Should I allow him some height?

[Shades Of Grey]

I would like to make a play center by Tui's cage with untreated rope and hanging swings. This area would be high up near the ceiling though. He would step onto it from his cage gym. I wonder if this is a good idea because I won't be able to get him down unless he feels like coming down and cooperating. We are just starting to bond as well. Would there be a dominance issue with him being high up and not coming down unless he chooses? What are your thoughts on this. I am limited on space so I don't have a lot of other places to make a lower gym.

[Elvenking]

First i will say that all birds are different. But here is how mine reacts to a similar situation. I have an Atom hanging at about 9 feet or so above ground and its well over my head. He loves to hang out there a lot among many other areas. There have been a handful of occasions that he has perched up there when I needed him down. But here is how I handle that. I usually plan to start getting him down about 10 minutes before i have to leave. Fortunately most of the time, when he cannot see me, he wants to get to me. Especially if i draw attention to myself. So i will go in the other room and make noises, and he will eventually fly down. Then I hold him on my hand with one hand gently on his back and comfort him on the way to the cage. I may be lucky, but he calmly steps onto his perch when I hold him inside. I have found that this is the only way, as getting him off his atom against his will is traumatic for the both of us. This has worked 99% of the time for me thus far. In general, I always go for the most passive ways of getting him to do things. Just know that it may not always be up to you when he will come down.

 

As far as dominance, I guess that varies from bird to bird, but I have had no dominance issues with Issac. I think some people mistake a bird wanting it's own space from time to time as dominance, but that is just typical bird behavior. I would expect that a dominant situation would be one where the bird is actively approaching you or others and biting or creating some sort of demanding attitude, and Issac definitely does not have that complex.

Edited August 10, 2010 by Elvenking

[Xtreme575]

I'm sorry, I haven't been around much so I don't know much about Tui, is your parrot fully flighted? I wouldn't allow him to be up that high if he is clipped. Even if you put some sort of matress or padding underneath, a fall from that height could be devastating. Could you hang it lower if the bird isn't fully flighted.

 

If the bird is fully flighted, then from everything I have read and experienced in my last year of GreyT experiences, they don't seem to have dominance issues. Just game players. So if Tui is difficult to get at, and you make it more entertaining, then this will entertain him to no end. Stephen raises an interesting point with Isaac, he plays to Isaacs curiousity, good plan. My parrot is still recovering from the "breeder clip" and just starting to fly again, so he's easy for me to get at, now its just a matter of getting him to step up if he doesn't feel like it!

[Birdnut]

Some may disagree, but a bird training expert in whom I have great confidence assures that there is nothing to the height issue, as far as dominance goes. However, getting your Tui down, if he doesn't want to come down, is another issue.

 

We have a hanging cargo net and other toys hanging from the ceiling in our bird room. The birds love to hang out on these. So far, we have not had much problem with getting the birds down, as they will come down to us on their own because they want attention. In the past, when we have had a hanging gym and needed to get an uncooperative bird down, we have stepped up on a little stool and unhooked a corner or two of the gym and gently lowered it.

 

Perhaps you could design your gym to hang from a frame that can be lowered, if needed.

 

You could also work to teach Tui to come to you when called. Moussa is usually quite willing to do this if he knows that we have a pine nut treat for him. He will fly to us from across a room for this reward. Teaching Tui to fly to you from the gym when called would be a great step toward recall training.

 

This brings up the question, does Tui fly? I don't remember if you have said. If he does not fly, or at least flutter strongly for a good distance before going to ground, I think I would hesitate to put a playgym up that high. You certainly wouldn't want him to have a fall from that height.

[Shades Of Grey]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I didn't think of that. He is clipped right now because his cage is in our small living room and the front door is right in plain view. He was flying to the door and hitting the glass, poor thing. I wish I had other options to keep him flighted but until we move, he needs to be clipped. Perhaps I should hold off on a gym until we move to a larger place. I posted in my introduction thread about the vet from hell who clipped him so far back that he falls. We have a large duvet around his cage for the time being for padding. Maybe when his flights grow in we can get him clipped properly where he can glide down. I will think about a gym at that point. For the time being, I am ordering a large boing swing that will be at my height

 

Thanks again

[Elvenking]

I'm sorry, I haven't been around much so I don't know much about Tui, is your parrot fully flighted? I wouldn't allow him to be up that high if he is clipped. Even if you put some sort of matress or padding underneath, a fall from that height could be devastating. Could you hang it lower if the bird isn't fully flighted.

 

 

Ahh yes...a massive oversight on my part. Definitely do not get him too high up if he cannot fly. They do hang, spin, twist, and often get so excited that they fall.

[Birdnut]

I posted in my introduction thread about the vet from hell who clipped him so far back that he falls.

 

Duh! Of course. Now I remember. The vet from hell!

 

He was flying to the door and hitting the glass, poor thing.

 

All our windows have some visual obstruction in them. The ones that don't have blinds or shutters have various stickies and stained glass decorations. It's all very colorful! Someone who didn't realize what it was all about would probably think, Wow, those folks are really into window decorations!! LOL!

[Keywe]

here's Keywe's area... she LOVES climbing, but also loves chewing on the blinds, and I have to keep a stool in there so when I leave I can get her down, which can be an issue at times... A dorito always works though!

[shanlung]

Would there be a dominance issue with him being high up and not coming down unless he chooses? What are your thoughts on this. I am limited on space so I don't have a lot of other places to make a lower gym.

 

 

From

http://shanlung.livejournal.com/112019.html

 

Oh dear me!

 

If so, Riamfada must be about the most uppity birdie and think of me lower than a slug.

 

But strangely, she felt the same way as I do regardless of height, that we both are equals and as friends.

I think it is far better to be friends than as a boss and subordinate.

Friends enjoy far more each other company than as the boss or the slave.

 

Perhaps I could do what I have done because we all are friends, treating each other with the respect and dignity due to intelligent sentient of equal standing.

 

Try that. And taste the magic that comes with friendship.

 

Perhaps you might like that even more.