How long is it okay to leave a GCC "alone?"

[svetlak]

Thanks guys.

Ultimately, the criticism was legitimate, though I would constructively urge that those who made the harsher posts consider their tone and delivery a bit closer in the future. In the end, it was my decision to take her back because while she probably would have been "okay" after some time, I don't want her to be "okay." I want her to thrive.

For the record, I made the decision to take her back based on the sheer number of "18 hours really is too long" responses here, as well as a few bird people in my life expressing concern... not the more negative/borderline rude comments. Comments with a rude tone simply made me want to prove you wrong, and while in this case you weren't, I would urge you in the future to consider how the comments will be taken - more forceful does NOT mean more effective.

I've decided for now to simply put up a wild bird feeder outside my window and enjoy the beautiful birds of the world this way for now. I would love to have a hand tame bird in my life that is less high maintenance emotionally than a parrot, but I am fairly certain this type of bird does not exist, contrary to the budgie-pushing beliefs of the pet store folks.

Wonderful post. I was scanning through this thread for the first time today, starting from page 1, then jumping to page 6 and then back to page 5 when I learned you decided to give up your birdie. I feel so sad for you.

I wanted to tell you how sorry I am you decided to give your birdie up, due to the heartbreak involved. I can only imagine how difficult this decision was for you. It is a pity having someone look after your bird during your absences was not an option.

I would also like to say that I completely agree with you on your position that all parrots are emotionally (and not only) high maintenance, including little budgies, of which I am a caregiver (don't like the word "owner" with respect to pets), or should I perhaps say "slave", to six.

I hope you will soon come to a place in your life where you will be able to enjoy a parrot (or more) to the fullest. They are a delight!

Good luck with everything.

 

[macawpower58]

I've read through this thread and am thrilled the bird wasn't kept.

Many of us here have 'rescued' birds from situations just like this. Where we believe that the bird's being neglected. Isolation to a parrot IMO is neglect.

How also could you ever feed a bird healthily when gone over a day or more? Seeds are not a diet parrots thrive on. Produce will spoil. Water will need changed.

I'm actually surprised there weren't more intensive replies.

I know a bird that lives exactly like this, and has done so for years. It's a CAG, and the look in it's eyes breaks my heart. It even sees it people once a day for food, but they don't live with it. It lives alone in the 'other' house.

I start to panic if my 8 hour work day gets longer. I know my birds are waiting and watching for me. I know the high point of their day is my walking in that door, and they even have flockmates.

Some of us who have had our birds for years may have a change in our lives at some time where this could happen, and maybe we'd put our birds through it for a time.

But to start out this way...... In no way could I ever agree it's OK.

 

[safehaven]

I agree with you 100% macawpower58. I believe the original poster knew this inside, but was torn between giving it up, understandably, and making sure she makes the right decision, which IMO she did, as hard as it was.

Since this is a place to express opinions and answers to the questions a poster asks:

What would make you feel comfortable leaving your birdie baby alone for that long? If someone came by multiple times a day for fresh food, cleaning the cage, spending time with the bird.
What are absolute no-no's in a situation like this? Leaving a bird unattended over 8 hours without someone checking on it and doing above
Assume for the purposes of this poll that we are talking about no humans coming by to check in on him during the timeframe listed, and that he is of course given plenty of food, water, and safe toys. Mine would be miserable like this and wait on their window perch for my car to drive up. I cannot imagine them waiting days, 8 hours is bad enough.

Final thoughts: kinda surprised 5 people voted that it was ok for 3-4 days
It is also my opinion birds should not be in cages all day.

 

[Heather F]

What are absolute no-no's in a situation like this? Leaving a bird unattended over 8 hours without someone checking on it and doing above

8 hours? Seriously? So no one with a job ought to have a bird?

