Jojo is being such a royal PITA this morning. We are having a battle of wills over the sleep cage. He's decided, again, to only come out when HE wants to. Which means no one in the room with him, then he wants to come out and go adventuring through my bedroom. If I try to get him to step up, he goes to the back of the cage, turns his back, and sticks his butt in the air. As soon as I back away he comes to the front. He's not scared or anything like that, he has been stepping up from the cage the past few days now. This is a chronic thing with him. It depends on his mood, and when he's being hormonal he decides to stop stepping up and basically becomes a butt.

So this morning I try to get him to step up, and he refuses. So I tell him ok, step up or stay in here. He turns his back and sticks his butt at me. I go back in about a half hour later...same thing. Another half hour later, same response. Well, he's apparently decided he's ready to get up now...he's screaming. I went in there to get him...he held up a foot then I got the butt again. I locked the door, walked away, and screaming again. Back in, and same response. I'm going to throttle him I swear. He's simply being ornery, he knows what I'm asking him to do. He just wants to do it on his own, which means he wants to destroy my bedroom. It's great fun for him to come out and then chew on my bedspread and such. He won't come out while I'm in there because he knows I won't let him wander around.

I think its turning into a game of sorts...is it possible to take him and the cage out of the room? might work...or, don't know his temperment, but football him as we call it..(grab him like a football and physically make him come out) or the peel and stick...we grab a foot, get it on the hand, then kind of lift him along to get him to pull the other one off the floor and step up...obviously depends on the bird, but it works! Just beat him at his own game...

No big advice for ya stacy...I just wanted to say simply that....I thought my birds could be trouble sometimes The things we deal with from our fids

I feel for you. Still waiting for mine to act up. Its a matter of time I know I know but still I guess I want to see how bad it gets...ok yea so I know I should be careful what I wish for right ?
just hang in there
hugs

LOL...I used to do that. Reach in and peel the feet off the bars, then the beak. He loved it and then he began upping the difficulty level. He'd hold on with all his might and squish himself down as flat as he could. Then I started bringing his sleep cage into the living room and playing it that way. That was even more fun...NOT. Now I just leave him in until he decides to come out and step up. I give him a minute to come to the front and step up, and if not I close the door, lock it and walk away. Sometimes he comes out right away. Past few days he's been holding out and it takes 2 or 3 times. This morning...screaming in protest. He'd been screaming since about 830, and it's now almost 10. I started trying to get him up at about 8.

I guess this last time he figured he was hungry and thirsty enough to give in. I don't put food or water in the cage, just some newspaper for him to shred so he leaves his feathers alone.

what a stinker!

Yup...know that one...LOL. Sid and I would go through that at the beginning...Cash is pretty good about it. He ALWAYS wants out! He's just a crack up! Have you considered not putting him in the sleeping cage? Just leaving him in his daytime cage and covering him at night?

I've tried that to, but we stay up so late at night and his main cage is in the living room. We usually don't head to bed until 10, then we're up again at 630. Weekends are usually even later. I don't know if Jojo would get enough sleep like that. He chews peepholes through the cage covers so that he can sit and watch us. I'd LOVE to have them sleep in their day cages since they're currently sleeping in my bedroom. The dust alone from Jojo is driving Tims allergies nuts, not to mention Taz talks in his sleep. Then they wake me up at 630 on weekends, not by crying or anything but by Jojo playing with the newspaper or lock on the cage door.

My eventual goal is to add on an all season room with huge windows to let in the sunlight. That will be the birdies room. Then, in the living room have either other cages or playstands or something for them to hang out with us, but keep their supplies and such in their room. But for now, I don't have that luxury so they're in the living room.

Oh this is so interesting! Hemingway is becoming a total turkey about getting out/off his cage. It's insane (although I think yours is a bit more than ours!!)- I don't get the butt in the air but I get the laying flat and clasping on for deal life. (It is actually quite comical to see him do it) Yep.. and then I close him back in and get the calling.. go back in and same thing. I've been letting him climb out to cling to his cage and then I lay my hands flat on either side of where his little feet are clinging. Eventually he's gotta move his feet and lo & behold.. I slide my hand right in there under his foot-- force him to step up. I am dead certain it is just a matter of time before the little clown catches on to this. This a.m. I let him begin to venture out and before the war of the wits started, I sang a silly little "Good Morning to You," song-- guess he got busy listening and forgot to rebel. Stepped right up. Ergghh!

hahaha paulie gets like that sometimes

i usually grab him when he least expect it and place him on the cage. I tell him 'Pa, I am not in the mood' and he gets it. he becomes all sweet with me..lol

when he has his moods I usually know by his morning open mouth threat. I give him a good morning and open the cage and leave a piece of millet on top. he usually seems happier after his millet..lol

LOL I have to say You have the cutest stories to tell about him! I think hes just trying to be his own little self! (even tho its annoying) being his "own" person in a sense it prolly also keeps his mind occupied with him making his little choices! And when like you said he gets hungry enough hell come out. id like a Too but well Ive got enuf now and in the fall Ill go back to work so no Too lol.

Mine seems fine with going to bed at 10 and waking up at 6:30, but I leave at 7:20~ so she gets to nap all day. It does make it nice on the weekends, though, because she is used to sleeping in until 10.

I wonder if this is a "boy thing" because Buttons hasn't done that yet. Let me rephrase that. I HOPE it's a boy thing. Buttons teases me by putting one foot tenatively on my finger and then putting it down and pushing my finger up onto her head by headbutting it gently. No screaming though. Yikes! IS it a boy thing?