Do you stress when vacationing away from Conure?

[rheashard2]

How old is Nameliss? He looks much larger than my Sun Conure and would probably tower over him lol. I would love another bird and really like the medium sized parrots. But after 20 years with only Bruce I think it would be very unfair to both birds if I brought in another one. But when I see photos like Nameliss I get pangs! When I go to the pet store I leave heartbroken because I want to take them all home with me.

Nameliss just turned 21. In the old days she'd be drinking age. I've had the feathered dictator since she was a sweet manipulative barely four month old baby. She grew to be a grey tyrant. She's g bit small for a grey. It's a struggle to keep her near 14 ounces. For her behavior I only need to look in the mirror to see where some of her habits came from. But the Disney channel with Zach and Cody, Miley Cyrus definitely have some credit. But old time radio and black & white movies have had the biggest influence. Some how she seems to realize that humans can talk that way. So she talks to strange women in a gruff cigarette ruined cop or detective voice. She demands to know what they are doing or where they are going. She's got a coy sweeter then honey and thicker then cold molasses voice for strange men. Often with kissy sounds. Children she talks to with an air of superiority. She loves insulting the under five group. They tend to ask...what's your name bird....huh what's your name....don't you know your name..huh. So when Nameliss sees this age group she repeats what the group usually says. Too many of them fall into her trap. They argue with her. I am not a bird you are. Nameliss continues adding a variety of laughing sounds as she calls them bird. Yes it can and has been embarrassing. With kids the parents and I both have trouble not to laugh. Me because it will only encourage Nameliss. The parents probably so they don't hurt the kids feelings. On one occasion I wouldn't have been surprised if that little girl didn't insist on a fried chicken stop. The two of them argued through out the pet store. The little was bound and determined to make Nameliss admit that you are a bird and I am a little girI. I look at birds in stores, for sell. I get a pang to purchase too. But the feathered dictator puts a stop. Like this morning it was barely sixty five in the house. I consider that freezing for this part of the country. I had to get up in this cold house and make the dictator her morning chop. She demands with an increasing sweet voice. Is that good huh. Is it good. Her subtle demand for non bird food, ASAP.

 

[cfr70]

Bruce turns 21 next May so they're very close in age! I took leave classic b&w shows and movies on TV for Bruce all day so he has something to watch and listen to.
When the TV goes off, he knows it's bedtime and if the power goes out in the daytime the TV off makes him stress lol. He wonders why it's off and I tell him I can't turn it back on.
I know Bruce mutters from what I can hear out of him besides his earth shattering screaming, but he doesn't say full words like Nameliss can. I've heard him say "Uh Oh" when he was younger. So I say that to him now and I can see by his beak that he's repeating it back for me.
I can relate to the mornings and getting up to slave for them! If i'm not up when the sun starts shining he will scream bloody murder for me to get his breakfast.
What I learned to do long ago was get blackout drapes and trick him into thinking it's still nighttime until I open them. It worked like a charm so he's not screeching at the break of dawn!
I still have to make sure i'm up by 8am each day anyway to keep him on his schedule. It gets harder as you age but it's a reason to push myself out of the bed each morning or i'd probably lay there till noon!

 

[cfr70]

I'm 15 days out from the trip and i'm fretting much less today about leaving Bruce.
Was at the bank lobby today to deposit my cruise money to the ATM and it spat out $20 of it back to me. I hate going to the teller, but it was empty and the young kid looked bored playing on his tablet....so why not?
I gave him the $20 and glanced over at his tablet while he was making the deposit and it was open to the same cruise i'm going on! I pointed and said "Carnival!".
Turns out he's going on one too that's leaving from California (one that I actually booked myself but switched because I'm scared to fly). Anyway I had to open my voice transcription app to chat with him about it and it made my whole day!
I am taking this as a sign from above telling me that Bruce will be fine and to stop fretting and enjoy the trip! What are the odds of the ATM spitting out that $20 (never happens), going to the teller which I never do, no line at the teller (which REALLY never happens!), and the teller looking at the same cruise on his tablet at that very moment!
I firmly believe in signs like this so my fretting about leaving Bruce has gone down a lot today!

 

[rheashard2]

Enjoy your trip. Remember to take care of your self so you can continue to spoil Bruce.

 

[cfr70]

Enjoy your trip. Remember to take care of your self so you can continue to spoil Bruce.

Thank you. He's sure to be extra spoiled when I get back!

 

[cfr70]

It's almost time! Bruce goes to the Pet Spa in the morning and the poor thing knows. When I bring the big Chewy box out and load it up with his food and stuff he starts hiding and throwing the tantrums.
I know he's going to be ok but I still feel queasiness about leaving him and feeling the guilt pangs. Please pray he'll be ok and doesn't stress too much. At nearly 21 years old, I worry so much more at not having him be stressed out and make sure he has his comfortable routine, (which we both enjoy, but I sure can use a break).
Here is is now after his bath. I made sure to give it to him now so he'll be all fresh and clean for the next 5 days at the Pet Spa....and the dreaded Chewy box! (The top aspirin bottle in the box has one ibuprofen pill in it because it's his rattle. When you shake it the sound calms him down and he bobs his head to the rattle, so i'm bringing it to let the sitters know to

shake it for him if he gets stressed.)
I hope I return Friday to share that he's happy and home safely.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I'm sure Bruce (I love the name) will be fine- I'm more worried about you! Try to relax.

Surely you have given the Pet Spa his vet information but have you notified the vet office, told them what's going on, prearranged consent to treat and given them a credit card so they won't hesitate to treat him if there's a problem?

