Baby my 24 year old Cockatiel

[texsize]

Baby was my second Tiel and the first one I paid for.
I specifically got him as a friend for Lucky my foundling.
He chose us and it’s worked out great.
But he’s slowing down.

He spends time in his cardboard box at the bottom of his cage but he struggles to climb up to where his food/water are.
He likes hanging out in both locations top and bottom.
I could .

Get him a smaller cage.
This would be like a punishment.
Move food/water to the bottom.
I already have some food at the bottom and don’t want water getting pooped in.

So I am trying to put in a wooden ladder but it’s not going to smoothly.

First the colors. The rungs of the ladder were bright multicolored (obviously radioactive). I wrapped each rung with brown adhesive bandages.

I’ve been slowly moving it closer and closer to the cages. It’s now hooked onto the outside of baby’s cage.

The problem isn’t so much Baby, it’s Cheeky, Popeye, Mango, and Angel.
They all freak out when I try to move it around too much.
In order to install it into Baby’s cage it has to go through the bottom, it’s too big (long) to go through the door.
And I may have to saw some of it off cuz it could be a little too big.
But all this fiddle faddle and commotion, well the Tiels won’t put up with it.

And I have no idea if Baby will even use it.

My gut says I am trying too hard and moving too fast for them.
I only bought the ladder Monday (same time I took photos of the amazon in the pet shop) so only a few days.

It just pains me to see Baby working so had to climb up his cage every time I go into the room.

 

[Jcas]

It’s so hard to watch our feathered friends grow older . I keep JJ’s food , water, perches etc pretty low in his cage as he is epileptic and I don’t want him to hurt himself falling from height if he has a seizure ( also keep padding under the paper at the bottom of his cage). I rarely have issues with him pooping in his dishes but then again, there’s only one of him. My budgies also have a food and water dish set lower in the cage and they do occasionally poop in it but not all the time.

Lowering food and water dishes might help, the ladder might help. But birds are also so often set in their ways that, despite your best efforts, Baby might decide to keep doing things how he’s always done them; even if it’s getting harder. I hope you do find a solution for your old boy

 

[nkrbkr]

I’m so sorry to hear that Baby is struggling. I’ve seen a couple of options for platform perches that can be hung in the cage like stairs/steps. Do you think something like that would work for him? The bonus is that he could rest on each platform as needed, as they are easier for special needs birds. I’ve also seen a ramp type of perch that might work? I’ll see if I can find some links for you.

 

[nkrbkr]

Here’s the ramp. There are a few different options at this shop:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/959421541/?ref=share_ios_native_control

Here are the stairs:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1780551133/?ref=share_ios_native_control

 

[texsize]

Here’s the ramp. There are a few different options at this shop:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/959421541/?ref=share_ios_native_control

Here are the stairs:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1780551133/?ref=share_ios_native_control

I think the ramp is a possibility.
It would take two or three but I think it has a higher chance Baby would use it and not just ignore it.

I’m still going to continue to try the ladder until I’m sure it’s unacceptable.

Thanks for the idea

 

[texsize]

Here is a short video of Baby climbing.
He normally climbs strait up, this morning I don’t know what caused him to pause like he did.

He manages its just he makes that trip almost every time someone comes into the room

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Ive had to outfit cages for disabled budgies several times. What I would do is install short, 6 inch long, natural branch perches inside the cage where he usually climbs up, about every 6 inches, starting about 6 inches off the bottom, until you get to the high perch. Then I would install second high perchs parallel to the existing ones about three inches apart. This would give Baby frequent places to stop and catch his breath as he climbs up and the double perch gives him a very secure place to perch high up and prevent falling if he loses his balance while perched high up.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I also like corner perches, either a solid one piece one or one made of dowel rods, for weak birds to rest on. Half log short perches are great, too, for birds that tend to fall.

 

[texsize]

I also like corner perches, either a solid one piece one or one made of dowel rods, for weak birds to rest on. Half log short perches are great, too, for birds that tend to fall.

I have one in the girls cage.
I bought one for Cheeky but I couldn’t get it close to his cage. He frequently hangs off the side of his cage in the corner, one foot on one side other foot on other side.
I am extremely limited by how frightened they get when introducing something new.

I was lucky I was able to install the cuddle up bird warmer in Baby’s and the girls cage.
Baby uses it every night and sometimes perches on it.
I would put one in Cheeky’s cage but…. There’s that radioactive thing.