My little guy has been adjusting very well to his cage and doesn't really mind humans so much anymore. So I decided to take him (still in his cage) into the bathroom and open his cage door to see if he'd willingly come out. I sat about three feet away and just kind of talked to him. It seemed like he tried to fly at me twice; he didn't seem aggressive but I'm not sure. He landed on the carpet in front of me, kinda looked around, and waddled quickly back to his cage squawking.
Do you think he's trying to warn me to stay away from his new home or is he trying to see what I'll do when he comes out? I'm leaning and hoping for the latter but I wanted to get the thoughts from the experts over here.
Full Version: Protecting His Cage Or Testing The Water?
Good training area ... as long as the obvious dangers are closed up.
I used to take my IRN into the bathroom in her cage, wait till she came out of the cage on her own, then put the cage out of her reach while I worked with her. She could perch on me but did not have her cage available. She was flighted so she would fly around the room and I would keep after her until she was too tired to fly, then I would work on her steppng up. At first it was just SECONDS on me, then away she would go, but I would praise her verbally every time she would finally step up.
As the times she would step up increase, I would push for just a little more. If she stayed on me for 5 seconds, I would push for 10. Once she would stay on my hand, I started her on the laddering exercise. Again, one step at a time. If she did it once, I would praise her, but next time I would try for two.
It took me 6 months to tame her down enough to handle her. And I took a lot of bites in that time, but now she is my lover bird. She is still flighted as I do want to keep my fingers attached to my hand
but I don't mind.
I worked with her 15 to 20 minutes at a time, twice or three times a day, almost every day for 6 months. It was worth it. Although at times I really wanted to say the heck with it, let her be wild. I'm glad I stuck with it.
Good luck working with your sweetie. Just let him set the pace, but always push for one more, one more step up, one more ladder, one more time to stay on you, whatever. Praise him, treats (aka BRIBES) work wonders as well. If he knows he will get a treat for doing his step ups, or just sitting on you, that may help him realize your not the ogre he thinks is gonna eat him!!
I used to take my IRN into the bathroom in her cage, wait till she came out of the cage on her own, then put the cage out of her reach while I worked with her. She could perch on me but did not have her cage available. She was flighted so she would fly around the room and I would keep after her until she was too tired to fly, then I would work on her steppng up. At first it was just SECONDS on me, then away she would go, but I would praise her verbally every time she would finally step up.
As the times she would step up increase, I would push for just a little more. If she stayed on me for 5 seconds, I would push for 10. Once she would stay on my hand, I started her on the laddering exercise. Again, one step at a time. If she did it once, I would praise her, but next time I would try for two.
It took me 6 months to tame her down enough to handle her. And I took a lot of bites in that time, but now she is my lover bird. She is still flighted as I do want to keep my fingers attached to my hand
but I don't mind.I worked with her 15 to 20 minutes at a time, twice or three times a day, almost every day for 6 months. It was worth it. Although at times I really wanted to say the heck with it, let her be wild. I'm glad I stuck with it.
Good luck working with your sweetie. Just let him set the pace, but always push for one more, one more step up, one more ladder, one more time to stay on you, whatever. Praise him, treats (aka BRIBES) work wonders as well. If he knows he will get a treat for doing his step ups, or just sitting on you, that may help him realize your not the ogre he thinks is gonna eat him!!
Yes, definitely get that cage out of sight so YOU will be the safe haven. Good luck!
Jen
Jen
Thanks a lot for the advice, guys!
I was thinking of bringing the cage into the bathroom again, but this time, when he "glides" out, I hide it behind the shower curtain.
Or is that too crazy? I don't want to push him too hard to do what he's not comfortable with, and at the same time, I don't want to go too long without training him and getting him to feel more comfortable with people.
I was thinking of bringing the cage into the bathroom again, but this time, when he "glides" out, I hide it behind the shower curtain.
Or is that too crazy? I don't want to push him too hard to do what he's not comfortable with, and at the same time, I don't want to go too long without training him and getting him to feel more comfortable with people.
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