TinyTimneh Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Yeah I took the plunge last night and thought, hmmm... I wonder. So Jacko officially had his first cage-free night last night and slept on top of his crate that I'd put up on a shelf in my bedroom (I thought he was gonna sleep in it but meh apparently not lol). He did superbly actually, although I'll be making some adjustments because he didn't poop where I thought he would and instead pooped all over my stuff (yuuk:sick: ). He was up just before dawn at about quarter to six this morning. He plucked less than he ususally does that night but he had a major plucking episode after I put him back into his cage and left for a few hours but I think its because it was a new experience and I forgot his favourite yellow block (oops). He seems to be more itchy now that he's started harrisons (apparently this is normal because he is 'healing' and sometimes it can cause itching according to the harrisons website) but I'm ignoring it. Might try it again tonight and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyparrot Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I hope this works out for you and Jacko. Misty has not slept in his cage for several months now. Before he would spend all day out of his cage but I would put him in at bed time. This would be at any time between midnight and 2 am ! He would be the one to tell me when he was ready for bed by saying "Bed time" he would persist in this until I had put him in his cage, turned out the lights and left the room. Now he prefers to spend the night in his tree perch I have made from fruit tree branches. Now instead of saying "Bed time" when he wants to settle down to sleep, he looks at me and says "by by" as he does when I go out. Again he continues with "by by" until I have switched off the lights and left the room. He is quite clear about what he wants me to do. He seems to get all the sleep he wants and he will have snoozes during the day As I am retired I can spend plenty of time with him, and he doesn't wreck the room to much when I have to go out:lol: Steve n Misty<br><br>Post edited by: Mistyparrot, at: 2009/07/07 13:17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 My Ana Grey has her own schedule. I am retired so she is out all day. Come around 8:30/9:00 pm she will on her own go to her cage have a snack and get on her sleeping perch. Because my Eclectus also goes to his cage at night around the same time he will start making his honking sound to let me know it is time to turn off the lights. They have free range of the house but they prefer to sleep in their cages. Frankly I feel so much better because they are safely tucked in at night. I'm not brave enough to trust that they will be good on their own.<br><br>Post edited by: luvparrots, at: 2009/07/07 21:01 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyTimneh Posted July 8, 2009 Author Share Posted July 8, 2009 Well I have enough trust in Jacko that he'll behave and be ok, although I totally understand luvparrots. Generally speaking if he has things to chew and food to eat he'll stay in a particular spot. This was night number two and all went well actually. Less plucking overall and no poop on my stuff lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Glad to hear that Jacko is enjoying his cage-free nights. All greys are different and we all know our own greys best. You are lucky that Jacko is so well behaved and reliable. My Ana Grey is very independent and I wouldn't trust her for a minute! I am so happy Jacko is plucking less! Please keep us posted on Jacko's progress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I've got Dorian on his playstand right now. He's being so bad about not wanting to leave his cage that I'm thinking about letting him spend the night on it instead of going back to his cage, which is where he always wants to be. Only thing is it's in the same room as my bed and my cat spends the night in bed with me and Jac (the kitty) is in a sulk because Dorian is in "his" room. I'm not worried about Jac doing somethin to Dorian, he's the biggest scaredy cat in the world, but he does have a record of peeing on the bed of the person he's mad at and right now that's me:unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovethatgrey Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I really believe that my parrots prefer the security, privacy and comfort of being tucked away in their cages at night. It is best when the place that they roost is different and separate than the place they enjoy hanging out on during the day light hours.<br><br>Post edited by: lovethatgrey, at: 2009/07/09 14:58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaxtersMom Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 I agree with lovethatgrey. I think they need the security of going into their own cage at night, not to mention for their safety. Anything could happen during the night while we are asleep and in the dark it would be hard knowing what happened or where they were. I wouldn't trust mine not to get into stuff they shouldn't. Mine are out most of the day with very little cage time (unless I am gone) but they do go to their cages at night on their own. It's their safe place. Can I ask why you don't want yours to sleep in a cage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
she Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Charlie goes into his cage when he is ready for bed.I have thought of taking him to my room to sleep on a stand but decided he likes his cage of a night and no way could I trust him not to get up to trouble.I also feel secure knowing he is safe in his cage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tycos_mom Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 My bird get darn right nasty if I don't answer the bedtime call they go in their cage and will say night night over and over and If I don't come and cover them up and give them their kiss and scritch good night they will scream night night as loud as they can. I did think about letting Jeepers be cage free because he was so cage bound for so long and he's such a sweetheart since I took his cage away and for the first night I let him sleep on the playstand the second night he slept on to of his cage but I locked the cage door so he couldn't get in. then after that I felt bad so I let him sleep inside but there is no toys and no food in there so in the morning he wants to come with me to his playstand to have breakfast and start his day he can see his cage from the playstand but never trys to go back to it he knows that he won't get the attention that he's been loving if he goes back there his cage is where it used to be before I moved him closer to the other bird. He's a very different bird now.I think that if you have a cage bound bird to take that cage away is the only way to show them there is a wonderful place other then staying locked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyTimneh Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 Oh there's no particular reason I want him to sleep either outside or inside his cage or carrier--the door is left open and he can go in to sleep or sleep outside of it, I've just decided to give him the option because he does spend most of the day in his cage because I'm gone. Because he is right there in the room with me (door closed and clicked shut) and the room is relatively parrot proof I have faith in him and I also know that once the lights are turned off he picks a spot and doesn't move till morning (and I get up when he gets up). I like that there is just a natural flow of him living with me doing his own thing instead of him being in a cage until I let him out. He also does a lot of plucking at night so I'm attempting to see if letting him live as cage-free as possible will help him as it seems to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
she Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 It sounds as if you may have the right idea to help with the plucking problem.Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 How are Jacko's cage-free nights going? Is it still helping with his plucking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyTimneh Posted July 11, 2009 Author Share Posted July 11, 2009 Like anyone with a chronic habit he has good days and bad days... sometimes something will trigger him and he'll do a lot of plucking and remove all the progress he's made. But it's gradually going down and the bad days are getting farther and farther away from each other it seems. He may never stop completely and that's ok by me I love him regardless. It's mostly just working out too much sleep vs too little, keeping him occupied and bathing/misting him as often as I can etc. So in short, sometimes we have rough days and he plucks like crazy but on a grand scheme of things I think both he and I are headed in the right direction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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