Bismark - Not a Fan of Hanging Perches

[snakeopus]

So today I picked up two driftwood-looking perches on the way home from work. The plan was to hang them next/above Bismark's playtop to increase the size of his domain. Well I got them up, and hung a new toy up there too.

 

As I suspected, he was a little taken aback when I got his cage back in its spot - but that's where the toy comes into play - his curiosity overcame the fear and he really wanted to get at it (see I'm learning! B)) So I held him up to the toy and he fiddled with it for a while - then I slowly moved him into place and he stepped onto perch.

 

Suffice it to say, Bismark would be SOL out in the wild hanging out in a tree with the flock. He was really shaky, and seemed to have trouble keeping his balance. I took him off the perch after 5 seconds and he retreated to my shoulder. I took the perches down and placed him near his cage so he can check em out and get comfortable.

 

Now did he have trouble sitting on it because the rest of the perches in his life are solidly in place?

 

Is it because he isn't flighted yet? Or because he's still young?

 

How does one teach his/her little feathered friend how to sit on the big-boy perches?

 

Unfortunately teaching him by example is out of the question as the ceiling anchors are only rated for 75 lbs and I'm 90 lbs over that....my balance isn't anything to write home about either..

 

Below Bizzy is introduced to snow, and he could care less haha. Also, me trying to strike a pose while he tears up my wardrobe :pinch:

 

 

[SamsDad]

Great story and nice pics. I hope that isn't one of your favorite sweatshirts! I'm on my second bird-sweatshirt. I had to throw out the first one because it looked like I got in a bar fight with a weed-whacker. It would have been the perfect thing to wear standing on a street corner holding a cardboard sign.

 

Last night after playing with Sam I went into the kitchen to give my wife a nice hug. I forgot I was wearing the bird-sweatshirt. She put her arms around me, puckered up for a kiss, then jumped back looking at her hand. "That's not????" pause "bird sh*t is it??!! Oh God it is!" My reply was. "kinda kills the romance of the moment doesn't it?" "Sure does!" she says. :sick:

 

How are you hanging the new perches? Are they free swinging? Can Bismark reach them from his cagetop? I have a similar free swinging spiral rope perch that came with Sam's cage when I got him 9 months ago. I built a rope covered, upside-down L-shaped pole rising above his cage and the rope swing hangs below it above his cage top. At first he was the same way, pretty much avoiding using it. He'd step on it and it would move and he'd back away. I just left it there for him to explore on his own. Now he hangs from it upside down while beating the snot out of his bell. I guess its like learning to ride a bike. It just takes time and practice.

 

Tom

[Luvparrots]

Great pictures snakeopus. My Ana Grey loves her swinging perch. It hangs in front of the living room window and it is her favorite perch. I would give Bismark a chance to explore and get use to the perch. It all takes time.

 

Tom, I think you should always make sure you do a poop check before cuddly up with the wife. I consider myself lucky as my grey believes that I am a no poop zone. Thank goodness!

[danmcq]

Is your Grey flighted? if not and that perch is swinging, he will of course lose balance, especially if the diameter is to large for him to get a good grasp on. The other thing is he is afraid, nervous etcetera and that makes them more clumsy than they already are.

 

It took 3 weeks for my 2 year old flighted grey to step on to his new T-Stand. Bismark is much more adventurous than many cautious greys. :-)

[snakeopus]

Bismark's wings were clipped from the breeder, although not that bad. I will not be clipping them when his flight feathers grow in.

 

The perches are not too large of a diameter for him, and I included a picture of them below.

 

They are hung with picture frame wire, and because the ends are sharp, I looped the wire so both ends are at the top where he cannot get hurt. However, if I find him somehow climbing up that high I'll come up with a new plan.

 

The position the one loopy perch is in now is now how it will always be - on paper the idea seemed good but after execution I realized it's not in the best spot. Once Bismark starts climbing on it I'll make adjustments.

 

He's not afraid of the perches anymore, and has started gnawing on one and watches it swing. It'll be a while before he starts climbing though.

 

Below is a link to a video I took this morning of Bizzy dancing - he's learned to do it on command when he's in the mood. The quality is bad - I need a better webcam - but you can get the gist of it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS6HVyBsvO8

 

[Luvparrots]

I have a perch for Ana Grey much like the long one you have hanging. She was clipped when I got her and I have just always hand placed her on the swing. The difference is that her perch hangs with chain and not wire. Perhaps the weight of the chains kept the perch from swaying very much. She totally loves her perch in front of the window. She is now flighted and loves to fly to the perch and watch the world go by. Totally love the video of Bismark dancing!

[danmcq]

It's good to hear he is no longer fearful of the perch's. He will cautiously venture on to them as his confidence builds.

 

Since he is clipped, he does naturally have a fear of falling off anything that seems even the slightest unstable until he learns how to properly hang on to something that moves and swings. heck even flighted birds will stay away from a perching spot they find to by unstable for that matter until they get used to it.

 

GreYt photos and enjoyed the video. :-)