Cage Bound Parrots

[lovethatgrey]

I've been wondering about this topic for a while. How long do you figure it would take our parrots to become phobic and cage bound if we stopped handling them and giving them out of cage time. My intuition tells me that it would not take long at all for them to revert to their wild ways.What do you guys think?

[JillyBeanz]

When I adoped Spiky my cockatiel his previous owners had only had him for six months. They had turned an otherwise hand reared, quite expensive baby into a vicious, cage bound bird - they clearly didn't bother with him at all.

 

In the early days he would come out of his cage, have a fly round and go back - but in the 16½ years I had him, right up until his death in January this year, I only held him when he was ill . I tried, and tried and tried to tame him - to no avail.

 

He would let me touch his head through his cage bars, but that was as far as he was going to let me - god knows what had gone on in his "previous life".

 

I'm not sure how long for greys - but I know it didn't take long for poor Spiky. He was happy though - and had a great life munching whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted - I think as demonstrated by such a long life

[rbpittman]

A former neighbor had a macaw that was kept only in it's cage. Seemed that only the mom could get near the bird and thus it was kept in it's cage, in the garage. I don't know the whole story of the bird, but it was not talked about nicely by the rest of the family. Fortunately, they had to move and could't take the bird with them. She was re-homed, and is allowed out of her cage, but does not interact well with her human counterparts at all still and this was 3 years ago.

[Luvparrots]

My Eclectus Solomon, aka Sully, was found years ago in a local car wash and placed with the local pet store owner who over the years tried to re-home him at least 3 other times. He was always returned because he was a plucker, biter and screamer. I took him home with me in May, 2009 and I still have him. He likes to stay in his cage even if the door is open. Sometimes he will sit on his cage door. Sometimes he will come down and come into my office where he immediately climbs up to is travel cage and either sits on the top or just climbs in. He just wants to be with me, in the same area. As long as he can see me, he is happy and doesn't shriek. If he can't see me he screams or shrieks until I answer him. He wants to have the lights off in his room and the door closed at 8:00 pm every night or he will shriek until the lights are off and the door closed. He is set in his ways and he must be at least 10 years old. He is happy and he says hi when I or anyone else comes into his sight. He is just getting over a hormonal period, so I am hopeful he will be his old self soon. He was all plucked up when I first got him and he has, I believe for the most part, stopped plucking. I spray him every day with aloe vera juice (thanks Dr. Flock, my hero) Sully will have a home with me until one of us no longer exists. My oldest daughter has promised to find Sully a good home if I am no longer around. Sully is healthy and happy that is all I care about.

 

Now my Ana Grey is another story! She is independent and immediately climbs out of her cage the moment the door is open. She was clipped when I got her and she is starting to renew some of her flight feathers. She tries every day to fly and can now take off and go 20 feet, downward but with grace! Soon very soon I will have a fully flighted grey!!!! She will be living with my oldest grandson someday, hopefully not too soon.

[she]

One thing is for sure, it takes much much longer to rehabilitate a cage bound phobic grey than it does to create one.I believe it is very important to handle and interact with greys daily .