Well, some of you may remember me. I got my first QP back in October, and had to rehome him due to a job change in December. I checked the new owners home, made sure Emmy bonded with them, everything. Since then, I've kept email contact with the new owners about her health, behavior, and they've not had ANY complaints. Saturday I got on Craigslist, and see an ad for a Quaker. The way they described her, I just KNEW it was her. I emailed them, and they told me that it WAS her, and that they tried but couldn't find my phone number or email address so I could come get her. Needless to say, I was pissed. I refunded them the rehoming fee they paid, and picked her up INSTANTLY. I've had her home for two days, and she is PERFECT. She's loving, doesn't make any noise, except to talk, and even lets my two year old pick her up. I'm not sure how they could call her a problem bird, unless they weren't paying attention to her.

So here's the problem. I have my bird back, but still the job issue. I DON't want to rehome her again, so I'm going to HAVE to make this work somehow. I'm gone from 7-7:30am until at least 6pm each day M-F. I get home, have two kids to take care of, and then the bird will have to fit in somewhere. Do you think it's possible? Do you think it's fair? I want to find a way to do it. Any input would be very helpful.

such a small world isint it yay babys home- bet your happy congrats

Those hours seem to work. Emmy could stay up till 9-9:30 and still get his 10 hours of sleep. If you can feed the kids and such in an hour, you'd still have a couple of hours to play and give time to Emmy.

Not sure about your situation, but he could have a stand near where you are prepping food/dealing with the kids so he can be in the middle of the activity and you wouldn't nessesarily have to have him on you the whole time. He just needs to be part of the flock.

As your kids get older they can spend timne with him as well. Try planning and prepping foods in the evening after everyone has been bedded down, then you won't have to be running around in the morning, or when you get home.

Even if you can only devote 30 minutes of one on one time in the evening, if he can just be around you then he'd likely get along fine.

I'm hoping you can keep the twerp.

Good gracious me, some people, what they won't do...

I am so glad you were able to get Emmy back and that is where she is probably suppose to be as fate would have it....

Yes, you can make it work, just start thinking about rearranging a few things and you will see where you can fit Emmy into your life style...Obviously, she was suppose to be with you...Thank you for following up on the craigs list....Again, these people that got her to start with just thought they wanted a quaker...I still think I would give them a piece of my mind....Grrrr.

wow.. cant believe that they would rehome your bird.. thats so sad. but at least you were able to find her again.
good luck, hope all goes well..
you could leave the tv or radio on for her when you are gone during the day.. thats what i do when i have to leave.. petey loves the looney tunes...

I'm so glad that you were able to get Emmy home again!

I can tell you that lots of people work full time and also have birds and kids and it works. Emmy will adapt to your schedule and will be fine. Try to include her in family activities such as homework, even if she's sitting on a playstand with you. Washing dishes is my QP's favorite activity, he loves to sit beside me on a gym and watch the bubbles. If you can get your entire family involved and make it fun for them to, it will be even better.

A bird can be VERY happy just seeing the family and feeling part of the family. With that said, a play stand in the main aread of the house should be perfect.
She can ride around with you and be with you that way when you're busy with things. I think it'll work out just fine. Sounds like fate that Emmy is back with you, so must be a sign from someone "upstairs" that Emmy will be just as happy just hanging out.
Best of luck
tikileahsmom

that is great news that you got Emmy back.....YaY! I agree with Julie in that the people that had her have and should not of heard the last from you.

I agree totally with UZ. It is very do able to have kids and quakers, lots of people on this forum have both...LOL

Fate!!!
I'm so glad you got her back!
I work similar hours as you, depending on the day. My fids have playgyms on their cages and perches about our living spaces so that they are still part of the flock where ever that may be in the house at the time. They're out when we're home and I leave the radio on for them when I'm out.
My children are older so I have the advantage of more one on one here and there, but in time your family will learn to grow together well.

Good Luck!

