Devil Bird

[aw64]

Ok guys really need some advice I'm pulling my hair out lol, its just took me an hour to get Alfie back in his cage, always use treats but as he is flighted he manages to come to me take the treat and go, his bit me when trying to get him to step up, I'v walked out of the room and come back to try again, I'v called him to me and let him go back to play stand so he doesn't think I call him just to cage him its getting so bad now I have to time when I let him out or I would be late for work ect, his never gone back in his cage himself at all not even for food or drink, what can I do?

[Mistyparrot]

Has he always been like this? He may not like where the cage is or there may be something near the cage that he objects to. Also try darkening the room when you have to put him in.

I have found that Misty likes to have his cage partially covered. He also had a period of not wanting to go in but relocating his cage and the partial cover made a difference.

Although he preferes not to eat in his cage he will go in for a drink. Misty does get to spend most of his time out of his cage and that may not be possible for you if you have to go out to work.

You have a tricky problem. Please let us know if you make any progress.

 

Steve n Misty

[Luvparrots]

If you are feeding and watering your grey outside the cage then I can see why it never goes back inside. Only feed/water your grey inside the cage will take care of that problem. Your grey will not starve himself he will return to his cage for food/water. I too have a CAG who is flighted and does not like to be in his cage. I have heavy drapes in the bird room so I close the drapes and turn off the room light so it is darker in the room and he is much easier to get to step up and back into his cage. Birds do not normally move about if it is night/dark. Our parrots have their routine at least mine do. Ana Grey first into her cage (she steps up easily always) Then Sterling Gris (the one who wants the lights off) and then my zon. Louie will not stop flying around unless the other two parrots are in their cages. He must be the last in or he is very stubborn. I guess he believes he is the night patrolman and he must see that all is safe before he retires. Go figure.

[Acappella]

If it's at bedtime, I agree with making the room dark to put them into the bedtime mood. Dorian sometimes likes to play 'ring arund the playstand' at bedtime and I've found gradually turning down the lights until it's quite dim in the room makes him more compliant. Of course, he doesn't fly so I Only have to chase him around a stand, not the whole house. When he is perched on your hand or arm, bring him right into your body and put your other hand on his back so he can't take off. Do this at other times than when you're trying to cage him. You are probably already giving him a treat when he goes into his cage. Make sure you combine this with happy sounds of praise and big smiles. It sounds silly, but it helps. Don't let him know he's agravating you - that can just seem like a big game to these guys. When Dorian is getting me to chase him around his playstand the little blighter starts shaking his tail and making lovey sounds because it's all a big game to him. grrrrrrrrrr

[Jayd]

All 10 of our parrots are free flighted and they have a common breakfast/dinner eating place besides what food is kept in their cages. They go to bed around the same time each night with a treat, they either go on their own or we have them step-up. Joey's always the last. Rome wasn't built in a day, If you try to force training with you hand, success almost never happens, treat training takes time but works.

[DanielaWelborn]

I feel you there; it is a pain to let your bird out and not being able to get him back in when you want to.

It might be work, driving kids to school whatever.

I keep that extra ace up my sleeve; a peanut. The trick is to not give it to him too soon. He will just fly off and enjoy it on top of his cage.

I had to employ that measure today. Jellybean is going through a molt and I was not feeling well all day. The combination was not good.

So I have him step up, holding the peanut, and get him to his cage, then give it to him just before he is inside.

This is my last resort, but so far it has worked.

If it is bedtime I start turning down lights and get him to go to bed slowly.

[aw64]

Thanks for replys guys, cage is in the same place as it always has been, only gets fed in cage apart from rewards which I use pumkin seeds, has a cover over when we go to bed, have tried nuts but he is more than happy to let me keep hold of the nut and fly off rather than go in cage, spent alot of time today getting him to come to me then giving him a treat and letting him do his own thing, used to be able to put my hand over his back but his grown wise to that and bites me, seems happy enough in the cage which is right next to where I sit he will come and have tickle tickle ( head rub) while in the cage ( do this through the bars) so far the only thing I haven't tried is dim lights which I guess during the day I can draw curtains, will try that tomorrow, His 9 months had him since he was 10 weeks and never known him go back into cage on his own, sadly his never out all day due to work but i dont work regular hours I'm in and out and always had him out when I was here but have had to stop doing that so much due to problems getting him back in and being late for next call, today been home most of the day so he was out for about 2 hours this afternoon had a struggle to get him back in but had to do it as I was trying to get some household tasks done and he was landing on my head each time I tryed to get him off he was biting, then he was out again at early tea time for about three and half hours, home all day tomorrow so will try curtains, anything you can find wrong with what I'v said please say its my first cag so open to advice and can take being told if I'm doing somthing wrong, many thanks.

[Wingy]

You just haven't found his "currency" yet. That one thing he would walk through hot coals to have. Every bird is different.

