Is this progress or am I just hopeful?

[Colorguarder08]

Tomorrow it will have been a week since bringing Halloween and Hallows eve to my dads house. I decided to give them an entire week from the day I moved them to my dads as an adjustmet period for them before I tried to do anymore "step ups" or anything. Well today I reached my hand in their cage to change their food,water, bird paper and to use a scrub pad to scrub the grate above the tray. while scrubing the grate my arm was pretty close to them (it's kinda hard not to be given the size of the cage which is why I'm looking at bigger ones) and they had little to no reaction Hallows eve was slightly leaned forward with her head turned but it looked more as if she was saying "I'm curious" than "I'm going to bite you". There was no wing flapping or jumping around the cage like there usually is. There wasn't even any hissing, well unless you count when I had to reach over Halloweens head to place a coffee filter with food and the chew blocks, then Halloween hissed but that was all. I did not try to pet them or anything because I think I'm getting a cold and since I'm not sure if birds can catch colds from us I just don't think it's worth risking it. But does this sound like progress for them trusting me or no? Also because Of the fact that I still don't have there trust compleatly Should I allow them out of cage time tomorrow or should I wait. Boths birds came with their wings clipped Halloween's are clipped too short as he/she just drops like a box of rocks when it tries to fly inside the cage, and Hallows eve is able to fly not very far or well but some it can do. Do you guys think I should take them out of the cage for the first time or wait until they trust me more?

 

[Crazy4Birds]

I think that is great progress! I think it would be a good time to let them out of the cage. What I did with Bailey and Chloe is I left the door open and let them come out on their own. At first they were nervous but it only took a few days before they had the guts to come out and climb on top of the cage. Now all I have to do is walk in the room and they come running to the cage door, sitting there just waiting for me to open it. Whenever I have my hand inside their cage to change food, put in toys, etc., I do not try to pet them. I allow them to have their cage as a "safe haven" so that when they are out, they always have the choice of going back to where they feel comfortable.

 

[antoinette]

That is good progress CG
I agree with crazy4birds, let them come out, BUT on their own terms.
Leave the door open, they will become curious and will want to investigate.
It may take a few hours, days weeks, not one can answer that.
Perhaps leave a treat near the open door, this might speed up the process.
Keep an eye on them, when they do come out, and make sure everything is bird proof. Sit near the cage, talking and singing to them, let them get familiar with your voice, and begin to trust you. You may encounter problems getting them back in the cage, reverse the process of the treat, let them see you placing a treat just inside the open cage door.
Birds can not catch a human cold, which is caused by a virus.

 

[Colorguarder08]

Thank you antoinette I'm glad to know I can't get my birds sick with a cold. Erin I also like your idea of not trying to pet the birds as long as they are in the cage I think I will also make that a habit. The only treat I have tried with them other than the millet is some wheat toast which Halloween loves. So I will probably place some wheat toast (whole wheat toast is what I am referring to) outside the cage then some inside the cage when I need them to get back inside the cage. Would it be a good idea to try some step ups today or no?

 

[Ratzy]

Any progress is GOOD progress

 

[Colorguarder08]

Well I think today was a step backwards, but I believe that was due to the fact that they really could not get a good sleep because of the fact I went to bed at round 8ish last night fought with Abby my dog to leave the birds alone (yes they were covered up) for about an 2 hours then Abby finally gave up (it doesnt help I have a SMALL bedroom) I then at about 10pm last night I was finally able to sleep then because I had to be at work at 5 this morning I was up at 3 and so were my dogs and I had to turn the light on to get dressed so they were up so I uncovered them so they wouldn't remained covered til 1 in the afternoon when I get off work and we found the $20 I was missing so I went to petsmart and got them a new kind of perch to differ from the wooden ones they have and it's wider. I also got them a new toy that is part shredable, part preening and part chewable then showing Tayler the pellets I want to switch them to I found a foraging toy on sale so I thought it was one you had to put together and then put a treat or something in it well turns out its already put together and the treat is already inside there so that was a plus since I couldnt find the millet I had planned to put in there. Well so I went to put these in there and the first thing I go to put in is the hanging multipurpose toy and Hallows eve went on freak out mode so I backed off and then went to put in the new perch and again Hallows eve freaked out. I just did not feel today was the day to try some out of the cage time.

 

[Pheonix Rising]

Putting new things into the cage is a big deal especially for littler birds
if you have a table or such but them on it next to the cage
that way they can see it but not feel threatened by it
in a few days lean or clip them against outside of cage leave for few days until they are calm and possibly even exploring them thru the bars
then slowly add them one by one for the next few days
it's a slow process but the best one to keep our birds happy and our progress moving forwards