Balancing all of the animals

[PionusPassion]

I knew it would be a challenge to balance the various animals in my home, and I do my best to make sure they all get their one on one time, but I would like to know how some of you manage the balancing act. Any suggestions?

 

[Ratzy]

I have tadpoles, caterpillars, chickens, a sheep, stick insects, my budgies and a brother. Needless to say, the budgies get more attention than the brother. As I have school, my pets get attention in late afternoon and evening. Budgies get 20 minutes to three hours, chickens are fed, watered and egg collected, tadpoles need checking twice a day, the sheep ( Amy, extremely smart for a sheep because she has no flocking instinct ) doesn't get much attention but dad usually says hello when he's in the veggie patch, the caterpillars will be released today and the stick insects need to be sprayed once a day in the evening and to have their leaves replaced every 3-5 days. No cats or dogs as I'm allergic.

 

[SharonC]

Morning routine....all birds eat breakfast. Then Levi, Abbey, Sadie, and Charlie have their "out" time. They usually go to their windows, and enjoy that. I'm always around, chatting and interacting with them. They're usually out for about two hours, sometimes more. On returning to cages, all birds have lunch. Then Fred gets out, and stays out for as long as he wants, unless I have to leave. Some days, he chooses to stay inside the cage, with the door open. Supper for birds...all eat in their cages. Levi gets out again, for a brief period, ending with a short snuggle time. Fred gets on his playstand until he's ready for bed. I usually handle and hold Fred just before bed. I chat to the birds all day, especially Fred, whenever I can...

 

[bogo1]

Making it a family affair.... My husband and 17 year old son do most of the heavy lifting in the barn even though I am the main rider in the family. That only happens on weekends as a rule. And they take the dogs for long walks. (Literally. My husband gets up at 0500 every morning and post stable feeding walks our two dogs about three miles.) During the summer, the ducks are easy. They have been known to end up in a bath tub when the weather goes into hard freeze and we can no longer maintain a hole in the ice for them. The rest of the animals are primarily my daughter's and my responsibility. I wake, uncover and let the conures out and feed and water Merry and now Teechka the keets. Then I carry the keet cage and Sam and Gem hitch a ride on me to the kitchen so they can be in on food prep for themselves as well as the cats. (Our dogs only get a snack in the AM and I leave those in their respective dishes because at this point of the day they are already out with my husband. The cats are absolutely reliable inside with the birds... and no I don't go off and leave them. Still I can turn my back on them while pulling something from the fridge. In fact, I worry more about Gem tormenting the cats then the other way around. That zone of protection is only inside the house where the cats don't really see the birds as birds. Although the cats do not act aggressively toward my birds when outside, I am certain that they have occasionally killed other birds out there and there is no trust on my part outside of the house. Then, before I change into work clothes, I will just sit some place and play with the birds. Merry (a parakeet who cared for another bird for over a year and who is just getting back into the swing of life again since that bird's death) often sits against my neck and comments (sarcastically I suspect) on Gem and Sam as they play with me and each other. It is usually only 15 minutes or so, but it is a treat for us all. Then the conures move to their "outside" cage, which this fall is located in a sunny bathroom. (By that point, it is no longer is use by kids getting ready and it is a "no spray" zone. I set up the cage the evening before so I can just drop them off and change and get on the road. Then the first one home in the afternoon...almost always my son post high school, will take the conures back to our bedroom while he does work at the desk. He usually puts them in the cage he brings from the kitchen or they will destroy his homework and the computer that made it, but they enjoy the change of scene. (And I suspect he spends more time talking with them than he does on his chemistry.) When Misha (my husband gets home) Sam and Gem hitch on to him and do whatever they want as he moves from place to place and task to task (including evening stables). He often takes them outside if the afternoon is warm. Frequently I find him in his favorite chair with a cat on his lap, two dogs at his feet and three birds on his shoulder. I am last home, and the birds often "help" me make dinner (samples everywhere) or "help" Kat feed the dogs (kibble everywhere) or "help" me wash dishes (water everywhere) or "help" me fold laundry (socks everywhere) They get their own dinner while we eat ours (or they would be in ours. Then, this time of year, they head for bed as we try to keep them on a natural light/dark cycle. Soooo, how do we juggle? Four sets of hands and including all the animals in whatever part of our day that interests them.

 

[wildheart]

I am the only one who cares for all our kids and this means I get up at 5 and only go to bed very late. I do not have me time, dont go out to places, even shopping does not happen anymore. It is easier when you have pets that do not required constant attention to remain tame but unfortunately I have 4 that has to have one on one time everyday or I pay the price. To make it even worse they all HATE each other and will kill in an instant if they have the opportunity.

