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Post by beccilouise on Dec 9, 2015 8:17:22 GMT -5
Thank you!  That's a good thought. I'd not considered how useful it would be to get him used to being boarded. We don't go away often, but obviously the odd visit to friends is going to happen. In most cases, if it's a small trip, he can come with me, but if it's one like this, it's better for him to stay home. |
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Post by biteybird on Dec 10, 2015 1:02:56 GMT -5
If it were me I'd go with boarding again, too. David's sister might have trouble changing Byron's food, particularly if he's cage territorial and she's never handled birds before (some nipped fingers might put her off quakers/birds in general for life!).
Bonnie still goes for our fingers every time if we try to change her dishes when she's in the cage - we avoid it only because she has a day cage and a sleeping cage & her food and water dishes get changed when she's sleeping and isn't in that room/cage.
At one stage we even had to use oven gloves to get her dishes (before we phased in the use of the sleeping cage) because she was so feral with our fingers.
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Post by beccilouise on Dec 10, 2015 10:05:14 GMT -5
Thanks! I don't have the territorial problem with Byron (yet, he is only a baby!) and he is used to my hands being in and out of his cage all the time. As he is young, and very used to people, I'm not too concerned about him biting my partner's sister, but I AM concerned that she doesn't know a great deal about birds and, if anything goes wrong (like he gets spooked and leaps off her finger, and then won't step up because he's frightened) that she will not know what to do. I think boarding, in hindsight, is abetter idea. Thanks! I hope Bonnie gets a little less nippy as she gets past the terrible twos!
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Post by aaron on Dec 10, 2015 11:27:49 GMT -5
I wish Cupcake was used to being boarded, but I haven't had the heart to try to get her used to it. One time, early in our parrot experience, we were thinking about getting a second Quaker, and there was another one at the pet store where we got Cupcake that we were very fond of... so we brought Cupcake back there with us so we could see how she reacted to this bird. Never mind the other bird, she seemed so incredibly terrified by simply being back in the pet store... I guess she thought she might have to go back? At any rate, I've been hesitant to put her in situations like boarding that might remind her of that place. I'm sure she'd be fine in the long run, but ugh... I don't like the thought of her being scared in a weird place without me. Needless to say, after learning more, we decided a second bird was a bad idea. I hope that Quaker at the pet store found a good home (we had named it Sweet Potato).
But the bottom line is, since I only have my parents as a potential caretaker for Cupcake when we go out of town, it means that I basically can never go on vacation *with* my parents, and if I could, we'd probably get to go on a lot more trips, because they would help me pay for them. Oh well.
So, if you've got a good boarding situation that you're comfortable with, I'd probably get Byron used to it now. I'd love to have that.
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Post by julianna on Dec 15, 2015 11:48:41 GMT -5
I just got back from Thunder Bay and my little Oscar once again had to go to the sitters. He did not want to stay there however, it is a nice and safe place for him and he cannot be with me at all times. Once he settles in he is a good boy. He was there for 6 days and was very happy to see me come and get him. He kisses me over and over and is anxious to get in the truck.
Once home he always wants to explore the house first to make sure nothing has changed and then it is straight into the bath. After cleaning up he gets his Mom's warm drying hands to snuggle up in and then it is off to the condo for him... lol. He must have spent 3 hours in there yesterday but of course demanding I move him from level to level.
It is good to be home and have my little boy safe and happy once again.
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Post by biteybird on Dec 16, 2015 2:07:07 GMT -5
Julianna, I'm a bit curious…how did Oscar's Condo (I assume you are talking about his drawer with the facecloths in it) begin?
(Apologies to everyone for straying off topic again - it's a bad habit of mine)
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Post by beccilouise on Dec 16, 2015 3:48:30 GMT -5
hahaha, to be honest, I'm curious as well!
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Post by julianna on Dec 16, 2015 13:58:43 GMT -5
Well... it started one day when he was getting ready for his bath in the bathroom sink. I had the drawer open and he was very curious so I helped him down into the drawer.... he was in love at first sight.... lol. Oscar has explored pretty much every drawer I have in the house. He is also fond of my underwear drawer but I have drawn a line there and I just pretend it does not exist. ha ha
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That's a good thought. I'd not considered how useful it would be to get him used to being boarded. We don't go away often, but obviously the odd visit to friends is going to happen. In most cases, if it's a small trip, he can come with me, but if it's one like this, it's better for him to stay home.
