kridanpiper Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Hello! I am new here. I've always wanted a grey, after falling in love with my friend's grandparent's grey some time ago. I have done a good bit of research on this bird. Now, I am considering bringing one home in the next year, or so. One question I have (and I have many), is what do you do with your grey when you have to leave town. My guess is they would not do well just having some one come over to feed them, right? Also, do most of you get to stay home all day with your birds? I am currently a stay at home mom, but will be looking for work later this year. I definitely don't want to get one if they get stressed out in these two circumstances. Thanks ahead for your advice! Kristin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandits_mom08 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Hello and welcome to the family!!! Depending on the vacation you could take your grey with you. Mine loves to go and visit people. She absolutly loves the car and is mad when she doesn't get to go. I have found that my AG just loves my grandpa. If I go on a vacation I can not take her on she stays with him. There are others out there whom, I am sure, do things different but, that is the great thing about this site. You learn different ways to deal with situations and take the one that works for you and your bird. As for staying home, I did not when I firts got my grey in Aug. 08. I was working full time and going to school. She was in a good routine with me in the mornings and at night. When my husband was home he would let her out of her cage. I am now off work for a few months and she is becomming spoiled even more than she was. I have had to start leaving her in her cage for a little while even when I was home because if I didn't I didn't get anything done. She was demanding all of my attention. Good luck on finding a Grey you will have sooo much fun and a friend for life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Kristin, when you first bring your grey home you should not leave it for any length of time so it can come to trust and bond with you. Maybe an overnight stay might be ok but certainly not for a week or more, after you have had your grey for at least a year then you can go on extended vacations. Depending on where you go you could consider taking your grey with you as most travel very well, just purchase a travel cage that has bowls for food and water and a perch or two. Greys are very cautious birds and they come to trust us and it can be very upsetting in the first year if you are away for a week or two. Now if you are talking about going to work a lot of us work away from home, my Josey is by herself during the week days but she comes out when I get home. When I go on vacation as I did in December I have someone who keeps my two birds, she has other birds of her own so they have plenty of company. Some members here do have someone come in to their home and take care of their birds when they go on vacation and if they can spend a little time with them every day then that is an ideal situation also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Kristin, why don't you introduce yourself in the welcome room so we may get to know you a little better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilosMom Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 As far as vacations, I either leave my grey to someone I trust or a boarding place that requires a health certificate from a recent visit and a Vet on call. (I have not done that yet, but I m thinking about it the next time when I go away). I m a stay at home ..soon to be mom. But when I first had Lilo I was working 8-10 hours a day leaving Lilo at home by himself. I tried the best I could and let him out of the cage and spent as much time with him when I got home. That went on for about a year and 1/2. I am not sure how much that affected him or me, now that I M a stay at home mom, he is (or I am ) extra clingy and he is a total cage free bird now. Back then when I had to leave him at home to go to work I would feel very guilty, now that I m home I let him do whatever he wants I guess I felt I need to make it up to him and I think I probably spoiled him too much now. So just try not to make the same mistake I made, there are plently of owners that needs go to work, as long as you give him a good 4hours a day of Out of cage time and give him plenty of attentions during that time..they will know when they are loved. Best wishes and good luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Kristin - I have had a pet sitter come into the house to take of my birds and I have boarded them as suggested above with a healthy bird boarding place. I would try both and just do short excursions first, see what fits best for you and your family. We prefer to take our birds to be boarded. Many people prefer to have someone come in. This is if you don't have someone you can leave your bird with. I have no bird people in my family (except myself) so I would rather pay than hope they do a good job. Good luck. OH, and I do work full time have since I got my AG. I will say, the more time I spend with her, say if I have a few days off and a long weekend....the worse she is having to have my attention...it was mentioned above as well...I think its often best to get them a schedule and keep them there than it is to try to change it. