Michelle how do you keep up?

[carolteacher]

Michelle,

You just amaze me! I'm so impressed by your ability to have a personal life, run your business, and take care of so many wonderful birds. My question is how do you keep up with the cleaning of so many birds. I love my birds to death, but it seems like I have no life of my own as everything revolves around the birds. Are some of yours outdoors, do each of them have their own cage, or are they some of them caged together? I just need suggestions on how to do a better job of cleaning, feeding, and playing so that I have some time for myself. I hope I'm not sounding selfish. I have 5 big macaws a mini-macaw, a sun conure and a CAG.

Any suggestions of how anybody does things to save time would be of interest to me. I have 8 cages, 6 playstands, and boxes of toys in the garage. The birds are in their own bird room, with a tile floor. So that does help contain the mess.

Thanks, Carol

[Michelle & Fids]

Thanks Carol, your too kind. None of my birds are outside, way to cold over here in Ohio for that. Two of my Greenwings share a cage and the 2 Budgies do, the rest have their own cage. I wouldn't really say I have a personal life, unless you count online I don't worry about everything being spotless all the time and that helps. I may only sweep up their mess every other day if I'm busy, they have never seemed to mind. But my life does revolve around the birds and the rest of the critters here. I get up in the am when they sceam for me too. They get fed the same time twice a day everyday. If I have to go into the office to do paperwork it isn't until after they are fed and I have to be back home my 2nd feeding. I won't stay gone longer then 4 hrs so I can let the dogs out, if I have to be gone more then 4 I get a sitter to come in to check on the birds and let the dogs out. Most all of my toy building is done after the birds are in bed for the night and if I have a lot of paperwork to do at the office I'll go in after the birds go to bed. I gave up getting a full nights sleep a long time ago, on the average I would say the earliest I go to bed is 2am.
Do you use newspaper in the bottom of the cage or on the crates? If you even have the grates in the cage. I know here the cages that don't have grates or the papers on the grate are so much easier to clean then the ones with grates and the papers under them. I don't know what your stands are like, but do you use newspaper on them so you can just toss it each day when it's dirty? What is your feeding schedule? Do you feed real everyday that you make fresh everyday? I know myseld and some others make large amounts at one time so your not taking extra time everyday to make new. What is play time considered? Do you think they need to be out "x" amount of hrs each day and do you have to be with them the entire time? If you need time for yourself, just take it. It won't hurt them to spend some extra time in their cage playing alone if you want to have some "Mama" time. I hope I offered a few ideas, it's really hard to say what I might do in your case, without actually knowing how you do things.

[Tabious Mom]

All I know is that I only have two birds and I think that its pretty hard sometimes. give all of you so much credit for having your flock. Michelle, thats some pretty good ideas abou the cages. I wonder if I should take my grate out. What a pain in the butt to clean. The only problem is Tabious uses his entire cage. From top to bottom. With there playgyms the newspaper is great like you said. Just pick up and through away. I wish I could keep them outside for a little while but just like you it's to cold here. I love the summer, they are outside. lol.

[Michelle & Fids]

Carolyn you can try the paper on top of the grate first to see how he does with it. I have a mix of all 3 and those that don't get a dirty grate are so easy to clean up after. I have tried it with all of them and some make such a huge mess with the newspaper that it ends up being more work.

[Tabious Mom]

I am going to try it and see how he does. Thanks.

[hyacinthlove]

oh man, the newspaper on top of grates sounds so awesome. i wish ivy didn't like to play with newspaper so much, i would try it out myself.

i was just thinking about you the other day michelle, and how amazing it is that you do all that you do. most people (myself included) couldn't keep up with a fraction of it!

[carolteacher]

Michelle,

Thanks for all of the helpful suggestions. I don't know why I didn't think of putting papers around the playgyms. I use papers under the grate as mine do use every inch of their cages. I guess I get really tired when I'm cleaning cage grates as it makes my back hurt. I have a friend that is able to lay papers on the grates and it doesn't take her much time to clean up her cages. I do try to make food in bulk, but sometimes I end up making it daily or every other day. My problem is to feel my best I need my full 8 hours of sleep. I'd never be able to keep up with your schedule. It makes me admire you even more. I do feel that I need to be with the birds when I have them out of their cages. I have to take them all at once (the 5 macaws) or the roof will raise off of the house if one or two are left in the bird room alone. They scream for each other. I realize that I have created this problem by not changing up the schedule. Thanks for all of your great suggestions. I knew I could count on you to give me some new ideas. Carol

[Michelle & Fids]

Thanks Emily

Carol- Unless you have a problem with them walking on the paper you could still try it on the grates. Some of mine that have paper on the grates love to go down and lay under the paper, boy can that make your heart skip a beat or two The only reason some don't have it on their grates in because they shre it so bad. I think if you wanted to cut back from having all the Macaws out at once it could easily be done. First you would have to know you were going to here that "come back and get me screaming" for a bit until they all got used to it. Then whoever you leave behind give busy toys too: a lunch bag or cardboard box full of shredded paper and toy parts to forage for. Or a roll of adding tape. I think this is one of the easier things to clean up, because most of the time they just unravel it and you can just grab it by the handful and stuff it in a trash bag. Or if they are food motivated try giving them an extra special treat. Last night my 5 yr old niece came to have a sleepover and left her brothers at home, because she wanted "just girl time". So today was going to be about her for a better part of the day. So after the birds had their normal breakfast and started raising a ruckus for me to come back and play I took them each a peanut butter cookie. Then all you heard was "ummm it's good" and they were happy that I came to visit with a treat and there wasn't any more ruckus until it was time for second feeding.

[Phyllis]

I do the paper on top of the grates too. Frankie will sometimes go to the bottom of the cage and pick up the paper, but I've come to discover that he just does it so I'll come in there and tell him to put the poopaper down. He knows I'm gonna open the door and get the yucky paper out so it doesn't get on him..... stinker.
I also use the papers on most of the play gyms. It does help a lot. Kudos to you, Michelle. If I don't get at least 7 hours of sleep, I'm not fit to be around!
Keep on keepin on!

[carolteacher]

Michelle,

Thanks for the suggestions and I will try both of them.

I have a question about your picture of your birds. On the bottom of the picture the green bird sitting on the clear feed cup is that a Military? There are a few others that I'm not sure that I recognize, but they are smaller birds. I am usually better able to identify the larger macaws. Thanks.

Carol