Enjoying the Flight, now to "Come 'ere" any help?

[Xtreme575]

So for the last couple of months Paco has been flying again. It started with short little flights, which may have or may not have resulted in his meeting his mark during a landing. He now has begun making longer flights through the house and is making beautiful landings on his cage or his "hanging tree". He will also land on my hand really well, if I rush from the kitchen to the living room.

 

He is very happy to spend most of his day between his cage and tree and has not really ventured (much) off his cage to another destination.

 

My questions is: How do I get him to take the "plunge" off his cage to start with, and beyond that, how am I going to begin recall training within the house.

 

It is important to note, he has not yet molted out the very first (outer-most) primary, and there are still a few of the most inner feathers that have yet to molt out, so I still don't think that he will reach the acrobats that some of you see with your birds quite yet.

 

I can definately say, now that I've seen the difference between a clipped bird and a flighted bird, happiness, confidence, the difference in the bird, I must say, I feel even more strongly regarding clipping than ever. I truly do view clipping as cruel except for the most extreme cases.

 

I have also installed bird netting on my outter doors, but I'll get pictures and share these later.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Ryan

[Luvparrots]

Congratulations to Paco!!!! They are so beautiful to watch in flight, aren't they Ryan? I have gotten Ana Grey to come to me with a "Come here, want a nut." It started out with when I let Ana Grey out of her cage, I always say, come here, and then open the door. And when I wanted to give her a nut I would come up to her with, want a nut? and then giving her one. She understood the meaning of each phrase so I just added them together with, a come here want a nut, when I was siitting in the living room and she was somewhere else. When she came she got a nut. I am hoping that if she ever gets away outside, I will be able to use this phrase to have her come to me.

[Jayd]

Janet has hit the nail on the head...Pick a word or two to associate with coming to you, stick with that word.. Also, very important, put Paco perched high, sit on the floor and teach him to fly down to you.....The higher the better. If you live in a two story, teach to fly upstairs to down stairs.....Jayd

[Xtreme575]

Thanks Janet and Jay! Yes, this is very exciting for me, it's been a long year in the waiting. I dreamt the other night that I had to go away and I had to leave him with a friend who wasn't able to handle him as a flyer and got him clipped again. I woke up from the dream soooo angry.

 

I appreciate your suggestions, and ufortunately, I'm in a one story place. I'm hoping to start the flying down as soon as he has regained enough of his confidence to fly from his cage. Again, right now he will only fly towards the cage and is quite happy to land on my hand. Flying from the cage has only happened twice, once was this morning when he flew to find me in the kitchen. He wasn't sure where to land until I put out my hand, where he was grateful to find a place to perch, even though he has "his" chair that I stand him on while we are in there.

 

Each time he chooses to be where he wants to be nearly breaks my heart in happiness. Allowing him to have this freedom is truly amazing!

[Jayd]

You've always done a good job my friend.....

[Janfromboone]

Soooo! happy for you that your grey is flying now and doing so well. I've followed your posts a long time and feel so happy for you.