leaving bird with sitter for a weekend - tips please!!!

[noodlehan]

Next week I am going to be leaving my bird for about 4 days from Wednesday morning to Saturday evening. This is a trip i have been wanting to take for a very long time so i don’t want to cancel. I have never left my bird before, so i am feeling a lot of anxiety over it. (for context, he is about 2.5 yrs and i’ve had him since he was very young). I have already made myself cry, or nearly cry too many times over this situation and i haven’t even left him yet. i am most definitely over worrying.

my family unfortunately lives too far for me to leave him with them (which would be my preference since i trust them to care for him properly), but i cannot afford/too last minute for me to board him at our local bird store. so, my roommates grandma is willing to watch him. she has had big birds in the past - but does currently have a dog. i’ll admit i am uneasy about him potentially getting hurt, or accidentally flying out the door (he does not have his wings clipped). i am hesitant to say leave him in his cage because he is a social bird, so i would hate for him to be lonely. i do work in healthcare and at times have very busy work weeks, so he is used to staying in his cage for a day or two with little interaction, so he should be fine to stay in his cage. but, again, i am get anxious about him getting injured or anything else.

i will be writing her a care list - but is there anything you think should be added? any special instructions you leave for bird sitters?

 

[nkrbkr]

Hi there! I understand being nervous about leaving your bird. My bird sitter comes to my house once a day while I’m away. They actually will not take birds out of their cages for safety (& liability) reasons. Both of my birds are very social. I personally would not recommend letting your bird out while away, especially since it’s a new situation/person/place, & there is a dog involved. As long as your bird has company (the grandma is talking with & paying attention to him), he should be just fine for a few days. I always leave very detailed instructions, including name & location of your vet. I’m sure your feathered buddy will be fine, & so happy to see you when you return.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I would have her leave him in his cage. The risk of loss or injury is too great and you would be worried sick. If something happened to him your rommate, roommates Grandma and you would all be very upset. Sitting in his cage for 4 days while grandma watches him isn't ideal but it's SAFE, and that's the most important thing.

 

[noodlehan]

Hi there! I understand being nervous about leaving your bird. My bird sitter comes to my house once a day while I’m away. They actually will not take birds out of their cages for safety (& liability) reasons. Both of my birds are very social. I personally would not recommend letting your bird out while away, especially since it’s a new situation/person/place, & there is a dog involved. As long as your bird has company (the grandma is talking with & paying attention to him), he should be just fine for a few days. I always leave very detailed instructions, including name & location of your vet. I’m sure your feathered buddy will be fine, & so happy to see you when you return.

I wish i was able to have someone come to my place, but unfortunately her grandma lives about an hour and. a half away, so i would hate to ask her to make that drive daily. So, a little worried about him being in an unfamiliar place as well. What type of instructions do you typically leave? I have never had to leave him before and, in the past, I always had my sister or mother to take care of him while I was gone for long hours so they were already well aware of my rules with him.

 

[wrench13]

I used a sitter a few years ago when I went overseas for 2 weeks. I brought Salty to her house. She was highly recommended by our local Parrot Society. I brought fav toys and his normal food, enough for 3 weeks, just in case. A list of feeding times and amounts. She does not take parrots out of cage, too many chances for problems. Other then being pissed off at me for a few days, Salty was fine.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Add the vet information AND instructions on what to do if he sneaks out of his cage while the cage door is open. Make sure the dog is out of the room and the door to the room is closed whenever she opens the cage door for any reason. I'd give her a long handled large fish tank net to catch him with just in case. Sometimes my budgies don't want to go back in the cage when my sitter comes in the evening to put them back in (she comes in the morning and lets them out). I told her to try using a stick perch to put them back in and that usually works but if that fails just net them. They get over it.

 

[nkrbkr]

I wish i was able to have someone come to my place, but unfortunately her grandma lives about an hour and. a half away, so i would hate to ask her to make that drive daily. So, a little worried about him being in an unfamiliar place as well. What type of instructions do you typically leave? I have never had to leave him before and, in the past, I always had my sister or mother to take care of him while I was gone for long hours so they were already well aware of my rules with him.

I leave detailed instructions about when to feed, & amounts. I actually pre-measure everything as well, just to make it easier for everyone involved. Be sure to take extra food, just in case, & lots of toys too, as mentioned above.

 

[noodlehan]

I used a sitter a few years ago when I went overseas for 2 weeks. I brought Salty to her house. She was highly recommended by our local Parrot Society. I brought fav toys and his normal food, enough for 3 weeks, just in case. A list of feeding times and amounts. She does not take parrots out of cage, too many chances for problems. Other then being pissed off at me for a few days, Salty was fine.

I will definitely make sure to specify that I want him left in his cage then! I think that will give me peace of mind , even if he’s a little cranky with me when I return. I would much rather he be safe!

 

[onamom]

I leave Ona with a sitter quite often whenever we are out of town. She is an avian vet tech.

I would recommend brining your baby over for a day visit or one overnight before your trip if possible to have a bit of a transition and trial run. As far as the dog, I would make your sitter can separate the dog whenever the bird is out of the cage - different room, crate, etc.