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Well, we just got back from vacation over the weekend and all the birds stayed with family and a neighbor.......Ivy stayed with the neighbor so this way we could bring her big cage with her and she'd have the security of her cage......I was concerned about her because she is terrified of strangers, but she ended up doing pretty good! My lovie Pip stayed with my sister.......he had the hardest time with us being away....he seemed very stressed out by the trip there and although he did do ok, I could tell that he was very happy to see us and be home again! Then there was Woody and Boss......they stayed with my parents, and these two......they are just so good! happy as can be......do whatever you want with them and they just always stay happy. Can you believe that when we got back to my parents, these two were mating? Geez, not much phases them does it?? Woody was singing away all happy when we dropped them off there too. Oh yeah and sings at the vet! After getting Pip and Ivy, I really see and appreciate what good birds Woody and Boss are.......very undemanding, I call them my good birds! lol the other two are just much more demanding. Woody actually is the instigator though when it comes to being noisey......he starts it and the others all chime in! but that's ok.....I don't mind the noise and it isn't like it's all the time.

You know you might not be giving Ms. Rosie enough credit.......keep in mind how long she spent away when she got outside, and she seemed to come through all that pretty good! I felt the same with Ivy....she only likes and wants me and I was really worried that she wouldn't do well......but we brought her right next door and they have a cockatoo and a senegal, so she could see the other birds there, plus she had her own cage, which I'm sure helped alot. The neighbors were great with her, and she really did alot better than I thought she would. I could tell when I brought her there that she would do ok because she wasn't too freaked out by the change, and time only helps getting used to things. She seemed all comforable there when I went to pick her up. Some people told me this might be good for Ivy, and ya know, I think it is good to get them used to changes, and be around new people if they are afraid of that.....so they can see nothing bad comes of it, otherwise they just stay in their protected little world never knowing what to expect from new places or new people. I would try to find someone who would take good care of Rosie and then maybe try an overnighter or a couple of days and see how she does. At least give her a chance to see, maybe bring her for visits where she will be staying if you were to go...... I know Woody and Boss have each other so it's alot easier for them.......but Ivy was by herself and trust me......she has a real fear of strangers. It would be good to get Rosie used to other people if possible, otherwise something might come up some day where you really need to go somewhere or do something and have no choice.

Your probably right. I guess cuz she won't stay put when I am home unless I am with her she is always either flying after me or calling for me non-stop that I think she won't be ok without me. Then I don't feel comfortable asking someone to change their whole way of living in their home to have Rosie there, I would be afraid that they would do something dangerous that would harm her like spray something, smoke use non stick etc... And she is NEVER locked in her house unless it's time to go to sleep so I worry about that too .. I may just be to paranoid..

I hate to say it, but yes, you are being too paranoid. Jenny, there are times when the birds have to be without you. You are NOT doing Rosie a favor by teaching her to be a spoiled brat. There will be times where Rosie needs to stay somewhere or someone needs to come over and take care of her, you won't be home all the time for the next 25+ years, so realistically she needs to learn to have others care for her. She will not love you any less if you teach her to be a social being, you improve her life by extending her circle.

Rosie adapted to your not being around when she flew out the door and was gone for weeks. She needs a life and so do you. It is not healthy to stay at home and avoid social situations just because you have a pet. There will be places that it is acceptable for you to bring her in a travel carrier and be out in the wide world, but just the same, there are times when you need to be with your peers and extended family.

Go to your cousin's wedding, enjoy the time and appreciate Rosie being happy to see you on your return. Life is a scale. You have to try to balance it.

I'm glad things worked out for the birdies while you were away!
Isn't Woody & Boss naughty though

And I admit I do, do that.. When I go out with friends on the weekends it's always after 8:00 after Rosie goes to bed and during the week when I hang out or do stuff it's after work before I come home. I do have a social life I just plan around Rosie which I probably shouldn't do as much. I do take her with me places in her travel cage sometimes too like yesterday we went to my Sisters but ugh as soon as you opened the door to her house the smell of her scented candles hit you like a ton of bricks so we had to visit outside.

