Moving is about as stressful a time as any in our lives and the lives of our fids. Having just completed moving the "gang" into a new house, I thought I would share some of the things that helped our move go smoothly. The feathered crew (Alex and Zeke, African Greys and April, Umbrella Cockatoo) have settled in nicely and things returned to normal quickly. Granted, the move was to a nearby city and we were not on the road in the U-Haul for more than an hour, but I believe preparing the birds had everything to do with their reduced stress level and smooth transition.
I also want to mention that there is the coolest service for moving called PODS (Portable On Demand Storage). I had it delivered to my old house the weekend before the actual move. This allowed me to pack up all my non-essentials at my leisure, clear out the house and cut down on the stress and chaos of the actual moving day. They took the "POD" away and stored it at their warehouse until the day I scheduled it to be delivered to my new house. I only had to rent a U-Haul for a few left over things and the bird cages.
Everything but a blanket, pillow, alarm clock, bird supplies and cages (that didn't get into the POD) were packed up in the U-Haul the night before the actual move. Renting the U-Haul for an extra day was really worth it! All I had to do on moving day was gather up a few things, place the birds in the carriers, load up the cages and away we went to our new home. My "POD" was delivered to my house later that afternoon and I had as much time as I wanted to unload it. It arrived on a Friday and I scheduled the POD pickup for the following Tuesday.
The reason I recommend a service like PODS is that it relieved so much stress. I was calm, the birds were calm and I could focus on making them more comfortable instead of running around loading things up at the last minute. I will never move without PODS again - it was that good!
The move actually took place in several stages.
Stage 1 - Keep the Fids Informed
House hunting is always both exciting and exhausting. But, when I found a house I really liked and the offer was accepted, I showed the flyer with the picture of the new house to the fids and told them all about it. I told them how nice it would be for them to have a bigger room with nice big windows and everything. Yes, I really did this! They may not understand all the words, but they get the fact that something is up.
When my old house sold and the paperwork was progressing along nicely, I started packing. I made sure they saw what I was doing and I would talk about the moving day and how exciting it would be.
Stage 2 - Prepare the Fids
A few days before the actual move, I cleared out my master bedroom and moved the fids out of their normal "bird room" and into the master bedroom. It was only across the hall, and not in totally unfamiliar surroundings. But, it conveyed the message to them loud and clear that change was coming. I made the move in the morning so they would have time to get used to the new room before bedtime.
After their first night in the master bedroom, I introduced the idea of travel. They have all been in carriers at one time or another, but I didn't have three carriers, I only had one. I went and bought a new one and borrowed another to make three. Three days before moving day, I placed each carrier in front of the cage of the bird that would be using that particular carrier. I placed them there all set up and ready to go with the doors open.
After they stated at the carriers for a few hours, I took each parrot and placed them in the carrier briefly. Just long enough to close the door, tell them how good they were and take them out again. The next day I kept them in there a little bit longer, about 5 to 10 minutes or so. The third day, I placed each into their carrier for about a half an hour. I also picked them up in it and walked around the house. All the while telling them how good they were and about moving day the next morning.
Stage 3 - Moving Day
I woke up early. We were supposed to arrive at our new house at 8 a.m. because the phone company, cable and internet company, etc. were arriving that day to set things up. And you know them, they are so exact on the appointment times, "Sometime between 8 a.m. and noon" was about as precise as it got. I needed my phone and internet hooked up pronto, of course, what's an online parrot supply store going to do without the online part and a phone?
I talked to the fids for a little bit and told them this was it. Moving day was here! Then I put them in their carriers and started loading up their cages. (They have big cages.) They all went in their carriers without a fuss. I put them by the front door so they could watch their cages being loaded and telling them how exciting their new home was going to be. The last thing I did was put them all on the front seat of the U-Haul with me and drove off to our new house.
