Advice: Roofers=Lots of Noise

[Giannine]

Our roof is being replaced and they just started this morning at 6-flippin'-something-o'clock. I came downstairs and my son said Poppy was really scared by the pounding and stomping across the roof and had fallen a couple times.

 

I'm hesitant to even get her out of her cage today because I'm afraid she will be getting spooked constantly and I'll end up getting her off the floor all day.

 

Any advice? What would you do?

[birdhouse]

Anytime things get that dramatic for longer periods around here, I've found it's better to put the fids in their travel cages. One, confined space can feel cozier & minimized the amount of damage if they spook. Two, it's the place where new & exciting things are bound to happen. So why not...? Also, if there's a bang up storm, you're ready to move out at a moment's notice.

 

 

Suggest covering part of the cage w/a towel & putting some music w/o much base beat on. Fill the food dish w/Nutriberries or some other big time treat. Then act as normal as possible while still being supportive. If all else fails & she just can't settle, can she stay somewhere for the day or two until they're finished? Friend, relative, neighbor?

[SRSeedBurners]

I would get her out of there. It will be non-stop trauma. When we had our roof replaced, I put the birds in the aviary so at least they could see what was making the dang noise. You don't want to give her an excuse to start some traumatic plucking.

[Luvparrots]

I find that if i am calm, my greys are calm. Fireworks in the country town can be noisy. i just go into the Grey Room or let them out of their cages to watch TV with me and talk to them. If I am calm so are they. My CAG, Sterling Gris, follows my TAG, Ana Grey's lead. Ana Grey is fearless and trusts me to no end; so all is calm at noisy times.

Edited November 8, 2016 by luvparrots

[Giannine]

She is acting surprisingly normal. She just ate some yams with me and is now on her tree rubbing her beak. She is still a bit jumpy but seems to be taking it all in stride for the most part. I will put her in her cage and cover it partially if I noticed her getting too jumpy and falling off of things. Thanks you guys!

[Acappella]

Dorian is like Ana Grey, he looks to me for cues on whether to be upset. If I say "Ooooh, big noise eh?" he'll often reply with an oooooh. We are close to a small airport and sometimes a small plane or helicopter will fly low overhead, or someone will drive by with a noisy vehicle when we're hanging on the front porch. Same thing, if I just acknowledge the noise in a calm voice and manner he'll take his cue from me and it won't phase him. Try to get up and be there to reassure her before the noise starts in the morning so that it doesn't catch her off guard and she'll probably be fine.

[Giannine]

Ugh...the noise has become insanely loud with the whole house shaking plenty. I did get the guys to cover the sky light. Seeing them up there really freaked her out. I put her in her carrier that she flew to me in since that is all I have and took her with me to go pick up the kids from school. That was her first time in a car since I brought her home in August and that scared her too so I figured it would be better for her to be scared in familiar surroundings rather than unfamiliar. I did call Costco to see if I would be allowed to bring her there with me while I did my grocery shopping and they said no. Have any of you brought your Greys to Costco?

[SRSeedBurners]

I got kicked out of Costco. They can go F themselves. We go into Krogers, Walmart and lots of other places. The only places I don't go into are eating establishments.

[Giannine]

I waited to leave until they finished at around 7:00 pm. I had no idea replacing a roof was so insanely loud. My lights were flickering all day and the booms, scraping, stomping, banging, etc. were just ridiculously loud all day. And constant. 12 hours of constant loud noise. It is supposedly a three day job so we have two more to go. I feel really bad because I have to be gone for several hours on Thursday so I won't be here to comfort her.

 

She was fine tonight after they left. If this affects her negatively, will I likely know right away or is it possible something will pop up later?

[birdhouse]

You can't really predict trauma or how anyone will react to it. But it's encouraging that she was normal when things got quiet.

 

Always easier said than done, but try not to stress because it's contagious. Like luvparrots said, Ana Grey trusts that when Janet's calm, she can be at ease with a situation. Of course she seems to have a good temperament & she's had years of proof that Janet is a good barometer. But that's exactly what you're going for w/Poppy, here.

 

However, I really wouldn't leave her home alone Thursday. I would really suggest you find a knowledgeable sitter or see if you can move her to someone's house during that time. A little extreme I realize, but if you can't I think I would actually cancel whatever you've planned if it is at all possible. I would shamelessly tell them one of the kids yatta yatta... jmho

Edited November 9, 2016 by birdhouse

[Acappella]

Do you have anyone who can come in and sit with her today?

