Well, I got some news today that I'm a bit apprehensive about............

[mtdoramike]

It looks like I might have to take a trip to St. Thomas for a week in the very near future to deal with some personal matters. Therefore, I will have to get someone to care for Mac & Tiki for the week that I'm gone. At best the most that I will be able to hope for is that the care taker will feed & water them twice a day.

But as far as out of cage time, I doubt that very much. Mac has finally gotten over the stress of losing his past owner who died last year, which caused him to be more or less cage bound for several months before I got him. Due to that stress of going from having total freedom to being locked up in a cage caused him to start plucking his leg feathers and over preening his tail & wing feathers.

Now just when he has completely stopped plucking his leg feathers and has really improved onhis over preening issues, he will get cage bound again for a week. I hope this doesn't set him back on his progress.

I guess the bright side is, it will only be for a week.

 

[roxynoodle]

Well, if I were in your area, I would take care of them for you

 

[ann]

I second that iwish I could help, he sounds like a real sweetie! Are there any good pet stores in your area that could take him, or maybe an animal loving friend? Good luck! Sometimes my mom calls the house and leaves a message for the pets to hear, you could try that ?

 

[mtdoramike]

No, most vets that offer boarding doesn't take birds. I'm not sure I would trust any boarding facility since they should be quarrantined and not housed around other birds.

My best options are my mobile bird groomer, who also pet sits. But she is located about 35 miles from me and the best I can hope for with her is that she will make the trip over here and feed & water them once a day. It would be an expensive thing, but at least she will let them out of their cages for at least an hour or two a day.

My other option is my neighbor will come over and check on them twice a day and change out their food and water at least twice a day. But she is apprehensive about letting them out of their cages and prefers. So they will be well cared for as far as food & water, but they would me cage bound for the week.

Tiki is not so bad to pet sit for, but Macky is a different deal. Eclectus are what they
refer to as high maintenance. You can change out their water 5 times a day (I usually do) because they like to dunk their food in their water dish. So his water is always dirty.

 

[antoinette]

I would take care of them if I were closer, with pleasure.
Ask the caretaker to leave a radio or tv on, something for them to listen to.
Make sure they have loads and loads of toys to keep them entertained and stimulated.
As you mentioned, it's only a week (but a week away from our birds it "forever")
Look on the bright side, just imagine the welcome back you will receive.

 

[mtdoramike]

I guess I will probably wind up using both of them to accomplish the task. I can pay my neighbor to come over twice a day to check on them and change out their food and water. Then pay the bird groomer to come and let them out of their cages for an hour or two each day in the afternoon. It will be a bit expensive, but this is one of the quandries that a bird owner finds themselves in.

It's decisions like these that make me want to say to young folks who want to own a bird " Really, you really want to own a bird." Dogs or cats are soooo much easier and cheaper to board than birds. $15.00 a day to board a dog and their are numerous places even in my rural area that does it.

But birds, will run me about $300.00 for the week, which I don't mind the money. I just want them to have the best care possible while I'm gone.

 

[Spiritbird]

Do you have the time to teach your neighbor? Have her with you when you let the birds out and back in the cage several times. That way the birds will know her and she will know the birds. Good luck and I pray somethings works out for you.

 

[lizardsmells]

I guess I will probably wind up using both of them to accomplish the task. I can pay my neighbor to come over twice a day to check on them and change out their food and water. Then pay the bird groomer to come and let them out of their cages for an hour or two each day in the afternoon. It will be a bit expensive, but this is one of the quandries that a bird owner finds themselves in.

It's decisions like these that make me want to say to young folks who want to own a bird " Really, you really want to own a bird." Dogs or cats are soooo much easier and cheaper to board than birds. $15.00 a day to board a dog and their are numerous places even in my rural area that does it.

But birds, will run me about $300.00 for the week, which I don't mind the money. I just want them to have the best care possible while I'm gone.

Mike I'm dealing with the same thing. We're going to be going out of town at some point this year and I won't be able to bring Kazi. We have fantastic pet sitters, but they don't have any bird experience at all. I can bring him up to the rescue to board him there (at no charge) but I'm afraid he'd start plucking again because he wasn't happy there and I don't want him to believe for one second that he's being taken back. So I have to find someone who can watch him for me so he gets attention and isn't left alone for a week.

