JLcribber
@cockatoojohn
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Avenue Concierge
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of establishing a consistent routine for problem or phobic birds. The routine helps with stress and anxiety because the bird knows what to expect. Once or twice a week I throw a wrench into the routine, just for the day to keep life interesting. Then back to the routine. People will say not to lock your bird into a routine but that's exactly what a problem or phobic bird needs. Birds are creatures of habit.
Here is my routine. First off, all the birds get up at 6:30 in the morning and go to bed at 6:30 in the evening WITHOUT FAIL. There are times when the birds will need to go to bed earlier or later because of personal commitments. My birds get up earlier or later depending when they went to bed. They naturally maintain their 12 hours of sleep and wake up on their own.
I keep the feeding routine and sleep times consistent. The rest of the "routine" is as flexible and mixed up as possible so If there is a change, they adapt to the change much better.
Its early and the birds and I are the only ones up. From 6:30 to 8:30 is dedicated bird time. They come out of the sleep cages and into the day area. We do whatever THEY decide. They might go play right away or want to eat first. Its up to them. Everything is about choice and options.
It's important that the birds learn to be alone for some of the day. Even If you are home all the time. My birds live in the basement. I leave for work shortly after 8:30. The routine is always the same. Put the 50 inch tv on cartoon channel. Crank the "nature sounds" channel on the stereo in 5.1 surround sound and turn the industrial size hepa filter on high to drown out other sounds in the house. I put that old hat on, jingle that giant ring of keys I take with me, stomp up the stairs in my boots, I yell out "I'll be back" in a loud voice and slam the back door. I AM GONE. they know this. At 4:00pm I come home the same way. Slam the back door, jingle those keys, yell "I'm home", stomp down the stairs and all hell breaks loose
The point is they know the sounds and motions that happen just before everybody leaves. We are expected to leave and the house is expected to be quiet for a few hours. It is normal to be alone mid day.
I have closed circuit television in the basement so I can watch them anytime I want over the internet. They are perfectly fine during the day while I'm gone.
One big advantage. If I want to stay home I still follow the routine. Only instead of actually leaving I just go upstairs for the day. They are no wizer that I am up there. We all need a little time in our own house without having to be constantly on guard and aware of what the birds are doing.
**************
There was an interesting study done about plucking and the proximity of the cage to a door. A major factor for feather plucking was the distance between the cage and doors. Feather picking is related to stress and having people appear very suddenly, with no warning, was determined to be a significant stressor and could be a contributing factor to plucking. The worse case was determined to be the cage facing directly onto a door, doors emptying from the sides were not as big a problem.
The same study determined that plucking was not an inherited characteristic.
Link to the study.
Here is my routine. First off, all the birds get up at 6:30 in the morning and go to bed at 6:30 in the evening WITHOUT FAIL. There are times when the birds will need to go to bed earlier or later because of personal commitments. My birds get up earlier or later depending when they went to bed. They naturally maintain their 12 hours of sleep and wake up on their own.
I keep the feeding routine and sleep times consistent. The rest of the "routine" is as flexible and mixed up as possible so If there is a change, they adapt to the change much better.
Its early and the birds and I are the only ones up. From 6:30 to 8:30 is dedicated bird time. They come out of the sleep cages and into the day area. We do whatever THEY decide. They might go play right away or want to eat first. Its up to them. Everything is about choice and options.
It's important that the birds learn to be alone for some of the day. Even If you are home all the time. My birds live in the basement. I leave for work shortly after 8:30. The routine is always the same. Put the 50 inch tv on cartoon channel. Crank the "nature sounds" channel on the stereo in 5.1 surround sound and turn the industrial size hepa filter on high to drown out other sounds in the house. I put that old hat on, jingle that giant ring of keys I take with me, stomp up the stairs in my boots, I yell out "I'll be back" in a loud voice and slam the back door. I AM GONE. they know this. At 4:00pm I come home the same way. Slam the back door, jingle those keys, yell "I'm home", stomp down the stairs and all hell breaks loose
The point is they know the sounds and motions that happen just before everybody leaves. We are expected to leave and the house is expected to be quiet for a few hours. It is normal to be alone mid day.
I have closed circuit television in the basement so I can watch them anytime I want over the internet. They are perfectly fine during the day while I'm gone.
One big advantage. If I want to stay home I still follow the routine. Only instead of actually leaving I just go upstairs for the day. They are no wizer that I am up there. We all need a little time in our own house without having to be constantly on guard and aware of what the birds are doing.
**************
There was an interesting study done about plucking and the proximity of the cage to a door. A major factor for feather plucking was the distance between the cage and doors. Feather picking is related to stress and having people appear very suddenly, with no warning, was determined to be a significant stressor and could be a contributing factor to plucking. The worse case was determined to be the cage facing directly onto a door, doors emptying from the sides were not as big a problem.
The same study determined that plucking was not an inherited characteristic.
Link to the study.
