Birds Changing Lifestyles

[Khaiqha]

I'm curious to hear how people's lifestyles have changed after having birds. Here are some things that have changed about me.

I used to be a nocturnal person that hated going to sleep. I now go to sleep around 11ish and wake up 8ish, and sometimes look forward to sleeping, knowing that when I wake up Ace will want to play.

Since I go to sleep earlier, I drink less and play less games.

I collect things other people throw away that would make safe bird toys.

I already ate a lot of produce, but now I also shop for snacks that we can both eat.

Finally, I no longer care if my room is perfectly organized. In fact, it's quite a mess (well, for me anyway)

[Mum2rory]

I think having birds, or kids for that matter, does change you. I think you are more 'selfish' and all about yourself before them. But when these guys come into your life, you have to provide for them and put them first.
- I have not had a holiday in the 2 years I have had my birds (hubby and son have gone away tho)
- I am a migraine/headache sufferer, got one today, too bad! The birds need to be feed, water changed and time out of cage regardless. (many of the other pets I have can cope if I dont give them morning food, water, they seem more independant, but not the birds)
- I visit pet stores more than I ever did before birds, just to see what new things they have
- I talk to myself more than ever - well actually, I am talking to the birds but if people heard me they would think I am crazy
- I vaccum the house, especially where the cages are, more than I used to (was weekly, now daily or every 2nd day)
- wash my hands more

[laducockatiel]

ive been trying a lot more fruit and veggies because me and my tiel can eat them together. i also can chop a lot faster since ive been chopping veggies up for my tiel LoL

[liz]

My fingers are pruny from hand washing.

I now eat veggies before breakfast because they come first. I chop their veggies before I can eat so I munch veggies in the process. The dogs are learning to eat raw veggies because the birds get fed before the dogs and if a piece of veggie hits the floor they eat it.

My Mom and Aunt have learned to wait with a cup of tea or coffee until the critters are all fed. Then I make their breakfast. I am glad they like a late breakfast. Of course this means that sometimes I forget to feed me and I can't afford to loose anymore weight.

The house is noisy. I have given my mom and aunt bells so I can hear them above the racket in the house. Mom's baby monitor is turned up to high now.

They say "life is short" but I think mine is getting shorter. LOL

What would I do without them?

[spiral]

My family have always found my love of animals and birds amiusing but also i get teased about it alot because i have an obsessive temprament.
My frist birds were buggies that were bonded to each other as a pair who had periovously belonged to an old lady they were called, KWI AND LEMON kwi was blue not green! I was a strange child. They were tame and lemon layed an egg, but died shortly afterwards i was eight years old and saddened by this experience, off eggbinding in my bugie, so for my birthday my dad got me another buggie but it was a male.

He had built a next box for lemon when we realised she layed an egg but she didnt sit on the egg. My father has always helped me with out pets, and when he built the next box we were both so exited. A few years latter he built me a large buggie cage from scratch so i had a small flock in my beadroom. It was lould but really fun and i hand tamed them and they flew round my room and sat on my sholdees while i watched black and white movies on t.v!

i now have a IRN who is great and i think that listenig to her beak grinding when shes sleepy is very calming, outside in her cage i noticed that the iris of her eyes is blue, which i think is wonderful.

My sister refers to as the pigeon because she has gey feathers, but this is also to tease me.
My IRN has to manage to have strangers near her alot because of my care needs, but shes a nice birds and most of my home careers are nice civilised but not nessarrily bird savy people.

They have gotten used to her screaming at their uniforms over time, and i am less embrassed than i was about this, type of thing.

[liz]

At least your IRN doesn't buzz your therapists like Myrtle does Mom's.