When you just don't feel like it...

[PapillonDeNuit]

Z'anybody have those days (of course you do!) where maybe you didn't get much sleep, or maybe something happened , or maybe you didn't get much sleep, and you just can't engage your grey? I'm so exhausted today! Timmy is downstairs in the living room. My parents are drunk, watching TV in the dark. Poor Timmy keeps calling to me. I often have him upstairs with me, but since the two really bad bites, I can't. I can't until my finger is healed. I;m soooooooooo tired, and every time he calls to me, i feel obligated to call back. But I ... I'm so tired that it hurts my brain to do it. And every time he calls, feels like I'm getting woken from a nap, even though I'm awake. I wanna disappear and sleep for ten to twelve hours. But I can't, because somebody I love very much needs me.

I engaged my buddy a lot earlier today, but now I'm sooooooo tired!

EDIT: The "a lot" applies to how much I engaged Timmy, not how long ago it was.

Edited October 27, 2019 by PapillonDeNuit

[Greytness]

I think that we all have those days where we're dragging ourselves around with a tank almost on empty.

I'm sure that Timmy appreciated the call backs. It's reassuring for them to receive a reply to their calls.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for you.

[neoow]

Yes I do. Some days it is very difficult to get out of bed - let alone have to deal with and engage with anyone. 😂

You need to look after yourself too. Make sure you rest and sleep when you need to. Timmy will probably still keep calling out. I know Alfie sits there calling out during the day when I'm not there. He practices lots of sounds regardless of whether I respond. Yes, he enjoys it when I'm there and I DO respond but he's also quite happy chattering away to himself sometimes too (so much so that I couldn't get a word in to call back even if I wanted to!)

You're of more use to Timmy when you're well rested and happy. They pick up on moods so quickly. If you're tired and run down, he'll notice. And the more tired you get, the less patience you'll have. So give yourself a break and don't be so hard on yourself.

This is one day in a lifetime. Let it pass and hopefully tomorrow will be a better one.

[Inara]

Yes! HRH Inara is the love of my life, but I gotta tell ya notsomuch at 6:15 a.m. in the winter! I am a nightbird and my two parrots of my past (r.i.p. a 'zon and CAG) both were quiet in the mornings until I would get up. When HRH wakes up, *everybody* wakes up! So I drag myself up, greet her cheerful, "Good morning," with a smile and equally cheerful reply even though I don't feel like it, and we start the day.

Other times, when I am sick or exhausted, same thing. However, after having spent a combined 30 years living with parrots, I am fine letting her entertain herself on those times/days after her needs are taken care of, i.e. breakfast, cage cleaned, fresh water and food, and some play time out of her cage after breakfast. Then, it is back home for her on those days with the door shut on her cage. She eventually will stop calling and will entertain herself and then snooze. It's fine because she gets tons of attention and out of cage time normally. It is good for her to know how to self entertain and self comfort for the times when life is out of its normal routine.

It is OK to want to tune out the world, and that includes your feathered buddy at times (once their needs are taken care of).

 

Edited November 23, 2019 by Inara

[LNCAG]

I remember some years ago I got sick with what doctor finally treated as a sinus infection (I had thought it was just a really weird bad cold until I realized I was running fever with it and went to doctor like 5 days in).  But I was out of work for 9 days.  I felt so extremely sick and horrible.  Plus, until sinus infection was diagnosed, I was sort of concerned I could give my parrots something.  I remember washing my hands thoroughly before handling their dishes and sort of turning my head away a bit to side when around them. 

So, my poor parrots only got seed, peanuts and pellets -- and their water was changed every 2 or 3 days instead of daily, which I am ashamed to admit (unless they made parrot soup which demanded dish washing and fresh water -- I just felt too bad to handle the daily water changes they were used to).  My poor neglected babies were offered nothing fresh (no veggie or fruit), no treats, no out-of-cage time, nothing.  Just the absolute bare minimum of care was about as much as I could handle.  I think I only removed the top papers in their cages every few days, not full cleanups.      I wasn't even up to a proper shower or eating or anything. Just pushed my own fluid intake.  My sink was so full of dirty tea mugs and water cups after 9 days, it was embarrassing.  Floor was filthy from not sweeping and vacuuming.  Ugh.

And I remember being so impressed that my babies all seemed to understand mummy was feeling so horrible -- they exhibited no screaming or negative behaviours.  They just played with their cage toys, I guess.  I spent most of the 9 days propped upright on the sofa (so I could breathe -- wearing those Breathe Right strips on my nose) trying to sleep for all those days. 

Parrots are so smart, they seem to know when something is wrong with us.  I even worried that they might be worried about me -- they can be so sensitive.  Yet they were mostly quiet and so well-behaved during my whole illness.     And when I got better, they accepted proper care again as if the 9 days prior were fully forgiven.