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tycos_mom Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Birds are adaptable to what your life style is. When I first got my birds I was a stay at home mom. I did go back to work at firs it was just 2 days aweek then that gradually increased to 4 days a week I do work nights so my birds are only alone for 3 hours before before its their bedtime. I work from 5pm til 11 pm and my birds go to bed at 8 pm. at first it was hard on them and me. I had to buy them all new cages. Because before I started working they were only in their cages to sleep so they didn't need to have big cages. Then when I started working they had to be in their cages for 3 hours. a small cage was not good enough so I went out and got them each a new huge Macaw size cage so they could be locked up and still have room to play. Other than that they have adjusted well. I don't go on vacation very often except mabie a weekend camping trip. Depending on where we go I either take them with me or I get my daughter to house sit while we are away.Like I said birds can and will adapt so don't worry if you want a bird then get one as long as you have a couple hours a day that you can spare to give to your bird the bird will do just fine and will be your very best friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kridanpiper Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 Thank y'all so much!! You guys have been most helpful and informative! Please bear with me, as I will be asking lots of questions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerlily Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 i'm yet 2 find someone that tigerlily trust 2 babysit so leaving her is a problem. at the end of last year i was in hospital for a few weeks and the only person who could visit was my dad who tigerlily HATES, it was very stressful for her (one day my dad said he chased her round the room 2 exhaustion trying to get her back in her cage and at other times tigerlily spent days out of her cage, all very upsetting. with that in mind i now have 2 carry cages, one of them being the adventure pack and over christmas tigerlily and i spent several days at relitives. tigerlily hated it at first and i don't think she slept the 1st night but she got better and better. i have to socialise her and get her used to strangers incase i'm in hospital again. and in summer this year we plan on going camping and tigerliles comming too much to the amusement of my family lol. as to the 2nd question, i work full time and leave tigerlily alone sometimes for most of the day, she has music and plenty of toys and foraging oppertunities, and she seems to b a happy, well ajusted grey (apart from not liking strangers, which is natural lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Hi Kristin, The others have given you GreYt advice based on their varied experiences in dealing with vacations. If you have friends or family that frequent your home and you know your Grey likes, those would be the best candidates for watching your Grey. The other option as others stated is to take him/her with you. Most enjoy traveling with their family. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
she Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I have only left Charlie once and my Dad came and stayed in my house while I was away. Apart from being spoilt rotten by my Dad he was fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birddesss Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Hi, I have had my AG for 15 years now, and I've always boarded her going away on vacations. Only a small number of times i took her with me and only twice she flew with me. I have no one to trust to come in and watch my birds. What's great about boarding them with an avian vet is they get attention and they get to be around other birds for that time, and who knows what new noises they pick up. My DYH magna picked up "open the door". Leaving them at home, means no one is around except the time someone comes in to tend to them, that means no human contact. If you have to do that I suggest timers for some lights and a radio, and just set it to come on at a certin time and turn off before they fall asleep. Hope that helps a little. Birddesss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brittany Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I am on my first vacation since owning my bird, and luckily my bf and I live @ my house, so he is staying at home with my parents. He likes them, especially my dad. but in july my sis is having a baby, and my parents of course are going to see her too shes in ny. i want to bring him with us its about a 7 hour drive, does anyone recommend this? im so scared to leave him @ a boarding place.. he doesnt like cages I spend A LOT of time at home with him, I go to school full-time but take 2 online, and 1 on campus (my other class just ended).. and im in the process of getting a job only work 2 days a week right now.. so basically i spend a lot of time with him. i love it but its gonna suck when i get a steady job and i have to leave him in his cage!!!!!! he doesnt spend much time in his cage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Brittany wrote: but in july my sis is having a baby, and my parents of course are going to see her too shes in ny. i want to bring him with us its about a 7 hour drive, does anyone recommend this? im so scared to leave him @ a boarding place.. he doesnt like cages Sure take him with you in July, most do ride very well, I take my grey along when I go visit my son and he is a 4+ hour drive, 3 more hours isn't going to make much difference. She will play with her toys and talk most of the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jamalbirdbiz Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I bring Marvin and Molly to my grans's houze. They love it there. She letz them fly around in all the roomz, but no rap muzic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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