Hours of interaction?

[paper_lantern]

Well, Furbie is doing great! I haven't had any trouble getting him to try new foods, and he loves to play and cuddle. I just worry alot about interaction. For example, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I give him a total of 6 hours of interaction (not counting bed time)...by interaction I mean playing, cuddling, trick training etc.

Monday and Thursday however I have classes begining at 8:00am until 4:30pm. So my amount of interaction with him is a lot less considering he goes to bed around 9:30.

When I'm not home there is always someone at home, although my mother doesn't do the playing and trick training, she does cuddle him and sits by the cage to watch tv. So he is never alone.

It might be because I'm a new "mommy" but I'm scared that he isn't getting enough interaction on certain days. Does the amount of time I spend with him seem okay? Is it enough?

[GlassOnion]

Change of schedule to keep things different is actually very good. Birds need to be adaptable to different schedules, people, foods, sounds, objects, etc and not be stuck in a routine. I would keep changing up the schedules and who does what with Furbie, so that your bird grows up to be a well-adjusted, unflappable adult.

[paper_lantern]

Really? Thank you Glass Onion! I had actually heard that birds needed to be scheduled, but now that I know different I'm happy, I won't feel so bad if I go out to the movies with friends every once in awhile, lol!

[GlassOnion]

Once a bird is stuck in a routine, anything unfamiliar, strange or scary can cause stress, plucking issues, screaming issues, etc, down the road. Have you heard of people that go on vacations, and when they return, their birds plucked themselves bare? That's because the owners never got the bird accustomed to change. Just like us, they need to see and experience the real world.

[Michael]

I'd say routine is good as long as you throw in a changeup every once in a while. The more problematic the changeup is, the more often you have to do it. If the change ups are no big deal, then the birds seem pretty happy with their routine.

[Ozii]

I have Peaches out, every day, an hour late morning, and an hour in the evening. Sometimes, we have her out for an hour in the afternoon, then the evening.... She plays with toys etc, while out, but she seems to love jkust going on the shoulder and just going in your hair, and if you have no hair, she goes crazy.

[evaleen]

@Ozii, hahahahaah! that's adorable! (but its that dangerous to those who have longer hair? i mean, couldn't peaches get tangled?)

umm... btw, i have classes in the afternoon around 6.30, and i usually put my bird to sleep by 7.30, or 8pm. so bcuz of the classes, i have to put him to bed around 6 some days. is this inconsistent routine bad for my bird? will it affect him in anyway?

[Ozii]

@evaleen we are very careful, our hair is short, so not long . We cover our bird up at 8/8:30, in the night and then uncover her in the morning, once the room has warmed up abit, as lately, when we bring her out (when she comes onto my hands), her feet are cold.