 

[learnincurve]

It would depend on the bird. I wouldn't leave a macaw or a Gray alone for 8 hours on a regular basis myself but it would depend on if you had a bird room/avery/other birds and what monitoring set up you use. Plus if you can afford to keep a bird that size then you should really be able to budget for someone to check in on it.

My canary is perfectly happy to sit in it's cage in front of the window all day cheeping to itself, my young red rumpeds and cockatiel however are idiots and as I type this one is sat in the water bowl and the others are sat in food bowls which will make this the third time everything has to be changed today.

 

[safehaven]

8 hours? Seriously? So no one with a job ought to have a bird?

Re-read what I said

 

[Heather F]

Re-read what I said

Yes, you said "over 8 hours." Which rules out anyone who works for 8 hours and has any kind of commute.

 

[safehaven]

Yes, you said "over 8 hours." Which rules out anyone who works for 8 hours and has any kind of commute.

I said: Leaving a bird unattended over 8 hours without someone checking on it. I have a job, I ask my son, my daughter, a friend, neighbor ..etc to check in on the birds if I was to be gone longer than 8 hours. I said " Me" I did not say "you" , I gave MY answer to the posters question. Key point: MY answer
You are absolutely welcome to give your answers to the posters question.

 

[karen256]

8 hours? Seriously? So no one with a job ought to have a bird?

Yeah I don't think 8 hours alone could be considered an 'absolute no-no' by any means. Most people work, and have some sort of commute, and need to do other things outside the home as well, ect., and most birds can handle that fine if they get plenty of quality time and time out of the cage when their owners are home. Many birds just nap during the day.
I would say an absolute no-no might be leaving a bird all alone for 10 hrs+ routinely (more than just an occasional day or temporary emergency type situation); or leaving a bird alone for 24 hrs+ without someone to check in once or twice a day (once a day if it's just going to be a weekend, twice a day if any longer than that).
Now this is for small-med birds in a good sized cage that allows room for play and activity; with large parrots like macaws and cockatoos, it's hard to provide a cage large enough for them to be active at all, plus they can be more needy for attention; so these birds may need someone home more so they can be out of their cages.
Edit: Also I don't like leaving my birds for long stretches either. But a couple times a year I may need to leave them 12 hrs+ (Thanksgiving, ect.) and I just get them up a little early and make sure they get a little quality time before I leave and when I get home, and they are fine with no one checking in. I don't leave them longer than that, but that's because I also have a dog who needs to be let out.

 

[Tyrion]

I have been watching this thread but didn't have much input because Ive had Tryion for only a yr and half and because I never go anywhere But I know when I had my tiels I have left them for a weekend in the past with no ill affects ...this was before my mom moved in with me ...no I don't have to worry if I was to ever go anywhere my mom looks after all of my pets ...

But in this case I am saddened because I feel that somewhere in all of this there could have been a compromise where she may have found a balance .Im glad she felt she made the right decision for herself at this time but now this lil bird doesnt have a home now and she sounded like she loved this lil bird .I guess Im just all for trying to find a solution instead of giving the bird back ..

 

[KnittingAnarchy]

In the interests of transparency and full information for anyone reading this thread in the future, I have been privately messaged by SEVERAL members who said that their birds have been kept for long hours alone because of work quite successfully for many years, so long as they get lots of attention when they are home, and they don't talk about it on the forum for fear of starting a firestorm. These members have, on this front, disagreed that taking Pebbles back was the right decision.

I knew coming to this forum that this would be the most "extreme" end of bird care - that is, if you're a regular on a bird forum, you're probably a bird fan and more likely to be more strict than is truly needed from a care standpoint. I am confident that had I kept her, she would've adjusted to the schedule and been alright, but again - I stress that I want her to THRIVE, not be "okay."

That said, I am not endorsing keeping your bird alone for a long time on a regular basis, prospective reader... I just wanted to round this thread out with some information that is somewhat missing, and that is that there are plenty of regulars here that would vehemently disagree that a bird shouldn't be left alone longer than 10 hours - but again, every bird is an individual, and more time with the bird is always better than less.

