Senegal at Home Alone While I'm at Work

[Macayla]

At the moment we live in an apartment so we can't always leave the living area each and every evening so that she can sleep in peace and quiet (not that we're loud in any case). As much as we try to live our lives around her needs, we cannot lock ourselves in the bedroom every night. I cover her cage mostly so that she doesn't get cold, but also so that she can go to sleep. She's very good, she goes straight to sleep when her cage is covered. I just don't see any other alternative? We really have been doing our best to make her living environment the best that it can be, to the point that from 6pm we put off the lights so that she can be in the natural light, which means we pretty much have no light to do anything we need to do. My boyfriend thinks I'm nuts most of the time because he grew up with birds (his family had Macaws, African Grays, smaller parrots etc.) so he's the one that has more experience in dealing with birds and they never went to all of these extremes, but their birds were happy and healthy. They were taken to one of the best Avian Vet's in my city about twice a year. So I'm really at a stage that I don't actually know what to do because I'm getting so much advice from people with different opinions (as well as researching - every site has a different story, very similar but not exactly the same). I am actually starting to think that people should not keep birds as pets because they're too high maintenance and most people won't or don't make all the effort that they actually need to, or that they simply just don't know these things. I mean, the first time I ever heard about the solar light cycle was on this site. No one I have ever met (bird owners) have ever said anything about it, and to be pretty honest, I don't think they'd even know what I'm talking about if I had to mention it. It just makes me think that most pet shops / owners / breeders don't actually know everything that they need to know to care for their birds 100%, not to mention that they don't give useful information to buyers either. It's worrying.

[Wolf]

Unfortunately you are 100% correct in that we should not be keeping these birds in our home for all of the reasons that you mentioned.
What happened to your boyfriends family's birds, because all of the ones mentioned have long life spans of 50 years and more so they should be alive and well. If they are and are not with the family why were they rehomed? How many were rehomed due to becoming aggressive?

[Pajarita]

My dear, don't go to birdsites or ask owners/breeders/petstores, go to scientific sources. Look for studies on avian photoperiodism, avian reproductive system, etc. (if you check this thread here, you will find many links on this subject http://www.theparrotforum.com/viewtopic ... operiodism). Scientists have know for a long time about it but people haven't caught up yet - well, this is not strictly true so let me clarify: I started learning about canaries and how to breed them when I was 8 years old (I am almost 60 now) and my mentor (my cousin's grandfather) already knew that long days put them in breeding condition (he did not know why or how but he knew it happened - all canariculturists did) so it's not as if this is a recent revelation. Also, people don't want to admit to not giving good care to their beloved pets so they tend to both gloss things over ("My birds are fine!" or, my favorite "My birds are happy!") or deny the obvious (can't really trust what people tell you on the net, it's too easy to lie...)

For one thing, we just don't know enough about parrots as pets and we are only now beginning to scratch the surface in terms of studies and, for another, people don't usually make the connection between light, endocrine system and behavioral problems with them because most parrot owners think of parrots as pets (dogs with wings) and not wild animals.

[quakerboo]

I am a new bird owner, apart from living with an african grey all my life but it wasnt my pet my mum kept it. Anyway hes lived a happy long life so far and she has never lived her life around him and doesn't stick to a solar schedule at all. I had never heard of it until I went on this site either. However it does make a lot of sense and I feel like my mums parrot is an exception.
I'm in the same boat as you in terms of working all day and although I havent yet been to work yet (on holiday) I will still stick to a solar schedule however difficult it is.
I know it is hard to live your life to cater for them but it does seem to be necesary. Where I am at the moment the sun sets about 630. So about 6 I turn the lights off in the living room where he is, make sure the blinds are open and then I go and have a bath and make my dinner. By the time I return to the room hes always asleep so I then put the sheet over and wheel his cage into my bedroom with the lights off and door shut so that he can carry on with his sleep without me disturbing him. so this could be an option for you so that you dont have to confine yourselves to your bedroom so early.

[Macayla]

None of them were aggressive, they were very well looked after and got loads of attention.
When I met my boyfriend, they only had 2 African Grays. They weren't aggressive at all, they just didn't choose to like everyone they meet (which is normal for their species, I have done my research). The family could touch them and take them out but if I had to attempt it, I would have gotten bit. The African Grays are still alive and talking away, (their vocals are incredible), they were given to my boyfriend's aunt who was all too happy to take them in as his parents moved into a small home and thought it unfair to downscale their living conditions as well.

