Contemplating giving my birds a new home

I have two birds, a cockatiel and green cheek conure, and I love them very much. I am 27 years old, and I'm a college student. I live alone.

I feel like I'm tethered to the house with these two sometimes. I really love spending time with them, but I have a very demanding degree (Computer Science), and at times I wish they weren't here. They don't particularly get in the way, but they're just one extra responsibility in an already stressful life.

At the same time, the house would feel empty. If I'm trying to solve a particularly hard problem and nobody else is around, which is often, I talk with these two and they talk back. Unfortunately, they don't offer any insight into calculus or algorithms, but it helps me out.

I guess I'm really just feeling like I should spend less time at home, and more time with my peers. I can't be the only one who has thought this, so I'd appreciate some insight. Am I okay leaving my two birds home for extended periods? They won't be neglected as far as food and water, and they'll receive personal time in the evenings or mornings and for several hours at least a couple days a week. I just don't want them to be lonely.

As long as they are getting time with you and have a healthy diet, there is no reason why you can't also live a healthy life style. There are days when mine don't even get any time with me, but I always try to spend at least some and make sure they have toys and things to watch.

I'm with Shelly there, we make sure there's radio or tv being left on for them. You can still have a normal productive life with them around.

I would try to find a compromise before making any drastic decisions: try to arrange a bit of time for them in the morning if you know you'll be going out that evening, make sure there are odd days where they get more attention than usual, and as long as you're not planning to be out every day and night of the week you'll probably find they're ok. Do they enjoy each other's company? If so at least they have some company when you're not around.

The constraints made upon us changes over time. The craziness of college is temporary, and you will again have time for them AND for yourself. The others have provided you with very good advice that will help them fill any voids whenever you're away.

If you resent them they won't get the care they need, but maybe there are other solutions such as getting them same-species friends, or having your peers over at your place rather than going out with them. I agree that you don't have to spend all your free time with them for them to be happy. Consider getting them bigger cages with more kinds of toys, and maybe putting the cages close to each other (but not close enough for toe-grabbing!). leave a TV on or radio most of the time, and leave the windows to your house open if you can. Make sure they can at least see out a window, but have shelter from sun if they get too hot. Provide lots of veggies and fruits along with a high quality main diet. Also, allow them to wander around in a safe room with you while you study. Just because you can't give them all your attention doesn't mean they cannot explore. But in the end, only you can decide of they should stay or go. If you decide to rehome them for their own good, just be sure to do a lot of careful screening of new homes. I suggest that you charge as much as the birds are worth. I know no one likes the idea of "selling" their friends, but consider this; paying a higher price weeds out people who don't care enough about the birds to spend their money on them. You want to make sure they go to homes that both can afford to and have the willingness to take care of the birds financially. Good luck as you make this choice!

I have two small kids (3.5 & 7) and I run my own business. I make sure to make time for my birds but there are days that I can't do as much as others. As long as you love them, take care of there needs and spend time with them when you have it (several times a week), they will be fine. They have each other for company and that will help, too.

If you can't find anytime in your schedule for them, then that would be the time consider rehoming. But it sounds like you do have some time for them during the week. Like the previous poster said, if you know you are going out in the evening, get up extra early and spend an hour with them. They will be all the happier for it. I would say some interaction daily would be good. Even if it is only 15 minutes of one on one time. Make it quality time. That is more important then then quantity of time you spend!

Most days we have a routine. When I get up and Skittles starts to stir, I turn on his light. I try to see when he achieves the morning dump, then I open his cage, get hi breakfast, change his water, the my wife and I go about our morning prep. As we pass back and forth we talk to Skittle. I usually share my morning muffin with him. After the dogs return from their walkand we get ready to leave I move his breakfast bowl into the cage and get him to go into his house. First one home usually liberates the chicken. If we have to go antwhere long it's back in the house. We get home for the evening he comes back out, gets a treat, recheck water. He's up and out until I head for bed. I spend a few extra minutes (20 or 30), just him an I playing, then it's back in the house. I tell him it's time for night-night, he gsts into one corner with one foot on the dish tray and one holding the side of the cage. I scritch his neck a little and turn out the light. Usually, as I head down the hall I make a few beeps and coos, which he answers and I head to bed.

The scheduling times can, and do, change. Weekends are similar, but timing is changed a lot.

I can't get him off his cage. most days (we're working on it) so he doesn't have a lot of play time with us in other rooms, but he knows where we are. Every now and then if he can't figure it our he'll start screaming (not at all pleasant), but once he STOPS, we come back in and make sure he knows we're OK.

THere are some here who spend much more time with their fids, but it has to work with you, the fids and other requirements for your time.

Unlike dogs, if you forget to come home and they have food and water, they will do OK, but, their with you as their provider, other parts of your life might just have to suffer a little so that your fid receives sufficient atention to make sure they are happy and healthy.

Hope this helps!

Jay

I'm sorry to necro my own thread, but I forgot I even wrote this and figure I should give an update if someone else finds their way to this page.

I was in a pretty bad place and was just majorly stressed out. It was the most difficult schedule I'd ever had in regards to workload, but I've adjusted. In fact, my workload this semester is significantly higher!

I do still have both my birds, and I'm glad I do. They're actually pretty low maintenance and get along just find when I'm gone for extended periods. They've helped me stay sane over the past 5-6 months. I'm two semesters away from graduating, and having some company at home when I do my marathon coding sessions is always nice.

Pico the GCC is around a year old now, and I think she's started puberty because she's been quite an ass recently, though I still love her. Boomer the cockatiel talks constantly. It's cute around 80-90 percent of the time, and the others I want to put a muzzle on him, but that's okay, too.

I actually logged in tonight to ask for advice on a different subject, but seeing as I completely forgot about this topic and never posted back, I figured I would give an update several months later.

Glad to hear you've kept your birds. Our birds drive us all crazy now and then. It's normal, but we love them.

Glad it worked out Chris I was going to say to keep them anyway. There were times during Robin's life (nearly 20 years so far) where many times I didn't have time for him at all (!) for extended periods. He came out of it unscathed, and were the BEST of friends now. I fact I'm by far closer with Robin than I've ever been with any beloved animal. Even now, my schedule can greatly change, and my birds are very resilient I'm fortunate of that. I give the most time I can to Robin and Raven, but some days still, it isn't a lot. They're still happy and absolutely fine. Certain larger species and certain individuals might not be able to handle it though.

Glad you stuck it out! I rehomed a bird once during a particularly stressful time in my life and it was the biggest mistake I've ever made and still regret it.

Now I have Jenga and sometimes I do also feel tethered, but have also learned to accept that it's OK for me to come home a few hours late after work because I had dinner with some coworkers. Coming home a few hours late once a week isn't going to cause her to break in half or pluck every feather on her body.

You have been with these birds for so long during your college years; only 2 semesters away from graduation - Yeah! Might as well keep them. Trust me, there will be days when you are stuck on writting code, you wish you have something to deconcentrate for a few minutes. I guess computer science courses are a bit more demanding today than some 25 years ago. Windows 3.0 was released the same month I graduaded! You guess it, nothing but DOS, Novel, UNIX in college for me. There are many more computer languages and OS to cover today, I understand. If you are naturally good at coding, working in software is fairly leasure. Parrotforums is where I drift to for brain breaks every now and then while working. If you end up working from home like most of my software peers most days, you wish you have your birds by your side.

This is really great news!