After my parrot arrived at my house it was VERY hard on me and my reptiles and it took several months before I got myself cut in 4.

 

[bogo1]

Linky 's situation is much harder than mine
The fact that most of her species are incompatible makes everything much more difficult and requires a lot more time and organization on the part of thel parront.

 

[Cowtown]

I am going through the same thing. I have Abby, 2 pups Harley and Lucy and 1 cat Dipsey.
Since I have gone back to work I am finding it harder and harder to split my time between them.
When I get home the pups want my undivided attention. I have had them the longest, Harley is 7 and Lucy is 4, they are daddies babies.. they sleep with me and when I am on the couch they are right next to me. Dipsey a stray I took from a friend who found her under a dumpster she was only about 6 weeks old. and then I adopted Abby she was hatched on 5-12-10. I think she need my attention more.

I get up at 4:30am feed all the brood and then leave for work at 5:30am I usually get home about 4:30 pm.. and then my son has classes I have to take him to and have to leave by 5:15 pm and them pick him up at 7:30pm.

So not much time to train Abby. I have to put the pups out before I let Abby out.

I know I will adjust just hope the brood can..

 

[Von1983]

I find it relatively easy to balance everything. I go around and feed everyone in the morning and bring Cal into the shop after cleaning her cage.

Then I go and play with the doggies for a while in the garden (they've been walked earlier when we did our lil paper rounds. Dave takes one, I take the other lol). Then as I go about the housework I spend time with Lucy cat who isn't one for lots of petting but likes to see you all the same.

Then I have a cuddle with Moo rabbit. I see everyone again at varying times of the day when I pop between house and shop.

In the afternoon I play with the dogs again and clean up their poop lol. Cal is in the shop where either me or my husband are all day. Then when the shop shuts, Dave takes the dogs for free run on the field. I take Cal upstairs and clean her cage etc again. Cuddle the rabbit if she feels like it (old lady now!). Cuddle the cat whether she wants me to or not, go cook dinner, doggies and hubby return, feed them, feed us, Cal's out for 4 hrs. If moo wants to, she is also. Dogs are asleep downstairs, puss is asleep in our bedroom. It's a juggling act but apart from the initial jealousy of Olly dog acting out when he could hear us talking to Cal in the shop....it's working pretty well! He's stopped that now and Boots dog is always easy going. Basically, no one goes a full hour without seeing either one or the other of us as well as the quality time.

Like Linky, I rarely get to go to the shops or anything as Dave drives and it's easier for him to pop out during the day while I look after the shop. I can't remember the last time I went clothes shopping and I'm hard pushed to do anything in peace such as you know, have a wee! We only get Sunday afternoon off when we shut the shop at half 12. It's a 72hr week and we're always busy either in the shop or house.

It's worth it though because I love my furry, human and feathered family. Having the shop/house combo makes this possible.

 

[wjh-nyc]

I like this thread. I think about this a lot as I prepare to bring home my new GCC baby. I have 2 dogs (Gemini and Jessica) and a 1 kitty (Annabella). Along with 2 goldfish and a few plants I care for. My human family includes 3 of us and we live in a new freshly renovated apartment in Manhattan. I work overnight very close to home and get home a little after 8am. The nice thing about there being 3 of us with different schedules is that my babies rarely have to be alone. I do a bulk of the day-to-day caring for pets and household chores and love almost every minute of it. Since the new baby will be coming home I spend much time planning out in my head how best to adjust and work around the established routine while making sure the new addition gets what he needs... I mostly just want to do my best to start off on the right foot. So thank you, I'll continue to watch this thread...

 

[bogo1]

I think the common denominator is that we like our various creatures and they know it.And our cats all expect it!)

 

[wildheart]

I think the common denominator is that we like our various creatures and they know it.And our cats all expect it!)

Denominator?

 

[Von1983]

Demoninator is a common factor Links hehe

 

[wildheart]

Demoninator is a common factor Links hehe

Demoninator?

 

[Von1983]

HAHAHAH!

Oh you meanie MEANIE!

DENOMINATOR!!! hahahaha

 

[triordan]

my days begin different depending on the weather~ if bad i need to either bring horses in or turn out...dogs get let out and fed, bird fed, then off to school (teacher), while at school i care for my bearded dragons, cornsnake snake and fish..
hubby gets home around 1:00 lets dogs out, picks up poop, plays with them, lets bird out, after school I go back to barn feed/muck whatever needs to be done, go home feed dogs, bird, and my family...go to bed and wake up to the same scheduele!