Routine - good or bad

[Vee]

Hi Everyone, Is it ok to stick to a routine with my CAG? I have set waking time, set play time, set feeding time and set bedtime. Someone suggested I change his routine regularly, I can't see the point especially when it suits both my Grey and I. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Halo]

My life is insane so I don't have a set schedule for anything other than what time the hubby leaves for work and when the kids come home or go to school! LOL I do wake everyone up around the same time and bed time is always close to the same but that's just me!

I don't see where it would hurt to have a schedule, especially if it's convenient for you. Might be good to mix his toys and stuff up a bit more tho just so he doesn't get bored. If Grey's get bored with routine, I was unaware of it and I think Marti is too LOL. He does pretty much the same things at the same time every day.

[pippy]

If I didn't have a routine for my CAGs on work mornings I'd probably be about an hour late for work!

After showering and dressing I go downstairs, mash their banana (they love some spoon fed banana first thing in the morning!) and fill their spray bottle with warm water.

I go into my living room and let the birds out. They usually fly around the room a few times to give their wings a nice stretch then they land on the cage playtop.

I then spray them til they're drenched! They don't particularly enjoy it but they're definitely more accepting of it than they were a couple of weeks ago (I've only had them four weeks), I think they just know I'm going to spray them every day so it's not worth them flying away from me any more!

I clean the bottom of their cage and lay clean newspaper.

Then I go into the kitchen to wash all their bowls and prepare fresh food and water, they always fly in ahead of me the second they see me heading for the door!

They're out for about 45 minutes before I go to work.

I come home at lunchtime and it's far more relaxed. I let them out and we all go into the dining/computer room where they have a playstand. I fill their bowl with goodies (fruit and veg) and we chill out enjoying each other's company. We have no afternoon routine as such as there's no need and I don't want them to expect certain things at certain times as there are some days I don't get home til 2pm instead of 12pm.

I work two evenings a week and on those days they're back in the cage at 6pm. Other days they're out til I put them to bed at about 8pm (I am quite strict about their bedtime as I don't want to deprive them of sleep and make them grumpy).

It's really only work mornings when routine is important in our household

[Lisa B]

I think in reality we ALL have routines..even if it strays an hour or so.
Some people will say no routine. I disagree.
A bird NEEDS to know he is coming out again. I dont care if its 5 pm or 8pm.
He needs to know he is going to be fed again. He needs to know mom or daddy will be back.
33 years of routine with my birds have served us all well. It kept me home, kept me busy and kept them happy.

[Addicted to Tequila]

I have no problem with a routine... but a MAJOR problem with a schedule. Birds are very much creatures of habit. If they are on a strict schedule, they WILL learn that schedule... down to the minute so that you can set your clock by it. The problem comes when that schedule falters or is disrupted. See, life is what happens when you are making other plans. I have seen birds scream, sulk, and even begin plucking due to a change in schedule that they had had for a long time.

Greys are prone to being a bit OCD - if you so mush as rearrange their cage they go on a hunger strike and grumble for a week. If they are used to eating at 6pm every night for a year and all of a sudden you have to work until 6:30 every night... they worry daily that they might starve to death for that half hour.

Like Lisa said, a bird has to be able to know that it will be fed etc...
But when that event happens at the precise same time daily... and then stops occurring at that time... they do NOT instinctively know that it will be ok and that you are just "running late". If you come home late and they are not used to it... they think you were eaten by a lion. If they get feed two hours late, firstly... get ready for some screaming, they figure the drought has set in and starvation has begun.

Not to mention... birds that are used to a precise schedule may start screaming when the schedule is off. Contrarily, birds that are used to a routine will generally scream less... because they know playtime will be soon if they are good!

[xafsmom]

Routine is great... however, birds NEED some amount of regular change, else they become neurotic if -anything- changes. Humans are essentially creatures of routine, so whatever works for you should pretty much work for your bird.

[deb717]

I have no routine what so ever..... My work hours vary each day, sometimes I am home at 4 and sometimes 8 or even 11pm. My hubby is usually home a lot. But my CAG will not come to him, prefers me much more, (even if she calls me BOB!!!)

[Lisa B]

Originally Posted by Addicted to Tequila

Greys are prone to being a bit OCD - if you so mush as rearrange their cage they go on a hunger strike and grumble for a week. If they are used to eating at 6pm every night for a year and all of a sudden you have to work until 6:30 every night... they worry daily that they might starve to death for that half hour.

Like Lisa said, a bird has to be able to know that it will be fed etc...
But when that event happens at the precise same time daily... and then stops occurring at that time... they do NOT instinctively know that it will be ok and that you are just "running late". If you come home late and they are not used to it... they think you were eaten by a lion. If they get feed two hours late, firstly... get ready for some screaming, they figure the drought has set in and starvation has begun.

Not to mention... birds that are used to a precise schedule may start screaming when the schedule is off. Contrarily, birds that are used to a routine will generally scream less... because they know playtime will be soon if they are good!

you made me smile! and yep, I can see Emma thinking what lion got her daddy.

[Akasha]

I think whatever works for you will work for your bird too- they can adjust to changes in schedule. However, i do think it is good to mix things up a bit occassionally so they do realize that things can be a bit different and they will be okay. You never know when something might happen to interrupt your routine and they should be able to accept this and move on.