Leaving for five months, worried my conure will forget me.

Hi, im pretty new here and.ive been look everywhere.for an.answer to this problem im having so I figured other experienced owners will know. Im 17 and im about to go to a military academy for five months. My brother will be taking care of my green cheek but im worried that when i come back, she wont know who I am. Ill have cut my.hair very short and probably lost weight (im sort of big) so im worried these drastic changes will make her view me as a whole different owner instead of the one that left her five months ago.

Welcome to the forum, and THANK YOU for your service.

Please put your mind at ease. When my oldest joined the Armed Forces, he, too, was afraid our birds won't remember him, but he couldn't have been more wrong.

The longest they didn't see him was 9 months, and as soon as they heard his voice (especially our Hunter), they went crazy over him (in a VERY good way).

Thank you so much, that puts me at ease. My Pringle is really important to me and I would be devistated if I.came back and have to restablish a relationship with her. Hopefully it all turns out well

Congratulations on the appointment & welcome to the forums.....

Up until early last year, I travelled a pretty good bit for work, being gone sometimes six months at a clip, although I didn't have any relatives I could depend on, I had a very nice neighbor who became my bird sitter & would feed & water my birds twice a day. I made a couple of video tapes, then DVDs and a couple of CDs of myself alone and with all of the birds as a flock and individually, just for the same reason you posted.....

It worked, my bird sitter would play them occasionally and when I'd come home, I'd sit with 8-10 birds on me at the same time, listening to their gripes about my not being around, maybe a nip or two, but not always...nine, maybe 10 years ago, after Katrina tore up New Orleans, a friend & her family got flooded out of Slidell, LA & moved to Houston, then the following year her doctor told her she'd have to give up her birds.....she found homes for most of them, but had a nanday rooster & sun conure hen who'd been an item for some six years already & she was afraid someone would get them & split them up, so I offered to take them if push came to shove & the following spring I flew to Houston on one of my return home trips, picked up Fenix & Jimi, spent two days & three nights driving the eight hundred miles home, so we could quickly get acquainted, then when we got home, I had a little over two weeks & I had to go back to work (overseas again)

After I'd left, maybe 2 or three weeks, my bird sitter played one of the CDs and Fenix walked all around both speakers that the CD was playing through, apparently looking for me or at least my voice.....so that might be something you could try, though your brother being there all the time and interacting with her will be a bit different than someone coming in to feed, water & clean cages twice a day, but if you've got a good bond with her, I think it could work, but you'll want to take some time apart...several days, then work into a week or two apart, so she doesn't think you've abandoned her.....

Good luck.....

When you come home on leave, be sure to change into your bird shirt before meeting her again...bird poop & class As don't get along very well.....

My old roommate was gone for a year training for the army. This past Christmas he visited and came by at 3am. Normally my bird doesn't care to do anything in the middle of the night, but as soon as he heard his voice, my bird flew to him in the dark, wouldn't let go, and said hello several times, very clearly. The thing is, my bird has never said hello before or since then. It totally caught us off guard. Birds definitely remember people.

Like others have said, there is no reason to worry. They never forget your love companionship, love and kindness.

Thank you all, this has been really helpful. Im going to try and make some videos for her to watch (I really liked that idea) so atleast she doesnt think I just left for good. See, I was worried because when I go on vacations and leave her with someone else, ill come back and shell be holding a grudge against me, she gets really upset.

A million years ago when I was in my twenties I was being mentored and taught by the most wonderful breeder/friend. The first clutch of babies that she trusted me with to take home and hand feed and raise was a clutch of 4 Mitred Conures they were so adorable and I doted on them. Thank goodness they had all been spoken for or I am sure I would have wanted to keep them all. The last one ended up staying with me a little longer due to a family emergency on the part of the new owner. Anyway years later (one of them it was over 2 yrs) that I saw these babies again, they knew me right away! Warmed my heart, especially when I was told that one of them had become quite the one person bird and wouldn't really tolerate anyone else. That was not the case when he heard my voice and saw me, he climbed right up and made kissy noises.

labell said:

A million years ago when I was in my twenties......

