The last few days I think Levi has got a bit too confident!
He keeps trying to fly off his cage, but as his wings are clipped he gets a certain distance than ends up on the floor.

Im worried he's going to hurt himself hitting the floor all the time. (I have wooden floors)
Once he gets on the floor he just starts running towards to the computer chair (he likes to sit on the stand).

The other day he flew off and nearly landed ontop of the dog.
Levi seems to have an obsession with the dog, everytime he see's him he starts nodding his head and getting all excited.

What I wanted to know thought is if he be doing himself some damage by hitting the floor all the time?

Sounds to me like those wings need a more severe clipping. If he is doing more than fluttering to the floor... they aren't short enough. He could end up hurting himself badly if he flys into something.

Ya think? I would think if he is not fluttering to the floor they need to grow a little?

My Chachi thumps to the floor-It really bother me. So I tought they need to grow out?

When it's time to go night night he can't wait he thumps down to the floor and walks over to his cage. I tell my husband tell him no wait for mommy don't encourage it-because you think it cute.

So do they need clipping or grow out?

If he is always fluttering to the floor.....I would get a towel or a throw rug and put down in that area......to help protect him. Kiwi always did this when he was younger. I just kept putting him back and he finally learned to stay on his cage or playstand. As far as injuring himself, he could. Someone else on the forum had a bird that landed hard and yes he did injure himself.

Read what I said again....

Sounds to me like those wings need a more severe clipping. If he is doing more[u] than fluttering to the floor... they aren't short enough. He could end up hurting himself badly if he flys into something.

Louie cannonballed down one time and hurt his beak. He was bleeding a bit. Thankfully it was nothing serious, it stopped bleeding and didn't bruise. He still keeps jumping off his cage every now and then. He is clipped and flutters down, but still "hits" the floor. He was very short clipped when I got him and I am letting him grow out now.

I read what you said, and I think, if he's landing like a rock, it wings are too severely clipped..They should glide down to the floor but not get any lift..They are not supposed to land like a rock..they can hurt their keel bone, not as likely as heavier birds like Greys....
I agree with Sandi about putting down a rug where he always lands..But also agree with her to consistently put him back onto his cage and he will get the message he's supposed to stay on the cage, not fly down..
I would definately not clip more of the wings...

Rebecca

Thanks. Mine lands like a rock. Ding dong bird misses the landing pad-not a quaker-but smart.

I suggest some sort of mat or towel and a squirt bottle to threaten him with when you know he's getting ready to make a move for the floor.

Thanks for the replies.

He definately isnt landing as hard as a rock.

Levi can fly about 1.5 metres away from his cage before he hits the ground, but when he's flying off the cage he's just fluttering straight down as that seems to be where he wants to go.

I'll put something on the ground to soften his fall - i never thought off that.

I think ....

If he is landing like a rock and there is a possibility that he is landing too hard which could cause injury then maybe a soft landing area is needed and let his wings grow out a little...

If he is in fact landing nicely but getting too much alltitude and distance and could possibly run into a wall/window at a speed that could cause injury when he hits .. or the distance puts him in an area where he could get injured .. then maybe he needs a bit more of a clip ...

As far as the flying down all the time, I agree with Sandi in that you can continually put him back on his cage and reward him when he is there. Stay on your cage = reward.

I personally believe in behaviour modification versus punishment and I view squirting a bird to promote a behaviour is punishment. I think it may work in the beginning out of fear but the bird is more likely to return aggression later when you least expect it.

The above is my personal opinion based on my experience with my rescued CAG and my Quaker with Mega Attitude .. also reading many articles and books written by parrot behaviourists ... doesn't make me right its just my opinion.

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I would like to remind members to try to stick to the content of the posts and the intent of the original post.

Keep in mind that the written word isn't always intended as it is sometimes received ...

NEVER use water to punish a bird (positive reinforcement usually works better, anyway, but if you are going to punish- no water!) Birdies need to take baths, and one of the big ways of doing that is with a squirt bottle. If you ever have to rehome your bird, squirting them for punishment is teaching them a behaviour that others will have to correct (ie- fear of water).

As to the clipping- sounds like he may need a bit more- I think the goal is to have them glide straight down- if he can go out he might be able to get lift, too.

Dee made very good points and I totally agree...We spray our birds for baths and then to punish them using the same thing is confusing to the bird...I have heard the squirt bottle for cats or dogs but not birds...I just beieve they are SO different from other domesticated pets, who follow alpha pattern. They aren't vying for "head bird" in the flock...so, positive reinforcement is the best way to teach them. JMHO

Rebecca

Is someone taking post off? or is it my computer.

Not to worry I wound not think of spraying him for that-he is scared to be mist-don't like it

It isn't your computer it was me! I removed posts that had no value to the topic. You and any other member can PM me and/or Shelly if you object to my actions and we can discuss privately.

Getting to that squirt bottle thing.....I have two VERY different bottles. One I use for misting and the big ugly one (which I've named the Bad bird bottle.) She knows the difference. She sees me getting the bath one, she's fine, can't wait for me to mess with her and bath time. And as soon as she sees me getting the bad bird bottle, she knows she's introuble.

I haven't had any trouble and to think of it, she's been staying out of trouble and on her cage.

No thats ok-agree. my keyboard is not working to well. I thought it was doing it

Ohh .. nope wasn't you!

Apparenlty.

Looking back into the first post......I'd worry about the dog more than if the poor little bird is going to hurt his self with the floor or something. You'd never know when the dog's instincts will kick in and want a quacker nugget.

Im gonna jump in right at the last with a worthless comment. Perhaps hes just doing as he wants, stendeck if fully flighted and he just dropps out of the sky sometimes to get on the floor coz summit has got his eye. He just squarks and folds his wings and drops. I hate him being on the floor incase i run him over with the office chair so give him a telling off and put him back on the stand. Well thats my 2 pennath, goos luck.

I was reading in a BirdTalk magazine that the accident that happens most often is a bird being on the floor and getting stepped on hurt by other things on the floor...It's really to their best interest to be on their cage or playstand.

Rebecca

I totally agree Rebecca thats why he gets a ticking off, I try and scare him back up on the stand of course he isnt a bit scarred of mommy so that doesnt really work LOL

About the dog - he's really good with the bird. He's been socialised with rabbits, birds, cats all his life and is really gentle. However as much as we trust him we never leave him unsupervised with the bird.

As to Levi being on the floor, someone treading on him was a worry of mine.
I have told everyone to be careful just in case, but Ive found he always seems to fly off when Im right near the cage, so Im always there to scoop him straight back up.

Hopefully he'll learn soon that if he flys off, he'll just be put straight back ontop of the cage again