How do you manage??

[IggyPepito]

For those of you with multiple birds, I'm talking 4+ birds, how do you manage their upkeep and expenses? Are they the only pets you own? Are they like your children?

If I lived alone and they were my only pets and I had no children then I could see myself caring for that many birds but I know some of you have more than just birds and do have families. How do you do it? I am amazed. You are super people!!

I have one bird right now (planning to get a second next year) and he's already a handful and expensive. Could I take on another bird next year, most likely. Could I take on four birds next year...Definitely not. For one, I have two dogs and three cats as well. Plus I still live at home with the parents. What a life for a 20 year old huh? lol I'll probably have a hard enough time convincing my dad to let me bring another bird into the house . haha Even though Iggy is not bad or noisy. In the distant future when I am on my own and such I do plan to have more birds but I would like to know how you super humans manage with all your birds? I think I saw some one on here who had like 13 birds!! I know I wouldn't be able to manage that many. lol

 

[jmfleish]

It's definitely a challenge some days. When I first got Tuchis TAG (my first bird as an adult), I had four cats. The cats have died of old age over the years and I'm down to one but my parrot count is now five. I can't imagine not having any one of the parrots...I was ready for the cats to pass and won't be getting any new ones once my last one is gone. The parrots have definitely moved to the front of the pecking order in my house...no pun intended. I also don't have kids or a husband, so that helps!

 

[mrstweet]

It's not easy...currently in my household I have 9.

Break that down - 3 fosters (green cheeks)
2 green cheeks of my own,
1 lovebird,
1 cockatiel,
1 cockatoo,
1 eclectus.

It isn't easy. I try to buy bird food in bulk, I make upgrades here and there instead of all at once. I also try really, really hard to save for emergencies. I also have had to make provisions for 2 bird rooms - one for the big and one for the little ones. The hardest thing has been allotting extra, separate one on one out time when the birds fight. It isn't easy to constantly monitor them. I do love my rottens.

 

[cassiesdad]

With 8 fids and a guinea pig, it is a great challenge to provide for them. We do have an emergency fund for the animals,and health insurance for Milty the U2. They never do without on anything. We don't have children, well, no HUMAN children, so that makes it a little easier. The hardest thing to do is making sure that everybody gets the attention they deserve. That is, and will continue to be, the MOST important challenge for us...

 

[Holiday]

7 birds, 2 cats
No kids, no hubby

The things that save my sanity are these:

Four of my birds are paired up, which takes some pressure off me.

Also, I have a routine, which helps somewhat. BUT, I am at the end of my string. I'm stretched for time and energy every single day.

 

[Anne & Gang]

I found it incredibly tough with Dub gone for 7 days...means I had to do everything myself and I found it difficult for sure.

 

[Sparky04]

We had three birds for almost 5 years, until we added poor little Wes. I admit 4 birds was a lot of work, but there are also four of us. Though Westley was such a handful and a crazy bird. Anyway we're back to three now. For the months we had him, it was controlled chaos but so worth it. There's four humans in our family, one hermit crab and 4 turtles.

 

[April]

I just have 2 and struggle a lot with juggling time,money and space. It's definatly easier with just one,but I would'nt trade Simba & Nala for anything.

 

[Shade]

I have birds who are able to play independently so it helps and I can give everyone some one on one (well those who want it anyways) while other plays and do a rotation that way. It seems to work.
For food, I found it easier, as I can buy the bigger bags of food which tend to be cheaper without it going bad because I go though it faster. With toys, buying parts and making my own does help. Don't get me wrong, I also buy pre-made toys, but it's good to be able to make them too. As well, if one bird doesn't want to play with a specific toy, chances are I'll find another to play with it so it's all good.

Having the boyfriend does help - when he goes away for weeks at a time for work I have to readjust my scheduled and still make things work, but it's made easier with him around. Specially when it comes time to clean the cages as he can watch the birds in the living room while I clean - I don't like having the birds around me when I do so.

On top of my birds, I have one cat who is pretty low maintenance and generally will come for some one on one once the birds are in their cages for the night and I don't have kids (nor are they something I want in the future at this time).

 

[Leza]

I have 5 now and a 6th coming soon, and it's not too hard. The cost definitely has gone up, but i'm more frugal about their food, buy in bulk for seeds so i can buy just the right amount, buy a big bag of harrisons and a big bag of TOPs, I don't let anything go to waste. I make sure Every one is actually EATING their food too. No wasters in this house I prepare their veggies ahead of time in big batches to freeze so nothing spoils.

It helps that none of my current birds are clingy. They can all entertain themselves and enjoy spending their time alone, but still crave a little one on one here and there. Scooter will be a different story, he will be my first hands on full time bird.

It does help to make your own toys too, yes every once in a while i splurge on premade stuff but skewers and polly rope with a bit of wood and bead do the trick just fine too to keep beaks busy.

 

[SallyQZ]

I've got 4 birds, a dachshund, a rottweiler, and two horses. Luckily I am married to The Best Husband In The World. Seriously. When we first got married, we agreed that we both wanted our kids to grow up with a Mom at home. I've worked part-time over the past 10 years, arranging my schedule so that I worked while the kids were in school. A few years ago, we were financially secure enough that I could quit my job and devote myself to getting our kids through the tumultuous teenaged years. I was always available to drive to hockey, the barn, friend's houses, etc.

This meant that I was home full time for my birds too. They spend large amounts of time outside their cage daily. I can cook for them, hide foraging items in their cage, and do all the clean-up necessary to keep the birdroom sanitary. My husband rolls his eyes when he sees how much I spend on toys, food, etc. But it's actually not bad when you compare it to the horse expenses.

