time spent with your macaw?

[Casey]

I'm doing a poll because I'm curious how much time you spend with your macaw/fids per day.

I feel bad as I'm not able to spend as much time with our 2 fids as I would like.

Please be honest

 

[tab_xo]

Hmm..i wake up at about 8-9am roughly.. Spend little bit of time with Fargo.. go do other chores.. get back at maybe 9 or 10am.. Usually the rest of the day i am with him, maybe just 5 minutes every now and then doing stuff.. Then at 4-5pm he goes away till about 6.. and then one more hour till he puts himself to sleep

So about 7-8 hours, although only half is probably WITH me, the rest he plays by himself

The occasional day i might be gone all day, and he does great in his cage by himself!

 

[JerseyWendy]

My boys are out at least 6 hours/day, but I "only" spend one on one time about 2 hours/day. Not all in one session either. They are quite good at entertaining themselves (and most of the time they entertain ME by their antics and vocalization.)

 

[Grinder]

I let my birds out for about an hour in the morning while I get ready for work. I only spend one on one time for about 5 minutes each as they are eager to eat breakfast and just preen themselves. After work they are out for about 3 to 4 hours. Again, one on one time through out those few hours. They are happy to be out and in the 'middle of it all' for the most part. If they want to spend time on my shoulder they are welcome too. Each day is different to what they want to do and I do my best to accommodate their moods.

 

[davisn456]

I'm a very new parrot owner, but I'm trying to establish a consistent routine with Frankie. I let her out when I'm getting ready for work and try to talk to her some while I'm doing my routine. I pick her up and wish her good morning, and check her food bowls and refresh her water. She's in the cage while I'm at work. As soon as I get home, she's back out, and usually spends a good bit of time either sitting on my shoulder or outside her cage.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Everybody's life is different. Different jobs, different schedules. I think the MOST important thing is QUALITY TIME over quantity.

 

[Blancaej]

I agree with Wendy! I am self employed so my schedule changes easily! I usually let me birds out for about an hour every morning. I tried to spend 10 to 20 minutes holding them. I don't do it that long for my GW Macaw yet as we've only had her for 3 weeks. But she does come out of her cage for the hour.

I sometimes get home at 2:30pm to make candy. When I do, I let them out all afternoon and visit one on one with each of them in between candy batches. If I am home closer to 5:30pm they are allowed out of there cages until about 7:30pm - 8pm. I try to spend one on one time with each of them, more with Quincy (my CAG) right now, after dinner. So I would say at least an hour of one on one time with Quincy and my GW Macaw I am working up to that. It will depend on your bird, too. Some birds are more touchy feely then others. But I agree with Wendy, the quality of the time you spend with them is more important then the quantity.

 

[Jtbirds]

I voted i never let them out, i mean you all know me my birds get no love!

i once again have to sadly agree with wendy if you give 20 minutes quality time one on one that is better then 24 hours of time just spent doing nothing but on your shoulder chilling with you, this time spent is still great but nothing like one on one completely devoted attention.

this all being said my birds are all out 6-8 hours a night and i spent quality time with them ever night, honestly all my birds are rescues and some do not like or demand attention like youd think. I have a blue crowned conure that just wnats out on her playgym cage and not messed with she is older and this is how she has set herself and many of my birds are similar to this kind of interaction. They all love there time but some mroe then others!

 

[JerseyWendy]

...

i once again have to sadly agree with wendy ....

Yeah, I can just see you CRINGING....LOL.

 

[Jtbirds]

HaHa wendy you know it.

 

[Greenwing]

My wife and I both work from home.. Let my birds out 5 days a week... And place them on there perches....I also purposely do not interact with them sometimes.. Limiting it to placing them on the perch in the morning and at night returning them back to the cage..I do this so they do not get accustomed to me entertaining them and they don't get upset if hey need to be on there own for a few days..(by on there own I mean a baby sitter )

I know some may disagree.. But I was given this advice by a few breeders and Avian vets ..... For me it has worked ...before I started working from home I would sometimes be away for weeks...with no I'll effects.. No plucking, no attitudes, no weight drop...

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I would say I give 3-10+ hours a day of attention depending on my scheduled. I spend at least 15 minutes(one session, sometimes I do more) on training, Rosie gets her cuddles and Kenji gets his Kisses. I leave Kenji's cage open and he sits on the door(or goes back in and plays/eats) when I am present, and let Rosie hang out on her Java perch.

I leave music on all day, and I often talk to them both. I give them little treats for doing a random behavior through out the day.

 

[triordan]

Remington is out of his cage for about three -four hours when I get home from work the weekends are different.... But actual one on one time, an hour at most during the week , 2-3 on weekends.... Your poll is a little confusing because you ask how much time do you spend with your birds ? Even birds that are out of their cage all day don't necessarily get any attention...

 

[goalerjones]

Hahnzel is perched atop my head as I type this...

 

[Turquoise]

My schedule for my birds is based on my work schedule. I work nights 4 on & 4 off. Before my Green Wing Ruby Jewel came home a week ago, my routine was to let Roscoe my normal Catalina out on my arm when I first get in or up on days off. I interact with him for a little while & then he goes back into his cage to wait for breakfast.

Angel, my Catalina with leg disabilities will be hanging on his cage door by this time. He likes to preen my clothes & let me scratch his neck. We do this for a few mins.

My ekkie doesn't like to be picked up, but she loves for me to stand face to face with her telling her I love her & how beautiful she is. So we spend time talking & she will let me kiss her beak.

Since Ruby Jewel was used to being out for most of the day at her breeder's house, she is having to adjust to my schedule. She is pacing the floor literally waiting for me to come take her out as soon as she sees me walk in the door or get up in the mornings. This has caused me to tweak my morning routine to letting her, Roscoe & Leyla Belle out on their play perches for about 1 1/2 hrs. before they go back to eat their breakfast.

I have always let Roscoe, Leyla Belle & Angel out in the afternoon for 1 1/2 hrs while I get ready for work. So Ruby Jewel gets out at that time also. On days off it is not a set time. It is dependent on what I am doing or when I am home. So on work days they have a more routine schedule.

My interaction with each one is not a set schedule & the amount varies daily. The resident flock is used to it & takes it all in stride. Ruby Jewel is already beginning to understand the new schedule, so she is going to fit right in to my unconventional lifestyle.

 

[IloveConures]

Mango is out all day. Though, I only play with him 2-5 hours a day.

 

[Birdlover1]

I let my Macaw out when at around 10:00 AM and he stays out of his cage all day except when I do my school because he tries to eat my work and steal my pencil,but thats only about an hour.Then he goes back in his cage at around 8:00 PM when I go to watch TV since Hes not tame so I can't bring him with me,but my budgie goes with me.