 

Jakes currency is a piece of tri colored rotini. He won't go in on his own but he doesn't usually fight me either. I palm a roni, pick him up, walk toward the cage door, and as I'm one step away I put it in his beak, just for a second I place my thumb lightly on his feet while saying I love you (not pinning his toes but a momentary gentle touch), and place him on his sleeping perch. He has that roni in his beak so tight that he can't nip. This is what works for us. I hope you find what works for you.

[DanielaWelborn]

I have Jellybean at the point where he does not want to upset me , or at least if he does he knows there will be consequences.

I want to point out to aw64; I totally feel you. There is no more helpless feeling than not getting your bird back in his cage.

As some one else said; find his currency. I am also not afraid to tell Jellybean that I am not happy; which happened about three times today. And he ended up back in his cage.

Guess what, if Mommy is not happy the bird is not happy:)

 

At least I like to think so:)

[murfchck]

Currency: pasta, raw or cooked ( wacky mac or shells are a fav) cantaloupe is a no brainer for Bongo, he will really go gaga for it!

[katana600]

It sounds like you're doing sensible things like not letting him out to set up a battle when you know you have to leave soon. Avoiding that frustration is good for both of you. We have an older rehomed Timneh and he is not flighted, but he will get out on his playstand or cage playtop and not want to go back inside. They do love predictability. What I did at first was to work on a ritual at bedtime. I turned off each lamp in the living room about fifteen minutes apart, always in the same order for the three lamps. As I got to the second one, I would tell him it was time to go night night. If he went in before the fifteen minutes, I immediately gave him an almond. If he didn't go in, I would put the almond in his dish and tell him to go night night. At first, I would turn off the third lamp and leave him in the dark while I went in my room, then turn a hall light on that gave him a dim light and he would begrudgingly go into his cage. He still got his almond but he had to eat it in the dark. As time has gone on, now when I tell him time to go night night and dig in the almond cannister, he is eager to run inside because he knows he only has fifteen more minutes of light. I am home a lot but don't have a routine daytime schedule, so if I have to leave the house, I would start early by telling him I had to go and tell him "time to go inside". I get my shoes, my purse and my keys and put them near the door as a signal that I am leaving soon, then I turn on the radio. Slowly, over almost two years now, he sees me take the key of the hook and starts telling me "bye bye" and he eagerly goes into his cage to get his almond. I tell him that I am coming back soon and he now says "bye bye, back soon". If I am going to be gone longer, I wait until he is inside the cage to tell him that one, LOL. He is so smart, he knows if I don't change my clothes, I am going to the grocery store or a on a quick errand, but if I shower, blow dry my hair and "dress up" he knows it will be longer. You will find the right rhythm to getting him inside the cage, he is getting to an age of determined willfulness and it will pass.

[Jane08]

I feel for you we went through this with both of ours when they were young. It got so bad we had to think up new ways to out smart them. I was late for work so many times when they were young. The most creative thing we did was put a treat on the open door of the cage, our male would fly to the perch and eat the treat and we had a string tied to the door and as soon as he landed we pulled the string on the door and closed it. He thought he was ok there as he was still outside the cage and didn't see the string that closed the door. haha.

 

Another trick I used was have them on my hand and when we go towards the cage I turn my hand so they can't see the cage and are facing me and then I lean over them a bit, basically to cut down on the chances of them flying off and have them close to my stomach and just as I get to the cage I turn my hand and put them in and give them a treat.

 

I also started talking to them when they were young and tell them beforehand what is going to happen and why they need to go in. I say to them that they have to go into the cage now as I have to go shopping, work etc. I give them a reason every single time I put them in and spend a few minutes explaining to them. I also reassure them that I will be back soon so they know. I even do this now after 6 years. I know they understand as when I say I have to go to work they now say back to me " go into the cage" and I know they understand. Basically every time I want them to do something I talk to them and tell them why and explain it. It probably sounds crazy but this has really worked for us.....not a quick fix, it took years but it's really worth it. Now it's a piece of cake to get them in.

[Timbersmom]

Yes, they learn quickly. When I say "gotta go to work" Timber makes for his door. He doesn't like it necessarily, but knows it must be done.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Sophie has always done well with stepup and down. In the morning, I get up a half hour early to snuggle and bond. She ALWAYS stepped up and down, but one morning, she refused to go back. I HAD to get to work! I put her on the floor in front of her cage. It worked. She climbed up, I went off to shower. I've had to do this several times... it always works and her feelings are never hurt. Nancy

[carlsjr]

Ok guys really need some advice I'm pulling my hair out lol, its just took me an hour to get Alfie back in his cage, always use treats but as he is flighted he manages to come to me take the treat and go, his bit me when trying to get him to step up, I'v walked out of the room and come back to try again, I'v called him to me and let him go back to play stand so he doesn't think I call him just to cage him its getting so bad now I have to time when I let him out or I would be late for work ect, his never gone back in his cage himself at all not even for food or drink, what can I do?

 

 

My 39 year old rehomed Zon was a mofo when it came to hands. I still have scars from when he bit me. the method i used to get him in his cage was to dangle a towel in front of him, he would grab it with his beak and then his feet. then I could safely tote him to his cage and put him back in. might be something to try.