Having a bird makes me happy but also a bit sad

[Linearis]

I just want to say that getting a parrotlet has made me happier than probably any decision I've ever made. She's 100 times better than I even imagined. I love spending time with her, I love decorating her cage and making her toys. I love when I'm about to leave my room and she runs up to me and asks me to take her with me (her flight feathers are still growing in). She hops onto my finger and off we go to another part of the house! But I'm finding it hard to cope with being away from her. I know it sounds pathetic but when I leave to go to school or to do errands I feel really bad. When I come home she's usually on her swing or playing with a toy so she seems to be keeping herself busy fine but I still worry and feel guilty for leaving her.

Right now I'm home most of the time but it was harder when I was working during the Summer (for me, not sure if it was hard for her... she seemed to be her normal self), and after is my last semester of school so after this I'm going to need to find a job again, maybe longterm career. I'm not sure what to do, does it get better? She seems to enjoy her cage quite a lot. Even though she does seem to like being out of her cage, sometimes she goes back to her cage on her own and plays in it even when I'm home and the door is open, which makes me happy since I feel it means her cage is adequate in her eyes. I make toys for her, currently making her foraging toys which she seems to love (she loves finding food in them way more than eating from her bowl) and when I'm home she gets as much out of cage time as she wants but... I still wish I could spend more time with her. I wish I could work from home. I miss her when I'm out. At the same time she would probably distract me if I were to work from home haha... I'd probably have to work in a different room, but at least it would cut the useless commuting time. -.-

I may get her a bigger cage when I have a steady income but then washing the cage would be harder and I like keeping it really clean for her. I'm not just saying that because I want things to be easier, but rather I want it to not take too much time because when I'm cleaning the cage I'm not studying (learning mandarin so even when I'm done with school I'll still be studying) and not hanging out with her. Taking it outside and hosing it down is not possible, but at its current size I can at least put it in the shower to rinse it with hot water. I like how it looks like new after I'm done, whereas when I just wipe it down it doesn't have quite the same effect to me. I thought of getting her a bird friend but I also heard parrotlets can be a bit difficult when it comes to getting along with other birds... The way I see it, it's likely I'd have to put them in their own cages and give them one-on-one time separately and I rather focus all my attention on one bird than divide my attention between two birds that are likely to not get along...

I really hope it gets better. x.x

 

[Mizzely]

Big cages to me are easier to clean than the little cages I can't put it in the tub but my steam cleaner does the same thing as the shower, and sanitizes at the same time

Part of being a good owner is the guilt, I think. You always want the best and always feel like there is somewhere that you can improve, especially when you are new to it and in love with this little being It doesn't get better, but it comes and goes a little easier.

 

[Linearis]

Yeah I was thinking of getting a steam cleaner but when I looked more into it, it seems it's not recommended for cleaning the whole cage but rather just blasting poop off of perches and hard to reach corners and stuff? And then still doing regular cleaning since you still have to clean the debris. I saw one for about 50$ so I was going to get it when I start working again but then reading those posts made me wonder if it's a good idea (it was on another board, the parrot wizard guy or whatever talked about it). I just kind of want her to have a bigger cage so that more toys can fit while giving her still ample room to fly a bit when she's able to. For now I'm not going too though especially since she can't fly... If I see she's struggling to fly around in the space she has, I'll upgrade.

 

[Mizzely]

Not sure why you can't do the whole cage with one, I do it all the time.

 

[Linearis]

I don't know, he said that it would take hours or something. Which steam cleaner do you use? If it works well I'd definitely consider it (when I have the money..xD Well, and for now it's not needed since I can just throw cage in the tub).

 

[Mizzely]

Amazon.com: Wagner 0282014 915 On-demand Steam Cleaner, 120 Volts: Home Improvement

I don't have hours. That's WHY I bought a steam cleaner

 

[Linearis]

Maybe the one he tried sucked *shrugs*, thanks for link!

 

[finchly]

Mine is the same brand, I use it on 10 cages. I think it’s great, and sure beats hauling them to another room or outdoors (not to mention catching finches).

 

[LSA]

I only have 6 cages and don't steam clean them. I do a daily wipe down an paper pull nightly as part of our bedtime ritual then clean everything on Saturday with PoopOff or F10 on trays, bars, perches, toys, etc. Then do quarterly heavy cleans and semiannual wash downs. My cages stay clean.

@Coldbreeze doesn't but @d_msparkles works from home but is considering a change and both have been dealing with the guilt- thing upon leaving. It just takes time sometimes. If necessary, make the change over a short time.

Everyone that leaves the home deals with this with young birds particularly. We tend not to give them enough credit to entertain and take care of themselves. Obviously, she does even while you're there. Just make sure she gets clean food and water first thing! Even that becomes part of her routine.

If you're there all day, that's what the bird learns to expect; if not, the same. Some birds are more adaptable to change. Even so, ALL birds adapt, especially young birds. It's actually the change in schedule that's sometimes harder. My birds have learned my schedule and know that's just the way it is.

When you're home, open the cage. Let her choose. Your little buddy will learn when it's her time with you and how to be independent. The recommended time is two hours a day plus 10- 15 minutes training time for a reason.

 

[MommyBird]

@Mizzely @finchly
Can you tell me HOW you steam clean? What attachments do you use?
I got a shark handheld a number of years ago to try it and it just made no sense and didn't seem to do much.
I see so many people here talk about steam cleaning and I can't figure out how to do it!
It would be nice as I can only haul cages outside for about 4 months here.

