Was wondering how everyoneās birds coped with Full-time working owners? My main concern about getting a Parrot is that I currently work part time but will have to find a new job in the near future, probably a full time job. My parter works full time.
How does it work having a parrot and working?
I know quite a few members have had their birds during full-time jobs and still have the same birds into retirement.
I work full-time and sometimes more than full-time (work hours are not as strict as in the US, so overtime is often expected and unpaid).
Every evening, I try to rush home to take Cairo out on a walk. Because we're on the equator, his walks often happen at or just after dusk. And he's quite happy with them. It's not every day, though I do try, but it's majority of the days. Then after the walk, he gets his dinner. After his dinner, he'll chill with us for a while, maybe do some trick training, wrap up the day with an optional shower, then go to sleep. It's a few hours every evening, but he's pretty forgiving if I come home late (he'll typically nap or play with his toys).
I did make sure to get the largest cage I could afford (both spatially and monetarily), which helps my peace of mind and allows him to do short flighted hops around. He loves his foraging toys and his wood toys, so I just make sure to keep those up to date for him.
On the weekends, it's typically one day is Cairo-Day. We go flying on his harness in the park, we chill out at a cafe, we go to festivals and other family-friendly outdoor events, etc. He basically goes everywhere with us. Friends invite us out - we check if it's Cairo-friendly and if so, he's joining us. He looks forward to those weekend fun things, asking for "fly-fly" when we haven't done it in his expected timeframe. And he's generally a happier bird when we go out.
The other day of the weekend, he's just around us. Sometimes he just plays and chatters in his cage if it isn't safe for him to come out (my partner does hardware and software, and Cairo thinks all cables and nuts/bolts are fun toys). Other times, he chills on our.. porch/patio/carport (really don't know how to culturally translate this) while we do some housekeeping. If we have an afternoon nap, we bring him into our room - he'll sleep on his perch for as long as my partner sleeps.
We just try to take advantage of the small moments of connection. So far, no signs of distress from him. And even just a short few minutes walk makes a happy Cairo, even if the outside is just lit up by the street lights.
