Help Convincing Joey to Go Back in Cage

[bogsc]

Hi. My partner and I have been managing to get Joey out of the cage for playtime several times a day when we can shoo out all cats from the back bedroom except the ones that are used to him (and won't try to pounce him at least in our presence) so he's obviously much happier. He rarely nips me now and has become incredibly affectionate. He gets mad at my partner if she approaches him when he's playing with me so we try to have him out when only one of us is in the room. Problem is he refuses to go back into his cage for me when I need to leave for another part of the house. If I try to get him into my hands to move him over to the cage he gets angry and nips or flys off onto bed. I generally have to call my partner in for assistance as he takes her demands that he return to his cage much more seriously. I'm sure it's partly her serious tone of voice but she also has to use threat of squirt bottle at times and I'm trying to avoid that. I've tried to find something I can bribe him with, but so far have had no success. The only food he sees as a "treat" is a fresh banana and ugh...pieces of that go flying as he eats it so I just can't stand using that as bribe. Suggestions?

 

[Lukask]

Whats his diet? Mine eat pellets with seeds as a treat. I only put the seed in their pellets when they are going back into their cages. They look forward to the added treat and usually hop right in. Plus, they get a reward every time they go back. Makes things not about punishment and all about the yummy stuff.

Of course, this wouldn't work if you only feed seed or have an odd schedule on letting him out...

 

[bogsc]

His diet is mix of pellets/dried fruit/seeds/nuts, which we get from Bird Paradise in New Jersey. My partner is aware that an all seed diet is very bad for indoor birds. I've thought about suggesting that he go on an all pellet diet so that we can supplement with "treats" but he's a finicky eater (half of his food is thrown on floor as it is) and I'm worried that he wouldn't transition so easily. I tried bribing him with some raw cashews over the last couple of days but that didn't work. Thinking about trying peanuts which are smaller and he may like better. My partner keeps suggesting bananas 'cause he loves them and only rarely gets them but I'm banana avoidant. Totally agree that I want to make things about yummy stuff and NOT punishment!

 

[Customcasket]

His diet is mix of pellets/dried fruit/seeds/nuts, which we get from Bird Paradise in New Jersey. My partner is aware that an all seed diet is very bad for indoor birds. I've thought about suggesting that he go on an all pellet diet so that we can supplement with "treats" but he's a finicky eater (half of his food is thrown on floor as it is) and I'm worried that he wouldn't transition so easily. I tried bribing him with some raw cashews over the last couple of days but that didn't work. Thinking about trying peanuts which are smaller and he may like better. My partner keeps suggesting bananas 'cause he loves them and only rarely gets them but I'm banana avoidant. Totally agree that I want to make things about yummy stuff and NOT punishment!

I don't know if you go into the Bird Paradise to get it or if you order it online. Is it the stuff in the big white bins? I feed that to my birds as their snack mix. My conures are on all pellet diets with that pellet, nuts, fruit, veggie mix as their snack. I must say that mix smells very delicious and I'm always tempted to try it. I think I'd have to battle my guys for it though. They love it.

 

[MikeyTN]

This is a training issue! Bribing DOES work as well but I only have to bribe one of my birds as he's a bit tricky....But generally I don't have any issue getting any of my birds back into their cage. You must be stern when you command, your the flock leader! There's no need for punishment either. It can make things worse....

 

[evesta]

I give my boys spray baths and then they are usually ready to go in and preen each other.

 

[MaraWentz]

i do pine nuts and the spice corrander. She doesnt eat the corrander but just loves to break the ball apart. I have not met a bird to turn down pine nuts. You can buy them unshelled at Walmart,etc, but you have to get shelled ones from bird Paradise unless you have an organic store. Other than that ice cream, and pasta, she wont eat anything but her food.

 

[bogsc]

Customcasket, My partner used to get the food in Bird Paradise's store when she lived in NJ. Now we're going to have to order it online. Yes, it was in white bins and it sure does smell good. He's kinda picky about what he'll eat and throws half of it on the floor.

MickeyTN, I do realize that this is really a training issue. Joey has been with my partner for 15 years and has only been interacting with me for about 9 months, usually on weekends. Now he lives full-time with me as well as my partner. I definitely need to teach him that, in addition to my partner, I'm head of the flock. I'm hoping it's not too late to train him out of bad habits he's developed over last 15 years. I know he's smart and clearly eager to please so I'm cautiously hopeful that we can end his screaming and nipping (mostly of my partner when I'm around) and get him to go back in cage when we need him to do so. I think punishment acts as reinforcement (albeit negative) for bad habits so I'm trying to move towards rewarding for good behavior and just withholding attention when he's being bad. Seems to be working. My understanding is that training works best if you can supply "treats" and so far I've failed to find anything that interests him enough to get him to do things he doesn't really want to do. Hoping we can transition him to pellet only diet so that he'll see fruit/veggies/nuts as treats that are enticing enough to get him to cooperate with training.

 

[bogsc]

Mara, Thanks for the suggestion of pine nuts. I can get shelled ones at grocery store next door! I'll give that a try.

 

[MaraWentz]

Good luck! I hope they work- so far I have not had a single parrot turn them down!