I got a job!! Need parrot routine suggestion

[Grey_Moon]

Wohoo!

Sorry---my disabled butt tends to have a hard time finding work---yaaay friends with connections.

Not that I haven't managed Jacko with work/school before but this is the first time I've had this type of shift while having a bird. The typical 9-5 with a parrot is easy to manage, but I'm a bit worried about this.

See, my shift starts at 4 AM and I'd have to leave around 3:30 or so. I get off work about sometime between 12 and 2 PM so I'd be home latest 2:30.

How would you guys work this schedule to ensure that your bird got some attention (and breakfast!) in the morning?

My partner has offered to feed her if necessary when he gets up at 6-6:30 but ideally since they don't really get along and I hate burdening him with her care given that fact (plus I don't wanna be offloading her on him like that).

Any ideas guys? I know this isn't an 'ideal' shift---but I'm not about to turn it down. It means nearly double my present income---which gets Jacko her new cage, toys, pays off my credit card and we can get both our medical bills paid. And in a way---considering she'll probably drift off to sleep after I leave it means she has to spend less time alone while she's awake n active.

[terri]

Yeah for you!!! [Thats early ] I would prepare the food before you go to bed,then put it in his cage before you leave.Then he will eat when he feels like it. I think this schedules great for him.Your not gone that long.Your even up before me It will work!!

[Grey_Moon]

Thanks terri

I *think* what I'm going to do is get up about 2:30 AM (I'm slow so need extra prep time), get Jacko up, get us showered and get her fed, then when I leave I'll put her back to bed on her tree and shut the lights (I'd let her sleep in but as soon as the lights on or I'm up its go time for her lol).

Then she's asleep untill about 6-6:30 till my partner gets up. He'll hang out with her for about an hour and then she's back in her cage till I get home at about 2:30. Then'll she'll be out till 9 PM or so till my partner goes to bed (I'll be hanging out with her till about 7PM when i go to bed---but he'll still be awake).
Which makes a total of 9 possible hours of attention on weekdays... she'll be fine

[marie83]

Congratulations on your new job.

Sounds like you have it all sussed out. If you have a week or more before you start try making little adjustments to her routines from today so she can get used to it. That probably isn't needed if she has never had a set routine though.

[cml]

Congrats !

I would re-arrange things so that she wakes up with timers, that way you can control her day much easier. For this to be possible though, you need to be able to have REALLY good blinds, and lots of lights on timers.

We do this with Stitch and Leroy, and they wake up at 11am. By that time Ive been gone 4 hours already, and either me or my wife will be home in an other 4-5hrs. By doing this, they get the minimum ammount of time alone without us. To make it work, we prepare everything just before they go to bed at 10pm, change all water bowls, and put pellets in their food bowl. Its always pellets for breakfast (and during the day, we put in enough so they can free-feed), because you cant leave fresh veggies in the bowl over night ^^. For dinner, they often get veggies and fruit.
I seem to recall that you dont want to feed pellets though, and then it might not work for you.

With this method you could synchronize Jacko's awake time to be adjusted to yours and she wont be home alone much at all!
For example, she wakes up at 9pm when the lights go on, then you are home in another 5-6hours. Then you/your bf prep her cage and go to bed at 8-9pm. That way she also get her 12-13hours parrot beauty sleep !