack rather than a meal. Inara loves them, and they were a big help in weaning her off of her southern comfort food (loaded with cheese and processed human foods) table diet. She still will not eat any extruded pellets, and frankly I don't blame her. My own opinion is that our birds need variety. Inara gets a homemade mash made with cooked sweetpotato as the base, then I add in chopped up organic carrots, broccoli, apple, a few nuts, a little corn, and various cooked legumes. At the end, I add in some pellets, and let those soften, then blend it all in my food processor until finely chopped, crumble in some nutriberries and freeze in daily portions. She gets a warmed portion for either breakfast or supper, and at whichever the opposite meal is, she gets fresh fruits and veggies. Inara is a Timneh and so some of the parrot pellets are big for her. So I give her Roudybush crumble size (get it from my Avian Vet) mixed in with about 4 crumbled Nutriberries, and some Hagen Tropimix in her dish, dry, all day long so that she can free feed from that. I don't know if any of the above is helpful, but the long and short may be: 1) mix 3/4 of her seed with 1/4 Nutriberries crumbled up mixed with some Roudybush small crumbles -- for about a week. Also see if she will eat a warm mash of yummy things. 2) reduce her seed to 1/2 and increase the rest to 1/2 for about a week 3) reduce her seed to 1/4 and increase the rest to 3/4s for about a week 4) by this time, you should know how Dolly is doing with it all and can just toss a sprinkle of her seeds into the other mixture If you're not into Nutriberries, you can easily wean those down as you increase whichever pellet brand you prefer. Inara loves a shot of Louisianna hot sauce (cayenne pepper sauce) on her food, or I put red pepper flakes in with her dry food and will sometimes sprinkle it with cumin or a curry powder to give it some zazz for her. Be sure to weigh her, while you are doing any food changes, as she may lose a bit of weight but should never ever be allowed to drop more than 10%, I'd err on the conservative side and find something tasty and fattening to give her (other than her seed) if you see her dropping past 5%. Inara lost some weight while I was weaning her off of table food, but she actually is the better and likely much more healthy for it. It took a couple of weeks for her to really make the changeover, and now after 10 weeks, she will sell her soul for almost any fresh fruit and vegetable and her mash, and enjoys foraging around in her dry dish intermittently during the day. I'm sure there are some great threads in the Nutrition section. Edited November 27, 2013 by Inara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Always encourage pellets with minimal seeds. Offer a variety diet of veggies and a few fruits. My gang LOVE a slice of toast buttered. Its a continuous battle...My walls are painted with raspberries and blueberries, grapes green beans etc. I never give up. I repeated their diet over and over. Eventually, they started to accept the veggies. Freeze dryed as well.I also am okay with them eating human food. Sophie LOVES chicken, eggs, pasta ( no sauce).Food for my birds, is not an issue. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 My grey Josey goes after toast with peanut butter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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