How long is it safe to leave a parrot alone for?

[happycat]

We left Thursday morning at around 11 AM to go to my dads house for Thanksgiving. We were planning to go back home either Thursday night or Friday morning but my family decided to spend one more night so I’m going to get back Saturday morning. I’m worried about my birds because that’s 47 hours unattended.
Anyone else ever done this? My mind is going over all the things that could happen; it’s gonna be hard to fall asleep tonight

 

[chris-md]

It’s controversial but I’ve done it a couple times. I would NEVER go beyond 48 hours. But if you are able to minimize the soup birds like to make - make water bowl and food bowl inaccessible to each other - you should be ok. Double up on food and water.

Do I advocate it? No. Birds have gotten caught often in the toy links. The thought that my bird could potentially get caught and not be found until 36 hours later when the stress has likely killed him...makes ones blood run cold. But I have done it and it was fine. I avoid it whenever possible but there were a couple times it was unavoidable.

 

[happycat]

I’m home and all is well
A while back I posted a topic asking whether it was viable to leave my bird’s with a family member while I went to college; and now, just a few months later, that idea seems insane!!! I was so homesick for my birds just being away for 48 hours. No way in hell I could last a year without a bird on my shoulder at all times. I think I yelled in excitement when I came home more than my sun conure did !

 

[bill_e]

I have left my previous OWA alone for up to 4 days, Nike for 3. Now a days I set up a camera. I just leave an abundance of food and water.

It really depends a lot on the parrot, I'm lucky in that I've always had birds that can tolerate a bunch of cage time without any ill effects.

 

[noodles123]

Depends on the bird 100% (species, age, personality, health and past experience).
I would start small and work your way up to longer periods. 11 hours is pretty much the very MAXIMUM for my cockatoo and it is VERY unfair to her. I don't do it very often at all (don't think it is healthy).

 

[Shrub]

Camera sounds like a good idea to keep an eye on them. So if we went away for a day or two make sure cage is bird stuck proof and maybe ask someone to pop in and check on them.

I am from Australia and living in the Netherlands so when I go back to Australia I would have to talk someone into watching Giggles for me while away if my husband is travelling with me. Other then that don't think we would be gone for more then a few hours at a time. Horrible even then because I could sit and watch her all the all every day. She prob thinks I some creepy starer

 

[ChristaNL]

Shrub, no idea where you live in NL, but most of the time there will be some birdlovers who will be more than happy to birdsit for you (neigbours would be awfully convenient of course/ birds are more or less 'a thing' here, every schoolclass will have at least one or two kids who have them personally or have them in the house or have familymembers who own birds). In a pinch use one of the many, many student-run services or (in crisis) contact Hope-for-Wings (they can arrange a fostersituation in no-time/ esp. with a small birdy like yours).


(I only birdsit parrots who have been thourougly tested for the nasty diseases and have a clean bill of health- otherwise it would not be fair to my flock)

 

[Shrub]

Shrub, no idea where you live in NL, but most of the time there will be some birdlovers who will be more than happy to birdsit for you (neigbours would be awfully convenient of course/ birds are more or less 'a thing' here, every schoolclass will have at least one or two kids who have them personally or have them in the house or have familymembers who own birds). In a pinch use one of the many, many student-run services or (in crisis) contact Hope-for-Wings (they can arrange a fostersituation in no-time/ esp. with a small birdy like yours).


(I only birdsit parrots who have been thourougly tested for the nasty diseases and have a clean bill of health- otherwise it would not be fair to my flock)

I live in Groningen Providence, near Veendam. Most people I talk to online on these kinds of forums are normally down south or near Amsterdam. If needed we could ask my husbands family. But cross the bridge when we come to it. We also have chickens so every morning they need to be let out and put back in the evening and clean food and water. Maybe think about a house sitter. Hopefully eventually I can get Giggles a bigger cage she can stretch her wings in. While still letting her free flight while we home. But thank you for the information it is nice to know

 

[ChristaNL]

LOL there are a lot of good parrotbreeders in your area (because you simple cannot keep them near densely popuated areas and the land/ buildings are not so expensive as near/in the cities).
If you really get stuck I can always pressure one of my friends into taking him in for a bit ;P -they have no birds of their own to worrie about, but getting parrot-trained here (and doing fairly well, they were animal-people to begin with).
Utrecht is pretty much in the centre, and trains run everywhere from here if a car is not an option...


and now I will stop highjacking ths thread (Sorry chaps)


I always ask friends to at least come over and take a look if I have to be away a full day or longer.
(they all have a key, so no problem)
Usually they will hang out, teach them whistling, feed them snacks etc.

 

[fiddlejen]

i have to leave mine alone for 2 days with enough food and water, is it ok ?

What kind of bird? Appx how old? What's the longest it's been left alone before?

 

[Scott]

i have to leave mine alone for 2 days with enough food and water, is it ok ?

What kind of bird? Appx how old? What's the longest it's been left alone before?

FYI IanPullman was just identified as spammer and now banned. Reference post removed, but our system does not delete subsequent quotes. Thanks for attempting to help, former member likely trolling.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Also the origional post is nearly two years old



Jim

 

[Flboy]

i have to leave mine alone for 2 days with enough food and water, is it ok ?

What kind of bird? Appx how old? What's the longest it's been left alone before?

FYI IanPullman was just identified as spammer and now banned. Reference post removed, but our system does not delete subsequent quotes. Thanks for attempting to help, former member likely trolling.

I spotted him in the aloe post, was fishing him out with my reply! He’s making the rounds in the forums!