Help We Moving!!!

[2Girls]

We are moving house end of March. Started packing boxes over the weekend. Wow what a job.

 

Now for my dilema, Angie who use to feather chew and stopped the habit about 6 months ago, has started chewing up her beautiful new feather all over again since we started packing. Josie just watches with much interest, nothing phases her.

 

What can I do!!! I cannot move Angie's cage as she will then totally stress, we cannot avoid packing up things around her, stuff must go.... I am so dissapointed, she really started to look great.

 

Any ideas guys??? Please.....

[lovemyGreys]

Angie is obviously picking up that something different is happening around her the stress of the situation has made her revert back to chewing her feathers,this maybe a nervous related thing with her & the only way she knows how to cope.In afraid there is little you can do as you have to prepare for your move,just keep her routine as normal as possible & reassure her.When your in your new house surround Angie with familiar items that she hopefully can find comforting,she will need time to adjust but fingers crossed when things have settled she will stop the chewing

[2Girls]

Thank you Tracy. Will try and keep as much normal as I can. I do re-assure her all the time. Make a huge fuss of her, sing her favourite songs, etc.

 

Just such a pity she started up again. Wish I could avoid it. She definately does not like changes around her. Strange how they all differ, I suppose just like us humans. Then they are so human, are they not. My little girls!!!

[lovemyGreys]

yes they all react differently to change,some take it in their stride & with others it effects them deeply.It is such a pity but hopefully once Angie is settled & feels secure again she will stop.Good luck with the move.

[Nychsa]

Hi, wow, we're about to go through the same thing here. I don't know how Bella is going to react when the boxes and everything start stacking up.

 

One thing I'm going to make sure of is that neither of them sees the movers messing with their cages. They love their "homes" and are very defensive about them.

 

I have two "avian hotels" from Avian Adventures, smaller travel sized cages - but big enough for a grey to stay in for a couple of days. I've been keeping those in my office this past week, and have brought Jiggy and Bella up with me to play on the cages so they get used to them. Then I kept them in the cages over night in my bedroom as well. I think they're good with their travel cages now.

 

When the movers come I'm going to put them in those travel cages when things start getting taken out and I'm going to keep the birds in a quiet room with the door shut so they aren't exposed to things getting taken out.

 

Hopefully this will keep their anxiety to a minimum. After that we have a 14 hour drive ahead of us with one stop in a pet friendly hotel (two greyhounds, and two birds and two humans :woohoo: ). Then a stop at my daughter's house - the birds love her and her family. The animals are going to stay with her while I head on to Tallahassee to close on the house. The kids will bring the animals to us the next day.

 

So - I'm feeling your anxiety!!! We've got it going on here too!!!:laugh:

[lovemyGreys]

A great idea Terri getting them accustomed to their travel cages.moving can be such a strain but sounds as if you have planned ahead well & put the welfare of your birds first.good luck with the move.

[Nychsa]

Thanks Tracy! My sense is getting down there is only going to be part of the challenge - getting them used to the new house is going to be the next part of that challenge. I've selected a location for their cages that is similiar to what they have now. So, I'm hoping that will take care of some of the anxiety. The builders are taking care to air the new place out well and get all the paint smells out. So.... we're keeping our fingers crossed!!!!

[2Girls]

Hi Terri

 

So you are going through the same as we are!!! Not nice. I have also tried to keep as much as possible normal around my Angie, but when I got home yesterday from work the evidence is there, she had a ball with her feathers yesterday. I also find that until I opened her cage she was very restless, climbing around more than usual. She also for the 1st time came for me when I tried to get her from the top of her cage to take her to her play gym. I am really also now starting to stress. We have thought out the day of the move, over and over again!!! We will be taking Angie and Josie to the new house early in the morning, placing their cages in a room where nobody will go into and where they will not be exposed to the movers. Will put all their favourite goodies and eats in their cages.

 

Josie is still as relaxed as always, was super playful last night. Her favourite saying at the moments is "what's wrong my chicken pie". We call them our chicken pies.

 

Good luck Terri with your move. I sincerely hope your babies will be ok.

 

Wish we did not have to do this...

[Talon]

We just moved 3 months ago. Talon sat through us packing about a month in advance. Boxes piling up everywhere. I just kept things as normal as possible for her. On moving day, we put her in her travel cage, and moved in one day. We kept talking to her, and never left her alone where she couldn't see what was happening, or one of us. It was several hours before I was able to set up her cage. As long as she was with us, she was fine. I put her in her cage as soon as I could, and she watched all the commotion of the movers bringing in the furniture and boxes. She did very well. She didn't seem to mind, as long as she got reassurance from one of us while the chaos was going on. But they are all different, and they will bounce back in a couple of weeks once things have settled down a bit. Bedtime was the most difficult adjustment for her. She has a separate sleep cage in my bedroom, and she didn't want any part of going in it! It took her a month before she would willing go in it. So, keep us posted, and best of luck to you.

Just don't let any of the anxiety that you feel about how she's going to handle it go noticed. B)

[2Girls]

Thank you for that Talon. Will do whatever we can to make it as stress free for Angie as possible. Cannot wait for it all to be over and get them settled in their new home. I lie in bed at night planning where to place their cages, etc.

 

Must tell you though, Josie climbed down her cage last night whilst I was cooking and started chewing a corner of one of the packed boxes, just once again shows how little she is perturbed by what's happening. She is a real clown I swear! It's Prozac Annie (Angie) as my Fiance calls my little girl, that hates being unsettled.

[judygram]

I agree, moves are never easy for them or for us either for that matter, but Angie will come thru it with flying colors I am sure if you implement the ideas and suggestions the other have given you. I too lie in bed at night making plans, some of my best plans have come that way.B)