Is it possible to have your parrots live outside during the day, and bring them inside in the evening/night?

[Abi111]

For context, my mum is letting me get a parrot (don’t worry, I’m in my 20’s with good savings and an income). I’ve always wanted a parrot and it’s taken me years to get her on board with the idea of having one. The only thing is, she will only let me have my bird inside at night or when the weather/temperature is bad (I live in Australia so we get all kinds of weather) but it has to stay in an outside aviary during the day, especially while I’m not home - My mum is a stay-at-home mum and she’s home almost all the time, so it won’t be left unsupervised. He will have an indoor flight cage and he’s allowed to hang out with me in my room outside of his cage when I’m home.

I will spend just as much quality time with him as I would if he was totally kept inside. I will play with him, train him, and bond with him just as much. I only usually work a few shifts a week (most of them being 5-7hrs long with an occasional 8hr shift), so I’m at home a lot of the time.

I understand the risk of predators and disease transmission from wild birds and other animals. Are there ways at all to make aviaries more secure and predator-proof? Like I said, my mum will be at home to always check up on him and he won’t be out there at night. It’s just more about the times when he’s alone outside during the day.

Is this at all possible and safe for the bird? Is there a way to transmission him from being inside all the when I first get him, to being outside during the day? Any help/advice will be greatly appreciated, thank you all!

 

[PeentPeent]

There's a lot of factors with a bird being outside as you noted with predators and such. If someone nearby used a BBQ grill the smoke could also kill them. I personally would never take such a risk with so many different things outside.
I think outdoor aviaries are awesome but for them being out there many many hours a day without very close supervision. I don't think I could recommend it

 

[Abi111]

There's a lot of factors with a bird being outside as you noted with predators and such. If someone nearby used a BBQ grill the smoke could also kill them. I personally would never take such a risk with so many different things outside.
I think outdoor aviaries are awesome but for them being out there many many hours a day without very close supervision. I don't think I could recommend it

thank you so much for this. Yes I’ve told my mum about the barbecues and that she needs to bring him inside. Our neighbours are fairly quiet and don’t have barbecues very often at all. We know the person who does occasionally have them and he’s lovely, so we would be able to ask him to notify us before he has one.

I’m also home pretty much all the time, so while I am, he will stay inside anyway. But I’ve told her she needs to constantly monitor him and she said she will.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I'm curious as to why your mum insists the bird live outside during the day. Doesn't she like birds? Don't you have your own bedroom that your bird can stay in during the day when you are out of the house?

 

[Abi111]

I'm curious as to why your mum insists the bird live outside during the day. Doesn't she like birds? Don't you have your own bedroom that your bird can stay in during the day when you are out of the house?

Yes I do have my bedroom where they can stay, but for some reason it makes her stressed leaving them inside when no one’s home. And she thinks they’re too dirty to have them in my room all day when I’m gone. I’ve tried to explain everything to her but this is the only way she’s comfortable. It’s really frustrating. Like she’s more than happy to replace cookware and other non-stick things, and cleaning chemicals, but she hates the thought of their poo being inside. I’ve explained to her that I can clean it straight away if they poo on anything and that it doesn’t smell, but she just won’t budge - this is the only way she’s comfortable with me having one .

Edit: the noise is another thing she doesn’t want to have inside while I’m gone.

 

[Abi111]

There's a lot of factors with a bird being outside as you noted with predators and such. If someone nearby used a BBQ grill the smoke could also kill them. I personally would never take such a risk with so many different things outside.
I think outdoor aviaries are awesome but for them being out there many many hours a day without very close supervision. I don't think I could recommend it

Sorry for another reply, I’ve just thought of another question.
What happens with aviary birds who do live in an aviary 24/7, how do they survive outside all the time? Is their something their humans do that help protect them?

