Advice for leaving cockatiel alone for a few days.

[lifeofbrian]

I am moving very far away from everyone I know in the next few months so a time will come when I may have to leave my cockatiel(Mr Snuggles) alone for a few days. The only in 11 years I had to leave him alone was when I was rushed to hospital and kept in for three days, luckily my brother lived 10 miles away and could feed him.

Mr Snuggles is a VERY nervous traveller and very much bonded to me so the choice of taking him with me or to staying with someone else is out of the question, plus I don't trust anyone else to look after him anyway.

I can get auto pet feeders, but I'm not so sure about the water situation, how long is water safe with aviclens or similar water purifier product? I could try the hamster type water bottles, but I did try them before and he would not go near them, maybe didn't understand how to use them?

I need to plan just in case, any advice?

 

[Henderbird]

Knowing that it is in the next few months, maybe look into pet sitters or “bird sitters” if there is such a thing haha.
And take that time you have to really get to know them and screen potential sitters?
Maybe you could have the pet sitter come by before you leave like a month prior and your bird will sort of get used to his or her presence?
If it were me, I would just take this route personally because I really would hate leaving my birby completely alone haha. And I don’t even have a bird yet!

 

[SailBoat]

We never leave our Amazon alone for more than 12 hours. Commonly, he travels with us or we have a friend stay the night to assure that he has fresh water and food.

Take care as some locations would consider such as abandonment, which can result in legal issues and the Parrot taken by Animal Control.

FYI: Most Vets have such services for their regular Clients.

 

[Scott]

As others suggest, might wish to reconsider short-term vet boarding or trusted person visiting once or twice daily. Leaving Mr. Snuggles unattended and unserviced more than 24hrs may be pushing limits. Depending on his penchant for dirtying water, additional secured water bowls may be placed in cage to ensure sufficient drinking supply. Dry food and millet sprays can tide him over.

 

[ravvlet]

Seconding checking with your vet about boarding. I also have gone over to feed/check on a friends’ birds in the past; perhaps you can find someone where you live willing to do the same?

 

[HeatherG]

Water bottles really help if you occasionally have to be gone. I had a couple of years with kidney stone attacks and was glad I had a guaranteed supply of water that couldn’t be dumped or pooped in.

 

[Briburd]

I work at a pet boarding facility and take care of the birds there. They do surprisingly well. Just really do your research because one of our clients use to take his bird to a huge bird boarding place and there was a disease outbreak. Their bird recovered but I think it’s worth mentioning that that’s a possibility…although I think they let a lot of birds hang outside together. I let the birds out to hang out with only me sometimes if they are comfortable but I also don’t push it if they aren’t and just clean a refresh water multiple times a day as well as feed. I put on bird YouTube too.