• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

How do you manage SO MANY birds?

Ocha_Tuna

Meeting neighbors
Joined
9/13/20
Messages
66
Real Name
Raymond
I mean, one parrot feels like a toddler that constantly need your attention always...
So I'm baffled how people can keep so many birds all tame and cuddly. :o:
How do you manage your time? What if you had to go to places or away?
 

fluffypoptarts

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/15/12
Messages
6,883
Location
Florida
My life revolves around them. Some of them can come out at the same time, thankfully! I never go super far away from them, nor am I away for very long.
 

fluffypoptarts

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/15/12
Messages
6,883
Location
Florida
like I always say bird owners have TONS of time on their hands.
I wouldn’t say that at all, especially not later into adulthood. I used to have a lot more time, but now I’m very busy. But I do and sacrifice whatever I need to so that the birds have the time they need.
 

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,362
Location
Reino de España
What if you had to go to places or away?
When I go away (max for 3 nights once a year to visit family in the UK) my boyfriend cares for the birds. They do not get any out of cage time during those days. He feeds them and changes water, covers them for bed etc. He will interact through cage bars with them and feed them treats.
 

Meerkat07

Strolling the yard
Joined
7/12/20
Messages
120
I wouldn’t say that at all, especially not later into adulthood. I used to have a lot more time, but now I’m very busy. But I do and sacrifice whatever I need to so that the birds have the time they need.
Sorry that was sarcasm a lot of the time no one can figure out when im being sarcastic but yes bird ownership includes a lot of time management.
 

fluffypoptarts

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/15/12
Messages
6,883
Location
Florida
That is dedication!
:yourock:
LOL, thank you. My wife pried me away from them nearly 4 years ago for a little overnight trip (a couple hours away) and I couldn’t WAIT to get back to them. I woke her up early and was like, “Get in the car, we’re going home. I need to be with my babies.” My mom was taking care of them, but still! They need to come out and I need to have my fluffies close. I really hate being away from them!
 

scrape

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Joined
5/4/19
Messages
2,504
I mean, one parrot feels like a toddler that constantly need your attention always...
So I'm baffled how people can keep so many birds all tame and cuddly. :o:
How do you manage your time? What if you had to go to places or away?
I wish I had that problem. My birds hardly notice I'm gone. Oh well:)
 

Destiny

Rollerblading along the road
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
6/6/20
Messages
2,088
Real Name
Destiny
I do it by cheating. :D

My flock of fourteen parakeets live in an outdoor aviary and I visit them for my daily dose of birb interactions before I go to work in the morning and after I get home each evening. They are not particularly hand-tame unless that hand is holding a spray of millet or handful of oat groats, but they are always interested to see what gifts I bring when I visit their feathery domain. I am the snack bringer, seed-giver, and toy-replacer Welcome to visit their kingdom at any time.

Since I work full-time and have bird-incompatible house pets, I wouldn't be okay with keeping a caged bird in the house. It would spend too much time locked up for its own safety and not nearly enough time flying free. But since I have a dedicated space for birds now, the parakeets and finches can have their freedom all day-long and I can enjoy regularly interacting with them on their terms.

It's a win-win, even if it sometimes feels like I'm cheating a little. ;)

20200826_190507.jpg

See? Totally hand-tame!
 

Kassiani

Biking along the boulevard
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/12/20
Messages
6,832
Location
Southeastern U.S.
Most of the time when I have to visit family or travel for work, I can get my neighbor to help out. Plus, there is a great bird-sitting service in town with bird experience when I need to be gone for more than a couple of nights. I am, however, planning a trip in early October, and the boys are coming with me :)
 

fluffypoptarts

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/15/12
Messages
6,883
Location
Florida
Sorry that was sarcasm a lot of the time no one can figure out when im being sarcastic but yes bird ownership includes a lot of time management.
You’re not kidding! This fall is especially difficult as we’re short-handed at work for the fiscal year close-out and I have an on-going project I’m managing as well. I’m going to be putting in a lot of back-to-back weekend hours for the next month or so at least. :depressed:
 

Meerkat07

Strolling the yard
Joined
7/12/20
Messages
120
Most of the time when I have to visit family or travel for work, I can get my neighbor to help out. Plus, there is a great bird-sitting service in town with bird experience when I need to be gone for more than a couple of nights. I am, however, planning a trip in early October, and the boys are coming with me :)
wish my town had something like that my only go to's are parents and friends w/ birds
 

Elysian

Jogging around the block
Celebirdy of the Month
Joined
7/27/20
Messages
911
Location
Kansas City, Missouri
I wish I had that problem. My birds hardly notice I'm gone. Oh well:)
Me too lol. I love my budgies and I spend all day with them.. and I really love that they are so happy and comfortable enough in my house that they will step up for literally anyone I introduce them to.

