Do I spend enough time with Pumpkin?

[tatdmommy]

I work from home and I have her cage open pretty much all day unless I am up and about.

 

She hangs out on the back of the couch and looks out the window and harasses the cat at the same time. She gets to shower and steam pretty often too. She sits on me probably 2-10 times a day messing with my hair or getting head scratches. She walks around and visits her boyfriend who lives in the oven door (her reflection). I take her outside in her travel cage for some sun and to scream her head off at the other birds.

 

I also move her cage into pretty much any room that I am in. She seems to like to have me in her view. She chirps if I disappear which makes the family nuts

 

I sometimes wonder if 30 minutes to 1 hour of total time that I hold her and pet her each day is enough. Some days she is grouchy and it's less.

 

So how much time does your bird spend on you each day getting love or just riding around?

 

Thanks!<br><br>Post edited by: tatdmommy, at: 2009/01/16 20:41

[Dave007]

I assume that you're really kidding about this *wondering if I spend enough time* relationship with your bird, right?

 

As far as riding around, some people can't keep their birds on their shoulders because of aggression or simply because they don't like having a bird on their shoulders. So, it really means very little as far as the *shoulder contact* and affection goes. All greys get grouchy at times and it has nothing to do with whether you're petting them enough.

 

Tell you what..how bout you coming over to my house and do the same things to them as you're doing with your bird. One thing though--make sure you clear out some more room in your house cause they definitely won't wanna live here anymore.

[judygram]

Dave is right, you have Pumpkin spoiled absolutely rotten, you need to get some backbone Heather.:lol: :laugh:

[tatdmommy]

No, I was serious. I have looked all over the internet, I will admit I am not the best googler in the world. But I have looked and looked to find what is the typical amount of time people spend holding and petting their birds.

 

She always seems to want more. Perhaps that is the nature of the beast. She will track me down to get more head scratches and chin rubs. So I wondered if I was somehow not supplying enough "time" to her.

 

Sorry Dave I cannot take on anymore animals. I have the 2 mastiffs, the cat and the bird at this point. I am spread a little thin and out of space in my house. I also have a soon to be "tween" and a husband. LOL

 

Hubby did say to me when I posed this same question to him that I was a little nutty. He said " most people leave and go to work and are gone at least 10 hours a day, you are home all day with her".

 

Ok maybe I am nuts...:whistle:

[judygram]

tatdmommy wrote:

.

Ok maybe I am nuts...:whistle:

 

 

Reckon:laugh: :woohoo: :blink: :whistle: :lol:

[jhhuhma]

I must really be nuts then cuz I spend a good 2 to 3 hours a day holding Echo, not all at one shot but throughout the day. he is out most of the day unless I am leaving since I am now a stay at home mom to a bird. My husband and kids tease me that I don't love them anymore since Echo has entered our house. My 15 year old said I never tell him he is beautiful, and since he is a boy I assume he isn't serious but when he gets home today I think I will tell him he is beautiful and see. Anyway I would definetly say my echo is spoiled, but I love it.

[Tycos_mom]

I also spend a great deal of time pampering my birds. Many times i have a bird on each shoulder and a bird on each hand. Tyco doesn't want to be held much but she does like me to be within her veiw at all times. when I have the birds sitting on me she watches and interacts from a distance. she loves her head scritches but will only accept them from the safty of her cage. so she gets 10 to 15 minutes of head scritches and love when she wakes up in the morning and before she goes to bed at night. other than that the only time she actually is on me is to move her to another room where I'm going to be for awhile or if there is a visitor that wants to meet her. she doesn't like to sit on my shoulder but she will sit on my knee or arm if I want her too. she prefers to watch from her playstand or her cagetop at what is going on. so I allow her to do what makes her most happy. My Amazon is just the oppisite if she had her way she would be with me 24/7 she loves to cuddle and interact with me she plays and snuggles with me all the time. I wish Tyco would be more like her but she's not so I love her just the way she is She is very different from any of my other birds. She shows her love in different ways but she definatly isn't a cuddle muffin like Fergie and my other birds are.

[Laurie]

I used to stress about not spending enough time with Klaus. Then I realized: If you have a dog, a cat, a hamster, a horse (whatever pet, really) you don't hold it and let it sit on your shoulder and go crazy over it for hours on end every day do you? I came to the conclusion that it's enough Klaus lives in the living room where he gets the most interaction with the family and feels part of the flock. I take care of his cage, food and water every day and "chit chat" with him every day. He gets a couple extra neck scratches and baby talk at bed time, but that's about it. And he seems to be happy. He's healthy, eats well, plays, and babbles up a storm! Relax, you are doing fine...

[tatdmommy]

Thanks everyone for sharing.

 

I feel better that I am doing an ok job spending time with her. She is happy, I think. She whistles and screams a little, attacks her toys multiple times a day and does this funky birdie babble. Soon she will just spit out some words I think, I hope. LOL

[jhhuhma]

What I am learning from Echo is he is not afraid to tell when he needs more time, so as long as Pumpkin is happy sounds like he feels it is enough. Good job