Along the way, I picked up my helper for the day who would help me get their big cages up the steps to the new house. April actually greeted her with a big "Hi!" She wasn't stressing at all! Upon arrival at the new house, the first thing we did was to bring the birds inside and put them in their new room. Of course, I was talking to them the whole time. Then, we unloaded cages and one by one they were placed inside. I prepared their food and water like I always do and tried to keep things as normal as possible for them. All that was completed and the birds completely set back up in their cages before anything else was done.
Stage 4 - New Digs
I kept things as normal as possible for them. After a day or two they were pretty darn comfortable. That's when I started being a tour guide. Each was given a tour of a different room. I went from room to room, one a day or a whole house tour. It depended on the bird's comfort level. I made sure to point out the windows to them and have them touch it so they know not to fly into it. Things returned to normal quickly and they really love their new space!
I really believe that it went so smoothly because each of the steps prepared them for the next. I was shocked at how quickly they adjusted to life at the new house. They were even back to talking within hours of the move. April even talked IN THE U-HAUL. I hope this has been helpful to anyone considering a move in the near future!
Your Parrot Place
Taylor Knight is President of Your Parrot Place, providers of the highest quality parrot food, toys, cages and supplies available. yourparrotplace.com - Only the Best for Your Parrot!
Free Parrot eBook
140 pages of parrot tips, information, nutrition advice, safety and more! yourparrotplace.com
Imagine being on a horse and he bolts. You pull... Read More
Witnessing your precious dog or cat having a seizure can... Read More
The other day, I was invited to see my friend's... Read More
Giving your dog a bath is important, but not as... Read More
Part2: Does your puppy want to be crate trained?Yes! in... Read More
After years of practicing both conventional and holistic medicine for... Read More
Cats are living longer lives thanks to dedicated care from... Read More
A few years ago, before I decided to stay home... Read More
Over the past 30 years we have learned so much... Read More
Remember when you first met your dog? He was fresh... Read More
The Story Continues... Following the first of many visits to... Read More
As you likely know already, horses have at least 10... Read More
How important is a dog name? Well let's think about... Read More
Good filtration is the prime priority in the discus tank.... Read More
"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil... Read More
If Your Dog Suffers From Arthritis, Consider The Natural Alternative:Rimadyl... Read More
Okay, so it's not the cleanest or most appealing of... Read More
Is your dog or cat tormented by ear infections? Do... Read More
If you're like me, then you don't really have the... Read More
Bringing home a Pug can change our life, but it... Read More
There are three important litter box considerations to account for... Read More
Why does one breed appeal to a person over another?... Read More
When you get a puppy, one of the first things... Read More
Dog TrainingSo, we've got a new best friend that needs... Read More
Poor Dog. Subjected to my most ambitious experiments, she still... Read More
Western Springs shuttle limo ..Cats are known for their curious and adventurous nature. Curiosity... Read More
Can Your Dog Stomach This?There's an old adage that says... Read More
Why is it that cats get no respect? Are they... Read More
Wolves are magnificent and majestic creatures that have shared this... Read More
If your life is so busy you literally only have... Read More
The information in this article is based on the successful... Read More
I have encountered folks who have complained to me about... Read More
For the first 8,000 years of their relationship with humans,... Read More
Mum, dad, can we get a puppy? Its a plea... Read More
Does the idea of trimming your dog's nails send chills... Read More
Here's a simple way... to help your horse learn twice... Read More
Every month I am approached by dog owners of my... Read More
Over the past couple of years, animal rescues have been... Read More
Parrots are becoming more popular as pets with each passing... Read More
This is general information on Discus, a member of the... Read More
Of all the parasites a dog can catch, worms take... Read More
Did you know that your goldfish can live for over... Read More
Occasionally, some of us get to do work that is... Read More
Thinking of getting a pet for your little ones? How... Read More
Many dog owners are bewildered when they hear their dog... Read More
Dog's come in all shapes and sizes ? out of... Read More
Animal Communication, or telepathy with animals, is as common an... Read More
1. Clipping the quick when cutting nails.Don't be in a... Read More
Just like when you bring home a new baby, you... Read More
A crate is a valuable and useful training tool. Its... Read More
Pet |