 

[wrench13]

SO many things to consider with an outdoor aviary. First off, they ain't cheap, and forget about building one. Home built aviaries are difficult to make safe, using common DIY materials like wood and wire mesh from the big box stores. Wire mesh from there is zinc coated and zinc it toxic! And wood frames get quickly chewed through. Second - aviaries need a concrete base to sit on, or vermin will 100% tunnel thru to get to the dropped food. Third, you need shelter within the aviary so the parrot can get out of the sun and any wind they find too much. And lastly - transferring your parrot back and forth from the house - I'd be super worried that this is the opportune time for them to escape and fly away. Even if you use a travel cage to bring him to the aviary, just how do you propose to get him out of the aviary and back into the travel cage? A new parrot is not going to fly to you to do that - it takes time and training for that to happen.

Good luck, but I think you need to put more thought into this before diving in.

 

[Abi111]

SO many things to consider with an outdoor aviary. First off, they ain't cheap, and forget about building one. Home built aviaries are difficult to make safe, using common DIY materials like wood and wire mesh from the big box stores. Wire mesh from there is zinc coated and zinc it toxic! And wood frames get quickly chewed through. Second - aviaries need a concrete base to sit on, or vermin will 100% tunnel thru to get to the dropped food. Third, you need shelter within the aviary so the parrot can get out of the sun and any wind they find too much. And lastly - transferring your parrot back and forth from the house - I'd be super worried that this is the opportune time for them to escape and fly away. Even if you use a travel cage to bring him to the aviary, just how do you propose to get him out of the aviary and back into the travel cage? A new parrot is not going to fly to you to do that - it takes time and training for that to happen.

Good luck, but I think you need to put more thought into this before diving in.

I’ve put soooo much thought into it, don’t worry. If I put everything I’d thought about into my post, it’ll be a whole essay. I’m an intelligent person and I don’t take these kinds of decisions lightly. I’ve done months of research on outdoor aviaries alone.

1)I’m not building one myself, I’m getting one from a company who specifically builds bird aviaries - I’m also having a double door system to minimise the chance of the bird escaping when I go in. And yes I’m having a cement base and also water misters for warmer days (but not too hot).

2) I’m going to start target training and recall training after I’ve built enough rapport with my bird and he trusts me and feels safe. I’ll be doing this before I even start thinking about putting him outside. - I explained to my mum that he can’t just go outside after only a few days of being with us and she’s fine with that.

3) I’ve got a year or so to plan everything, I’m not doing this in a few weeks/months.

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

What type of bird? My macaw loves being outside. He sits in front of the sliding glass door waiting to be placed in his outdoor stainless steel cage (“vacation condo”). I live in Florida. His outdoor cage is in a protected spot up against windows on two sides so we can always keep an eye on him. The area is shaded by palm trees with a fountain. It is sort of a secret garden. In fact, you cannot even see the bird or cage from the backyard due to the heavy foliage coverage. He likes to sit out there for hours on end. I bring him inside to his much larger SS cage whenever someone is not home to keep an eye on him and he is inside every day before sunset. If it is too hot, he stays inside the house in the a/c all day.

Many years ago we lived in San Diego. He sat in his outdoor cage on the covered patio during the day whenever the weather allowed as long as someone was home to keep an eye on him. It is so important to monitor your bird outdoors. Once a very strong gust of wind came out of nowhere and blew the 250+ pound giant stainless steel macaw cage off the patio and it went tumbling down to the garden below. It took 3 people to get the cage upright and back on the patio. My bird was a little banged up with a scratch and a small bruise on his face, but he was fine. He’s a tough guy! The cage survived without a scratch, but it taught me that things can change in the blink of an eye!

Yes, a bird can live outside during the day and inside at night, but you have to keep an eye on things at all times and be willing and able to have your bird live indoors during the day. Not sure this is the case for you given your mother’s protestations.

