Advise Needed - Leaving A Parrot While We're Working.

HA Lush

HA Lush

Regular Member
Hi All,

Me and my partner have recent moved out together, and we've taken our African Grey Parker. We've only been in our new place for about a week, and we're worried about leaving her while we are working. What would you recommend is the best way to do this?

We have been putting the radio on for her (as the TV turns itself off) and have been half covering her cage.

Ideally we wouldn't leave her for that long but unfortunately we now have to.

Plus I don't think she's eating much when we are gone, because the levels in her bowls don't seem to change much.

I work shift so I'm able to get home early some days, and she has my partner (who she's prefers) in the mornings.

Just wondered if there was anything else we could be doing.

Thanks.
 
HI, Well the TV probably has a setting to avoid the auto turn off. Although with the recent heat a TV will add addditional heat to the room. Have you a small fan that can circulate the air gently?

Food she will be OK as long as she eats at some stage, if its later, it's later. She will take a while to adjusting to a new routine but as long as you leave her plenty to do, foraging challenges are great, as well as giving her 'her time' when you get home I am sure she will adapt. If one of you has the time to be able to sit and have breakfast together she may well eat then. If you provide fresh food my concern is how warm it has been lately. You could put dry in one bowl and some chop in straight from the freezer it will take a couple of hours to thaw. You can put ice cubes in her water bowl also.

Just be observant that she is OK and give as much of the usual type of fuss and attention that she is used to. :)
 
plumsmum said:
HI, Well the TV probably has a setting to avoid the auto turn off. Although with the recent heat a TV will add addditional heat to the room. Have you a small fan that can circulate the air gently?

Food she will be OK as long as she eats at some stage, if its later, it's later. She will take a while to adjusting to a new routine but as long as you leave her plenty to do, foraging challenges are great, as well as giving her 'her time' when you get home I am sure she will adapt. If one of you has the time to be able to sit and have breakfast together she may well eat then. If you provide fresh food my concern is how warm it has been lately. You could put dry in one bowl and some chop in straight from the freezer it will take a couple of hours to thaw. You can put ice cubes in her water bowl also.

Just be observant that she is OK and give as much of the usual type of fuss and attention that she is used to. :)
Click to expand...
Thanks.

I make sure she eats when I get back. The first thing we do is open her cage and give her fresh food and water - she seems to eat out of the bowl if I hold it up for her .

I like the idea about breakfast. I'll start doing this for sure! It'll be good for us and her.

She seems to sit on one perch in the cage (it's the highest one), so I'm trying to put toys close and we're thinking of putting her food close by.

She's taken more to my partner, and has now started screeching and acting up when he's around. Seems okay when it's just me.
 
Even though Jess and I are both at home most of the time, we do go out at least once a week for a full day.

We always ensure that the birds come out for at least an hour in the morning and again in the evening.
They always get fed (including fresh fruit or cooked veg) and watered first thing.
We give them plenty of foraging and enrichment for them to keep them occupied during the day. We never just give them their food out of bowls, that is too easy for them, we make them work for their food by using foraging methods.
Other than that we don't cover the cages or leave the radio or TV on for ours.
All our cadges are situated in our north facing rooms, so they don't get too much sunlight or heat coming through.
 
We leave the radio on when we go out.
If it’s hot then cages are moved and the blinds and curtain drawn to help the room from getting too hot.

Parrots will tend to have down time if there’s not much interaction going on, so don’t worry about it. Ours only eat a little when we’re out, but certainly make up for it when we get home. Especially when it’s hot try not to leave fruit and veg for too late no...so feed fresh food before you go out, and then another batch when you come home.
Try increasing foraging opportunities to keep the beak busy when you are out.
When you get home try and e sure that there is time made for pit of cage time, and that this involves birdie exercise, climbing, flying, walking around
 
Thank you all for your advise.
Seems we're not doing a bad job after all . Was just a little worried. Phew!

We were also thinking of getting a little friend for her, so she has company while we're not there. What do you think?
 
I always believe having company for your pets is always a great idea, even if they don't live in the same cage, as long as they can see and communicate with each other through the bars will give them some company.
 
I would leave a friend at the moment and see how she settles to the new routine. you can get any species a bit later and of course I would always recommend having two birds in a home that is not having humans around during the day. Now why have I said not at the moment? it knowing how some birds can be with all the changes at once. your bird may see the new arrival as the cause of the change in its life. This can lead to aggressive and depressive behaviour in your bird. it may fill you are rejecting it. Greys do adapt too new routines but need more attention when you are there for it to accept and trust that you have not forgotten her
 
Wise words there from Michael.....I agree don’t change too many things at any one time as that may stress your bird too much.
 
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