aw64

Im just intrested to know how many people have their birds clipped, Alfie is flighted but I'm having so many problems returning him to his cage and finding it difficult to have him out when I have things to do, so just out of intrest who has gone down the clipped route and who has maintained a life with a flighted cag?

Just please tell me how do you get him back into cage when his like this?

Ok guys really need some advice I'm pulling my hair out lol, its just took me an hour to get Alfie back in his cage, always use treats but as he is flighted he manages to come to me take the treat and go, his bit me when trying to get him to step up, I'v walked out of the room and come back to try again, I'v called him to me and let him go back to play stand so he doesn't think I call him just to cage him its getting so bad now I have to time when I let him out or I would be late for work ect, his never gone back in his cage himself at all not even for food or drink, what can I do?

Would just like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas, hope santa brings our babies lots of new goodies...............Have a great time be nice to each other and and enjoy x

thankyou for posting this its somthing I had never throught of, Alfie has a band on now thinking maybe I should get it removed

That looks a cool toy none of our pet stores stock anything like that over here in England, well none local to me anyway

sounds like trees are not as much of a problem as I was expecting, we,re still doing ok but have caught him on top of his cage trying to reach some tinsel on a picture, but I'm glad none of the decor seems to of bothered him but it is our first year next year may be different and it is early days!

Nice thread my alfie is 9 months and chats away in his own way copies whistle sounds and a ball he has which when moved makes sounds, cant wait for words to form, feel pretty confident they will in time.

I'm pleased to say our tree has now been up 2 days (not long I no) but so far alfie has not gone near it, he does not seem to of been upset by the added decor, which I was expecting still flying round and landing in his normal places, so while I'm still in this false sence of security lets hear your christmas tree tales with your darlings.

welcome, I'm pretty new on here, my Alfie is 9 months old and his great but I have many ups and downs, this site has become a very good support network, I'v been through the worry of lack of eatting and even now we still have days I worry he hasn't eatten enough veg stuff, he has mastered the art of avoiding me getting him back in his cage this is our latest problem and seems like its been a life time but just like other problems or worries we get through all the advice on here is so good and the key seems to be slow down dont rush and be patient, I used to just sit next to alfies cage and talk to him, it didn't take him long to settle he now begs for me to open his cage and its like his glued to me most of the time, enjoy every moment.

that was wonderful brought tear to my eye well done x

well not to bad today, battle with TV as a stand, removed from shoulder every time he landed which was alot, tried backing up to wall when in postion on my back that worked a treat, even got me a bit of a telling off from Alfie, ummmm new tactics I hear him mutter, but I must say spinning round sent me a bit dizzy but not giving up, and of course we did have some one to one time with head tickles, its a battle of wills and I did explain I'm willing to meet him half way on these problems, I wont keep spinning so long as he stays off my shoulder, have any of you ever wondered what normal people would think if they could see us humans preform in our homes with our darlings, i have a golden retriver and training him was soooooo simple and dont think I ever did things like spin round the room.

Thanks guys all good advice, today is a new day so here we go again, misty love the idear of backing up to a wall, that will be put into practice today, wish me luck today is going to be a good day.

