Her 1st Staycation

[Boki]

I have had my 8 month rosefront conure for 3 months and currently on a 1 week trip. I have neighbors who are watching her in their house. I moved her day cage, sleep cage, and toys over 3 doors down. But there are 2 people watching her and I am sure they are spoiling her rotten.

She will be back in her normal routine in a couple of days. I thought she was a happy bird and loved to hang out on my shoulder as I worked on the computer. I am now wondering if she will miss the double attention and not be as nice to me.

I guess I am wondering if any other parronts can tell me their fids reaction after their 1st reunion after a brief separation? Do the birds have good memories? Will they realize that it was just a staycation and they will have to return to their normal lives of the last 3 months.? Can I expect aggression? Lord I hope not as that would be something new.

I guess time will tell and I will return to this forum if there is a problem and ask how to correct it. I am hoping to hear what to expect from your collective experiences. I fear she is being spoiled rotten in a manner that I cannot reciprocate.

 

[Jen5200]

I have 4 conures and they are always happy to see me when I return from trips. I have one that I usually need to reinforce my boundaries when I get back (he is a reformed aggressive biter), but that is normally resolved in a day or two. I haven’t experienced mine being mad at me for leaving them - although I know some birds are more sensitive than others.

 

[Sunnyclover]

I was in a situation where I kept my Nanday Conure at a bird sanctuary for 2 months. I went to visit him every week except there was a period where I went 2 weeks before seeing him. I thought he wouldn't care about me considering before he left he would bite me constantly and refused to step up for me and he and I would go rounds with time outs and he had mental issues and seizures (still ongoing) but every single time I went to see him he was on me like glue even though the people taking care of him were gushing on him constantly. He wanted nothing to do with anyone else not even my husband who I thought was his preferred human...boy was I wrong! I doubt you'll have any issues because the other 2 attention giving people aren't you. Especially because it's such a short time I really wouldn't worry. Parrots remember everything! No my Nanday is back home and we're happier and healthier with him having less seizures and me getting bite way less.

 

[ChristaNL]

Every single time I stay out too long (6+ hours) my macaw will react the same way:

first reaction is to semi-chomp down on me (she went from a real, blooddrawing bite to bruising to just grabbing and twisting my skin or boinking my hand with her beak in about a year, so maybe it will disappear in the future!) after that she will go overboard in preening me, sometimes even trying to regurge or almost climb inside me to demand scritches.

It always reminds me of a mother that- after finding a missing child- will scold first and only then hug the no longer lost one.


The greys just give me the deathstare for a bit (or will whistle when it was not long enough to upset them) after that they go back to normal.
Only later that day they will be extra demanding in being close and personal (being glued to my shoulder instead of just meandering around the room) and more cuddly.



So be prepared to be a bit unpopulair at first, but when things are back to normal they will forgive you.
(Or you may have a more doggy-minded bird that just immediately throws itself at you in bliss when you return .. all birds have different personalities)
Just be "normal" (resume your routine with the bird) and the bird will follow your lead.