Getting a parrot back in it's cage easily?

Crayfish066

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Jul 21, 2017
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England
Parrots
Indian Ringneck
I have an indian ringneck and as much as I love the little guy I don't let him out as often as
I otherwise would because he is a complete nightmare to get back into his cage.

I get him to step up but the moment he gets near the cage door he flies off. I have had some
limited success distracting him with his favourite toy while I put him in the cage but this can
take many attempts and I think he's starting to become aware that I'm tricking him because he falls for it way less often now.

I've only had him for 2 months and while he is loving he is anything but obidient.

Knowing that I could return him to his cage whenever I needed to leave the room would
definitely make me want to take him out a lot more often. He currently gets about 1-2 hours outside his cage a day.
 

LordTriggs

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May 11, 2017
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Surrey, UK
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Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
try putting him in the cage when you're still around and leave the door open, also play with some of his toys in the cage and a couple treats being shown put in the cage should help.

Really right now for him outside the cage is fun playtime, in the cage is boring lonesome time. I know which I would prefer out of the 2. Just need to show him whenever he goes in doesn't mean you're leaving and the fun can still carry on
 

RisingSun

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Feb 6, 2013
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Florida
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cockatiel - Lucy; SI eclectus - Matisse
Honestly, it doesn't seem like he gets out enough. 2 hours is the MINIMUM suggested out of cage time (meaning not ideal, but ok occasionally....unless you have an aviary sized enclosure). By not letting him out because it is so hard to get him back in, I feel like you might be compounding the problem. Parrots are smart, and he knows once he goes back in that cage, he's going to be in there for many hours, if not the rest of the day.

Is there a reason he can't stay out more? Small kids, other pets? The birds let me put them back in their cages if I need to, but they are pretty much out all day, or anytime someone is in the house. At night they put themselves to bed inside their cage.

Getting him in there is only a band aid. The true issue is, why doesn't he want to be in there? Parrots are very intelligent and typically cannot be made to do what they don't want to do; even when we can trick them into being in a situation they don't want to be in, they will let it be known in other ways that they are not happy, and sadly it's usually self destruction.
 
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LordTriggs

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May 11, 2017
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Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
Honestly, it doesn't seem like he gets out enough. 2 hours is the MINIMUM suggested out of cage time (meaning not ideal, but ok occasionally....unless you have an aviary sized enclosure). By not letting him out because it is so hard to get him back in, I feel like you might be compounding the problem. Parrots are smart, and he knows once he goes back in that cage, he's going to be in there for many hours, if not the rest of the day.

Is there a reason he can't stay out more? Small kids, other pets? The birds let me put them back in their cages if I need to, but they are pretty much out all day, or anytime someone is in the house. At night they put themselves to bed inside their cage.

Getting him in there is only a band aid. The true issue is, why doesn't he want to be in there? Parrots are very intelligent and typically cannot be made to do what they don't want to do; even when we can trick them into being in a situation they don't want to be in, they will let it be known in other ways that they are not happy, and sadly it's usually self destruction.

I will say out of cage time isn't necessarily a minimum time but requires quality time, hanging out on a shoulder for example isn't enough for an hour or so but a good playing for an hour is worth more than a bird just hanging out for the whole day., it would be pretty hard for anyone with a traditional job to have a bird if they must have 4 or 5 hours out a day
 

SailBoat

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Jul 10, 2015
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Western, Michigan
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DYH Amazon
With the food and water only in the cage does that have any draw for your Parrot?

Take a much wider view of your time limits and find more out of cage time, as that will help regarding the quest to return to the cage for food and water.

General time lines:

- 1 hour getting ready for work
- 9 hours at work
- 2 hour total, with 1 hour each way to and from work
- 11 hours total

- 13 hours each day at home
- 8 hours of sleep

That's four hours when open time is pushed to one side of the clock
 

LordTriggs

New member
May 11, 2017
3,427
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Surrey, UK
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Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
With the food and water only in the cage does that have any draw for your Parrot?

Take a much wider view of your time limits and find more out of cage time, as that will help regarding the quest to return to the cage for food and water.

General time lines:

- 1 hour getting ready for work
- 9 hours at work
- 2 hour total, with 1 hour each way to and from work
- 11 hours total

- 13 hours each day at home
- 8 hours of sleep

That's four hours when open time is pushed to one side of the clock

Very good point there about times boats.

Of course as they become better at going in and out they can come out in the morning for a bit whilst getting ready for work, then go into the cage for the day. then there are weekends which of course they have so much more opportunity to be out and having fun.
 

RisingSun

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Feb 6, 2013
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Florida
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cockatiel - Lucy; SI eclectus - Matisse
LordTriggs, you are right that quality is more important. Working from home I can forget about the challenge of working "offsite".

And I would say on the days you don't work, to do something extra fun and special with them. I find that with my birds, if they get a concentrated dose of attention one day, they're OK with less attention on subsequent days. And make it a routine. They seem to enjoy a knowing what comes next, or having something to look forward to.

I am a fan of shower perches. My cockatiel and Eclectus take showers with me everyday and they look forward to it. If you have a dog that you walk, get a backpack carrier for the bird. Many parrots don't necessarily need attention all of the time they are out...just being included in daily activities is enough.
 

Flboy

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Dec 28, 2014
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Greater Orlando area, Florida
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JoJo, 'Special' GCC, Bongo, Cinnamon GCC(wife's)
Cage should be associated with safety, treats, fun! When I need to move JoJo between rooms and he must not fly, I have him perched on my thumb with my index finger looped around his neck, very loosely! I also hold him close to my chest, cuddled with my other hand. Immediate walnut on entry to cage!

