Help with flying

[neighbor940]

I have owned spike for about 3 years. I got him from a store when he was about a year old. His wings were clipped when I got him. I had them clipped once after (by request of my ex.) Well none the less his wings have grown back and he is past the clumbsy flying. I just moved into my new house. 2 days here I made the mistake of leaving the back door open for the dog. My friend was over and trying to get along with my bird when he scared him and straight for the door he went. My heart sunk as he flew out the door. He flew into the tree in my back yard. As I went to retrieve him something startled him and he took flight again. As he rounded the tree on the next block over I lost sight of him. Two hours later and how many doors knocked I was finally close enought to hear him whistle back to me. I climbed the tree and got him back. THANK GOD. I am reading these stories you guys have of them flying to you and back to the cage. My bird only flys when he is scared. I have been trying to get him to fly and when I do he crouches down and acts like he is going to take off but never does. My buddy scared him again today and he flew in my direction. I put my hand up for him to land but he never did. I put up my other hand to block him and he kind of hovered and I placed my other hand under him and he actually landed on my finger. It was a great feeling. Any suggestions on how to encourage him to fly to me. Second question. I want to get him a lot of toys to play with but I have no clue what to get.. Sorry for the long story.

[judygram]

Welcome, Neighbor940, to the family of grey owners.

 

I would suggest you use a treat or something he loves to eat as encouragement to get him to fly to you. Try doing it closer to him to get him used to coming to you and then each lesson get farther away and see if he will fly to you. And when he does, lavish praise on him, they respond to gushing over them.

 

About the toys, do a google search for bird toys and you should come up with a lot of places to purchase toys appropriate for greys. Some of them favor wooden toys, some like acrylic toys, most usually like anything they can destroy. We also have several threads that deal with different types of toys and things you have around the house that make excellent toys.

 

My question to you is if you have had him for 3 years, what has he been playing with during that time. They need different toys to keep them occupied especially when you are not at home. I am not criticizing you, but trying to understand what he has been playing with for 3 years. I keep an assortment of toys and rotate them from time to time so my grey does not get bored.

[neighbor940]

If I say that I am doing something and it comes across wrong to you, by all means question me on it. I am like all of you. I love my bird. I want to know if I am doing something wrong. To answer you question, I do have a few select chew toys that I know he likes. I want to widen his toy selection though. The ones he has arn't really toys though. They are basically just something to chew. I know they are smart and I want to make him use his smarts. Thank you both on your suggestions. I don't have a clicker and I think I am going to try it without it. If I get nothing then I will resort to it.