Second thoughts

[Flapjack]

Hello all, I’ve posted a few times before this but I’ll just recap a bit. I just got my first bird, a green cheek conure named Kure, on last Friday. She is around 11 months old and is adorable. She seems to like me well enough, she will step up (when she wants to) and is very cuddly. Today was a lot though. When I got home at 5 I set to work setting up her new cage (she has two). With her help it went incredibly slow and I am just sitting down to do the things I needed to get done. I am so worried that I am not going to be able to train her or care for her right. Everything is so busy. She is an awesome bird and such a good girl, she deserves the best. I’m scared that taking her home wasn’t the best decision for her and I will fail her. I guess I am just looking for some words of encouragement or advice from people who ever shared my fears. Everything is so scary yet I enjoy spending time with her and learning so much. How do you guys balance school/work, life, and your birds?

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Hello all, I’ve posted a few times before this but I’ll just recap a bit. I just got my first bird, a green cheek conure named Kure, on last Friday. She is around 11 months old and is adorable. She seems to like me well enough, she will step up (when she wants to) and is very cuddly. Today was a lot though. When I got home at 5 I set to work setting up her new cage (she has two). With her help it went incredibly slow and I am just sitting down to do the things I needed to get done. I am so worried that I am not going to be able to train her or care for her right. Everything is so busy. She is an awesome bird and such a good girl, she deserves the best. I’m scared that taking her home wasn’t the best decision for her and I will fail her. I guess I am just looking for some words of encouragement or advice from people who ever shared my fears. Everything is so scary yet I enjoy spending time with her and learning so much. How do you guys balance school/work, life, and your birds?

It's normal to be second guessing yourself right now. Just try to relax and enjoy your new baby. Things will be FINE! If you're that worried about the long term commitment, consider this stage in your birds life to be you giving him a great start in life and give him lots of love. If you are still feeling regrets after six months then consider rehoming but give this a chance and enjoy your baby!

 

[onamom]

Green cheeks are often little Velcro birds and sometimes it can be a lot! It’s ok to be overwhelmed. With a new bird especially there are a lot of changes to routines, etc. Give it a little more time to settle in and adapt for both her and you. You will find your new normal and new routine that works for you. Hang in there.

That being said, birds do take a lot of time and attention. My girl especially wants nothing more than to me on me 24/7. We do the best we can and she gets loads of attention but some days not as much as she’d like if there’s a lot going on. It will help if you can get your little one interested in foraging and toys so she has other things to occupy her. You can also look for ways to involve your bird in your normal routine. For example, my girl comes with me every morning to brush my teeth and she perches in the shower with me. It’s a small thing but it gets her attention and she looks forward to it without being a big time sink for me. Look for opportunities like that where she can be with you during your day.

 

[Flapjack]

It's normal to be second guessing yourself right now. Just try to relax and enjoy your new baby. Things will be FINE! If you're that worried about the long term commitment, consider this stage in your birds life to be you giving him a great start in life and give him lots of love. If you are still feeling regrets after six months then consider rehoming but give this a chance and enjoy your baby!

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond, I will keep all of this in mind.

 

[Flapjack]

Green cheeks are often little Velcro birds and sometimes it can be a lot! It’s ok to be overwhelmed. With a new bird especially there are a lot of changes to routines, etc. Give it a little more time to settle in and adapt for both her and you. You will find your new normal and new routine that works for you. Hang in there.

That being said, birds do take a lot of time and attention. My girl especially wants nothing more than to me on me 24/7. We do the best we can and she gets loads of attention but some days not as much as she’d like if there’s a lot going on. It will help if you can get your little one interested in foraging and toys so she has other things to occupy her. You can also look for ways to involve your bird in your normal routine. For example, my girl comes with me every morning to brush my teeth and she perches in the shower with me. It’s a small thing but it gets her attention and she looks forward to it without being a big time sink for me. Look for opportunities like that where she can be with you during your day.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I was reading through Ona’s thread and she is brilliant! My girl is definitely seems like a Velcro bird, it’s especially difficult to get her off when she wants to be on me. I will definitely try to incorporate her into my own routine more.

 

[Jcas]

It’s not just birds, getting any kind of new pet can evoke these feelings of being overwhelmed or second guessing our decision to bring this living, dependent being into our lives. When I got my Australian Shepherd, I had done everything right: researched breed, found a good breeder, visited my puppy before I brought her home, and I’ve raised dogs all my life; this wasn’t something new. But for the first couple of weeks she completely overwhelmed me and I just couldn’t bond with her.

I honestly would have given her back in a moment if the opportunity presented itself BUT I knew it was just a phase and that I needed to tough it out. So I did. It took about a month for me to really bond with my dog but I am so glad I stuck with it. She is an amazing dog, my shadow, a part of my heart and I love her so much. So hang in there! Find joy in the little successes and bonding moments. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you feel like you’re not doing everything “right.”

Like the other members suggested, find easy ways to incorporate your new bird into your life. However, if you’re really feeling overwhelmed and you need to take a break from your bird for a couple hours, that’s okay. I had to do that with my puppy from time to time and helped me be more patient with her when I came back. If you stick with it, you have the opportunity to have an amazing relationship with a fantastic little bird. And people on this forum are so willing to help you on this journey

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I was reading through Ona’s thread and she is brilliant! My girl is definitely seems like a Velcro bird, it’s especially difficult to get her off when she wants to be on me. I will definitely try to incorporate her into my own routine more.

The secret is that Ona isn't really a bird! Don't tell @onamom!