Join to Reply Katoomba, NSW

Our cosy 1 bedroom cottage is situated on 1/2 an acre in North Katoomba. It has a combustion heater that heats the whole house. We are a 15 minute walk from town and the train station, which has a taxi rank and is a $10 ride to our place.

If you would like to stay here your duties would be to feed the goldfish once a day, with 1 water change whilst we are away. The tricky pet is the Galah Boobah. He is an indoor flighted bird, in an indoor cage. I let him out of his cage for at least 2 hours a day and during that time he has to be closely monitored (he chews stuff and will try to eat anything you have left out, so being tidy and vigilant is important). This is an avocado and chocolate free house (poisonous to parrots). You would ideally have experience with parrots and be comfortable around a bird that may land on your shoulder. He is very clever and can do a lot of tricks! The main thing is Boobah needs company, parrots are flock birds and like interaction. He will chat to you and watch you do your daily things.

Boobah will "step up" for a treat onto a perch, so you can move him around without touching him. However you will need to be wary of his beak, he can nip. He has never caused any harm although it hurts! When he nips, I gently remove him saying a firm "no" and place him on a perch. All parrots spend most of their time trying things out/chewing with their beak, and just like any animal, you need to be vigilant. Like a toddler, if he gets too worked up, he will need a rest in his cage with his cover on to calm down.

He would need his cage paper changed daily and his cage wiped down once a week, fresh water and food once daily. Full detailed written instruction would be provided. Galahs are the least noisy of the larger parrots but he will vocalise at sunrise and sunset, this is normal. It's better to take him out of his cage around 10am, and return him well before sunset as he can get agitated when all the wild birds start vocalising at the end of the day. At night you cover his cage and he sleeps till you wake up.

I also have some indoor and balcony plants that would need watering. The garden should be ok as in winter the grass doesn't grow fast.

We look forward to hearing from you!