Won't eat when owner is away??

[Behxo]

So this is a new thing for me ever since bringing my girl home in April. She is with me almost 24/7, she goes to work with me and stays with me at home until she tucks herself in around 7:30pm to be covered up for bedtime. The only times that I am away from her are mostly on weekends, when I have to run errands or spend some time with family/friends. (My boyfriend is still home sometimes during those times so he keeps her company if he's not with me) Normally I am not gone a full day except so far, on a few occasions I have been and this past weekend was one of them.

I had a wedding to attend to this past Saturday with my boyfriend and I was gone from 1:15pm till about 8pm. Once we got home, I always go right to Bowie to say hello and also because I had to cover her up. I always change her water throughout the day, especially before I leave for anywhere and before her bedtime. When I took her water out to change it, it wasn't normal because it was completely CLEAN. She always dirties her water fairly quickly because she loves dipping her pellets before eating them. I filled her bowl before I left, and she was eating until we closed the door to leave. Before leaving for the wedding, I only left her some pellets and seed because anything else would've spoiled within the time I wasn't home.

Seeing this concerned me a lot. She has never done that before (and as I mentioned, I have gone out for almost a full day like that before where she's completely alone and has been fine) and that seems like a long time for a little birdy with a fast metabolism to not eat anything... I took her out of her cage for a bit to make sure she was okay and to comfort her. She sat on my shoulder for about 10 minutes, making happy little chirps and eventually she went back to her cage on her own to go back to bed. In the morning she was thankfully herself again eating to her hearts content, although I kept a close eye on her ever since Saturday night. Her last checkup with a certified avian vet was in May and everything checked out great, although I know things can go downhill fast which was why I was ready to take her in asap if she still wasn't eating. She has been very active, eating, drinking, and her sleep schedule remains the same.

Is it possible to be with your bird too much? I know they depend on their flock in the wild, so I feel like I don't spend too much time with her... Maybe she just only ate the seed and didn't feel like having any of the pellets that day? I put more like a 3:1 ratio of pellets over seeds so there wasn't that much in there if she did that. She has a bunch of different toys and she does know how to entertain herself which she has to do especially when I have to focus on my work, so her being alone at home for a bit hasn't caused me much for concern. It made me feel really bad and has made me nervous to go out for a full day anymore if it requires me to do so and I can't bring her along. My sister and her fiance love birds, and they offered to bird sit if I ever need that so I think I might just go with that option next time. I wonder if she would do that again, normally she has always been good with whenever I need to go out so I'm left a little confused. I'm just thankful that she has perked right back up the following morning and has stayed that way, but unsure on how to go about this is it's a consistent thing in the future. Thank you for your input if you have any opinions.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Hi, if your bird is healthy then the few grams she lost on one day will be OK, bet she has already made up for it? I would perhaps find something like a birdie bread if it is well liked to leave as a big treat in future. Do short periods away, give the birdie bread, size related to period you are going to be absent. See if she will accept this? Tell her you are going and will be back soon.

Start with going for a short walk and increase the time away slowly. When she accepts you coming and going more easily it will not cause her so much stress. You are her flock!

Will she have a go at foraging also?

 

[Behxo]

Hi, if your bird is healthy then the few grams she lost on one day will be OK, bet she has already made up for it? I would perhaps find something like a birdie bread if it is well liked to leave as a big treat in future. Do short periods away, give the birdie bread, size related to period you are going to be absent. See if she will accept this? Tell her you are going and will be back soon.

Start with going for a short walk and increase the time away slowly. When she accepts you coming and going more easily it will not cause her so much stress. You are her flock!

Will she have a go at foraging also?

Yea I planned on trying to make birdie bread in the future, I was going to make some for her birthday on 9/30 but maybe I'll make some sooner and see if she actually likes it. She has a few different foraging toys in her cage at home and her cage at work, she chews on them on a bit but maybe I need to stuff more seeds in them to get her more interested. It's just odd because out of all of the months I've had her so far, she hasn't done this and every weekend I need to leave for a bit to run errands and such, that's why it's a bit confusing I suppose but I will try the treats!

 

[plumsmum2005]

Let us know how you get on?

 

[Behxo]

Let us know how you get on?

Will do!

 

[plumsmum2005]

Plum shouts "see you later" as we are just putting shoes on! So disappointing LOL

 

[Behxo]

Plum getting the party started once you're out the door, lol!

 

[PickleMeDickles]

I admit total and complete ignorance on this one. What the heck is birdie bread and how do you make it. Many thanks in advance.

-Jen & Pickles, Winston, Lady

 

[plumsmum2005]

I admit total and complete ignorance on this one. What the heck is birdie bread and how do you make it. Many thanks in advance.

-Jen & Pickles, Winston, Lady

Here you go

http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-food-recipes-diet/65841-poppy-s-jolly-jungle-bread.html

and a few more for luck http://www.birdsnways.com/birds/rbreads.htm

 

[SailBoat]

With flock & small social group Parrots, it is not uncommon that they develop eating patterns. Even if the timing varies, they will wait until the gathering occurs. With your group, there is likely a very established pattern and this may be the driver that is resulting in what you are seeing.

If this is well established, it can be very difficult to change. The clues can be seen if your Parrot eats at or very near the time that you do.

 

[clark_conure]

First, you asked a question about to much bonding, This was my very first post on here http://www.parrotforums.com/questions-answers/69829-my-bird-too-attached-me.html . Secondly a bird doesn't eat three meals a day, they eat when they are hungry and don't when they are not. It could be just the stress of the wedding had her all fired up wondering whats going on in your head. One thing that will work, eat something with him/her if she goes for the food....she should...then she's fine, pick something healthy like an apple or etc.