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ROFLMAO. Oh yeah, you are just SOOOO old. Way past a centurion...what would that be called? A millionaire? LOL

I had a foster nape for two years named PICO. (We called him BOB... because it seemed to be his favorite word.)

Interesting back story Bob, was Pico's original owner. He was going through a rough time. Divorcing. Needed to get rid of the bird, wanted it to go to the right home. His bird and mine had been "playmates" for years down at the rescue at that point...

So we have Bob (Pico) for TWO YEARS... When BOB (the former owner), wants to come over and see him...

THAT BIRD LIT UP THE ROOM WHEN "BOB" THE HUMAN WALKED IN...

So, when Bob the human, told me he regretted having to give Bob the bird up, and wanted him back...

I told him, don't be silly, he's obviously STILL YOUR BIRD!

Conures are pair bond birds, and pair bond birds bond for life... when something happens to their pair bond person, they usually transfer that bond to another person, BUT...

THE ORIGINAL BOND IS STILL THERE!

labell said:

A million years ago when I was in my twenties...

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Yeah, just what is the secret to living to be a million and twenty something...?!

Birdman666 said:

labell said:

A million years ago when I was in my twenties...

Click to expand...

Yeah, just what is the secret to living to be a million and twenty something...?!

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LOL Just really feeling my tired beat up body today. The great news...every once in a while I feel twenty again!

JerseyWendy said:

labell said:

A million years ago when I was in my twenties......

Click to expand...

ROFLMAO. Oh yeah, you are just SOOOO old. Way past a centurion...what would that be called? A millionaire? LOL

Click to expand...

Nah... Centurians would be Romans. That's only a few thousand years ago...

They're called Cavemen... er... uh.... cave people to be politically correct.

Hey, do you know the guys from the Geico ads?!

Oh, yeah, this one could easily go sideways...

Birdman666 said:

JerseyWendy said:

labell said:

A million years ago when I was in my twenties......

Click to expand...

ROFLMAO. Oh yeah, you are just SOOOO old. Way past a centurion...what would that be called? A millionaire? LOL

Click to expand...

Nah... Centurians would be Romans. That's only a few thousand years ago...

They're called Cavemen... er... uh.... cave people to be politically correct.

Hey, do you know the guys from the Geico ads?!

Oh, yeah, this one could easily go sideways...

Click to expand...

One of my mothers MANY creepy husbands was just that hairy! Yuk!

haha! I love reading these side comments, this forum makes me giggle. But on topic, I just came home last night from a 3 week trip while my boyfriend looked after the birds. It's always worrying whether or not your feathered friend will remember you or not, but I can assure you they don't forget. They're exceptionally intelligent and emotional creatures, and I don't think we give them enough credit sometimes

When I came home yesterday night, Avery lit up and was so happy to see me. Of course she needed coercion to come out of her cage (she absolutely loves being in it), but once out she refused to be away from me. My IRN loves her, and she was having none of his preening if I was holding her. She actually outright snapped on him twice because he was disturbing our bonding time, haha! Shiko was also pleased to see me and was on me like glue for awhile, but he's a bird that would try to win over all the ladies if he could So I wouldn't worry. As long as they've built a loving bond with you, it's pretty hard to ever destroy it.

I'll add my story to this also. Tootsie was with my brother for about 8 years until he transferred her to me. She didn't tolerate his family very well and they didn't tolerate her noise.

Fast forward to 5 years later and we all got together for a funeral. He came out to meet me when I arrived and she got excited as soon as she saw him walk out the door. He picked up her cage out of the car and she was muttering at him the entire time. Came right out of her cage onto his hand and stayed with him for quite some time. She was obviously happy to see him.

As things would have it, she hasn't seen him for close to 10 years now. But I bet that she would recognize him pretty quick next time we all get together.

And last, thank you VERY much for your service! :42: