Working Evening Shift with Conure

[Juno]

Hi all! I'm new to these forums and fairly new to conures. I'm very familiar with birds since I've grown up with them, but this is my first time owning something bigger than a budgie. Juno is only 4 months old, and is doing really well with training so far!

I am just starting a job where I will be working all shifts 5pm-11pm. I still get up early and spend a couple of hours of quality time with Juno before heading out in the evening. I try to have her covered by 11:30pm and I get her up by 11:00am the next morning.
My main question is, do you think she will be okay on this sort of schedule? I'm just worried she'll miss having so much quality time in the evening! Any suggestions or comments would be great... or if you think there is a better schedule I can work out with her to go around my work schedule.
Thanks!
Morgan

 

[PickleMeDickles]

Hi,

Congrats on your new baby and welcome. I am not an expert of any kind, but will just share my experience. My 2 Suns are morning birds. They are "out" at 7pm each night but are not noisy when they wake up.

My GC is more of a night girl. She likes to go to bead at 8-9 and then sleep in.

I know that most birds are a sun down sun up kind of characters, but each one is individual. I would spend as much time with your GC as possible and then put him down for bed at a convenient time.

I can't imagine why "shifting" his hours slowly to accommodate your schedule would be harmful as long as he is getting enough zzzzz's. I know Pickles get REALLY crabby if she doesn't get enough shut eye. Good luck!

-Jen

 

[FreddyCheeks]

I think she should be fine. I know Fred has always stayed up late with me(hanging out right now). Like stated above, if it is a constant thing the bird will adjust. Fred gets up with the birds every day still even when he is up late. Just takes a naps randomly throughout the day.

 

[Rockford]

Don't worry about it. I've worked every shift imaginable in the time I've Kept birds and a change has never been an issue in any way at all.
7p-3a
8a-4p
9a-5p
6a-2p
11p-7a
3p-11p

 

[LaurenB]

Hi there and congrats on the new addition!

You could also consider not covering the cage, if s/he is in a room that gets dark at night. Cage covering is not a requirement, in fact, I learned recently that some people are against it. This way your bird could go to sleep when it gets dark, and wake up when it wants and not have to wait for you to uncover.

Just a suggestion.

I used to work a rotating shift, anywhere from 3-11p one day to 6:30a-3p another to 7p-7a the next. I stopped cage covering and my birds did just fine. I also put a radio on an automatic timer so it came on and went off regularly when I couldn't be there to do it.