Close calls

[shiraartain]

We had the carpet cleaned, and while their cleaning method was parrot-safe, my parents added on deodorizing. And so the birds are still in the garage even after all the furniture etc. was moved back in. Waiting for the two-week mark to move them back in.

We leave the garage door slightly open to let in light and the back door open for the same purpose. The birds are less than happy (During flight time Fajr will perch high and wait until the door to the house opens so he can zoom in), but they're doing okay.

The first close call was yesterday, which was cage cleaning day. Fajrs cage doesn't have a grate, and i took the tray out to throw out the newspaper. I entered through the garage door to find Fajr sitting on the floor looking at me and the garage wide open behind me. Had him step up and rushed into the house. May have held him a bit too tightly in my panic as he started squirming as I was unlocking the door, but he was injured.

Later, after all the birds had bathed, enjoyed the sun, and we'd returned their cages to the garage, I was in the basement when I heard my dad yelling. Sister came down a bit later to report a cat had been crossing our patio, about to enter the garage when my dad noticed it through the glass and yelled at it and thumped the glass to scare it away.

I'm assuming this is the same cat that snacked on a Robin and left the bottom tail stub of its corpse just outside of our garage for the flies and our unsuspecting selves.

We fortunately have a fan on the ceiling of our garage which my dad restored to working condition this week, but I still pop ice cubes into their water trays to help with the heat.

My mom was petitioning to keep the birds in the garage permanently, but I pointed out the heat and won.

[Wolf]

It most definitely sounds like you garage is a very dangerous place to be if you are a bird. That is in addition to very likely being one of those out of sight out of mind type of places. Not a good bird place.

[Pajarita]

No, not a good place at all... Too lonely and too dangerous.

[shiraartain]

It most definitely sounds like you garage is a very dangerous place to be if you are a bird. That is in addition to very likely being one of those out of sight out of mind type of places. Not a good bird place.

Oh yes, it is definitely out of sight out of mind...I hate it. We've slipped up on their meals twice. Totally our fault, but having them in sight is always a reminder for us to check with each other to see if everyone else is doing their jobs.

Parj, definitely too lonely. We pop in and out of there all day and do go there to spend time with them, but it's obviously not the same as seeing and interacting together constantly all day.

I think any average garage isnt a good place for birds. Can't wait until Wednesday, when I can move them back in. I'm still so relieved that nothing frightened Fajr between his escaping his cage and flying onto the floor. He would have zoomed out of there and we likely wouldn't have noticed until we went to move his cage into the sun hours later.

This has also been a lesson in teaching birds to consistently step up. If it had been Lemon or Clover, it really would have been a matter of mood. They only step up when they really want something.

[Pajarita]

Well, in my personal experience, even birds that NEVER step up would gladly do it when they are on the floor or when they are in an unfamiliar place - even the ones that don't like or normally trust us -they are smart enough to realize that we will 'save' them .