Baby grey and my work schedule advice

[Lilwitt22]

Hello everyone! Brand new to this forum as well as a African grey! So I purchased a Congo and she will be ready in about a week. I can't help but to worry that I'm not doing something right. I have done months and months of research however there is still one thing I'm nervous about. I am currently a EMT and I work 11 hour shifts.. However, there are in the evenings. Tuesday- Friday 2pm- 1am. Only 4 days. I am concerned about my grey and her mental health. I want to be sure she will be okay while I am away. I have purchased many many toys as well as many foraging toys for her. I live with a roommate who works during the day so she will be by herself for the night once I leave. However, of course, in the mornings we will hang out/ eat together and spend time out of her cage. Also I am concerned that once I start school in about a month, she will struggle even more. I have one class on Mondays and Wednesday's from 8am- noon. Then on Saturday from 8am to 4pm. So once school starts, my work/school schedule is as follows:

 

Monday: 8am- noon

Tuesday: 2pm- 1am

Wednesday: 8am- noon, 2pm- 1am

Thursday:2pm- 1am

Friday : 2pm- 1am

Saturday:8am- 4pm

Sunday: free

 

I know greys require 12hrs of sleep as well. Would she be okay going to sleep without me being there? She could sleep while I'm at work right? Her cage is located in my room and I've heard that radio/ tv is okay for them. Any tips/ suggestions is greatly appreciated! I've attached a picture of Lola!

[katana600]

When you say you have a room mate who works during the day, would the room mate be home in the evenings the four days when you are gone? If the room mate is home, Lola would have some company and reassurance for your long shift. Also, when it gets dark, Lola would go to sleep, so she would be alone about six hours during those four days. A lot of people who work full time have African Greys and they find ways to cope with the absence of their humans. Your schedule is not under your control for a while as you go to school and work. Since you have a month before school starts, it will be real tempting to spend every minute with her, but it might be good if you try to start that schedule with her gradually when she arrives. It would be very helpful if your room mate is on board and willing to help with Lola. Also, you might find a friend or family member willing to spend time with her. It is good for her to be around a variety of people while she is so young.

[katana600]

The recommendation for 12 hours of sleep a day, isn't as much for rest as it for regulating daylight and dark. The reason for that is when there are long days of sunshine, parrots in nature are mating in the optimal season. The theory as I understand it is 12 hours of daily darkness is for the prevention of egg laying and mating signals. Miss Gilbert is an older parrot, she will ask to go to bed by 8 pm and it is generally dark by 9. She gets up about 7:30 and she often sleeps during the day as well.

[Lilwitt22]

When you say you have a room mate who works during the day, would the room mate be home in the evenings the four days when you are gone?

 

Hello! And thank you so much for your advice! So I was able to change my school schedule around a bit to what I think will work better. My new schedule is:

 

Monday: 6pm-10pm

Tuesday: 2pm- 1am

Wednesday: 6pm- 10pm

Thursday:2pm- 1am

Friday : 2pm- 1am

Saturday:8am- 4pm

Sunday: free

 

I was able to change my Monday and Wednesday class from 8-12 to 6-10 so I could spend more time with her. My roommate could probably help a little, but I'm not expecting much. I also have a girlfriend that could maybe help, however she usually isn't here until around 10pm. Thanks for your help!

[Dave007]

Hello everyone! Brand new to this forum as well as a African grey! So I purchased a Congo and she will be ready in about a week. I can't help but to worry that I'm not doing something right. I have done months and months of research however there is still one thing I'm nervous about. I am currently a EMT and I work 11 hour shifts.. However, there are in the evenings. Tuesday- Friday 2pm- 1am. Only 4 days. I am concerned about my grey and her mental health. I want to be sure she will be okay while I am away. I have purchased many many toys as well as many foraging toys for her. I live with a roommate who works during the day so she will be by herself for the night once I leave. However, of course, in the mornings we will hang out/ eat together and spend time out of her cage. Also I am concerned that once I start school in about a month, she will struggle even more. I have one class on Mondays and Wednesday's from 8am- noon. Then on Saturday from 8am to 4pm. So once school starts, my work/school schedule is as follows:

 

Monday: 8am- noon

Tuesday: 2pm- 1am

Wednesday: 8am- noon, 2pm- 1am

Thursday:2pm- 1am

Friday : 2pm- 1am

Saturday:8am- 4pm

Sunday: free

 

I know greys require 12hrs of sleep as well. Would she be okay going to sleep without me being there? She could sleep while I'm at work right? Her cage is located in my room and I've heard that radio/ tv is okay for them. Any tips/ suggestions is greatly appreciated! I've attached a picture of Lola!