[Giannine]

Yesterday was very quiet. Almost as if they weren't here. Today they are doing some hammering and there is a generator going and she is whistling away in her cage happily. I have a court hearing for parenting plan modification which is why I couldn't get out of going but it looks like we will be negotiating outside of court and I won't need to go. I kept my 15-year-old home from school just in case. She has been acting like her regular self and I started saying, "Ohh loud noise, huh Poppy?" Like someone else above said they do, and just act normal. So far, so good

[katana600]

So glad to check in and find that Poppy has weathered the storm of roofers pounding and clamoring around up there. When we had our roof replaced just prior to getting Miss Gilbert, I was the one retreating to the basement, putting on soothing music and still rattled by the shingles flying and the commotion. If I had a travel cage, I would have been inside it! Poppy seems to have taken it all in stride. Since you were calm and nothing in her world was turned upside down she probably isn't sensitive to loud sounds like some of our greys. Miss Gilbert has come a long way since she was terrified of thunderstorms, the vacuum cleaner, car doors muffled in the distant neighborhood. Now if I am scratching her head and there is a loud noise, she doesn't even react at all to it. Even though I wasn't online to think about your thread as it happened, it helped to remind me of how far Gil has come in trust and security. Poppy is starting her life that way, how wonderful for you all.

[Giannine]

Miss Gilbert has come a long way since she was terrified of thunderstorms, the vacuum cleaner, car doors muffled in the distant neighborhood. Now if I am scratching her head and there is a loud noise, she doesn't even react at all to it. Even though I wasn't online to think about your thread as it happened, it helped to remind me of how far Gil has come in trust and security.

 

That is HUGE progress to not even react! We are on day 4 and they should be done today. They woke me up at 6:45 working right outside my open bedroom window:mad: None of the days have been near as bad as when they were getting all the old shingles off on the first day. Poppy has pretty much just been ignoring it all and acting as if nothing is going on. I am very grateful for that!

[Giannine]

Side question: When do I graduate from fledgling to whatever the next one up is? 500 posts?

[Timbersmom]

I honestly don't know in answer to your question about "fledgling." Hopefully someone who does will see your question. So glad to hear Poppy has "weathered the storm!"

[Inara]

Good on Poppy, and good on you for just being nonchalant about the whole thing. We had our roof done many years ago before HRH, and it was such a racket! I feel for you all! This week, we are being treated to total window replacements for the entire house. Lots of recipricating saw noise, and tons of drill sounds. HRH not only has been taking it in stride, but she has fallen in love with one of the window installers!! She kept saying, "Hi Sweetie," to him, and then later asked him, "Do you want a cookie?" then later, "Do you like Squirrels?" It was so funny -- I told him that if she asked him if he likes Kenny G and walks in the rain, he'd better tell her that he's married! :D

 

As far as remaining calm through it all, like many of our other fids here, she takes her cues from me and/or my Joe and since all was well with me, she has been fine. However, she was not too crazy about being rolled into the kitchen to go "night-night," but there were lingering hints of calk scent near her usual space, so I didn't want her to breathe them in. They are very faint, but one never knows.

 

Poppy and HRH Inara really are fortunate to have had such easy going starts to their lives, and to be cool as cucumbers through the new things life throws their way. My (RIP) wild caught rescued CAG awoke me one morning 30 some years ago screeching, "WHY??!! WHY???!!! WHY???!!!!" at the top of his lungs as I heard this horrible scratching and pounding sound on the outside of the house. My landlord had neglected to tell me that he was going to have the trim on my house painted and apparently the painters had shown up bright and early, and were scraping and preparing the trim. Needless to say, Lestat was *not* a happy camper! His thoughts on the matter echoed my own, as did the salty language he piped up with as the day wore on -- I think he may have even given Miss Gilbert a run for her money!! LOL

 

Hope this note finds your roofers gone, your modification of decree settled favorably, and Poppy unruffled. xo

[judygram]

Side question: When do I graduate from fledgling to whatever the next one up is? 500 posts?

 

I'm not sure but I think its based on the total number of posts, rest assured you will reach the next level soon.