I am so glad for you that Emmy is home. Where there is a will there is a way. It was meant for you to have her so you will find a way to make it all work out. Good luck.

What an amazing story! I do believe fate has her for you! Thank God you were reading craigslist shes now back home with alot of care and Love. I would shutter to think if my fids got out there into bad homes if that was ever to happen!

It sounds so meant to be that Emmy live with you! My husband and I both work fulltime and have two small children (4 yrs & 1 yr). We do get home a bit earlier than you (home by around 4:00-4:30) but the overall situation is similar. It can totally be done, I think. We have a playtree in the den with us, a little playgym on a t.v. tray in the kitchen/breakfast nook for mealtimes, and a little "traveling" t-stand for Hemingway. (I was a total bargain shopper, mind you!) That way Hemingway is everywhere we are. He even hangs out on his t-stand on the bathroom counter when the kids do their baths.. and then on the dresser while we do pj's with the baby. He seems happy to just be with us, like everyone has said. We don't have a ton of uninterrupted time to do one-on-one with him so we wanted to make sure he still feels like one of the family. I'll grab him and do a few minutes of one-on-one time here and there throughout his out-of-cage time and he seems content with that (probably about 30 minutes total combined). I'll give him his scritches when I walk by to change a diaper, play a couple rounds of peek-a-boo during bathtime, and chat for a sec on my way to the pantry. He comes out in the a.m. at about 7:30 til 8:00 when we leave-- hanging out on his playtree in the den chowing on his pellets for breakfast. We turn the radio on for him during the day and then he comes out as soon as we get home. He goes to bed at about 8:30 p.m. when the kiddos do. Sounds like fate stepped in to bring your birdie back to your family- you will figure it out!

Congrats on getting Emmy back. I had a simular situation happen not to long ago and I was unable to get my birds back. It was quite sad, but I am happy this worked out for you!

I work full time as well and then come home to three dogs and two birds that all want my attention. I know the dogs are no where near as demanding a human children but they do take away from one on one time with the birds.

I just get into a set routine, like come home relax for a moment, let the dogs out and play with them in the back yard. While I do this I put little snacks in the bird's cages. Then while I am preparing dinner my Quaker loves to hang out on a perch near by or on top of her cage (only until I start cooking) then she has to sit on top of her cage. While we eat dinner a little place is set for Pistachio at the table and she gets a little dinner as well. Then it is time for more play iwth the dogs and clean up kitchen. While I play with the dogs Pistachio rides on my shoulder and helps out (if playing inside) she helps clean the kitchen too.

Then we all snuggle up on the sofa's to watch a little tv. Pistachio, Lily (my boxer) and I all share a blanket and lovey time. Then bed time.

You can make it work, just figure out where you can have Emmy out and when. It can work! Even if it is just hanging out on the cage, she will still feel like a part of the family.

Good luck, I am sure you can work it out!

You can definitely make it work! I work similar hours, but don't have kids, and I can definitely tell she's happier than in the previous home (ie- no plucking). I take her in when I shower every morning- which both gives us some one-on-one chat and goofing off time (though a longer shower ) and she gets enough moisture to help out with the pin feathers and her dry skin. Maybe you could do something similar- shower perches work great. And then, like others have suggested- a play stand around all your activity should have her a happy little Quaker. As much attention as you can give her is certainly better than some random person on Craigslist I bet those jerks were just looking to make some money, not calling you back.

You are fated to keep Emmy and she sounds like a lovely QP.

You can make this work. Now I do not have any children so I cannot comment on that complication but both of us work hours at least as long as yours and Horatio copes. We have stands for him all over the house on stools so once we are home he is out and just moves around with us. He has learned the words "upstairs" and "downstairs" mean we are one the move and we get to go to a new place. He loves it. He adores being in every place you go and "helping" with what ever is going on. He "folds" laundry and watches the email on the computer with great interest. He picks out supper from the freezer and helps pack my wife's lunch in the morning.