 

 

This is a breakdown of your situation

 

Monday: 8am- noon----very good

Tuesday: 2pm- 1am--------very bad

Wednesday: 8am- noon, 2pm- 1am-------good and bad

Thursday:2pm- 1am-------------very bad

Friday : 2pm- 1am---------very bad

Saturday:8am- 4pm-----once or twice a week------------somewhat good

Sunday: free ------------excellent

 

Greys need a hands on relationship with their new owners on a constant basis. A grey being in a cage alone for huge amounts of time is a problem in the making.

 

Toys----------A bird who is alone in a cage with a variety of toys will eventually tire of those toys. Many greys will decide tha the next best thing to do is to start plucking and chewing their feathers. If this habit isn't dealt with, it's a hard habit to get rid of. Cockatoos are also known for doing this. One way to slow this down has to do with time out of a cage and contact with people on a frequent basis.

You say that you have a roommate----what happens if the bird won't take to your roommate? There's no guarantees.

 

I'm not judging you but I can tell you that many people on this board went through these situations and some situations had a good ending and some had a bad ending.

Radio and TV will only last for a while before a bird may tune that out.

 

Greys are very different from each other

At one point the only common thing they have is the color of their feathers

 

You say you changed some of your hours but this is a standard chart for new birds which will extend into adulthood. Others here may have different opinions.

Edited August 11, 2016 by Dave007

[SRSeedBurners]

Greys need a hands on relationship with their new owners on a constant basis. A grey being in a cage alone for huge amounts of time is a problem in the making.

 

 

 

As an example:

 

I got my Grey at nearly the same time as my manager where I work, within a couple weeks of each other. I refuse to live at work and will skate out of here every chance I get to go home and have my Grey velcro'd to my shoulder. PLUS my wife doesn't work and is home with them too. My manager''s grey lives at home from ~9am until one of them gets back home around 8pm DAILY during the week. He's had all the typical issues that Greys have: some neurotic behaviors including plucking itself bare. I've had ZERO issues other than she thinks she's boss bird and highly jealous over me.

 

Every time my manager comes to work with a new story about something wrong with his bird, I get tired of listening to it. I've told him that Greys don't do well completely alone all the time. Before we got these Greys, he had a Quaker that he had to rehome because "all it does is screech". Birds really have to have your attention, Greys especially (as well as cockatoos, etc).

[Lilwitt22]

As an example:

 

I got my Grey at nearly the same time as my manager where I work, within a couple weeks of each other. I refuse to live at work and will skate out of here every chance I get to go home and have my Grey velcro'd to my shoulder. PLUS my wife doesn't work and is home with them too. My manager''s grey lives at home from ~9am until one of them gets back home around 8pm DAILY during the week. He's had all the typical issues that Greys have: some neurotic behaviors including plucking itself bare. I've had ZERO issues other than she thinks she's boss bird and highly jealous over me

 

Thanks for your input! I really appreciate it! I just typed a whole message and it was deleted.. anyway.. Won't my grey sleep at night without me being there? I will have someone cover her cage at night around 8pm. So if I leave at 2 pm and someone covers her cage at 8. That's only 6 hrs, is that bad? That is only 3 days a week. The other 2 days of the week I'm gone from 6pm until 10pm. I will try to get my roommate and girlfriend to help but I'm not expecting much. I really hope this works out.. So nervous.

[SRSeedBurners]

Your schedule sounds ok to me. Your time away is not too drastic. As long as you make the time quality time. My GreycieMae is on my shoulder when I'm home. Where I go, birdy goes, within reason of course. She gets to go shopping at Walmart, Home Depot, you name it.

[Lilwitt22]

Your schedule sounds ok to me. Your time away is not too drastic. As long as you make the time quality time. My GreycieMae is on my shoulder when I'm home. Where I go, birdy goes, within reason of course. She gets to go shopping at Walmart, Home Depot, you name it.

