What is your opinion on keeping parrot out during the day alone?

[faithapaul1]

My green cheek conure and I will be moving to an apartment fairly soon.

I’m a student and, after spending the last year in a dorm with my conure, we’ve had a good time! He’s out for most of the day, but now that I’m moving to a place I’ll have my room, I’d like him to be out as much as possible.

I’m tossing around the idea of bird proofing my bedroom and shutting the door when I’m not there to let him have free range. He isn’t flighted, one of the conditions of keeping him in a dorm, so I’d have play stands and what not out for him all over. He’s a very good climber!

It’s just going to be myself and my roommate. She has a dog and we lived with them in the dorm room this year with no problems.

I’m just curious on what you guys think. Just want to give my little man the best life I can!

 

[hrafn]

My CAG and B&G both live in that exact sort of environment; bird-proofed rooms that they have free and open access to all day long. They both benefit enormously from it.

So long as he has no means to escape the room and the dog is unable to get to him, I say full steam ahead!

 

[Mizzely]

My Jardine's is out all day long

 

[Fuzzy]

I usually start off with caging the bird for his/her own safety when I'm out - especially in new surroundings. Then I watch how they behave when out, when I am around. They gradually get more and more freedom depending. Boo my budgie lived on top of his cage always - but when we moved house, he wasn't so comfortable and would spook, so for his safety I would cage him when I went out (he was finding it harder to fly later with arthritis). Ollie (Orange-winged Amazon) has proved to be trustworthy so he is out all day.

Look at the room and try to make it parrot proof. Wires are inviting to chew. What else could he get into or chew that might harm him?

 

[Farlie]

Watch out for hanging cords, curtain and otherwise.

Whenever I leave Farlie alone, upon my return I always find him in his cage up in his 'bed' running down to meet me with a flying leap to my shoulder.

 

[Sulphy Too]

You are not wrong about hanging cords. Just a few weeks ago I misjudged the distance my bird could reach to the cord going from the plug to the flatscreen TV in the hotel room we were staying at . Caught him out reaching waaay out with the cord in his beak . I dont have much to worry about during the daytime because he's with me at work all day but during the evenings is where he can get into mischief when I'm not watching because I dozed off

 

[Sulphy Too]

My bird is outside with outside me all day long .When I first got him he tried to fly away but after he bonded with me he didn't try again .Once he got spooked and flew and crashed into a water tank because he does not know how to apply the brakes to slow down . Now he does not bother to try and if he does he its for a short distance until he coasts to the ground to get picked up .

 

[Nobirby]

I agree with slowly letting him adjust to his new surroundings. We just moved. The house set up so completely different from the old place that Jesse got lost his first free flight. Now I take him to Daddy. He pretty much stays close. I am sure with time he will feel more comfortable here. Good luck!

 

[Lady Jane]

How are you going to prevent your bird from possibly being spooked from a loud or unusual sound and he flies into a wall? There may be things out of your control.

 

[finchly]

I want to know what you guys do about electrical cords. And sockets? Do they chew your furniture? Rio chews the corner of the wall, or maybe just the paint on it, if she's loose for 2 seconds.
Everybody must be neater than me. I always have keyboards, craft stuff, and who knows what else laying around.
I know one person that has their Amazon loose on their lanai 24/7, but .... how would you keep poop out of the pool? What if they chew through and fly away? What if a predator chewed through?

Hubby would kill me if I kept one out but I sure would like to. I think.

 

[Mizzely]

I want to know what you guys do about electrical cords. And sockets? Do they chew your furniture? Rio chews the corner of the wall, or maybe just the paint on it, if she's loose for 2 seconds.
Everybody must be neater than me. I always have keyboards, craft stuff, and who knows what else laying around.
I know one person that has their Amazon loose on their lanai 24/7, but .... how would you keep poop out of the pool? What if they chew through and fly away? What if a predator chewed through?

