Success!!

My Basil has started coming to my shoulder. He will tentatively step on my arm to come out of his cage but is quite happy when he's perched on my shoulder. When we started letting him out, he wanted to stay on top of his cage and would only come to me briefly (for a treat, of course) and hop back to his cage. Now he would rather be on me than on his cage. And I don't have to offer him treats to keep him there.

We are having some challenges getting him back into the cage. He is so smart and knows when I'm trying to lure him back in even before I say "Basil go home". He will hide behind my head where I can't even get at him. He does not like hands and will grab my finger with his beak if I try to get him to step up.

Any advice about encouraging my birdie to go back to his cage when it's time? I am nervous having him out when I know that getting him back in there will be difficult and possibly time consuming. His wings are clipped so he can't fly away. He doesn't want to get away anyway; he wants to stay on me!

Im glad your making progress. Have you tried once getting him in his cage praising him and giving him a treat? Or luring him in with a treat and he gets it once he is in the cage? Sorry, I have nothing else, mine dont fight me on it. Good luck