 

Wow really??? They let you bring your grey into Walmart and Home Depot?

[SRSeedBurners]

I "hide" her in a pak-o-bird. However when she gets spotted, she's usually the center of attention and everyone wants to see her. Kids have a sixth sense and can seemingly spot her through walls.

[Lilwitt22]

Lol that's awesome!! I'm so excited! I've visited my baby almost everyday for the past 2 months. She only has a week left!!

[Inara]

Hi Lilwitt and soon to be home Lola. Just a note, when you sign in if you check the little "remember me" box as you sign in you can type long posts w/out them vanishing. Alternatively, type them in your word or notepad program, then just copy and paste here -- or type them here then copy before you hit reply so that if the post vanishes, you can hit paste and reply again.

 

Every grey and every bird is different. My older wild caught Congo had tons of my time and attention, then in my 30s I went back to school and then on to grad-school, worked 2 and 3 part time jobs to pay the bills, was constantly on call, and was often gone from 5 a.m. until midnight with maybe a quick stop at home for a pee break and a sandwich. He did just great. *HOWEVER* he had come from a really abusive home and had nearly plucked himself to death before he came to me. He and I fell for each other and having three squares a day and a home where he was not tormented may have seemed like Easy Street to him from the get go, and we had many many years before my life and schedule changed so drastically. My teenage son and his buddies were also in and out and we also had a dog and a cat so there was always some kind of coming and going happening.

 

After my beloved CAG went to the great beyond, I did not even contemplate getting another bird until I knew I had the time and energy to devote. My young (5 year old) TAG, HRH Inara does just fine on days that I leave the house (I'm retired but volunteer with a group of Veterans so am on-call for emergencies and am gone 2 days a week on a regular basis). She knows what "I will be back," means. She is on a regular schedule that keeps her routine predictable and secure, with enough variety in it so that she is pretty intrepid about last minute changes, etc. When I had my Amazon and my CAG in the 70s-90s, most of that time was pre-internet and both were wild caught and really freaking hardy. Both had been major pluckers and both became fully feathered (apparently had not permanently damaged themselves). I say this because domestic bred birds are born into captivity, they are immediately socialized by humans, they have lots of companionship from the get go, and so to not offer that to them and to leave them to their own devices for very extended periods after that is all they've known is like leaving a toddler to 5 year old to fend on their own for that same time period. They are highly sentient and social creatures, and toys don't take the place of lots of interaction.

 

SO... to make a long story even longer, had I not had my CAG already for several years before my major life changes, I would not have gotten any bird until I was in a position to ensure the proper care and socialization, let alone a baby one. Brains, language centers, cognitive skills, socialization skills, flight skills all need lots of stimulation and encouragement. So basically, I'm (not criticizing here) wondering why at such a busy time in your life you decided now is a good idea to have a young bird come live with you?

 

We're all here to assist -- nobody is going to judge, we do have a lot of strong opinions and those are as varied as we are. Am sincerely glad you have found us, and can tell that you're really wanting to be the best parront possible.

Edited August 12, 2016 by Inara

[Lilwitt22]

[quote name=Inara;321064

SO... to make a long story even longer' date=' had I not had my CAG already for several years before my major life changes, I would not have gotten any bird until I was in a position to ensure the proper care and socialization, let alone a baby one. Brains, language centers, cognitive skills, socialization skills, flight skills all need lots of stimulation and encouragement. So basically, I'm (not criticizing here) wondering why at such a busy time in your life you decided now is a good idea to have a young bird come live with you?

 

We're all here to assist -- nobody is going to judge, we do have a lot of strong opinions and those are as varied as we are. Am sincerely glad you have found us, and can tell that you're really wanting to be the best parront possible. [/quote]

 

Thanks for you're help. To answer your question, I've been wanting a bird for years, and I finally just moved out of my parents house and I am almost done with school. I went to my local parrot shop and saw Lola and fell in love. They had a waiting list for their African greys but I guess no one decided to take her because of her beak. It's slightly chipped and is mishapped. So I decided to take her. I currently work 11hrs as a EMT while I am still in school. Half of that being at night. My goal is to get on a fire department later in life, and they work 24hrs.by then I will have someone to help take care of her while I am gone. I thought it would be a good idea now and work with her at a young age. Just hope I made the right decision...