 

[Rozalka]

It looks like we're in a similar situation - we're also planning building an aviary but not anytime soon (also in a year or so). Originally we were considering to build it in a way, which would have a small tunnel to inside of our house, so our fids could choose if they prefer to be inside or outside and they would be closed inside for nights (I have no clue if it was a good idea or not, once I asked for an opinion but nobody answered me)... but currently my dad is stubborn to build a big aviary outside (where they would be 24/7 in summer) and something small inside for winters.... but for now I can't really decide about anything because we have more important stuff in our life, so I'm not even searching how to do it yet

 

[Abi111]

What type of bird? My macaw loves being outside. He sits in front of the sliding glass door waiting to be placed in his outdoor stainless steel cage (“vacation condo”). I live in Florida. His outdoor cage is in a protected spot up against windows on two sides so we can always keep an eye on him. The area is shaded by palm trees with a fountain. It is sort of a secret garden. In fact, you cannot even see the bird or cage from the backyard due to the heavy foliage coverage. He likes to sit out there for hours on end. I bring him inside to his much larger SS cage whenever someone is not home to keep an eye on him and he is inside every day before sunset. If it is too hot, he stays inside the house in the a/c all day.

Many years ago we lived in San Diego. He sat in his outdoor cage on the covered patio during the day whenever the weather allowed as long as someone was home to keep an eye on him. It is so important to monitor your bird outdoors. Once a very strong gust of wind came out of nowhere and blew the 250+ pound giant stainless steel macaw cage off the patio and it went tumbling down to the garden below. It took 3 people to get the cage upright and back on the patio. My bird was a little banged up with a scratch and a small bruise on his face, but he was fine. He’s a tough guy! The cage survived without a scratch, but it taught me that things can change in the blink of an eye!

Yes, a bird can live outside during the day and inside at night, but you have to keep an eye on things at all times and be willing and able to have your bird live indoors during the day. Not sure this is the case for you given your mother’s protestations.

Thank you, this is very encouraging to hear. The aviary will be in our backyard and, like yours would be hard to see if you didn’t know what you were looking for - it is easy to monitor from the house without a doubt. I think my mum will be fine with the bird being inside while she’s gone, it’s just the fact she doesn’t want it being loud and messy in the house while she’s home and I’m not there to be with him.

I haven’t gotten a parrot yet, but I’m struggling to choose between a male eclectus, an illiger’s macaw, or some type of conure!

Thank you so much for all of your info, I really appreciate it

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

Thank you, this is very encouraging to hear. The aviary will be in our backyard and, like yours would be hard to see if you didn’t know what you were looking for - it is easy to monitor from the house without a doubt. I think my mum will be fine with the bird being inside while she’s gone, it’s just the fact she doesn’t want it being loud and messy in the house while she’s home and I’m not there to be with him.

I haven’t gotten a parrot yet, but I’m struggling to choose between a male eclectus, an illiger’s macaw, or some type of conure!

Thank you so much for all of your info, I really appreciate it

The other factor you have to consider is how close you are to your neighbors and how noisy your bird is. My macaw is super quiet. Neighbors who have lived next to me for 20 years didn’t even know I had a bird until they saw me washing his enormous cage in the driveway. If you have squawky parrots, expect to hear from your neighbors.

 

[Abi111]

The other factor you have to consider is how close you are to your neighbors and how noisy your bird is. My macaw is super quiet. Neighbors who have lived next to me for 20 years didn’t even know I had a bird until they saw me washing his enormous cage in the driveway. If you have squawky parrots, expect to hear from your neighbors.

Yes that’s another thing I’m taking into consideration (your macaw sounds gorgeous by the way). I’m trying to do as much research as possible. I’ve know a few people with male eclectus parrots and they all seemed to be quite chill most of the time. I’ve also heard some mini macaws are somewhat chill too although they can be loud when they do squawk (same for eclectus I’m assuming). That’s why I’m leaning more towards those species rather than conures (even though I love conures so much).

 

[Abi111]

It looks like we're in a similar situation - we're also planning building an aviary but not anytime soon (also in a year or so). Originally we were considering to build it in a way, which would have a small tunnel to inside of our house, so our fids could choose if they prefer to be inside or outside and they would be closed inside for nights (I have no clue if it was a good idea or not, once I asked for an opinion but nobody answered me)... but currently my dad is stubborn to build a big aviary outside (where they would be 24/7 in summer) and something small inside for winters.... but for now I can't really decide about anything because we have more important stuff in our life, so I'm not even searching how to do it yet

Im no expert as anyone can see, but without thinking of logistics, that sounds like a sweet idea!!