I'd never be able to do this on my own - financially or timewise. I won the husband jackpot, that's for sure!

 

[Conurekidd]

I have 6. Bella Rex Sampson snow and Casper. 6 including my baby. It's hard but easy too. I'll be moving on my own soon. Real soon. Like 2 months soon. It's not that I never had the money to move. Just the fact of no company. People will visit and I'll visit people. I'm very social. Just acually living by yourself seem boring. But I grow my own veggies and fruit trees until winter. I buy toys in huge bundles to make them. Cheeper by far. Bird food I buy in bulk. 50lbs bags. So it's pretty easy but difficult. I enjoy caring for them. It's my fav portions of the day.

 

[suileeka]

I have four cats and eight birds. It's not easy, but it's fulfilling. All of the bird care, cleaning, and socializing is on me... my partner doesn't like birds and doesn't want anything to do with them. We share the care of the cats, but I'm still the primary caretaker for three of them, and it's another chore to make sure he keeps up with the *one* cat that is 'his'.

Fortunately, six of my birds are paired up, whether in platonic or bonded relationships..! So that takes a lot of the emotional load off of me. If I had to be the first-and-only for all of my birds (like I currently am for Lior and to some extent Clementine), I would lose my mind.. I just don't have that much interpersonal energy in general, and I need a fair amount of *just me* time with no cats, no people, no birds... Energy-wise and time-wise, I am absolutely at my limit. I honestly feel consumed sometimes by how much my thoughts and energy center around my birds... I feel immense amounts of guilt if I can't give them the time they 'should' have, and I constantly feel dissatisfied with their space and obsess about how I could improve things.. I think how much you can handle depends in large part on your personality - we all have finite amounts of time and energy, but we differ in how we manage that energy. If I were a more laid-back person, I could probably sanely handle more.

 

[GG.]

I only have 3 parrots, but also have 5 dogs, 4 chickens, 2 ducks, a goat, a raccoon and currently 2 squirrels, plus one freshwater tank and 2 outdoor ponds

DH and I split up the chores, but it also takes a daily routine to keep up with cages and pens and some planning to keep things running smoothly

we buy food in bulk and I make a few toys to go with what is purchased

 

[Shyra]

I have 4 birds, 3 cats, and help take care of my husband's 2 little yappy dogs that have learned when dad says no - go pester mom. Also have two grown kids at home. Since I don't work outside the home, everything in it falls on my shoulders. Being a control freak I have to take responsibility for a lot of that. I think it's like what has been said before - you need a routine. Once that's established everything pretty much falls in place and on the days your timing is off things tend to work themselves out. I think the hardest part is giving the birds equal attention. My cockatoo thinks he needs more than the others so I try to sneak him extra time during the day. If you can keep them busy with toys and such, most days it's not too bad. It's when all four are feeling needy at the same time that gets overwhelming.

 

[Conurekidd]

Opps I feel dumb haha. I forgot to mention I have 2 pitbulls a cat 2 snakes and a beautiful koi named nemo. In a tank not pond. Gonna get one but scared he'll die. I had him almost 3 years

 

[IggyPepito]

I only have 3 parrots, but also have 5 dogs, 4 chickens, 2 ducks, a goat, a raccoon and currently 2 squirrels, plus one freshwater tank and 2 outdoor ponds

DH and I split up the chores, but it also takes a daily routine to keep up with cages and pens and some planning to keep things running smoothly

we buy food in bulk and I make a few toys to go with what is purchased

Wowzers! I didn't know people were "allowed" to own raccoons. lol That's pretty neat. =)

I'm responsible for all my animals. Even though there are 5 other people in the house that could help out. No one does. lol So I am on my own.

Many of you have so many birds but I think it's great because I know they are in great homes. It's so interesting to hear how you guys manage and how many other pets you have.

 

[Birdasaurus]

I've got 13 of them, and a dog. BUT, 8 of them are budgies and live together in one large cage (well, except my lil guy with the broken leg...but he will join eventually) so that makes it easier than if I had 13 medium/large birds. It is difficult, though, especially when 3 of them are also on some sort of medication...Emma permanently for her thyroid, Lucky currently for excessive hormones, and Schrödinger for his broken leg. Normally hubby helps, but when I'm home for the summer I'm pretty much on my own. The morning feeding/medicating routine takes about 50 minutes on my own.

 

[Renae]

I have my 7 birds, and then there is my mums 2 birds as well. I have help, which makes things a lot easier too, I think it is just a matter of having a routine and sticking with it so it doesn’t get really overwhelming for you and becomes too much. Most of my birds are fairly independent, I can have my Indian Ringneck (Keiba) and GCC (Leila) out together, as well as have 2 Cockatiels out together, Kero (Budgie) isn’t tame so he does his own thing, they all get the one-on-one attention or do whatever they want while out, it depends what they want to do, they can be playing in the play are and come to us for cuddles or stick with keeping their-selves entertained. I make my own toys (sometimes, but rarely, do I buy toys) so I stock up on a lot of toy parts and I can throw together toys and put them in the cages, it saves money, lots of it, it really does! Food, well, the freezer and fridge is always stocked up on bird food, for seed, pellets and such I just buy bulk like some others do which lasts quite a few months.

As for other pets.. we just have the turkeys, 3 cats and the 6 family horses.

 

[Pumpkin]

I have all the birds, plus 3 dogs and 3 kids. Two of my kid are adults so that means there are 4 adults living here. For the most part, I do the bird stuff, I love it and we both work so money is ok.