I don't know what to do.

[RyanLoud]

I recently got a green cheek conure thinking I can raise a happy bird and finally own one as I have been wanting too for years. I had a plan and did research and suddenly my work shifts changed without warning. So now I can barely be home to be near her and I don't think she would be happy living like this, where mainly I would be seen for maybe 1 hour through a whole day upwards of 5 days a week. I can't help but feel really upset and sad right now, I am confused on what I should do... I thought I could do it..i was so sure. Put the time, money, and effort getting all this ready too.. Feels like that has been wasted

 

[itzjbean]

So sorry to hear of this. Work is something that can be so tricky to balance with home-life. At the end of the day you have to ask yourself what is best for your bird. Birds want to be a part of the family. If you are working and there is no one at home to be with the bird and give at least a couple hours of outside play time a day along with training and interaction daily, then maybe you should consider rehoming your bird.

Really think to yourself about what you can provide, is there any way you can get in two hours of outside cage time/play with your bid every day? While you're making dinner at home, after work? Before bed? If you are committed it may work, but it really does depend on how much time you can really give to your bird.

 

[clark_conure]

Wait a tick....

You can't spend time with your bird because you work 23 hours a day or because your work schedule means he's asleep when your home?

Your bird can adapt. My GCC goes to bed at like 3-5pm in the afternoon and sleeps all the time I'm gone at work, well most the time I'm gone, then we spend hours together when I am home. Then on days off we have the whole day. I'm two nights on two nights off. Your bird will adapt, especially if you keep your house dark most the time, they will find the arrangement that maximizes fun time.

If there is time your home and free, he can adapt to your hours, just make sure he gets 12 or so hours a day to sleep.

 

[RyanLoud]

That is the thing, I don't think I can and I feel like I let myself and my bird down. It was hard for me to write any of this as well. I tried talking with my boss when I first got her to try to make sure I am not there all the time but it didn't matter because she isn't a pet person. Now I feel like I just have time to play with her for about 30 minutes to maybe an hour a day. And change her food and water then cover her up.

 

[clark_conure]

so wait how long is your shift? there are labor laws and stuff...what are your hours?

 

[Kentuckienne]

How permanent is the shift change? It’s possible to get through these short term hardships. This is a common problem....we think things will keep going the way they are, and we plan our lives carefully around this belief. But life is always changing, and usually in ways we didn’t expect.

There are ways to make the situation as good as it can be. Can you spend an hour with the birdie before you go to work, spend time with him when you get home, give her as many toys and foraging opportunities as you can to keep her entertained during the day? Set up the cage for easy maintenance with several layers of paper so you can quickly remove the top one every day? Minimize the amount of time you spend on chores and spend that time with the birdie? Is there a TV or radio that you can leave on, some nice not scary channel like classical music or cartoons?

GalleriaGail has written about going through a long period of this with her bird, and they got through it because the bird knew it could count on that time together every day. You can search for her posts. Then again, her bird turned into the Rickeybird, so equal parts encouragement and dire warning! JK.

I don’t know your situation. If this is going to be fairly temporary...if you want to keep your bird so much that you will make its happiness a priority and do what you can...then it can work. If on the other hand, having a bird isn’t turning out to be as wonderful as you expected, and you would be secretly relieved to be birdless again, or the work thing is looking permanent....then there is no shame in allowing your parrot to go to another loving home. There may be some member here who could take her in (I don’t know if your bird is a rooster or a hen, and I can’t just say “it”) and if they are in this board regularly they care about parrots, and they will get the support they need to give him a good life. As will you, if you stay.

Whatever you decide, do stay. With or without a parrot you can learn a lot here, maybe keep up to date with your bird at a distance, maybe find some ways to be involved in the world of parrots as a volunteer or supporter for a local rescue or national parrot welfare organization. No one here will judge you for your choice. Doing right by a parrot is all we ask. Good luck, and please do stick around.

 

[RyanLoud]

1:30 to about 11:15 after all my driving. Then i usually have to go to sleep in case I have to go in early or something unexpected happens.

 

[clark_conure]

so a ten hour shift, your bird can work around that. He will need to adjust his sleep time, you may need to get dark out curtains but he can move to your schedule.