Decisions, decisions. Someone the other day said having a parrot is like having a toddler. I corrected them and told them it's like having a mentally deranged toddler you can't take most places.

 

[mtdoramike]

Decisions, decisions. Someone the other day said having a parrot is like having a toddler. I corrected them and told them it's like having a mentally deranged toddler you can't take most places. hahahahahahahahahaha EXACTLY!

​

 

[mtdoramike]

Do you have the time to teach your neighbor? Have her with you when you let the birds out and back in the cage several times. That way the birds will know her and she will know the birds. Good luck and I pray somethings works out for you.

No, she's not over fond of birds and is a tad afraid of them. Tiki nipped her finger once awhile back when we first got her. So ever since then, she is not interested in interacting with them. So the best I can hope for with her is that she feeds and changes out the water for them especially Mac a couple of times a day.

My daughter would normallywatch them, but she will be accompanying us on the trip.

 

[Spiritbird]

Have you considered asking your vet and the tech that work there if one of them knew a person that would bird sit for you?
There seems to be many pet sitting services in Fla also. http://www.pet-sitters.biz/pet_sitters_florida_usa.cfm

 

[roxynoodle]

A mentally deranged toddler, LOL! Good one, lizardsmells. Now you have to add, mentally deranged toddler with hormones

 

[Sulphiria]

Ill do it! Im not far from you. and i can promise food, water, fruits and veggies and lots of love. And it would be a great experience, so money isnt an issue for me.

 

[roxynoodle]

Ill do it! Im not far from you. and i can promise food, water, fruits and veggies and lots of love. And it would be a great experience, so money isnt an issue for me.

Well, here's a plan, Mike!

I've now decided someone must video tape Merlin and I. She makes the oddest sounds that probably sound like someone about to die, and I imitate them back. You will all decide that we are both mentally deranged Even the other 2 birds and the cat seem to think so.

 

[nikkiscriv]

I must say that if you're stuck in a situation that leaves you out of town, St. Thomas doesn't sound like too bad of a place to be

 

[Effervescency]

Hope you find someone! I have a friend that loves Alice and Drake, and doesn't mind coming over to take care of them, and hang out on my couch for a while. I usually cut up fruits or veggies and have them ready in the fridge, and set everything out in portions. I'm sure we'd all chip in if we were closer! There needs to be a bird-sitting community ring! Haha! Good luck! And have a good time in St. Thomas! Try not to stress!

 

[mtdoramike]

I have solved the issue. My nephew will come over and stay with them. He usually pet sits for me when we are all gone. But I hadn't been able to get a hold of him for close to a week. It turns out that he was in St. Thomas this two weeks and just got home Monday afternoon.

He loves hanging out with Tiki and this will be his first meeting with Mac this weekend. He gets a kick out of me because when I would go away for a few days and he was pet sitting Tiki, I would give him like a 4 page list of Do's and Don't. He laughed and said he guessed that I will be leaving him a 100 page three ring binder for both birds.

I'm a very organized person and I don't believe in leaving things to chance. I like to make sure that every aspect is covered from ceiling fans, non-stick cookware, no choclate and so on to vet care.

 

[mtdoramike]

Ill do it! Im not far from you. and i can promise food, water, fruits and veggies and lots of love. And it would be a great experience, so money isnt an issue for me.

Thank you for the offer, I will keep you in mind if something falls through.

Mike

 

[MikeyTN]

I had a friend who stayed over while we were gone. She said it was like a mini-vacation for her watching all the animals. But I don't stray away too far now days....lol

 

[Tarkus]

I understand your concerns as I have rehomed birds for many years.

If these birds are in their "forever homes" then they will need to be able to take a week or so in their cages. Ideal ? Of course not but your life can't stop over your birds.

Many things can cause a bird to spend extended time in its cage. After a spinal cord injury my CAG was a the vets for three months with minimal out of cage time. He wasn't pleased but he got over it very, very quickly.

A week won't kill them and I would prefer that my birds stay in their cages as opposed to being handled by people that have just been "trained".

Just my .02

Be Big,
Alan