Sorry that this question is coming as you might be getting a wave of discourse, but—i have to go away for 2 weeks in August, leaving my budgie behind. He's used to being out of his cage with someone in the room most of the day and I want to do the best I can to make the change as minimally unpleasant for him as possible. My current plan is to get a trusted sitter come in once a day, keep radio on during the day, fill his cage with new shreddable toys, and, if I can find a lamp that fits them, have full spectrum bulbs going for a couple hours as well. Is there anything else I can do for him? I know that this ask might not have any good answers. Bird (Oskar) tax included
For more info for my previous ask, budgie has met the sitter before and I have left for a few days in the past, most recent was 3 days in February and longest was 1 week last August. He seemed ok after those but I always want to do better
(surprisingly no discourse!)
honestly it sounds like you've got a great setup prepared here for Oskar!
There isn't much I can think to add, you've got someone he already knows coming in for socializing/ food/ water, ample enrichment, UV, etc. If you wanted you could prep some foraging enrichment ahead of time for the sitter to toss in the cage when they leave! Something like millet hidden inside a twine ball, simple and easy for the sitter to pop in so that Oskar has an exciting new activity each day and doesn't get potentially distressed by the sitter leaving.
A radio maybe? if there's no one else in the home they may benefit from having some white noise going just so they don't get too freaked out in a suddenly empty home! The noise may help by keeping the environment a bit more active, less likely to get startled and stressed by silence.