Is rehoming the answer and if so what's the best way

[Llhutton]

Hi,
I am new to forum but have had my Moluccan, Rose, for 12 years ever since her pin feathers came in. About four years ago, life turned ugly. Needless to say its just me in the house with my pets. Problem is, my lifestyle has changed a lot. I am gone for 11 hours a day and then on weekends. Rose hardly is ever out of her cage now. She lays eggs and I believe is displaying towards me. I am not sure, but I think she believes I am going to "mate" with her. I feel really bad, I love her, but I am not able to spend time with her and when I put her back in cage she has about a 30 minute screaming session. I have caught myself screaming back at her and feel horrible, but sometimes after a long day I just lose it. How long should she be out a day? If I should rehome her, what is the best way to ensure a bird savvy person gets her and that she will be well taken care of? That is truly my fear, if she does go to a home, I don't want her to suffer for the next 40 or so years. She's never been sick, never plucked, and loves to chase my dog and cat around the house.
Any advice is appreciated. I'm in oregon, about 40 miles from Portland.
Thanks!
Lorie

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I'm so sorry to hear about that rehoming is a hard thing. Try to think if you may be able to change your scheduled. If not make sure to talk to lots of people, not just one. get a feel for everyone and ask them lots of questions.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Theres lots of ways to incorperate time out for 2s. Have more stands. Im sure you do laundry ,cook, clean ,be on the computer ,watch tv .Try when shes out it might not be long but make it real quality time for her. Good Luck to you [wish you were closer I live in new york]

 

[Abigal7]

I can tell you love your bird and want the best for her. If rehomeing is what is best I would try to interview people. Have you considered talking to a parrot behaviourist? A behaviourist might be able to give you tips on how to make things better for her since she is doing pretty good right now. You are her flock and she must gentley learn you are not a mate. I guess you can find out how many hours she needs of interaction and see if you can incorparate it in. I wish you the luck in finding her a home or if you are able to spend the right amount of time with her.

 

[Kiwibird]

If it were me, I would try everything in my power to rearrange my schedule so I had a few hours (maybe in the morning or evening) to spend with her. As suggested, perhaps you could just have her out while your cleaning, bring her cage in view of the kitchen while your cooking, even shower with her or watch tv/read/relax with her nearby. Parrots don't really care what YOUR doing, so long as your talking and interacting with them on some level. I bring Kiwi around on his t-perch whenever I'm home, regardless of what I'm doing (unless is dangerous to him). He likes watching me do dishes, make the bed, scrub the bathroom ect... and I can talk to him while I'm doing it. He thinks it's great fun at least we also bring him to the table for meals, and my hubby brings him in the shower (or has him up on the curtain rod) which he REALLY loves. There are plenty of ways to get your parrot more out-of-cage interaction time, even if your not 100% focused on exclusively playing with them.

However, I don't know your circumstances, and if there really is no reasonable way to get some extra time to spend with her or incorporate her into your routines somehow, rehoming may be the best option. I would not try to do it by yourself. I would surrender her to an avian shelter who has the ability and resources to screen potential owners to be sure they are competent to take her. That or a sanctuary, where she will never be adopted, but will have lifetime care and lots of other parrots to play and interact with every day. Rehoming should be an absolute last resort, but if you really can't find the time, it's the most humane thing you can do.

 

[sodakat]

I'm going to guess you are gone for financial reasons --- working --- not because you want to be gone. With jobs as difficult to come by as they are now, I imagine you can't easily change your schedule.

But, what you CAN change is her living quarters. Since she must be alone so much, I suggest you create a HUGE enclosed area, doing whatever it takes to build it. Half of a room would not be unreasonable.

I divided the sunroom end of my living room and dedicated it as a bird room. I've never regretted it even though it means we have less room for sofa/tv etc. I do have a fairly large house, however.

Then, build lots of things out of lumber so she can climb AND chew. Also bring in branches; large branches and create trees. Hang ropes across the ceiling. Remove and replace any window molding that you don't want destroyed with 1x4 lumber which you can constantly replace as she works on it. Enclose any areas that she MUST NOT chew. You can do this and you will be so glad you did.

This is a picture of Sailor taken from within the bird room, looking into my living room. I started with nice screen panels but Rose soon discovered she could free them all by chewing through the screen! So I went to GAW. It does look similar to the bar scene where the Blues Brothers are divided from the beer-bottle-throwing patrons, but oh well, it works for me.

This is from the living room side:

This picture shows how the bird room looks during the winter when I put rigid insulation along the bottom 4 feet of the windows and cover it with plywood panels to keep the room warmer. I feel where there's a will, there is a way!

