Vacation Worries!

[lidaweg]

Hi again everyone-
In a few weeks we are going away for about 6 days. I have 2 friends who will be visiting, talking to, cleaning, & feeding my bird. There is no one who can take him out and care for him really the way I do. Can not stay home forever although I am tempted! Will leave radio on timer. Any more ideas on helping him get through? :(

[Kathy]

I go out of town for 2-3 times yearly and have to leave my pets behind each time, but it never gets easier to do, so I completely understand your worries. One of the most important things to do is to leave behind a care sheet, your contact info, and vet (plus emergency vet) contact info.

[Pado]

This is a tough one - How much time per day are your two friends planning on spending with Pablo? - and do they have birds themselves? and would you trust them coming over to watch your newborn baby if you had to leave? ( believe it or not thats how I view people who I have watch any of my animals :)

Its pretty tough to know exactly how much time people will actually spend with your pet when they say they will come over to feed and water them (see Memmey's post on this, she had some pretty bad luck with a pet sitter )

I would tend to trust "Bird" people or people who I truly know their character. But I wouldn't trust just any friend who is willing to do it.
I personally wouldn't leave a single bird home alone for extended periods, even with drop in visits.

When I had a single bird I left her for two days once and that was with a trusted friend coming over twice a day for two to three hrs - I did that once and vowed never to do it again as I saw a difference in her behavior when I returned. After that I would bring her to a family members house. If I wasn't lucky enough to have a family member to bring her to I would have looked for a bonded bird pet sitter or as a last resort a trusted bird boarding facility - although stressful - its not as stressful as being alone too long.

Having two birds now - although I haven't left for a long vacation yet :mad: - I have left them for the weekend with no ill effects when I returned - IMO birds really need company or you could end up with a neurotic bird. The radio and TV being left on a timer may work while someone is at work during the day but not for extended periods.

Well thats my two cents - I hope you don't mind my very opinionated opinion :p :D

[lidaweg]

The folks I have coming are very good trusted friends. I think a move to another house would be more confusing, and certainly boarding would be worse. Either of those choices he also would not have out of his cage time. Aren't they happier in their own house?:confused:

[AndreaFahy]

Make sure you give him lots of new toys that will enrich his environment even more so than usualy - chew toys, shreddable, destructable, foraging for treat things, etc, etc, you want to set him up for a fun week with out you if it all possible. Teach your friends how to make foraging opportunities so they can do some different things each day for him.

[lidaweg]

Ok thanks. I will also ask them to give yummy favorite treats!

I realize he might be mad when we get back, but won't he go back to his old self after a few days or a week or so? How long does the changed behavior last? You know he will get lots of love on our return...:rolleyes:

[lily]

Have you considered having your friend(s) live there while you are gone? I have been the live-in for dogs and catsmany times. Not being at home while living in for someone else's pets, I just took my bird along. She was fine. Maybe it's the migration instinct that let her adapt.

[birdiemom]

We left Paulie for 2 nights last October and my daughter (who owns 3 birds of her own) came over to feed and play with him. We thought this would be the best solution since she lives 2 blocks away and he would be in familiar suroundings. But he plucked out 10 large feathers from one wing...he has NEVER done that before or since.
When our electricity was out for an extended period last winter, we took him to our daughter's house for 2 days and he was fine. Maybe it was the noise from her birds that made the diff.....

[Pado]

When I left my Senegal for a weekend she became a screamer - it took months to get her back to normal - I assumed she must have been screaming the whole weekend trying to call to me :(

Although my Parrotlets aren't nearly as sensitive as my Senegal was - it goes to show that birds do hate to be alone - even if we don't notice any effect when we return - its only common sense with them being flock creatures that they were lonely.

[lidaweg]

Great, so much for enjoying my vacation...

[musicjan]

ok - I have a good experience to relate. We went away twice after getting Bitsy in November, 2006. We returned him to his breeder to stay. It's a small breeder and they kept him in his cage in their den - along with their parrotlet andtheir parakeet. All 3 birds (in seperate cages) got along great, talked to each other. Bitsy was thrilled to see us, but suffered no ill effects. I gave them specific instructions about his likes and dislikes AND took along some of his homebaked birdie bread. I also took along the cage cover we use at night. Hope this is helpful - it was fun for us to get away, and Bitz had a great time with 2 friends!

[lidaweg]

Ok Thanks! I will try to re-think if I can bring him over to someone elses house. I thought moving him would be harder for him, but all these stories seem to say otherwise. Thanks for all your concern. I appreciate it.

[Pado]

Great, so much for enjoying my vacation...


Oh no don't say that :D - you'll do whats best for your little guy, goodness there are some people who don't care at all about what happens to their pet when they go away.... you're obsiously not one of them ...

[lily]

If there's time, maybe quick trips to his vacation place would help prepare him. First maybe just an hour, then half a day? Have others tried this? My bird visits her breeder for a day now and then and loves it.

[Lili]

Hi All,

I would like to know if it is ok to leave my parrotlet one day him self ?

for example if i leave on Sat Morning coming back Sunday afternoon and i will program the radio and light and leave plenty of water & food for him



I dont want to take the bird to a pet sitter for such a short time period; it will stress him out