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

Yes that’s another thing I’m taking into consideration (your macaw sounds gorgeous by the way). I’m trying to do as much research as possible. I’ve know a few people with male eclectus parrots and they all seemed to be quite chill most of the time. I’ve also heard some mini macaws are somewhat chill too although they can be loud when they do squawk (same for eclectus I’m assuming). That’s why I’m leaning more towards those species rather than conures (even though I love conures so much).

Don’t kid yourself. Eclectus parrots can be loud. My macaw grew up with eclectus parrots. They speak with a soft voice, but they can scream (maybe not as much as a conure)! The macaw was the quiet one in our house.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Yes I do have my bedroom where they can stay, but for some reason it makes her stressed leaving them inside when no one’s home. And she thinks they’re too dirty to have them in my room all day when I’m gone. I’ve tried to explain everything to her but this is the only way she’s comfortable. It’s really frustrating. Like she’s more than happy to replace cookware and other non-stick things, and cleaning chemicals, but she hates the thought of their poo being inside. I’ve explained to her that I can clean it straight away if they poo on anything and that it doesn’t smell, but she just won’t budge - this is the only way she’s comfortable with me having one .

Edit: the noise is another thing she doesn’t want to have inside while I’m gone.

Your mum is obviously not a bird person! You also need to consiger that getting a parrot is a huge commitmIent, even bigger than having a baby because parrots dont grow up and they live for decades, some as long as humans do. At your age it's difficult to predict what turns your life will take. Are you going to school? If so, where are you going to live? I assume you will be moving out at some point. Apartment living is not compatable with having a loud parrot. Roommates, even housemates generally don't like the noise and mess. Landlords even less. If you want a bird, consider getting a cockatiel or a budgie. Cockatiels live about 20 years (some longer) and budgies about 10. If you insist on a large parrot, maybe consider adopting an elder parrot in need of a loving home.

 

[Abi111]

Your mum is obviously not a bird person! You also need to consiger that getting a parrot is a huge commitmIent, even bigger than having a baby because parrots dont grow up and they live for decades, some as long as humans do. At your age it's difficult to predict what turns your life will take. Are you going to school? If so, where are you going to live? I assume you will be moving out at some point. Apartment living is not compatable with having a loud parrot. Roommates, even housemates generally don't like the noise and mess. Landlords even less. If you want a bird, consider getting a cockatiel or a budgie. Cockatiels live about 20 years (some longer) and budgies about 10. If you insist on a large parrot, maybe consider adopting an elder parrot in need of a loving home.

I agree, it is a huge commitment. I’ve almost finished studying and I’m looking for a job related to my course. Where I live in Australia, the average house price is 900k at the moment so I’m not trying to stress myself out about thinking of buying or renting a home any time soon. My mum knows this too.

I’m not going to get a bird until I get a good job and I’m settled in and figure out what my daily life looks like. I’m not going to have a bird come into my life when I don’t even know what I’m doing hahaha

But yes I do understand the commitment and the complexity and the needs of a bird, and that’s exactly what I want. Something that gives me a purpose in life and motivation to actually get up every day, and properly take care of another living being. I yearn for a companion and a parrot is perfect for me.

 

[Abi111]

Don’t kid yourself. Eclectus parrots can be loud. My macaw grew up with eclectus parrots. They speak with a soft voice, but they can scream (maybe not as much as a conure)! The macaw was the quiet one in our house.

Macaws have always been my dream parrot since I was young! Not because of their size and colours (although they’re absolutely stunning), but because of their beautiful personalities and gentle-giant-ness. I would love to have any species of macaw as my companion. That’s funny about eclectus, I always thought their “innocent” behaviour was too good to be true when I’d go and visit my friend’s house