Hubby would kill me if I kept one out but I sure would like to. I think.

It depends on the bird. Jingo I could never leave out like that he needs constant supervision lol. Ripley I trust because he doesn't fly and doesn't really leave his area unless spooked. Then he waddles to find me or climbs his ladder to get back to his area.

I'm definitely not neat, I promise you! With a 4 year old and the fact that I've never been a good housekeeper regardless, my living area comes last after the pets

 

[sunnysmom]

My cockatiel lived cage free during the day. But we did it gradually. I too would suggest taking it slowly and giving your bird time to adjust to new surroundings. And you really have to think of everything they can possibly get into. Luckily, my tiel wasn't a big chewer. He left wood work alone but you definitely have to watch out for electrical cords and think about anything he could get into. And I would do a room inspection everyday before I left to make sure nothing was left out from the night before that he could get into. Also, you need to make sure the dog can't get into the room, obviously. It worked out well for us. But it worked out well in large part because of what an easy bird my tiel was. I don't really see me being able to that again with another bird.

 

[finchly]

Jingo I could never leave out like that he needs constant supervision lol.

That's the caiques. Now, Ernie's cage is always open but he hardly ever leaves it.

Also, you need to make sure the dog can't get into the room, obviously.

This. Daughter is STILL HERE with her dog. (note that I refrained from saying untrained annoying dog) He goes after birds. So even if my dogs were put away, she might let hers out. Don't even get me started on this.

I think I'm going to stick with the bird room, where they come out and free fly in shifts. It's already bird proofed, well as much as we can. The door is a screen door so the dog sits on the other side and does Sad Puppy. They have a huge playground, hanging toys, and can go back in their cages if they want; that will have to do.

 

[Princessbella]

My green cheek conure and I will be moving to an apartment fairly soon.

I’m a student and, after spending the last year in a dorm with my conure, we’ve had a good time! He’s out for most of the day, but now that I’m moving to a place I’ll have my room, I’d like him to be out as much as possible.

I’m tossing around the idea of bird proofing my bedroom and shutting the door when I’m not there to let him have free range. He isn’t flighted, one of the conditions of keeping him in a dorm, so I’d have play stands and what not out for him all over. He’s a very good climber!

It’s just going to be myself and my roommate. She has a dog and we lived with them in the dorm room this year with no problems.

I’m just curious on what you guys think. Just want to give my little man the best life I can!

I wouldn't do it only because of the dog. There have been too many threads recently where an animal unexpectedly attacked a bird and the bird was either severely injured or had died. Accidents happen. Doors may open accidentally by people your roommate has over. You may not close your door completely and the dog could get in. If you were living there alone and had total control of the environment, I would say go for it. But there are factors that you cannot control. I guess I am really upset about reading all of the recent threads about unexpected injured or dead birds and I don't want to see another one.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

I've kept 2 birds cage free now and I wouldn't have it any other way personally. But that's why I can never have a really big bird who would be capable of mass destruction. Both Quakers.

My first bird was easy because he rarely left the top of his cage and never caused any trouble. He was an absolute angel.

My 2nd bird is an adventurous & sometimes mischievous little guy so it's an ever evolving process to keep things safe but I do my best. If he decides one day that he wants to get into something, I just cover it or get rid of it or exchange it for something else. He likes to keep me on my toes. He's only allowed free range with out supervision in one room though.