I know JUST how you feel! I worry about all those things too! BUT......I found a BIRD home to leave Ivy at, and their birds are all healthy and noisey and just happy, active birds! I figure.....they've had their birds this long and have done good by them, so I trusted that Ivy would be safe there as well. Maybe you could find another bird home with a cockatiel or two that might want to trade off with you at those times when you can't be there. I am lucky.....I have nice neighbors and they take care of handicapped children so they are at home at all times....they have the time and the space and they love birds.....don't get much better than that! Oh, and you shoulda seen me going over there with all of Ivy's things.... they were probably thinking.....how much stuff can one bird have??? all of her food, her veggies, her sprouts, her treats, some toys, some millet.....then just when I thought I brought it all over, I forgot the blanket to cover her cage......they probably thought I would never stop running over there with stuff! The other birds all went with my family, parents and sister who all have or have had birds. It's an hour away though and I'm starting to get tired of lugging them over there. I'd like to find some one closer next year to take them and I feel like asking the neighbors to take all of them is a bit much!
Also if you know someone, maybe a family member who you trust......you can always educate them have them learn more about Rosie, and her health and safety. I remember the first time I had to leave Woody, we left him at a friend's house, a man who lives by himself and he used to have birds. Well, we got there to drop Woody off, cage and all, and we bring him inside.......I remember it was pouring out! so we rushed in! and I go in this house to the smell of pumpkin (it was fall) and I'm thinking.......oh noooo, what is that smell? is it a candle burning? where is it? I didn't know what to do! I didn't want to seem rude and say.......Oh hey, sorry but you have to get rid of that smell and start opening the windows! lol We found out what it was and it wasn't candles.......it was popouri (sorry if I mispelled it) and it was in a warmer, and his girlfriend was there, so that's where it came from. We left Woody there that night and I was freaking out the whole time! We even called that same night to make sure everything was ok! That was when I found my friend Lin, who is a foster mom to rescue birds and I emailed her right away and asked her.......do you think this is ok??? is this popouri safe around birds?? and she eased my mind a bit and said that he should be fine......and he was! so I guess that stuff isn't as bad as candles burning.......plus nothing is burning, it's just warmed and all natural stuff......Woody did fine so it couldn't have been too bad for him! but boy did I worry!

Thats so cute that you kept going back with all her stuff. What a lucky baby to have you taking such good care of her. I would be that same way with Rosie if I smelt something and thats one reason why I don't wanna ask anyone cuz I wouldn't feel right telling them how to live in their own house. I know NO ONE who don't do something that would be hazardous to Rosie's health in their house. Sheesh, when I first got Rosie I done a ton of hazardous things too but I read about birds about a week before I got her so I was a little bit prepared with the major obvious stuff. It was a big change and I still need to remind my Mom of stuff that we can't do around Rosie. I still find myself learning all the time about new things too. But all the changes in the world are worth it for Rosie and her health. She literally is my Baby like my Kid, I don't want kids at all EVER and Rosie is my kid so I am more than willing to make sacrifices for her. I just don't know how to ask someone else to make those sacrifices for close to a week for me. Ya know? I thought about taking her but I don't know how well she would do in a car ride from NM to AZ..

Scented candles, freebreeze, and I would suspect poupouri would be not very healthy for birds.
If my house stinks I just open the windows. God I HATE those smelly things!

Well then I guess your only answer is to find a bird home where they are already making those sacrifices for their own birds. I know it's hard with birds......it isn't like having a dog or cat, they are easy! I find that most people don't have the first clue about birds......I took Pip to the vet and some lady said to me.....that isn't a parakeet it is?? she didn't even know he was a lovie! I find that most of the time either people have birds and love them, or don't know the first thing about them, so my birds only stay places where there are other birds, or at my parents who had a cockatiel for 14 years, and my sister who has two quakers. You need to start hooking up somehow with other bird people who live near you, and find a friend! I bet if you looked right on your street you would find a home with a bird or birds.....I have two close neighbors with birds, and I know of other people in my town who have birds.....look around and check it out.....because I also find that most "bird" people that I meet tend to be really nice, good people! Maybe you post a note at Rosie's vet looking for someone to trade off bird-sitting......at least at the vet you know the people who see it bring their bird to the vet, and take good care of them! Just an idea.