They then had 2 Macaws, but because my boyfriend and his 2 brothers were so young at the time, when they'd hold or pet them, they'd get hurt (by accident) as their arms and hands were just too small for the big and beautiful creatures. They gave the 2 Macaws to Animal Zone (Dr. de Beer that I told you about) where they were free and out of a cage all day-every day, constantly surrounded by people who loved them and gave them attention (Animal Zone has since closed but Dr. de beer is still there and continues the Animal Zone brand, the birds are also still alive).
My boyfriend then also had a Quacker which they gave to someone, I would be lying if I told you who and why, but I do know that they kept in contact with whom ever they gave him to (Pikkie was his name) and unfortunately, about a month or 2 ago, his family was notified that he passed away (I don't know why or how but the bird was alive for about almost 20 years if I'm not mistaken, my boyfriend got him as a kid and he is now 23).
I am not sure what other birds they may have had, I only know about those that I mentioned.

I have been altering Marley's sleeping and awake schedule quite a bit since joining this forum, the light stays off since we get home until she goes to sleep, even after that. She goes to sleep just after sunset and wakes up on her own from the light that peeks into her cage from the window. Luckily we aren't couch potatoes so when she goes to sleep, we go to gym and then come home to shower and go sleep. If we want to watch a movie, we usually watch on my laptop in the room so that we don't wake her up. My friends and family think I'm ridiculous with the extremes I go to for her but I'd rather be teased than end up heartbroken if anything had to happen to her. I have looked into the "fake" solar lights but I'm not too fond of that idea, I prefer keeping her on the natural lighting from the sun.

I will keep doing research on this though and thank you for the links.

[Pajarita]

Well, if by 'fake' solar lights you mean full spectrum, they are actually beneficial to the bird because they not only have a larger spectrum than the 'regular' lightbulbs (birds are the most visually dependent species of all the vertebrates) but also some UVA (we can't but birds see it and many species where birds look identical to one another show vast differences from individual to individual when seen under UV light) and a little bit of UVB which is not anywhere enough to allow them to produce enough vit D3 to absorb all the calcium they need but, what the heck, every little bit helps! Good full spectrum lights also provide the kind of light they need to produce serotonin (happy hormone) and dopamine (the reward hormone).

Birds kept under a good full spectrum light are found to have more even moods and eat and sleep better.

You are going to find that lots and lots and LOTS of people will think you are crazy when it comes to proper bird care but that's because they haven't done any research.

[Macayla]

I suppose in the sense that she's not outside most of the time, that the lights could be beneficial. I have looked into it but not completely as my brain made sense of it by comparing it to the sun and wild birds' lifestyles, basically coming to the conclusion that wild birds are in nature with no other lighting facilities besides than the sun. Making me think it would be better to have a natural lighting system instead of one that has been created by man. I will do more research.

Yeah.. I guess so.

Tell me something, what type of travel carrier do you have for your Senegal? & are your birds used to being in the car? I am going away this weekend (about an hours drive) and my boyfriend has talked me into leaving Marley with his parents as she will get more attention there because they are always home, and we won't be able to spend much time with her. I trust them with her but I am just so paranoid and am already having separation anxiety. Is it better to do it this way? She has only been in the car about 3 times and for very short distances, she's also been to his parents house already.

[Pajarita]

Well, yes, of course that sunlight is better! As the kids say here: "DUH!" But captive birds usually don't have access to it all the time so the full spectrum lights are the best of a bad situation.

I don't take my birds out unless they are going to the vet and I never leave them with anybody so I can't help you with that (if I am going to be away, my husband stays behind to care for them). I forget how old your bird is but if she is still a baby, it might not be a good idea to leave her with somebody else (baby birds stay with their parents all the time) - having said that, sometimes, we have no choice but to leave them behind... human life been so much more complicated than birds'.

[Macayla]

Well, I don't want to leave her with anyone but I know if I leave her with my boyfriend's parents, she'll get more than enough attention and she'll be well looked after. If I leave her with a bird booking accommodation place, she'll get hardly any out of cage time. So it's a tough decision to make. As much as I want to take her with me, she's not that used to being in a car and we won't be able to spend all our time with her. So I don't really have much of a choice at this point, besides the fact that we haven't gone away since July last year, over a year. So we need this weekend in order to remain sane & I won't go on holiday without my boyfriend because then I might as well stay at home as I won't enjoy it.

[marie83]

For birds I would always suggest leaving them at home with someone coming in to them (as much time as possible) if they cannot go with you. Failing that taking them to someone you know and trust would be the next best option. I would say both options as to what's best for the bird depends on the bird itself and how long your going for
I would always avoid boarding birds at petshops/vets or pet hotels where possible.
It does sound like you have already made the right decision for your circumstances from what you've said