Bird sitting idea?

[Ginger's mom]

I have an 11 year old black capped conure. She is my best friend she is special needs and lives in a tank because she has a feet deformity. She moves around perfectly fine. She also has reoccurring respiratory issues. I had a very hard time finding care for her whenever i go away. She boarded at her vet for 8 days while I went away and had a respiratory issue when I got back. The vet office smells like strong cleaning products and they also board dogs. Ginger is a very frightful bird and I think the sound of dogs barking stresses her out. I don't know people around me that understand parrots. My parents are afraid to take her out when ever they care for her because they are afraid she will bite them. Ginger does bite but it's only if she senses fear.

I wish I knew people near my area that understand parrots so that they can care for her while I'm away. Birds are so delicate so I worry about if the people in the house uses strong fragments, air fresheners, perfumes, Teflon, etc...

Does anyone have any suggestions? I live in north jersey area. Thanks so much! Finding her care is a big source of anxiety for me.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I have an 11 year old black capped conure. She is my best friend she is special needs and lives in a tank because she has a feet deformity. She moves around perfectly fine. She also has reoccurring respiratory issues. I had a very hard time finding care for her whenever i go away. She boarded at her vet for 8 days while I went away and had a respiratory issue when I got back. The vet office smells like strong cleaning products and they also board dogs. Ginger is a very frightful bird and I think the sound of dogs barking stresses her out. I don't know people around me that understand parrots. My parents are afraid to take her out when ever they care for her because they are afraid she will bite them. Ginger does bite but it's only if she senses fear.

I wish I knew people near my area that understand parrots so that they can care for her while I'm away. Birds are so delicate so I worry about if the people in the house uses strong fragments, air fresheners, perfumes, Teflon, etc...

Does anyone have any suggestions? I live in north jersey area. Thanks so much! Finding her care is a big source of anxiety for me.

She sure is adorable! I would put an ad at the local vet offices (if they have a message board of some sort) seeking an experienced bird sitter. You will have to pay the person pretty well but you should be able to find someone. Try your local bird stores for help finding someone. New Jersey has some pretty good bird stores I think. Not like here in Maine where sometimes I think I'm the only person who has birds.

 

[Ginger's mom]

She sure is adorable! I would put an ad at the local vet offices (if they have a message board of some sort) seeking an experienced bird sitter. You will have to pay the person pretty well but you should be able to find someone. Try your local bird stores for help finding someone. New Jersey has some pretty good bird stores I think. Not like here in Maine where sometimes I think I'm the only person who has birds.

Thanks! Putting ad at local vet offices is a great idea! I'm going to to discuss with two avian vet offices near by to see what they think. I'm okay with paying a little more for a peace of mind. She once pulled out all her tail feathers when she was younger when I took a 9 day trip! She's an anxious bird and needs alot of attention and handling. There's petstores by me who do boarding but they do not play with her or take her out her cage. I also get nervous about there being so many other high dander birds since she was respiratory issues.

In May, she almost died. This is when the respiratory issues started. I rushed her to hospital with her in my hand. She couldn't breathe. It was an 11 min drive and I didn't think she would survive because she was going limp. They gave her oxygen as soon as I got there and she was hospitalized for a few days.

Since then, I'm even more careful about her care. She's special needs so I've always been very on top and anxious about her care but now it's to another extreme. She's a great fun friendly bird! Hopefully I can find someone who can love her as I do when ever I go away.

Thanks for suggestions!

 

[hiriki]

I would suggest a pet sitter rather than boarder, generally... although since you have a single bird it does seem stressful to think of them being completely alone aside from the sitters visits, boarding tends to be more stressful, since it's a change in environment and they're surrounded by strangers and unfamiliar birds, which can be scary for a single bird.

My experience with sitters has not been great, I have a special needs girl with flat feet as well and the sitter took her out once and then decided it was too hard to put her home and didn't let her out anymore! I was lucky to be living with my father at the time, so he would take her out and the sitter just handled the food/water... I used a cat/dog focused sitter, but I think if you're more careful selecting a sitter and look for someone experienced with birds, you might have better luck.

 

[Greenhouseparrots]

My parents usually look after my birds whenever I go away and the birds are fine with not being let out during that time. They don't have the best time but they're fed, have fresh water and some social interaction from my parents talking to them and they have lots of toys to keep them busy. In the long run I don't think they mind it much, and they're always really happy when I come home. I have a camera that I use to watch them whilst I'm away and they always seem fine.

If you can't find anyone then your parents are your best bet I think, even if they don't want to let her out.

 

[onamom]

I was fortunate enough to find an avian vet tech who watches Ona while I’m away. She wonderful and I found her on Nextdoor. I think putting up an ad and seeing if you can find an individual is a great idea.

 

[Ginger's mom]

I never heard of next door. I'm going to definitely check it out! Thanks for the suggestion. It would be perfect if I can find a vet tech to care for her.