Out of the cage he came (long)

[darth_mint]

Here is the saga of the day Nicky came out of the cage...and then didn't know how to go back in.

 

I spent the morning parrot-proofing my bedroom, then the afternoon tempting him out with bits of chilled apple...and then the rest of the time trying to get him back in.

 

Getting him out was a chore! I'd wave a bit of apple in front of the open door, and rather than come all the way out, he'd stick his head out, snatch the apple and eat it inside the cage. I took to holding the apple out of reach. He clung to the side of the door and stretched his neck out until he could get it, then popped right back into the cage to eat his prize. :blink:

 

After one hour of demonstrating how amazingly long his neck is, he finally came out - only to climb up the side of the cage and plant himself on top. And there he sat for the next two hours, eating more apple bits and chewing on toys. Absolutely no attempts to even get off the cage. The expression on his face seemed to say: what's the difference between being in there and being out here?

 

Eventually he got hungry and started shuffling around at the edge, peering down at his food tray. I waited for him to go back in - and he didn't. The little monkey didn't know how to climb back down to the door! Nor would he step up so I could carry him back down. I'd offer him my hand; he'd chew on it for a while then wander off to the opposite end of the cage

 

Finally I tried lifting the entire cage top off in an attempt to carry it, and him, down to door level. Nicky promptly lost his balance, fell off and crash-flapped to the floor. Where he pooped copiously in his panic. And while trying to keep my own balance while not stepping on him or dropping the cage top, I stepped bang into the poop. With my bare foot.

 

Sigh.

 

While I was cleaning the poop out from between my toes, Nicky climbed back up to the top of the now-roofless cage and jigged around there looking half freaked out and half annoyed. In desperation, I held the cage top out above him. Little darling immediately grabbed the bars and hung upside down. And I lowered the cage top back into place with him running all around it upside down and trying to take angry nips at my fingers.

 

So I settled his ruffled feathers with a BIG handful of sunflower seeds and cleaned the assorted messes up, including even more poop I hadn't noticed. Now I'm wondering if I have the nerve to go through all that again. Nicky currently looks very offended with me.

[BaxtersMom]

My experience with Baxters first out of cage experience was scary for me and him. I have only had him a few weeks but wanted him to be able to go in and out of his cage as he pleased. He is 12 and has always been locked up and I felt bad for him. So I would leave the door open all day and wait and watch but he never came out. Then, dummy me thought I will just reach in and grab him:ohmy: , take him out and let him see how fun it would be...Yea Right.

 

So the fiasco began. I grabbed him by cupping my hands over his back and he was squaking and yelling and of course this scared me in the process. He was hanging on to the side of his cage and I thought he would bite me but he didn't. I never did hold on to him hard but you'd think I was killing him. Anyway, I got him through the door of his cage and his wings started flapping and he jumped out my hands and he went to the floor. He was flapping so the land wasn't too bad. But he kept pooping so I know he must have been scared.

 

So he was on the floor and I just stayed close and watched him. He kept coming over to me, like help me and pick me up so I did and put him on top of the cage. He just sat there on top for a few hours and it was getting time to go to bed and he didn't go back in on his own:( Oh No. Anyway, I figured I would just have to get him and put him back in the cage.

 

Not fun. I was trying to grab him and get him in the cage but he was running from side to side. He eventually went to the back side and fell off his cage. I felt like a total failure. This time no flapping and he went plop. I was worried he could have gotten hurt but he was just fine. I put him back in his cage and felt tremendious guilt over everything. He seemed fine but I felt I really let him down at that time.

 

You see, he didn't know the step up command. I read more books and they said step up was a must to know so I trained him in just a couple days. He was fast at learning that and life has been so much easier now:)

 

I didn't force him anymore and now he goes in and out as he pleases. He comes out in the mornings on his own and stay out for hours and hours. He does travel up and down the sides on the inside of his cage and that is how he ends up going back in on his own. When I need to put him in his cage now, I use the step up command and it's no problem anymore. But it was quite an experience when it was going on. Good luck on it;)

[lovemyGreys]

I wouldnt force or entice him out,just leave the cage door open for him to make his own way out,curiosity will eventually get the better of him & he will want to come out & explore even if it's just sitting on top of his cage.Make sure for the time being food is only available inside his cage,he will return when the hunger strikes.

 

Here is a link on teaching the "step up command "

 

http://exoticpets.about.com/od/behavior/f/birdstepup.htm

[nims]

hi,

I would agree with lovemygreys on this one. Curiosity will always get the best of them! It may take a little time for them to come out but they will (when they are good and ready) Nicky might only be adjusting to the room or the cage if its new. Just be patient and keep and and with time he will come round.

 

Try reading their body language also, my CAG indy will push my hand away with her beak and back away if she doesnt want to come out when i want her to. If she does want to come out she will perch herself near the cage door and will "step up" on command.

 

Nims<br><br>Post edited by: nims, at: 2008/08/10 17:52

[flutterby]

good morning!

i have quite the opposite scenario... i can't keep George ON his cage (recall George is an old birdie and i'm his new owner).

i'd been working with him diligently, thinking he was actually learning, then, had to leave for 2 separate, work-related stints (my live-in man took care of George). his behavior has been somewhat unruly since i've returned.

he *refuses* to stay on his cage. i tell him to go back up, point to the top of his cage, praise him and give him peanuts when he does get back up there, but i think i'm teaching him that when he starts to cruise down, i give him attention vs. good boys STAY on top of their cages and get peanuts for doing so. i want him to learn to stay up top unless he's taken down.

any ideas? suggestions? thoughts??

an aside - i wouldn't necessarily mind George coming down and wandering around, but he gets all outta sorts and bangs his head/beak on my kitchen appliances and cabinets. He will sometimes become aggressive towards me, which makes it scary and difficult to get him to step up on my hand OR his perch....he's a pistol ( :

thanks Everyone