 

[learnincurve]

The issue here with me sat in the UK is that we have something called the "animal welfare act of 2006" Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the RSPCA. (royal society for the prevention of cruelty to animals)

It's complicated to explain all the legality and what the RSPCA do but the simplified version is that the RSPCA say no more than 12 hours, police and the courts go on this. RSPCA don't like people who work full time to own pets unless they get someone in to check on them/play with them/walk them during the day and there is a massive industry based on this. More than 12 hours on a regular basis without having people to check on the animals is a visit from the RSPCA and then the police if you don't change. To me, with what may seem to others like a draconian cultural attitude towards pet ownership (hell we have a queen who is head of the animal police) the idea of leaving animals alone for long periods is incomprehensible, other cultures may feel differently, I understand that, but I will still think you are wrong.

 

[KnittingAnarchy]

Frankly, the idea of checking in on an animal for someone who's simply at work for their normal 8 hour shift is absolutely *absurd* to me.

I grew up in the country. We had outside cats and dogs, we had goats, we had rabbits. The cats and dogs pretty much came and went as they pleased. The goats required fresh water and food daily, only water in the summer when they grazed a large field, and not even daily after we got a larger trough. The rabbits required food and water daily (as there were lots of them and they ran out of water at different rates) and their cage bottoms cleaned probably about weekly.

None of these animals were "socialized." None of them had someone checking on them every 8 hours - it was not uncommon to go days without seeing one of the cats, and the rabbits were not hand tame and would've loved for us to simply leave them be. And yet they all thrived. People have been keeping animals for thousands of years in this way.

I am not - I repeat, NOT - saying that you can do the same with a parrot. Its clearly and distinctly not the same thing. But to imply that I'm an irresponsible pet owner for leaving my cat home alone for a couple of days with a large bowl of food and water, air conditioning, a clean litterbox, countless comfy places to sleep, and a bucket of toys is patently ridiculous.

 

[dragonlady2]

40 years ago I owned a parrot. I bought the largest cage I could...I wouldn't put a canary in that size today. 40 years ago it was okay to leave your parrot alone for hours at a time...we didn't know any better. After all of the research, surely, we have learned that it is not "okay"to leave your birds for hours alone. I am struggling with the idea that "several" people here think it is "okay". I think parrot ownership is doable...even if you work, but you need a safety plan and support system to ensure that optimal care is the goal, not just "okay" is the goal. I hope that goal here on this forum is not only to support owners, but also to inform them. I am European...that may account for my difference in opinion?

 

[Heather F]

So wait, you have to literally hire a pet nanny in the UK if you work full time? I'm sorry, but that's kind of insane.

Yes, our bird has the apartment to himself, with the radio and his water and his pellets and his toys, from 7:30 to 5:00-5:30 depending on traffic most weekdays. He gets a little over an hour or so out time in the morning and three hours or so in the evening which is when he gets his fresh food, and more out time on weekends.

I would absolutely agree that you can't leave a large cockatoo to himself for 8+ hours every day, that's one of many reasons I don't have a cockatoo. But Frodo actually gets kind of grumpy and antsy if we have a long weekend and are home all day for more days in a row than he's used to. He likes his routine and doesn't like missing his midday nap.

 

[itzmered]

Wow some of you must have won the lottery or be independently rich if you can afford to have someone come in to check on your birds if you work a full time job. I personally dont know of anyone that works a full time job that does that and I also don't think it is necessary. Give your birds some credit they are much more adaptable then you seem to think they are. Being left alone daily while your at work is not neglect and I think it is pretty arrogant to think someone is neglecting their bird for leaving them at home while their at work

 

[dragonlady2]

I don't think it is about neglect. I guess when I decided to get back into owning birds...I wanted to ensure that I did better than I did the first time. I felt anxiety about making sure I got home on my "later" days. I got my husband to check in if he was home and to feed them their afternoon feeding. I am not saying that people can't work. However, parrots are not the same as dogs and cats ( I have both). Their cognitive abilities are so much greater, JMO. Instead of arguing about if it is okay, can't the collective experience here on the forum come up with ways and ideas that make it okay?