A summer shot when it was screened:

 

[aboyce76]

I'm going to guess you are gone for financial reasons --- working --- not because you want to be gone. With jobs as difficult to come by as they are now, I imagine you can't easily change your schedule.

But, what you CAN change is her living quarters. Since she must be alone so much, I suggest you create a HUGE enclosed area, doing whatever it takes to build it. Half of a room would not be unreasonable.

I divided the sunroom end of my living room and dedicated it as a bird room. L never regretted it even though it means we have less room for sofa/tv etc. I do have a fairly large house, however.

Then, build lots of things out of lumber so she can climb AND chew. Also bring in branches; large branches and create trees. Hang ropes across the ceiling. Remove and replace any window molding that you don't want destroyed with 1x4 lumber which you can constantly replace as she works on it. Enclose any areas that she MUST NOT chew. You can do this and you will be so glad you did.

This is a picture of Sailor taken from within the bird room, looking into my living room. I started with nice screen panels but Rose soon discovered she could free them all by chewing through the screen! So I went to GAW. It does look similar to the bar scene where the Blues Brothers are divided from the beer-bottle-throwing patrons, but oh well, it works for me.

This is from the living room side:

This picture shows how the bird room looks during the winter when I put rigid insulation along the bottom 4 feet of the windows and cover it with plywood panels to keep the room warmer. I feel where there's a will, there is a way!

A summer shot when it was screened:

Sodakat, your bird room is amazing! I would love it if my husband would build something like that for our babies when we build our home. I may be hitting you up for ideas and information when the time comes.

 

[Jtbirds]

I agree with everything that has been stated. As for the screaming, yelling back is never going to solve it only make it worse. I completely understand your point of being fed up and having a hard time, but screaming at Rosie is just going to make it worse sadly. If she begins to scream to much in excess I find nothing wrong with covering her for a 15 minute period of time just so she gets the hint it is no fun when she screams and you get some time to release yourself of the build up of frustration or whatever you may have that makes you react to the screaming.


If in the end you must re home I'd suggest looking at reputable rescues that will re home her only to people with expirence and that have passed a home visit and multiple visits with the bird. If you come to this point let me know and I can get you some links to good rescues.

 

[Abigal7]

I'm going to guess you are gone for financial reasons --- working --- not because you want to be gone. With jobs as difficult to come by as they are now, I imagine you can't easily change your schedule.

But, what you CAN change is her living quarters. Since she must be alone so much, I suggest you create a HUGE enclosed area, doing whatever it takes to build it. Half of a room would not be unreasonable.

I divided the sunroom end of my living room and dedicated it as a bird room. L never regretted it even though it means we have less room for sofa/tv etc. I do have a fairly large house, however.

Then, build lots of things out of lumber so she can climb AND chew. Also bring in branches; large branches and create trees. Hang ropes across the ceiling. Remove and replace any window molding that you don't want destroyed with 1x4 lumber which you can constantly replace as she works on it. Enclose any areas that she MUST NOT chew. You can do this and you will be so glad you did.

This is a picture of Sailor taken from within the bird room, looking into my living room. I started with nice screen panels but Rose soon discovered she could free them all by chewing through the screen! So I went to GAW. It does look similar to the bar scene where the Blues Brothers are divided from the beer-bottle-throwing patrons, but oh well, it works for me.

This is from the living room side:

This picture shows how the bird room looks during the winter when I put rigid insulation along the bottom 4 feet of the windows and cover it with plywood panels to keep the room warmer. I feel where there's a will, there is a way!

A summer shot when it was screened:

Sodakat, your bird room is amazing! I would love it if my husband would build something like that for our babies when we build our home. I may be hitting you up for ideas and information when the time comes.

I know! I wish I had such a big house or money wise be able to add on such a bird room.

 

[Llhutton]

I love the bird room you created sodakat! I don't have that much room tho. I have been trying let her out and she follows me around. I continue to change out her toys but she still ignores them. I found a cardboard brick that she chewed for a while. We have had a few mishaps last month. She in undid 4 clips and got out, breaking out the conure who I then was scared the cats ate him. I looked for 6 hours, but finally found him. Now that I hear people say they learn quickly, I have been trying to show her she gets rewarded with good behavior. If she is quietly talking, she is let out. If she starts screaming while out, she gets put back, if it continues, she gets a time out with covering the cage. I truly don't know if this is starting to work or how much longer I need to stick with it. She is still trying to "mate" with me and I don't know how to stop that and how much her behavioral issues are from that!!!!