Can you leave your parrot alone for a week?
This is not a question one wants to have to ask, but it does need to be asked.
As a parrot parent, you might have been wondering if they can stay on their own for an extended period of time without any human interaction.
Birds aren’t a lot of work, so it’s natural to flirt with the idea of leaving your parrot comfortably at home while you’re out on a week-long vacation.
But is it safe to do so?
The answer to that question is a resounding no.
While it is okay to leave your parrot alone at home for a day, it isn’t safe or advisable to leave it by itself for longer!
We’ll get into the nitty-gritty in this blog post.
Here’s what you’re going to discover
- What Do You Do With Your Parrot When You Go On Vacation?
- Can a single parrot live alone?
- Do Parrots Get Lonely?
Sound interesting?
Let’s begin!
Let’s be honest,
You’re not going to be home all day 24/7 for the rest of the year
Of course, you’d want to go on a vacation
Or you may want to go over to stay at another family member house for a week or so
But you have a dilemma
Your parrot will be alone
Yes, they’ve been alone when you’ve gone for work
But what about a whole week!
Now the question is..
What Do You Do With Your Parrot When You Go On Vacation?
So, what would you do if you were to leave your cat or dog when you go on a vacation?
You’d get some help, right?
The same applies to what you can do with your feathered friend.
Here’s what you could do..
- You can ask someone you trust to house sit for you or hire a professional to do the same.
- You can look up a boarding space that takes in birds and drop your parrot off. Some of these places send you photographs and videos of your pets to help reassure you that they’re doing well.
- You can leave your bird with a trusted friend who knows how to look after them.
A fantastic thing about technology is that there’s an app for almost everything!
You can search through the app store to find an app that’ll help you find the perfect solution to your problem.
You’ll be able to enjoy yourself when you’re completely assured that your feathered friend is in responsible hands!
Before you plan anything, always make sure you have plans for your parrot
Can a Single Parrot Live Alone?
Well, it is possible for single parrots to live alone.
However, it is important to understand that parrots are social birds that thrive in company.
They do not tend to do well alone or in isolation and will start showing signs of distress.
These include:
- Self-mutilation
- Biting
- Picking their feathers
- Decreased vocalization
- Reduced appetite
- Screaming
Long story short, it isn’t a good idea for a single parrot to live alone.
Just because it can live alone doesn’t mean it should.
That makes sense, right?
Why put your feathered friend’s well-being on the line?
Do Parrots Get Lonely?
Yes, parrots do get lonely and stressed!
As I’ve mentioned earlier, parrots are social animals, which means they don’t do well in isolation.
If left on their own for an extended time, parrots can develop unhealthy and destructive behaviors, such as self-mutilation.
So, what are the signs that your parrot has been lonely?
Let’s find out
- Stress bars: Stress bars will appear on your parrot’s feathers lines running across the shaft of the bird’s feathers. You’ll only be able to see them if you closely inspect the feathers.
- Decreased appetite: Has your parrot been eating lesser than he used to? The chances are that he may be feeling lonely and might be highly stressed. A decreased appetite also makes an impact on the bird’s immune system.
- Destructive behavior: If your once sweet and angelic bird has started acting weird and has been making a mess in the cage, throwing its food, or tearing its toys, the chances are that it may be feeling lonely.
Keep in mind that some of these behaviors are also associated with other issues, so talk to your avian veterinary doctor if you notice any of these changes!
Wrapping Up
You cannot leave your parrot alone for a week.
It’s okay to leave your parrot by himself for about 24 hours–give or take six hours, but anything longer than that is too long.
A lot can go wrong!
- Your parrot could run out of water.
- Parrots don’t do well in isolation and can have a rough time being alone for an extended period of time.
- He can find himself in a potentially dangerous situation.
So, why risk it?
It’s better to ask a trusted friend or family member to house sit for you or leave your parrots in the hands of a trusted professional.
After all, your bird’s well-being is priceless!