But they are kinda like bossy roommates who would only notice I died because the dishes weren't getting washed anymore.
 

fluffypoptarts

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/15/12
Messages
6,883
Location
Florida
I wish I had that problem. My birds hardly notice I'm gone. Oh well:)
Aww! One day. :heart2:

2 of my lovebirds will yell at me if I’m a) not doing anything they deem worthy (like holding them), or b) holding another bird for longer than they find acceptable (regardless of whether or not it’s his normal length of time). :D It’s usually Twinkie or Termite yelling when I am holding the other one, lol.
 

AmberC

Walking the driveway
Joined
9/2/20
Messages
221
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Real Name
Amber
just get a aviary (make sure it has a bit of roof if its outdoor) and fill it with birds!
 

Destiny

Rollerblading along the road
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
6/6/20
Messages
2,088
Real Name
Destiny
Regarding what I do when I have places to go, the aviary was a Covid project, so I haven't actually gone anywhere since it was completed. Never leave your house - Problem solved!

Honestly, I already have so many other animals, I don't get out that much, even under normal circumstances, so adding an aviary to the list doesn't change that much for me. If I am gone for a day or two, I will set things up to require minimum interaction and have my family or friends stop by to check on the animals. For longer departures, it gets a little more complicated. The goats need to be fed. The chicken eggs must be gathered. The cats and dogs need to be fed and loved each day. My frogs need fruit flies eventually. Litter boxes need changing. And so on ..

Fortunately, when I do need to leave for a while, I know a lady who is a semi-professional house sitter/ pet sitter. She knows all our animals and she will stay over night to watch over the house and keep the dogs company. She gets a list of instructions that is a mile long, although I do try to keep it as simple as possible and not ask her to do anything too outrageous. The birds can survive without fresh-made chop and sprouted seeds for one week, for example.

I am looking forward to giving her an aviary tour next time I get to go on a real vacation. I think she is going to be super excited to hang out with my feathered cuties.

Not sure what I will do if she ever retires ... best not to dwell on that.
 
Last edited:

Elysian

Jogging around the block
Celebirdy of the Month
Joined
7/27/20
Messages
911
Location
Kansas City, Missouri
Regarding what I do when I have places to go, the aviary was a Covid project, so I haven't actually gone anywhere since it was completed. Never leave your house - Problem solved!
Wait- question ..your other post in this thread said you wouldn't be comfortable keeping an indoor cage at all.
...Did you just build the aviary and go get all 14 budgies at once?! :roflmao:
 

Destiny

Rollerblading along the road
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
6/6/20
Messages
2,088
Real Name
Destiny
Wait- question ..your other post in this thread said you wouldn't be comfortable keeping an indoor cage at all.
...Did you just build the aviary and go get all 14 budgies at once?! :roflmao:

Umm ... yes. Pretty much. :unsure1:

When I started construction on my aviary, I had no indoor birds. I bought a couple of flight cages and housed the parakeets and finches inside the house temporarily until the aviary was ready for them to move in. I got the birds before finishing the project so they could go through quarantine in separate groups. It also gave me a chance to get to know the individual birds before they were released into the larger aviary space.

It worked out well in my situation, but definitely not the typical way to do things.
 

Ocha_Tuna

Meeting neighbors
Joined
9/13/20
Messages
66
Real Name
Raymond
I do it by cheating. :D

My flock of fourteen parakeets live in an outdoor aviary and I visit them for my daily dose of birb interactions before I go to work in the morning and after I get home each evening. They are not particularly hand-tame unless that hand is holding a spray of millet or handful of oat groats, but they are always interested to see what gifts I bring when I visit their feathery domain. I am the snack bringer, seed-giver, and toy-replacer Welcome to visit their kingdom at any time.

Since I work full-time and have bird-incompatible house pets, I wouldn't be okay with keeping a caged bird in the house. It would spend too much time locked up for its own safety and not nearly enough time flying free. But since I have a dedicated space for birds now, the parakeets and finches can have their freedom all day-long and I can enjoy regularly interacting with them on their terms.

It's a win-win, even if it sometimes feels like I'm cheating a little. ;)

View attachment 353664

See? Totally hand-tame!
It truly is a win win situation! I would love to have a flock of tame finch / canary for the aviary. And then indoors would be just one cuddly parrot. That'd be nice honestly hehe
Chickens are cuddly too but my parents wont allow them, and they will eat my veggie garden so its a no for now haha
 
Top