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Question About Birds and Schedules

Nicole & Leo

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Hello!

This is my first post to Avian Avenue (Yay!). My fiancé and I have a two year old Lovebird named Leo. He's got a huge personality for such a little guy! He lives in a very large enclosure, as we wanted to allow him some flying space when we are at work during the day. He also has many toys, although he takes zero interest in any toys or treats (We have tried all different kinds of each).

Sometimes he gets a bit temperamental. Over the last year or so I started to keep track of what days he seems to be screaming, for what appears to be no reason at all, and I've noticed it's when me or my finance's schedules have changed. I wanted to know if this is really a thing or if it's not possible.

When I get ready for work in the morning, Leo makes no noise and is happy to watch me and my fiancé, Pat, bustle about and enjoys receiving some snuggles and head scratches. But if one of us is running behind, once it hits that time where we should be out the door, Leo will start screaming. And no, he does not want attention. He will bite if he we try to touch him when he's pissed off like that!

Recently I got a pretty bad concussion and broken nose so I was out of work for a month. Leo would start screaming during the day once he realized I was still home and never got out of bed for work.

Also, Pat gets a long weekend off once in awhile (he works at a school). On those days when he would normally be at work but he's not, Leo is relentless with the screaming. Recently Pat had off a week from work and Leo was aggressive and angry during the hours when Pat would normally be gone, evening though he is usually madly in love with Pat.

I don't want this to come off like Leo is always unhappy- he's a very affectionate bird! He would cling to Pat's shoulder all evening if he could. He also likes playing with our rabbit and flying around the house when we are home to supervise. He likes sitting on my head while I fold laundry or paint, bathing himself in the sink, and rubbing his head against Pat's beard. And when we have friends over he is always the life of the party and happily jumps from shoulder to shoulder! He's also very healthy =).

Is it really possible that my lovebird has learned my work schedule, and when I break the routine that's what upsets him? Or is it just a coincidence? We live in a condo, so we know for a fact that when we are at work he is completely silent all day. And when we come home in the evening he will chirp a times but it's a noticeably cheerful noise to tell us he wants to say hello and come out.

This isn't really urgent, but I'm just so curious to know if other people experience this.
 

Dona

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This is so interesting. My Linnie does know what time it is and what we should be doing. If I run late (moving her cage, feeding, turning out lights), she will definitely let me know with some calls. I actually try to be a little unpredictable so she is accustomed when things don't go exactly as planned. But wow, your story is extreme. He really seems to want his alone time! Maybe some lovie owners will chime in with specifics to the species.
 

Nicole & Leo

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Thanks Dona,
That's reassuring to hear that your bird also has learned your routine. I should add that while Leo acts this way during the day when we are for whatever reason not at work, he doesn't act this way on weekends. That's what initially tipped me off to realizing I believe it's our schedule. He is his usual happy-go-lucky self on the weekends. Really the only other time he will act this way is when he is shedding his feathers, which I understand can by itchy and uncomfortable for birdies.
 

hrafn

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My birds get VERY upset with me if I mess up their normal daily routine. They know the schedule and they stick to it at all times, lol.
 

sunnysmom

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I think parrots learn our schedules pretty quickly and most like a steady routine. (And welcome to the forum!)
 

EkkieLu

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Welcome Aboard! So glad you're here!!!
 

Nicole & Leo

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Thanks guys! That's good to hear. I thought I might be going crazy.
 

Mizzely

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Absolutely :) Ripley makes car alarm noises if I sleep in :lol: They know our schedules because it is also THEIR schedule and they enjoy routine!
 

Lady Jane

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Birds seem to love routines. I hear male Lovebirds make really nice companions and that they are very smart. Sounds like your boy has a happy home. Try playing the sounds of lovebirds for him from YouTube. I bet he gets excited!

 

11bryces

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:welcomesign: can't wait to read more from you and to see picture of the little guy and his home ! my dirs also have learned our shedule this is why it is basically impossible to wake up late on weekend, my birds will scream until they see us and when me or my fiance get home from work they will get very angry if we don't open their cage in the next 10 minutes after we got home !
 

Zara

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I´m lucky I don´t have a schedule apart from uncovering the birds at 9am which is followed by breakfast. After that I follow a really loose schedule of what time I let them out. I like to mix it up. The birds do get vocal if the covers aren´t lifted on time.

When I had only Sydney, he was a great little bird. He never screamed, he just made his cute little chirps every now and then. Back then I worked a 9 to 5 (I´d come home for an hour at lunch) and when I left that job he was fine with the changes. He loves both me and my boyfriend. He is still the same bird after all the changes and additions. He´s my quietest bird.

Welcome to the forum :fairy2:
 

simon777

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Simon does love routines but also he is very flexible too. He always knows exactly what time of day it is. I set an alarm for many things - me wake up, potato and peanut butter time, dinner time. Simon will always know what time it is before the alarm sounds. He even can tell the passing of time; like I will say that in half an hour something will happen and he is ready and waiting at exactly half an hour later. Simon has shown he can judge the passing of - a minute, 2 minutes, etc, a quarter, a half, 3 quarters of an hour, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, etc, also days, weeks and even months. I don't subject him to having to change twice a year for daylight saving, we always live by real time. Aren't our birds wonderful knowing things that us humans don't.
 

Shezbug

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I try to keep a loose schedule also but I do give breakfast and dinner at the same times each day.
Burt will be calling out “mum” as loud as he can if I don’t have his warm dinner to him by 5pm. He will happily eat it at 4:30pm but if I’m later than 5 the whole street will hear him screeching “mum” repetitively....by 5:15 there are the usual loud “mum” calls and also just the very very loud typical macaw screams which from outside sounds like someone is being murdered in our house! Lol.
Animals are very clever, my dogs also harass me if I’m late with their breakfast and dinner...one of my dogs will start with little squeak barks which will end up being a howl which sounds like our town siren to summons the CFA &SES members to an emergency. The other dog just deliberately gets under my feet and won’t stop till she is fed!
 

simon777

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I read many years ago, when daylight saving was first started, that cats would arrive at exactly the same time as normal to demand their dinner; which was one hour later for the owner. That was when the question "do animals know what time it is" started being asked. Does anyone subject their bird to the changes of daylight saving. I don't.
 

Shezbug

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My dogs carry on for food at the same time regardless of day light savings so they get fed like day light savings doesn’t exist. Same for Burt.
 

cassiesdad

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Birds do thrive on routines...and they'll get antsy if they feel their "schedule" is somehow not going the way they want. For example, our Buddy feels she MUST be fed first in the morning...no exceptions to this rule will be tolerated...or else you'll have an upset, SCREAMING Nanday Conure on your hands. ;)

And to be honest, with 6 birds and 2 guinea pigs here, you have to have a routine just to get everyone taken care of...
 
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