House Moving - reassuring a bird?

[charmedbyekkie]

We took about a week to shift house. Each time we'd bring Cairo to the new house so he could familiarise himself with it as we moved furniture in and whatnot. We're still unpacking and expecting new furniture in, which means things are still changing.

When we first moved furniture, Cairo was surprised, but ok. Then when we had to shift 'his' furniture (a table he always plays on, etc), he started getting anxious. The moment one of us went out of his sight, he wouldn't do our standard whistle flock call - he would full on ekkie call for us.

And when we first brought him to visit the new place and chill there for a few hours as we cleaned, he was fine with sunbathing with us out of his line of sight. We did that several times, and he would happily preen himself and practice vocab in the front yard area. Now he's panicking the moment we're gone.

And the layout of the new place is also very different. Our old place, his flight path from our bedroom to the kitchen passed through the living room, so he could tell within one flight where everyone was. Now, our bedroom branches off from the hallway, so from the living room to the kitchen, he can easily miss us if we're in the bedroom. And it completely freaks him out when he flies from one place to another and cannot find us immediately. Even if I call out to him, he just freezes and gives a loud ekkie call until I come into his line of sight.

He's still going through his 1yo molt, so last night he called for formula and I made some for him. This morning, he was so shocked when I uncovered his cage (I think he expected to be back in the old house), he really was too disoriented to want to eat. I tried reassuring him, kept with our same routine and my same words.

I've also kept him in his old cage and left his toys in the same place as well. I've kept his food the same as well. Whenever we're home, he's out with us. I recall him to me whenever I'm about to leave one area for another, and we've done a bit of recall training from one end of the hallway to the other, but he'll only fly over if he can see me (in the old place, he'd fearlessly fly around the corners).

...

Is there any way I can reassure him better?

 

[ChristaNL]

Actually - I know I am going to sound harsh, sorry about that- stop reassuring him!

You are doing everything you can to make the transition easy for him: you let him get used to the new house in small, easy steps (him preening etc. was a great base to build on).

The more you are *different* *stressing out* *anxious about his wellbeing* the more signals you are giving him that something IS wrong... while there is nothing wrong, only a lot of "new".
You have been traipsing all over the place with him almost as long as he has been your bird - so he is really used to dealing with "new", he knows it is even fun!



So what you can do for him: relax and stop worrying!


He will figure it out on his own, he just needs to know it is okay.
You are all settling in, it takes a few weeks/ months till everything feels familiar (human as well as parrot) so take your time and enjoy the new space.


-


I think you did great in leaving his small house (cage) exactly the same as it was.
So he has a familiar spot from where he can get used to the new big house.
What more can a birdie ask for?

 

[charmedbyekkie]

Fair enough! My partner says I always smother, rather than mother, Cairo Will do my best not to run over to him when he panic-calls.

 

[Laurasea]

I moved my birds the GCC several times, they did well as long as could see me..I didn't allow free flight st first, just kept them with me, and only showed two rooms at first..for a few weeks I think. Congratulations on your new diggs!!! Big doings! :/!

 

[LordTriggs]

definitely try not to get yourself worked up around him as said above, they can see our body language very well

I'd also once you've done the main unpacking (if you haven't finished already) give him a tour of the new home, room to room letting him get acquainted with the new positioning of the rooms

then once he has a bit more of an idea of the house you can play a couple games of hide and seek so he can learn how to search when you're hidden away

 

[SailBoat]

I tend to believe in on-going 'Real Estate Agent' tours. Something new, introduce it to them and from different angles and approaches. Not at a rushed rate, just fast enough for them to tie things together.

- The 'Walk With Your Parrot' perched on-your hand so you can turn your hand as you approach new and moved things.
- Reintroduce moved (old) things like they where new. This helps them quickly link things together.
- Ever time you move to another room away from your Parrot, use your contact calls.
- Reassuring or confidence. As stated above, they are watching closely and our level of comfort with all this new stuff and place provides them a like comfort.
- As you are introducing the new place, provide flight path training starting from their central location and working to link it all together for them. The more often the greater the comfort.

With reasonable effort on our part, they will quickly pick-up on the new stuff and new paths.