Correction: I just now had to put JoJo in his cage for a moment, I realized I use thumb and middle finger to loop him!
 
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wrench13

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I have an indian ringneck and as much as I love the little guy I don't let him out as often as
I otherwise would because he is a complete nightmare to get back into his cage.

I get him to step up but the moment he gets near the cage door he flies off. I have had some
limited success distracting him with his favourite toy while I put him in the cage but this can
take many attempts and I think he's starting to become aware that I'm tricking him because he falls for it way less often now.

I've only had him for 2 months and while he is loving he is anything but obidient.

Knowing that I could return him to his cage whenever I needed to leave the room would
definitely make me want to take him out a lot more often. He currently gets about 1-2 hours outside his cage a day.

Try backing him into the cage. Used to work with a horse i owner a long time ago. The hose refused to leave the corral. I turned him around and backed him out as easy as pie!
 

clark_conure

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Jul 14, 2017
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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
For me what works is putting the cage next to my bed in my bedroom, when I'm asleep my bird knows he's no missing out on any fun or food, when I'm reading he can go back and forth to his cage at will. His cage is his house in my house.

Put the cage in an area he can just go to, near your living room couch, bed, wherever you spend time. and he will go there to eat hang out....spy on you...because you are are silly to him, yet exciting.

My bird comes and goes from his cage most of the day, the only time I close it is when I'm sleeping for his safety...and because if I'm dozing a bit, he will just crawl up on my chin and enjoys the "central heat and air" from my mouth and nostrils. Also don't try to put him in his cage, if you can just put him on it, ...he will go inside on his own volition....

I'm not a strict parrot parent but my trust seems to be founded.
 

jhsatx

Member
Jul 23, 2016
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21
No expert here.

When LaLa's unruly, (dinner time, she has poor table manners) I'll have her step up and transport her to her house with my off hand over her head obstructing flight and vision.

She pulled my daughters plate out of her hands onto the floor last night.
It's not her fault, she's just a jerk sometimes.
 

jhsatx

Member
Jul 23, 2016
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Sorry for the extra post.

Pay close attention with this method, she will bite the cover hand if within reach.
 

Billdore

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Nov 12, 2016
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African Grey Timneh
I was having a similar issue with my Timneh but she wouldn't fly away from instead run up my arm and hide behind my head or back and bury her head so I couldn't get her to step up. We've had some pretty good success with our routine. She gets a couple treats when she goes back in her house which she definitely looks forward too. Also before I try to put her back in her house I make sure she got what she wanted a good skricth for a while under the chin and behind her ears. A good play session with some serious rough housing and some chill time hanging with me and playing with foot toys. If she gets all of these she's happy and puts up very little resistance. Also like lordtriggs said put him in and out of the cage randomly for a few seconds or a couple minutes. Treats are always appreciated. Good luck and try not to let this deter you from
Hanging with your little buddy you guys are still really new and working on your routines.
 

Billdore

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Forget to mention iRNs love mirrors, I've seen a lot of great videos with them talking to themselves in mirrors.
 

Tami2

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Aug 18, 2017
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Levi - 6 yr old CAG

DOH-4/2/2016
Hi, I did a lot of research prior to getting my Grey. One of the things I repeatedly read was trouble getting them out of & back into their cages. From Levi's 1st day at home I started a routine. I tell him he's going back in his cage in advance. To give him time to think about what's coming. Than after a couple/few minutes I take him place him inside followed by one of his favorite treats along with much praise. This has worked very well for us and I never have cage issues, thank goodness.

Good Luck!
 

tashawithanekkie

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Feb 22, 2017
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Duke, Male eclectus
I bribe the bird. *shrug* He's good about stepping off onto perches and such, so I have him step onto the cage door and put a favorite treat in the food bowl. Works most of the time. But he's out of the cage most of the time. Only goes back in when we eat or I have to run errands, and then for bedtime.
 

itzjbean

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Jan 27, 2017
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I bribe the bird. *shrug* He's good about stepping off onto perches and such, so I have him step onto the cage door and put a favorite treat in the food bowl. Works most of the time. But he's out of the cage most of the time. Only goes back in when we eat or I have to run errands, and then for bedtime.

Yes, bribery!

I know for a fact Gail uses RB's favorite peppers to entice him back into his cage. And it works!!!
 
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Crayfish066

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Jul 21, 2017
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England
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Indian Ringneck
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I would have him out a lot longer if I could return him to his cage so I'm capable
of leaving the room and if I wasn't so worried about his safety.

There's quite a few reasons he doesn't get out as much as I'd ideally like, I have
sleep apnea so I'm exhausted throughout the day, which makes supervising him
for more than an hour or two really difficult.

If I didn't have to worry so much about his safety and he could just alert me if he got
in trouble then there wouldn't be much of an issue. However he had a habit of trying to
eat things that probably aren't good for him and he's regularly trying to chew on wires.

Some of the wires are covered with tubing but for others it's impractical and he keeps
trying to chew on various painted objects, many of which are nailed down and can't be moved out of his range.

Due to my sleep apnea he does see a lot of me though as I spend most days sat near his cage, so
at the very least I don't think he gets lonely.
 

RisingSun

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Feb 6, 2013
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Florida
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cockatiel - Lucy; SI eclectus - Matisse
That is good to know it is for his safety. That comes first for sure. Some birds do need supervision. I put the cockatiel away when I take naps bc I can't trust both of the birds out together when I'm unconscious as I won't be awake to hear any shenanigans (the Eclectus squawks if the cockatiel flies down). He's the tattle taker/town crier.

With little training, and just getting used to seeing the cage as "home", I'm sure it will work out.
 

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