What to do when on holidays ?

[geasterbrook]

Hi All,

I would be interested in knowing the various approaches people take to deal with your birds while away on holidays.

We have traveled quite a bit over the last few years or so being away for 3-4 weeks at a time.

I keep Chestnuts/Spice/Star/Double Bar/Painted.

I have had someone come and attend to seed and water, but they are not really up for sprouting seed/green seed/ live food. All the things that I try to provide.

Amazingly on returning from out last trip 4 weeks away I came home to find the painteds had nested and had 2 young on seed alone.

The timing of the holidays can be distruptive such that you can end up with only half a breeding season.....But we do love our holidays, great experiences.

Any ideas or approaches I would love to hear.

Geoff



Geoff

[Tiaris]

I have people down the road feed mine whilst we're away & have all green seed & termites frozen into one container per day & the feeding of these important breeding foods is easier than doing the water.

[Niki_K]

I've had a friend feed mine when I was away for 3 weeks- I made up sprouted seed, put it in the freezer, and just told her how much to give them. She came in two or three times a week to sort their food and water. I just have zebbies though, so its a lot easier!

[jusdeb]

I dont have holidays overnighters are as good as it gets howevevr I have been toying with the idea of asking a friends teenager to come around a couple of times a week to help me so that if I do go away I have someone who knows what I want done ...all for $$$ of course .

[mr.fox]

I am very lucky and get my dear ol' mum to mind my birds (all 16 aviaries of them) while we are away. She does a great job and, hopefully,doesn't mind the 25km drive from her place in town. But be careful, there are some classic disaster stories out there about the aftermath of having non-bird people looking after friends bird collections.

[jusdeb]

Thats what scares me Mr Fox ...

[Jayburd]

went away for a month and lost 19 birds
just make sure there's someone/something there 24 hours 7 days a week to watch out for cats!! neighbour couldn't be there overnight it wasn't her fault.
electric fences are the go!

[venetta]

a lady I work with has an 18 year old daughter at uni, so she's my go to person for looking after our menagerie when we go away...

It's good to know she has a Vet for a dad and a Vet Nurse for a mum too ;D

[finchbreeder]

Mother and I live on opposite sides of the highway and less than 5 mins apart. So we have each other for holiday bird sitters.
But the local Uni students who are doing Vet or Animal Biology sound good. (Anyone in Perths Southern suburbs want to hire my daughter any time just PM)
LML