Lessons learned, then reinforced

My breeder always preached to me about a steady schedule with the flock, I understood this and followed accordingly, but some things don't go as planned! After being unemployed for so long, I still kept up their schedule even though I was home. They were not given free time til after the wife came home from work. The thought being here is that once I got a job my schedule for the birds would be basically the same. WRONG!!!! :20:

So basically, the birds were in their cages until 5:00-5:30pm during the week.
I ended up getting a job working at home doing tech support, today was day one of training for their systems. My hours for this though are from 1:00 to 9:30pm, once training is done the hours will fall between 1:00pm-2:00am (8.5 hr. shift). While I was still in training the wife came home and gave the birds their free time and she let them stay up late so I could have time with them. (just the GW's) When I was done I went out to see them and they were both on the orb in the living room by the wife sitting there calmly with no issues. Y'all know how close I am with them, especially ReaRea............ (you've seen pics and vids)

Rea clamped down on my wrist like never before!! She was VERY upset and let me know it, she didn't break skin but it was like a pair of vice grips and I was thinking "oh &*^%" :11:.........I told her to stop, which she did, got her on my shoulder and brought her into the office as usual along with Miri and everything was back to normal...........

Obviously, I will be changing what times the birds are let out now, I will also set aside times for the Zons & Lani as well even though they're buttheads to me. (I ain't giving up).

Proof that a steady schedule is a GOOD thing.

Yep. They're definitely creatures of habit and consistency

gives Plax a 3 stooges slap..........

Thank you for agreeing with me

LOL

Hey, are you having any trouble with messages staying in bold after viewing them?

Never mind. I think I fixed it by deleting the 'threads - lastview' cookie for PF.

WharfRat said:

gives Plax a 3 stooges slap..........

Thank you for agreeing with me

LOL

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ROFLMAO....over and over again. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.

Ok, now that I've caught my breath, I'm going to agree with you, too, but you better not dare give ME the 3 stooges slap. :09:

When I was in court last week for 1.75 days, Niko was NOT a happy camper. Mine are all pretty used to "our" routine, even though I'm still working on a new and improved one since I've added Ripley.

Round 2............. same thing again tonite, I really think Rea could snap my wrist if she wanted to. :52: I just haven't figured out how to change their schedule yet in a good way. I'll figure it out but the new schedule is kinda screwing with me too right now. (Yes, I've worked every shift in the book, it just takes time to acclimate).

ReaRea is really pissed at you. She wants her Daddy back on schedule! Sounds like you better come with the solution quick before you have to type with only one hand. LOL

Mine are not on any kind of schedule per say except that their lights are on a timer & come on & go off the same each day. Mine also know that on work days I come home around 7:00am, feed them & go to bed by 8:30am. They definitely know that I get up at 2:00pm to get ready for work, tho their clock is sometimes an hour off! Roscoe & Leyla Belle get out for play time on their perches while I get ready for work (Angel has his door open, but he rarely wants to come out). On my days off, I get up just when I feel like it & the feathered kids will go about their business til they see or hear me.

The only time I had a mad macaw about his schedule was back in Sept. when I had to go to in-service for work & that meant getting up at 4:00am to get to Abilene by 7:00am. Roscoe did not like the 4 days I had to get them up at 4:00 to feed them. He was mad at me for days afterwards & acted rotten & nippy somewhat like your ReaRea is doing. That definitely lets me know I can never work the day shift cause he'd have to get up at 2:00am 4 days a week if I did! Something that would have me grumpy anyway.

Ok, was off Wed. & Thur. Today I start day 1 of 7 weeks of training M-F, 1:00p-9:30p

It was supposed to start Mon. doesn't make sense to start on a Fri???

Anyway, what I've decided to do is start letting them out early, before I start class and put them up right before it starts, then Deb will let them out again after she gets home. I figure this would be best since I know once training is over my shift will still start around the same time. I'll see how it goes with the new schedule.

I hope that works out for you guys! Keep us posted

I'll say this much, Miri (& Rea) are both being exceptionally sweet to me for it. Let's see what happens when I go to put them up though.

UH OH!!!

Just kidding, good luck on the new schedule!

WharfRat said:

I'll say this much, Miri (& Rea) are both being exceptionally sweet to me for it. Let's see what happens when I go to put them up though.

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So....what happened?????

Let's just say Miri wasn't too excited about being put back in her cage. :54:

Mon. I'm going to let them out earlier than yesterday and give them more free time before I start work.

WharfRat said:

Let's just say Miri wasn't too excited about being put back in her cage. :54:

Mon. I'm going to let them out earlier than yesterday and give them more free time before I start work.

Click to expand...

LOL...I can just picture it. No blood or bruises, I hope.

Actually if you remember that other thread where I was talking about getting her put up and I was working with her on it, I am definitely seeing improvement in Miri's behavior!! Once she's on my arm she has stopped the biting almost completely now. It's the transition from the top of the cage to my arm that still needs work, but even that is getting better little by little. These things take time obviously.