 

[Karen]

But to imply that I'm an irresponsible pet owner for leaving my cat home alone for a couple of days with a large bowl of food and water, air conditioning, a clean litterbox, countless comfy places to sleep, and a bucket of toys is patently ridiculous.

For fear of being patently ridiculous on my high horse while being arrogant and a bully I would like to respond to this thread again.

IMO, I repeat IN MY OPINION, and you did ask for my opinion when you started this thread;

But for a variety of reasons (upcoming school beginning, a second job, and several important family events 3 hours away over the summer) I would like to be able to feel okay leaving him "alone" for up to 48ish hours. I know that's longer than ideal, which is why I'm asking for input here.

IMO it is WRONG and IRRESPONSIBLE to leave animals without proper care for days at a time!

Regarding parrots; they eat two meals a day (at a minimum) breakfast and dinner. They need 2-4 hours of socialization daily. They need 10-12 hours of sleep. At different times of the year their day may change because most wake up with the sun and go to bed when the sun sets.

Anyone can do the math to figure out if they are providing the correct care. IMO anyway you look at it, if you're gone 14 hours a day, then spend 3-4 hours with the bird for care, feeding, cleaning, socialization, bathing, etc. and then provide the optimal 10-12 hour night that they need you will run out of hours.

Regarding long days at a work or a along day event;
I have been a professional pet sitter since 1998. People are not rich nor absurd to provide midday care for their animals during a long work or event day. This is an option for many and not absurd and benefits the pets.

 

[itzmered]

It is totally different with dogs having a pet sitter during the day. Birds don't need someone to let them out to go to the bathroom. If it is going to be implied that anyone that works a full time job and leaves their birds alone for that period of time is neglectful than I guarantee you a large majority of bird owners would be considered neglectful. Or maybe I run in the wrong circles because everyone I know has to work for a living

 

[InTheAir]

Frankly, the idea of checking in on an animal for someone who's simply at work for their normal 8 hour shift is absolutely *absurd* to me.

I grew up in the country. We had outside cats and dogs, we had goats, we had rabbits. The cats and dogs pretty much came and went as they pleased. The goats required fresh water and food daily, only water in the summer when they grazed a large field, and not even daily after we got a larger trough. The rabbits required food and water daily (as there were lots of them and they ran out of water at different rates) and their cage bottoms cleaned probably about weekly.

None of these animals were "socialized." None of them had someone checking on them every 8 hours - it was not uncommon to go days without seeing one of the cats, and the rabbits were not hand tame and would've loved for us to simply leave them be. And yet they all thrived. People have been keeping animals for thousands of years in this way.

I am not - I repeat, NOT - saying that you can do the same with a parrot. Its clearly and distinctly not the same thing. But to imply that I'm an irresponsible pet owner for leaving my cat home alone for a couple of days with a large bowl of food and water, air conditioning, a clean litterbox, countless comfy places to sleep, and a bucket of toys is patently ridiculous.

I commend you for recognising that a single bird is not a suitable companion for you at present. I would dearly love to have a dog, but my current lifestyle is not suitable for a dog so I don't have one.

There is quite a broad difference between keeping a group of animals, like your rabbits or goats, and keeping a single companion animal that depends on you for all it's social needs. Socialisation can (and I think should) include their own species. Also, the size of a cage designed for a small bird in a house is nothing like a large field for goats.

Maybe because I live in a country where I see small and large parrots flying in groups for miles every day, I can't reconcile myself to the view that it is acceptable to keep a single parrot in circumstances where it can have no social contact all day. It is against their nature. I don't believe that is in the best interest of a parrot at all. A pair or more of social creatures that enjoy each others company don't depend so much on human interaction.