Conure & human lifestyle

[Skittys_Daddy]

I am looking for feedback on what I should with Skittles in regard to some changes I may be making in my life and how it may affect him. Sorry for the length in this post but I just really want to give as much info as I think is needed in order to (hopefully) get the most accurate feedback.

As I have mentioned in a previous thread, I have certain health issues which directly impact my sleeping schedule. I have also been wanting to address it more directly for some time but significant obstacles remained. Most of those obstacles are subsiding. I mention this to give you all an 'idea' of my situation.

That all being said, I cannot and will not leave Skittles covered all day even when I have been up all night. He will screech to be let out. Not to mention I can't bare the cruelty of such so I have always woken him up at a reasonable time (by 12n) and then gone back to bed. I should mention that his "morning cage screech" is MUCH lower pitch (and sweet) than his afternoon ones. Which is why I let him out rather than 'wait til he stops' his screech. Especially since once he's out it does tend to stop after a few minutes of "calling the flock". He is very active and free-flighted throughout the day and I usually put him to bed at night when HE wants to go (he lets me know) which is always the same time frame (7:30-9p)

Now that you know his schedule as well as my situation here is what I am looking to do:.

I am a night owl and for whatever reason I CANNOT go to bed prior to midnight without causing a sleep disturbance. So I 'usually' try to go to bed by 2-3a. My doctor thinks this is reasonable for my lifestyle. However, lately (for a few weeks) I have not gone to bed before 7a. I then wake Skittles up around 1p and then go back to bed. I need to change this.

I want to get into the habit of going to bed by 2a-3a and getting up around 10a-11a and STAYING up. This will all affect Skittles cycle as well and that is a concern of mine as well as the following.

This issue I have with Skittles is his desire to share my meal with me. Yes, I know I can cage him while I eat if it's something I cannot share. I just HATE caging him and I cannot resist his out of cage 'mealtime nagging' (rapid head bobbing and hopping while making 'kissy noises')

So what I plan on doing is this. Waking him up at 10a and putting him to bed around 7p. This is not a big change for HIM, as it is for me, but I've no idea how something affects him.

By doing that schedule I just mentioned, I can do this: wake up, eat breakfast and have coffee THEN wake him up and take a shower. This way I can totally avoid the 'meal issue' without feeling guilty. I then only have to worry about lunch which is the easiest to do with him. I stay up late, therefore I can eat dinner late. So after I put him to bed at 7p I can eat my dinner! thus avoiding a final 'meal issue'. So no guilt.

My question is this - given the information I have provided; what steps/actions would you suggest if you were in my situation and making these changes. Perhaps I may get a better understanding and easier transition for Skittles. I am sure there are others with similar time-tables as my new one will be.

Thanks for reading all of this and thanks also for any responses it may provide!

EDIT: Side note, this 'new schedule' will also make it easier for me to get out of the house for a few hours each day without hurting him. This was a previous obstacle which is getting much better.

 

[rosembers]

I think you have a great plan and dear Skittles will transition just fine if you do it slowly

I completely understand the mealtime guilt! I get that too...one thing that I find helps me with Babybird (my GCC), is to give her a dish of something she likes (homemade bird smoothie, steamed whole grain quinoa, birdie bread, etc) and give that to her when I eat. And of course I have to pretend I'm eating some of it too and it's 'so delicious!' so she's more interested in it and feels included. I enjoy reading your posts - I can tell you really love your Skittles

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Thanks for the reply and the kind words. I am feeling pretty good about my plan and it helps to get encouragement that its a good plan. Sometimes others see things differently and it can often be a plus to have outside advice.

With regard to what you do with your bird around meal time is something I have done as well. But it doesn't always work as I'm sure you have noticed as well with your bird.

I have also done the whole 'pretend to eat it' around him and it too doesn't always work. In fact, I cannot tell you the number of times he's given me this whole "oh gimme a break, I'm not falling for that crap - now gimme gimme gimme".

He can get very nasty with food. But no different than you see them in the wild. They naturally have to fight for food in a "first come, first serve" world of flocks so I don't hold that against him - provided he doesn't go overboard.

Thanks again for your kind words. It means a lot.