Grey Sitters

[Nychsa]

Greetings everyone!

 

Last week I had to fly down to Florida for a day, stay one night and fly back the next.

 

My doggie daycare center happens to have a woman working there who has pet store experience with Greys and other Parrot types. They offered to take care of my birds for the day I was gone.

 

The lady came over two days before I left to meet the birds. As I expected, Jiggy, my conure promptly bit her when she reached for him, and Bella, my grey went to the furthest point on the playtop and refused to be coaxed out.

 

So, we decided to sit at my table and relax and let the birds come around on their own. Well, to make a long story short, the sitter wasn't successful in getting either one to step up, either on to her hand or the portable perch. She assured me that when she is alone with the birds, she'd bring them around.

 

I just didn't get a good feeling from this, so I emailed an avian veterinary friend of mine. She was emphatically against the birds being taken out of their cages while I was gone as she was concerned the birds would panic if the sitter attempted to put them into their cages and they would hurt themselves in an attempt to escape from the sitter. So, I told the sitter to leave them in the cages, and provide fresh water and food through the access doors on the cage.

 

Needless to say I was on pins and needles while I was gone, and felt horrible that they'd be in their cages so long. Normally they are out a good five hours/day. Does anyone have any experience with sitters, and if so, how did you work this out?

 

Thanks!

Terri

[judygram]

I have always taken my Josey to a woman who has lots of birds herself that knows how to take care of her and sometimes my daughter takes my sun conure. And I have left them overnight once or twice at home and they stayed in their cages until I returned. If you don't do this very often it will be ok for them to spend an entire day in their cage.

 

A lot of people will board their birds at vet's offices if they do that sort of thing

[Nychsa]

Hi Judy, thank you for your response. I think I'm going to take them to the hand feeding ladies where I got my Grey. They board as well. Bella's environment was very loving, and fun, and I'm sure the two ladies who run the avairy will be able to work out any issus Jiggy or Bella would throw their way. I need a solution for the summer as I go away for four weeks on retreat each year and I thought if I could "grow" a sitter with them, it would be fine, but I just did not feel good about any of this at all!

[judygram]

Sounds like a good idea, sounds like a plan.

[siobha9]

I go away quite a bit, for a night here and a night there, and I leave my birds at home. My dad comes around and watches some TV while chatting to them. He changes their food and water but doesnt take them out. I thought it would be better for them to have company but not be stressed by someone they arent comfortable with.

 

Once I went away for a week. My family were here, but none of them can handle Liath. They left her in the cage, no harm done. They talked to her, and played through the bars, but didnt take her out.

 

Apart from the fact that she turns into a birdy limpet when I get back:S , she doesnt seem any worse for wear for not getting out. Mind you her cage is HUGE and she can flap her wings inside it.

 

Siobhan

[Christina]

Well, I just took Finnigan to the parrot store here when I went away for Thanksgiving. they don't sell birds, just supplies and they board. Finni did okay, but he whined for two days and became a velcro bird when I got back. He is getting back into the swing of things now, the third day...and I expect that next time I take him there, he will do much better. We took our blue and gold last year and he was soooo quiet when we picked him up, we thought he needed to go to the vet, but he bounced back by the next day...this time, he had no transition whatsoever, so I think once they get used to whatever it is you decide to do for them, they realize you will come back, and its much less stressful.

[NerfGunWarHero]

I think if you are getting a bad vibe, then you should find someone you really know and trust. Then you will feel less upset and stressed. The first time the birds may feel stressed, but they is expected.

[BMustee]

I think the lady where you got your grey from would be the best person for the job. I would have the same bad feelings from someone that told me that as soon as I was gone they would be able to handle my birds. I think I would have kicked them right out the door for that statement. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[chapala]

It's fine for them to stay in their cages for a few days, no problem. I always make new toys before I leave, and Kali has a nice big cage 48x34. So, much as we love having our birds out for several hours a day, they are safer in their cages and will be just fine unless you have a real bird person that knows how to handle the parrots and is accepted by them. Kali can be finicky - good with some people, not with others, so I would rather he be safe in the cage than have any problem come up when I'm not there.

 

For a longer time, if you have a place to take him where you feel comfortable, that might be best.

Reta

[Nychsa]

I think the lady where you got your grey from would be the best person for the job. I would have the same bad feelings from someone that told me that as soon as I was gone they would be able to handle my birds. I think I would have kicked them right out the door for that statement

 

Thank you everyone for your input! It's reassuring to read the various solutions and the experiences you've had.

 

Nerfgun and BMustee, you've nailed exactly what was nagging on me - when she said she'd deal with it when I was "gone" I wanted to rush out and buy video cams for the house! That statement really put me on notice! That is what gave me the bad vibe and I'm quite sure my feathered family would pick up on my bad feeling.

 

I really appreciate all the input.

 

Cheers!

Terri