 

[cfr70]

I'm sure Bruce (I love the name) will be fine- I'm more worried about you! Try to relax.

Surely you have given the Pet Spa his vet information but have you notified the vet office, told them what's going on, prearranged consent to treat and given them a credit card so they won't hesitate to treat him if there's a problem?

That's actually a great idea. I keep the card for his vet in my wallet and will be sure to let them have it at the Pet Spa just in case. Thanks for that tip! I wouldn't have thought of it.
He goes in on 1/6 for his annual wellness exam so I'm hoping he gets a clean bill of health that let's me have him for another year. I can't stress how much of a precious gift he is to me. And yes, i'm probably worrying so much more than he is.
I bet after I leave the Pet Spa he'll be like "Yay, he's FINALLY gone. Let's get the party started!"

 

[DooDoo]

Hello all!
My little buddy Bruce is 21 and a half this month and....knock on wood...still a tiny little terror who runs the house! He's like a dog or cat who is never caged and allowed to fly about the home as he pleases. Pics of him are below that I snapped today. We've been together since November 2005!

It's been just me and him for these past 21 years and needless to say he's very clingy to me and hates anyone else! My last vacation away from him was over 3 years ago and I finally got the nerve to book a 4 day cruise for next month because one....I really need time away and a break from my routine with him and two, at 55 for me, there's only so many vacation years left so I really don't wanna put them off anymore!....And three.....Bruce will probably live another 10 to 15 years and by then i'll probably be too old and riding in a hover round to be able to go anywhere by then lol. So I have to just stop putting them off.

I'm going in 4 weeks, but I'm already panicking and stressing at leaving him at the pet resort for 5 whole days, especially at his age when he's so fixed with his routine and to me.

Do any of you stress when going away too? Where do you leave your little ones? I live in Orlando and thankfully Disney World has a top notch pet boarding place that I trust completely so I know he'll be safe, but I worry about him having to stay locked in his cage for 5 days like a prison sentence.

The photos below will explain it best....he has a whole buffet table where he has different shelves and boxes to chew up and hiding places to play around in each day. He's never in the cage except to grab some food before flying right back out.

He sleeps in the middle shelf on the right side of the buffet on a comfy bed made from old shirts. The vet suggested this due to beginning of arthritis in his feet and he loves sleeping in there.. At bedtime he settles right in for the night.

So what I did for his boarding was create a box in his cage that he can scurry inside if he gets scared or nervous at the pet resort. And also easy on his feet. I put 2 boxes together to make a really big space inside where he can feel safe and still sleep at night on his shirts.

He's already investigated the new cage box and likes it so i'm telling myself that he'll be just fine and not to fret or worry. Am I the only one who stresses like a crazed person for going away or are others like this too? I hope i'm not the only one!

He's always been a solo bird so that probably has a lot to do with it. If he had a mate I gather I would feel so much better but I guess I'm his mate haha.

I'd love to hear what you all do when and if you go away from your Conures? Or if you put off vacations like I usually do? Here's Bruce below and photos of his buffet table playground, his cage box I made today, and his favorite spot outside on the patio where he watches the birds. He flies in and out of the house at will, he's incredibly spoiled!

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I am a worry wort over all of my birds

 

[Bradmtx40]

I'm sorry for your losses but as you say, they can have a silver lining as they can be a wake up call for the rest of us to do what you enjoy before it's too late.
I have always said to myself "I'll travel when Bruce is gone"....yet here he is 20 years old and it doesn't look like he's going anywhere lol. He'll probably live till i'm 70 so i'm realizing that putting off travel is just wasting precious time.
But I love him to pieces even if it means not traveling as much as i'd like. I just snapped this of him relaxing and peeking out of one of his boxes. (Whenever I order something online, I always save the boxes for him to chew up or play inside.).....The corner cushion at the end is his evening spot with his toys when i'm watching TV next to him. I drape a blanket over the top and he sits inside.
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What a wonderful idea. I have to show this to the Missus. I never would have thought of what to do with those boxes. I keep telling my wife our two will probably outlast our marriage. Bruce is a handsome little fella. As for vacation, my wife left for 4 weeks and I had so much fun being alone with the 2 Little critters. I am in no rush to leave them. I am not too sure if it's the honeymoon stage because we've only had them for 3 months.

 

[osklvste87]

Stressing out when you leave your bird is normal. Make as many positive arrangements as possible. The right to treat is excellent. Toys, familiar items and treats can help.

 

[GaleriaGila]

I shall now reveal the true level of my parrot-pathology. In our 42 years together (got him when he was a chick), I have never been away from him for more than a week, EXCEPT for a recent multi-month medical misadventure. He was so traumatized (so was I!) and we're still repairing our relationship!

 

[wrench1380]

So I used to go to CHina for business for 2 and 3 weeks at a time. And still do away gigs for concerts and festivals for the band. I found that telling Salty for a few days before that I was going to be gone for X number of days ALWAYS reduced the stress and made him less cranky upon my return. If I did this it would be a day of cranky Salty, if I was remiss it was 4-5 days of crankiness.
I would show him by the number of fingers the # of days I would be gone and I still do this. Didn't matter that Geri was home or not.

They understand a lot more then you think. If I say to Salty 'I'll be right back' because I need to go to the grocery store, he is fine. If I dont tell him that and just go, he gets upset. If I need to spend a few hours away, I say "I'll be gone for a little while" and again he is OK with that. He absolutely understands the difference between the two.