[Giannine]

I fully agree with Sterling's opinion of the work schedule. You mentioned having someone cover her cage at 8 but said your girlfriend doesn't normally get there until 10 and you don't feel you can count on her or your roommate being much help so I guess my big concern is who is going to put her to "bed" every night consistently? I honestly wouldn't have waited to address this concern until after committing to the bird and would have waited until I had a consistent schedule that allowed me to spend adequate time each day with the bird. If it is at all possible to eliminate those nights when you are gone until 1 am, I would. On those days, you will not be able to see her until the next morning. Also, with her cage being in your bedroom, she is isolated which could exacerbate the circumstances. I am glad you came here for advise, though. People here are friendly and helpful.

[Lilwitt22]

I fully agree with Sterling's opinion of the work schedule. You mentioned having someone cover her cage at 8 but said your girlfriend doesn't normally get there until 10 and you don't feel you can count on her or your roommate being much help so I guess my big concern is who is going to put her to "bed" every night consistently? I honestly wouldn't have waited to address this concern until after committing to the bird and would have waited until I had a consistent schedule that allowed me to spend adequate time each day with the bird. If it is at all possible to eliminate those nights when you are gone until 1 am, I would. On those days, you will not be able to see her until the next morning. Also, with her cage being in your bedroom, she is isolated which could exacerbate the circumstances. I am glad you came here for advise, though. People here are friendly and helpful.

 

Okay so My girlfriend has committed to a hour on Tuesday Thursday and Friday (the days I work late). She can go visit and play right in the middle of my shift (around 6 or 7) then my roommate will put her to bed around 8 or 9 when he gets home. Just those 3 days.. I will be home the other days during the week, except from 6p-10p. You think I made a mistake? :confused:

[SRSeedBurners]

Sounds like you got it well covered. The biggest mistake people make is ignoring them when the novelty wears off. They're like a child and if you treat them so, they can put up with a lot.

[Giannine]

Okay so My girlfriend has committed to a hour on Tuesday Thursday and Friday (the days I work late). She can go visit and play right in the middle of my shift (around 6 or 7) then my roommate will put her to bed around 8 or 9 when he gets home. Just those 3 days.. I will be home the other days during the week, except from 6p-10p. You think I made a mistake? :confused:

 

Not at all. I was looking for clarification because this wasn't mentioned before. I am also getting my Grey next week so I know how excited you are. Please post pics, if you haven't already. Best of wishes to you and her

[JeffNOK]

I think another thing that might be helpful on the days you work long hours is to get up early and make sure you spend quality time with your bird. If you focus your time from 8AM to 1:45 PM with your bird out of the cage and interacting with you, I think it will minimize adverse affects.

[Talon]

I have 2 greys and an Amazon. My schedule went from 4 people minimum in my house , and me being home much of every day with my birds out of their cages, to just me and my 17 year old who is rarely home, to me working 9-10 hour days 5 days a week and them only out when I get home in the evenings during the week. . I have extra large cages for them, leave the tv on when I am gone, but I feel very guilty. They seem to have adjusted ok, I know they would prefer more time outside as before, but when they are out, they are the center of attention as I go about my evening.. I include them in everything I do. In the mornings as I get them breakfast, I am constantly talking to them so they get some attention.

I find them to adapt very well to changes as long as you their flock member is consistent with the attention they get quality wise.

[Inara]

Also, HRH Inara likes to go back to her cage after about 2 hours of being out in the morning and in the evening/late afternoon. Some days she asks to go back earlier than that, or she just takes her own little self back. It's her home, afterall and she loves it there. She will snooze during the day and looks out the floor to ceiling windows near her cage and watches all of the outside creatures. She is very social, a fabulous conversationalist, but is not and never has been a snuggler. She likes our routine, and as Talon said, with consistency and a good bond, they are much more adjustable and resilient than many give them credit for. Just do beware, as Sterling mentioned -- the wearing off of the novelty.

 

You will initially want to lavish tons of attention -- but if you can't sustain that, it's better to just establish plenty of *you* time, and plenty of cage time while you are puttering around the house so that your new companion will become accustomed to that routine. Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.