 

[finchly]

Oh sorry. Mine is not the same brand. Mine is a Mcculoch. Anyway, they come with these brush attachments (small round ones). For the most part you can just steam, and when there’s stuff on the cage bars you use the scrub brush plus steam.

Most of my cages have newspaper over the grate, but some have the grate exposed. If there’s a lot of poop on the grate I will spritz it first with my vinegar/water bottle and maybe even scrub a little with a sponge or brush before I steam clean.

When clean, I wipe down with a towel. I’m sure this isn’t necessary but it’s one more step to be sure I get everything off.

Be sure you buy a steamer that gets to the right temperature to sanitize as it cleans.

 

[Mizzely]

Mine has a wand with brushes. Point and spray and use the scrub brush when needed.

 

[Lwalker]

@Mizzely @finchly
Can you tell me HOW you steam clean? What attachments do you use?
I got a shark handheld a number of years ago to try it and it just made no sense and didn't seem to do much.
I see so many people here talk about steam cleaning and I can't figure out how to do it!
It would be nice as I can only haul cages outside for about 4 months here.

Glad you asked! I am in the same boat.

 

[Linearis]

I only have 6 cages and don't steam clean them. I do a daily wipe down an paper pull nightly as part of our bedtime ritual then clean everything on Saturday with PoopOff or F10 on trays, bars, perches, toys, etc. Then do quarterly heavy cleans and semiannual wash downs. My cages stay clean.

@Coldbreeze doesn't but @d_msparkles works from home but is considering a change and both have been dealing with the guilt- thing upon leaving. It just takes time sometimes. If necessary, make the change over a short time.

Everyone that leaves the home deals with this with young birds particularly. We tend not to give them enough credit to entertain and take care of themselves. Obviously, she does even while you're there. Just make sure she gets clean food and water first thing! Even that becomes part of her routine.

If you're there all day, that's what the bird learns to expect; if not, the same. Some birds are more adaptable to change. Even so, ALL birds adapt, especially young birds. It's actually the change in schedule that's sometimes harder. My birds have learned my schedule and know that's just the way it is.

When you're home, open the cage. Let her choose. Your little buddy will learn when it's her time with you and how to be independent. The recommended time is two hours a day plus 10- 15 minutes training time for a reason.

Maybe I should make an effort to leave the house more even though I don't need to... I wanted to take advantage of all my free time before I work to be at home but at the same time doing that makes me wonder if the change will be too drastic when I DO go back to working...

When you use f10 and poop off on the cages do you rinse with water after or can you just wipe them and then it evaporates (I always get confused with f10 because people say you can use it with your birds still in cage yet the instructions say to take animals out first) ? I have f10 but I use it during my monthly washdown and use vinegar and water the other times.

 

[LSA]

What I do is open each cage so the bird(s) have free time. 5 birds share a room with 4 cages. (3 are conures that like to sleep together and 2 are budgies.) The others are their own stories.

The PoopOff just is wiped down not rinsed and I personally have never had any problem with F10 and PoopOff over the years.

Technically, most of the birds are out while I clean. Even so, the conures love to help so are directly exposed to PoopOff weekly and F10 quarterly. One of the budgies watches me closely as I clean their cage. One bird doesn't fly and watches as I intrude and clean so is in her cage the whole time PoopOff and/or F10 gets used... even for air drying. The last gets put in his travel cage and is only returned to his cage after the PoopOff dry.

To be clear though, PoopOff is used weekly, F10 quarterly and vinegar with water or just water is used semiannually.

The way I handle out of cage time is this: If I'm home (except after bedtime), somebirdies out.

 

[Mizzely]

F10 should be left to dry to disinfect properly.

 

[LSA]

F10 is a disinfectant; PoopOff is an enzymatic cleaner for just that.

 

[Dona]

I am retired so I have lots of time for Gigi, but I deliberately do my own thing in the morning. I often go out or have my grandchildren here. Then at lunchtime, I roll her cage into the living room and she stays there till after dinner. During part of that time her cage door is open and she comes and goes/hangs out with me/plays on her play gym/has a bath. Gigi seems to like the schedule and plays well independently. I have to make an effort not to play with her all day when I'm home.

 

[LSA]

@Dona, that's so well said!

I'm in with Sherman listening to the conures call for me. It's hard, but this is Sherman's "open cage with Mom" time.

 

[d_msparkles]

Hi! I can relate to this sooo much. Even working from home, I work mostly in my office so that she's not used to me being around ALL the time. This is my first parrot and I love her more than I ever knew I could love a pet (had cats before). They have such individual and unique little personalities...and are so soft!!
You DO have to give her time away from you, or you'll end up with a super Velcro bird which isn't healthy. You have to think long term--you don't want to go the rest of your parrot's lifespan without travelling or spending time with friends!
I have DEFINITELY bailed on social plans to be home with Waffle, and I hate long days away from her. But she gets a little crabby about it the next morning and that's it. And honestly, she seems to enjoy her cage time. All of her toys are there! Some days it is abundantly clear she would like me to just go away so she can play. I agree with @LSA that we really don't give them enough credit. I think because in our research we're told again and again that they are flock animals with great emotional intelligence. But heck, I'm an extrovert and probably a bit smarter than my bird and I like my alone time too!
I do really love working from home because of her, and because it's all we've known. There are a million other things tied up in why I'm struggling to stay at my current job (commuting in a city just sucks, parrot or not) but having the chance to peek in and hang out with her at lunch is definitely one of them!