Cords are behind furniture and tucked away. I bought some cord highways that I need to put up soon. Wiremold Cable Hider CordMate III... Amazon.com: Wiremold Cable Hider CordMate III | Paintable On-Wall Cable Management Kit | Hide & Organize Up to 5 TV Wires or Computer Cables: Home Improvement

I put these under the couch so he can't get in there Oodles of Noodles Foam Pool Swim... Amazon.com: Oodles of Noodles Foam Pool Swim Noodles with Connector, 6-Pack, 52-Inch, Black, Bulk Pack: Toys & Games

I covered the lightswitch with this so he can't turn off the light on himself Toggle Switch Light Switch Locks,... Amazon.com: Toggle Switch Light Switch Locks, Child-Safe, Residential, Lighting, Ect.: Home Improvement

I don't keep anything on the windows during the day so he can't get strangled in cords, and I put up black out drapes at night, using tension rods, so he can sleep in in the morning. I do have these on the window to remind him that he can't fly into the windows Amazon.com : WindowAlert Classic Square Decals : Bird Repellents : Garden & Outdoor

I had to buy a powder coated steel cabinet because he chewed up my wood one
IKEA PS Cabinet - white - IKEA and I store his stereo in there so he has background noise all day. Love this cabinet!!

I'm sure I'm forgetting some things but just an example of the small sacrifices it takes. But it can be done if you're diligent and constantly ready for challenges, depending on the bird ofcourse. Some birds probably can't live that way no matter how hard you try.

I forgot to say that both birds do chew on the wood frames on the door but I've given up caring. That can be replaced one day.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

How are you going to prevent your bird from possibly being spooked from a loud or unusual sound and he flies into a wall? There may be things out of your control.

I think once the birds knows the layout, they know where to retreat when spooked. Blu flies to the top of his cage when he gets spooked.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

I forgot to say that one thing that sucks is that I can never let him have fresh air if I'm not around cause I'm afraid he'll chew through the screen. So I use a/c & heat more that most people probably. I'd like to find a solution for that but haven't came up with one yet. Still working on it.

 

[Kodigirl210]

I’m sorry about the long post and to be a naysayer but I would not do it. There is a dog in the mix that only a one or two people haven’t overlooked that fact.

It’s one thing to be on your own and in your own dorm - it’s another to be paired up. Your bird is clipped - he has no way of quickly removing himself in a upwards mobility way and if he’s on the ground, to a dog, that is fair game. .

I don’t care how friendly the dog is, how many times you’ve seen the bird and dog together - that would be the point. You and your roommate are always there together when they mix.

In dorm situation for school, you may have opposite schedules, you may have different off days and you definitely will have different friends even if the main set is people you both know.

How cognizant will they be of making sure the door stay closed. Say someone goes looking for the bathroom or a piece paper or whatever, opens your room door on accident, doesn’t see the bird so assumes he’s in his cage or not remember that the bird’s in there and oops doesn’t shut the door all the way. Enter curious dog. There is a fluttering toy! How neat! How wonderful and the toy is moving and I get to chase it and ooooooo chomp.

Accidents, most of the time, aren’t going to happen when you’re there. They will happen when you’re not there. When no one is there. A dog is a dog and to blame it for hurting a birb is wrong. The dog and the fid are doing what instinct taught them and they didn’t put themselves in that position - the owners did.

Unless you can promise your fid that no one will ever go in your room while you’re not there (including maintenance)no one will ever leave the door cracked or open on accident, then you’re setting everyone up for failure.

Personally, my fids are the world to me. I rehomed my cat rather than set him up to fail. And since I know in your situation I would never have total control over the environment I would not do it - even if you offered me a million dollars. The pain of losing a fid is something that money won’t ever heal.

 

[Gen120]

My vote is no, too risky. Even if your bird is in a separate room away from the dog at all times. One small mistake, injured bird or worse. My flock is in their own room but I do not leave them out when I am not home. Now, I did have an injury where I had to go to the ER and my flock was out. I had my mom go up and put them up before we left. It just depends on the bird and the situation. For Sammy, I could leave her out all day no problem, she typically stays on her cage or on her swing or boing on the other side of the room so she isn't destructive. She's pretty laid back. My cockatiels are the same way but they do like to start stuff so no one is out unless I am home. Now, I have forgotten I left Sammy out in the birdroom once or twice, but no other animals can go in the room/have access to it, and when I got back home like an hour later she was perfectly fine. But I certainly wouldn't risk it. JMHO.