He just wants the company and the experiences and that is enough (along with lots of treats while we cook dinner and load the dishwasher)

Thank you all for your responses! I think you're all correct in saying that it IS fate, and I know they had my contact info, so I'm pretty sure they just got tired of her and wanted to sell her. It's very sad.

So, last night was my first day working since she's been home. I got home, took her out, and let her play with the kids in the back yard while I made dinner. Then I brought them all in and put Emmy on her playstand while we ate. She got a little vocal since she wasn't being held, but it wasn't bad at all. I put her on the edge of the tub while I gave the kids a bath, and once they went to bed we snuggled on the couch. She seems sooo content, and I really think it's going to work out!

One thing I am noticing though, is that she has a TON of new feathers, but they all have this hard white casing around them, and it seems like she can't pull it off, resulting in terribly stiff, pokey barbs all over her, mostly at her neck. I am assuming they are just typical pinners, but the casings are very hard to pull off, even for me! I know it's driving her nuts. Also, her poops are sooo small now. They used to be HUGE! I'm wondering what they were feeding her, and if these things are the cause of a dificiency in diet. Any ideas? I probably need to get her to a vet for a checkup ASAP.

It could be that they didn't feed her a well rounded diet. Without knowing for sure it is all speculation. Take her to the vet you will be happy you did so. The pin feathers could be not as soft because of diet. Leave a shallow dish in her cage and see if she will bathe. that will help her with those harder shluff quill castings.

OK, if you've been keeping up with them via email....how did they not have your email?

The nerve of some people. I wonder if they were trying to get some money out of her.

I'm glad she's back home with you. And it shouldn't be a problem with your schedule. Alot of people have your schedule and have a whole house full of critters....including kids.

About the pin feathers- they're supposed to be soft? Shows Gabe's my first birdie- but if they are really hard to get off, what can you feed differently? Anything in particular? She gets pellets, fresh fruits and veggies... and showers with me daily...

And about being noisy while you eat- I would put money on that being because she wants some of the food you're having, so if you give her a little treat she should settle right down (and I'd suggest trying to teach her another way to ask, like 'want some' so she doesn't become a screamer).

Bless your heart. I'm so glad Emmy came back to you.

Anyway, just let Emmy be a part of the family when you're home and give her some one on one when the kids go to bed, and it can work.

Good luck! I'm so glad she's made it home.

With the feathers, I'm willing to bet they never bathed her. After a few good soaking those pins should be gone.

I'd also guess they weren't giving her fresh veggies and fruits. I bet her droppings are back to normal after a few days of a better diet.

Well, it's going very well so far! I've been integrating Emmy into our new schedule pretty easily. I've been waking her up a bit earlier so she can hang out with me while I get ready in the am, and the evenings seem to be easier since she loves to be around the kids. It's so funny to me how she's changed. She HATED my kids before I rehomed her. She'd try to bite them, hiss at them, etc. Now she WANTS them to cuddle her and talk to her! It's funny, my toddler went into my bedroom for something and Emmy follows her like a puppy! It's terribly cute. I've gotten almost all of the feather casings off of her pin feathers. A couple of good baths really helped out (thanks for the suggestions). Another change...she used to not like misting very much, but really enjoys it now. Probably feels great since she was filthy, poor girl. She's resisting her fruits and veggies, so they must not have been giving them to her, but I offered them to her slightly warmed, and she took a bit that way. She's still not screaming, not biting...nothing. I don't understand it. I guess those ppl really were trying to make some money off of her. Sad. Anyways, Emmy's the poster child for perfect birdies now, and I'm very happy to be her mommy!!! Thanks for all your encouragement, and I'll keep ya posted on her progress!

She's probably thinking she better be a good birdie or you'll send her back.

Thanks for making me feel like a terrible owner.

Glad to hear little Emma is doing well. This story (part of it) warms my heart. The part that doesn't warm my heart is what those people were going to do. I have said it before.........so glad you have little Emma back.....