Hi guys, I'v got Alfie who is now nearly 9 months old, I have had him since he was 10 weeks. Im having problems with him when he is out of cage which I try to do as much as I can, he still insistes on being on my shoulder or head I remove him but he either moves to the middle of my back or bites me, can come sharpe but no blood......YET!, I have tried shaking him off well not shaking but moving my shoulder/ head in a way that he will fly off but two seconds later his back, we do get good times he is a real babe but when ever I try to move him from me or the TV which is ment to be out of bounds he bites, it is also getting very hard to return him to his cage, i can get him to fly to me but he will be off or out of reach as soon as he has had his treat, this sadly has resulted in him not being able to come out early morning before I go to work as I cannot be sure I will get him back in time for me to get to work on time. He will sit with me and have tickles around his neck, he has even learnt to wave, turn round and shake hands on command, he has a play stand with lots of things on but will only stay on it if I am sat in the same room doing nothing, as soon as I move or pick something up to do he is there and will bite if I try to prevent him getting hold of lap top, book, paper or what ever it happens to be, i dont mind him following me into different rooms and will take him upstairs when I'm up there he will stand ontop of doors which is great but its only until he can see a clear flight plan to land on me, I have at times aloud him to stay on me while I'm doing tasks but now he bits my shoulder which really hurts, is this all normal behaviour will he grow out of it, I really dont want to have his wings clipped but am starting to wonder if this is the only way he will get as much time out of the cage as I would like him to have. It is the first time I have had a parrot and guess I just need to no he is trying his luck and pushing me, thanks for reading hope I haven't board you too much.

My first time reading this too, how true with 8 month old Alfie every day is like this sadly we still have to return to cage as he has not got his wings clipped and can out do my attempts at keeping him away from food every time, never want to have him clipped but every day I think how nice it would be to put him in one place and he would stay there just for a while!!

I think its all going wrong, Alfie is nearly 8 months old I have had since he was 10 weeks. Over the last couple of weeks he has started to be a little devil, I have him out free flying as much as possible , he has a play gym and his cage is right next to my seat, if his out of cage and i move he is there normaly landing on my head I try to remove him but now he is biting me quite hard, if he is in his cage and I leave the room he gets quite noisy which i guess is to get my attention, when out he will fly to me but again will bite my hands/fingers, and getting him to step up has got harder again getting bites, is he just trying it on if so how do I prove I'm in charge and not here to except him biting me, he can be lovely but I dont want this to get any worse.

My Alfie is 7 months and I have the same problem if I just sit on the sofa doing nothing he is happy to play on play stand but as soon as I start to do anything his there I hope it will improve with age during the morning when I'm doing household jobs he goes into our spare room with a large play stand and I just check on him, once jobs are done we spend some time together in the lounge then he gets put back in his cage for a rest then comes back out late afternoon for about an hour then again during the evening when all cooking ect is done, somtimes this changes depending on whats happening, but I do understand how you feel we want our babys out as much as possible but we also have things to do, and I dont want to end up having wings clipped.

The way you wrote that brought a tear to my eye, wonderful moments like that make it all worth while, I'm new owner of wonderful African Gray Alfie, I think we have good bond but he is only 7 months and I have had him since he was 10 weeks, but like you said you get moments where the time spent together is price less, hope you get many more.

I'v noticed that when I'm out Alfie (7 months old) does not seem to eat or play as cage/food is always as I'v left it but once I return he will start eatting and distroying his toys/playing, has anyone else ever experienced this? I leave radio on sometimes, Alfies not left for long periods of time, he eats well so I'm not worried about him just wondered if it was somthing they go through when young.

Alfie is 7 months old, its a bit long but needed to make sure he would stay put, as you can see he bombed the camera in the end! http://youtu.be/2pLDTdmy1L0

Wingy I have added a second link on the post which shows more of the stand, we do plan to sit it on a wooden base but for now newspaper catches most of what it needs to, its light enough to move from room to room, and do plan to add to it.

alfies new play stand made by my son. Took Alfie four days to go anywhere near it but now more than happy to spend time on it until he sees me with the camera as you will see. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnsu6oz4FtQ&feature=share&list=ULcnsu6oz4FtQ

At last we have made Alfie a play stand with idears from everyone one here, it took four days for him to go anywhere near it but now is very happy to spend time playing............until he sees me with camera as you will see! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnsu6oz4FtQ&feature=share&list=ULcnsu6oz4FtQ http://youtu.be/2pLDTdmy1L0

That is lovely x

Intresting thread and I'm about to start studying Alfie, i think his left footed as he can wave and shake hands (claw) which he does with his left, he is 7 months and whistles come here and woof whistle lots of chatter but not words yet.