Set Up for first few days?

[HisAngel]

So, barring any oddities/ mind switching Rosa comes home tomorrow. :41: I will be bringing her cage into the living room today for the cats and dogs (and kiddos LOL) to get used to before tomorrow. I am wondering if I should be setting it up with toys and things right away? Or wait until she has settled into our place for a few days to put the toys in. I dont want to overwhelm her, and our home is much busier kid wise than she is used to. Her Mom is a CKC dog breeder and also breeds Devon Rex cats and so she is used to seeing all kinds of critters milling about, so I am not as worried about that aspect, but the kids might be intimidating to start.

So, Set it up? or wait a couple days to add toys and things in? I dont wish to overwhelm or frighten her by doing too much too soon.

I am also wondering if I should bring her in and put her in the cage right away or keep her out and assure her that we (Hubs and I) are safety even when it's busy in our home.

I may be overthinking, lol I just want to try and get her started right.

 

[getwozzy]

Are there any toys and perches her mom can send with her? I'm just thinking that having familiar items she's used to in a new environment might help a bit.

As far as keeping her out or in her cage- I would just see how things go; if she seems too stressed, I would put her in her cage and leave her be until she eases up. But if she seems unphased by the transition, then maybe just hang out with her- keep things low key.

 

[Kiwibird]

I really hope this all works out for you and especially for Rosie! I would personally have her cage set up with the perches in position. That way, if she is timid, she will have several options of where to sit that makes her most comfortable (up high, near the bottom, towards the back ext...). I would probably put a small toy in there, but I wouldn't load it up until she starts settling in. By all means, if she gets in the cage and starts playing right away, give her some more toys, but my guess is it will be a couple days of adjustment before she starts becoming interested in playing. I would fill up her food/water right before you leave to go get her so she has that available right away when she arrives. I would also have the cage half-covered so she has a feeling of safety as she adjusts to her new home. We kept Kiwi's cage half covered all day for the first week we had him before he started to seem interested, rather than frightened, of his new environment.

As for family matters- if your children are younger, I would lay down the ground rules before bringing Rosie home. Little ones are sure to be intrigued by her, so you need to explain that they shouldn't touch her, should be quiet around her, should ask you before giving her anything ect... If they are older, just remind them she is new, probably frightened and to tread lightly around her for a while. Play it by ear whether to transfer her directly to her cage or whether to keep her out for a while. If it has been a long car trip, she is going to need food and water right away, so keep that in mind, but if it was only a 10 minute drive just use common sense to judge if she is frightened or seems intrigued by her new surroundings. Best of luck!