My GCC only stays in one spot in his cage, what should I do?

[Broekhart]

Ive had him for close to a month now, and he basically only stays on the perch in the middle, only moving to the left to eat and then going back.

He was clipped when I got him from the pet store, so I tried to arrange the perches so that he could just hop and climb, but he barely tries any of them ( only when I try to lead him with the target stick) but even then he still just hangs on the bars.

He also doesn't play with the toys in his cage so I'm kinda worried he will get bored when Im not around. He steps up on occasion and eats out of my hand which is great. I often leave his cage door open but he has only left the cage a couple of times, and only to climb to the top and just stay there.

What should I be doing better/do?

https://imgur.com/a/dxfTgms

 

[T00tsyd]

So your environment is very different from what he knows. Comings and goings, other bird calls, lots of general activity. Perhaps all that meant that he was so interested in what was going on around him that playing with toys didn't feature. It's only a guess of course but perhaps he is simply taking a long time to settle in to the changes.

What about having a radio or something playing with different voices/music and general hubbub? I leave a radio or TV on if I leave Syd so he has background noise going on. My logic says that in a flock there would be general chaos and noise they would rarely have silence. Talk and sing to him lots but then really just give him time. It can take a long time for them to really come into their own. He has had a big upheaval.
It's good that he will eat from your hand he is not scared of you and that's a good step forward.

 

[Broekhart]

So your environment is very different from what he knows. Comings and goings, other bird calls, lots of general activity. Perhaps all that meant that he was so interested in what was going on around him that playing with toys didn't feature. It's only a guess of course but perhaps he is simply taking a long time to settle in to the changes.

What about having a radio or something playing with different voices/music and general hubbub? I leave a radio or TV on if I leave Syd so he has background noise going on. My logic says that in a flock there would be general chaos and noise they would rarely have silence. Talk and sing to him lots but then really just give him time. It can take a long time for them to really come into their own. He has had a big upheaval.
It's good that he will eat from your hand he is not scared of you and that's a good step forward.

Well you might be right about the toys part, when I got him he was sharing a small cage with 3 other cinnamon/pineapples and there were no toys in them. I'll try the radio thing, thanks!

Is this not common with other parrot owners? I can't seem to find any threads with a similar title. Do most parrots explore their cage on their own?

 

[T00tsyd]

Well you might be right about the toys part, when I got him he was sharing a small cage with 3 other cinnamon/pineapples and there were no toys in them. I'll try the radio thing, thanks!

Is this not common with other parrot owners? I can't seem to find any threads with a similar title. Do most parrots explore their cage on their own?

There probably are similar threads about generally settling parrots into their new homes. I only have one and he is my first so I would simply give him time. Your cage looks pretty busy to me with a lot of stuff. Mine in comparison is fairly clear but that was just to allow him to move around freely and give room to spread his wings if he chooses to. Do you know how old yours is? I just wonder if he's depressed at having his wings clipped. Especially if he has flown freely before. I'm only guessing of course, just trying to find reasons for the lack of activity. Have you had him vet checked just to make sure he is ok healthwise? Otherwise time is your best friend.

 

[Broekhart]

Do you think I should remove some stuff? I arranged the cage with him being clipped in mind, he has tried flying due to loud sounds and crashed into the bottom of the cage or on my floor, and I felt really bad about that, but not sure what I could do about it.

The shop told me he was about 1 year old. I don't think he was free flying, or flying at all actually, the cage he was in was relatively small with 3 other conures in it.

Im trying to get him used to the travel cage I bought, I'll probably be bringing him to a vet in the next 1-2 weeks. But he was fed on unlimited supply of zupreem pellets in the store so its already much better than ones who were raised on seed only.

How long did it take for your bird to be active in his cage/in general?

 

[T00tsyd]

Do you think I should remove some stuff? I arranged the cage with him being clipped in mind, he has tried flying due to loud sounds and crashed into the bottom of the cage or on my floor, and I felt really bad about that, but not sure what I could do about it.

The shop told me he was about 1 year old. I don't think he was free flying, or flying at all actually, the cage he was in was relatively small with 3 other conures in it.

Im trying to get him used to the travel cage I bought, I'll probably be bringing him to a vet in the next 1-2 weeks. But he was fed on unlimited supply of zupreem pellets in the store so its already much better than ones who were raised on seed only.

How long did it take for your bird to be active in his cage/in general?

I'm not sure comparisons are helpful. I got mine at 14 weeks and was already his 2nd home. He was with a single father who got him for his 2yr old son. He soon realised that it wasn't the best idea when the child was hell bent on either smashing him with a toy or opening the french door to let him out. Syd has always had his full wings and flew to me as soon as he saw me and perched on my shoulder very contentedly. Remembering advice I had already researched here I realised that this was a very good sign.

Again based on research here I leave room for wing spread and also change toys in and out regularly to create continued interest, but circumstances for you are a bit different. I think you might be worrying unnecessarily and it may be that he has been conditioned at the pet store to stay in one place through lack of space. It sounds as if it wasn't the best situation. Take your time give lots of encouragement but always allow choice. So it's the parrots decision what he does. Find what treats he likes so that you can reward behaviour that you approve of. Syd will kill for Sunflower seeds. Perhaps a treat held on the opposite side of the cage will tempt him to move to you for it. I always smile when I have changed Syd's set up when I can see him working out the best ways from A-B via changed perches etc.

Has he got access to bathing water? Some like to be sprayed gently, it has taken Syd 5 years to appreciate a gently running tap, he hates sprays and runs, his bath of choice was a pottery bowl that used to be my dog's water bowl. He now has that placed by the sink so that he can choose between the running tap and the bowl and carefully uses both. He then dries off on my shoulder usually snuggled against my neck - YUK!

Even so the parrot I have now is completely different to the one that first moved in and at a year old you still have to go through puberty so do some research on what is to come. It all feels like 2 steps forward and 3 back and you need more patience than you might think possible, but it will be well worth it in the end. I do hope you will allow his next set of feathers be unclipped. Syd's joy in flight is palpable.

 

[Bluberrytheparakeet]

First off, That is an PERFECT, AWESOME cage setup. I want to give you recognition for that!

I had a female parakeet that never moved, she even had the same cage as that. But that isn't relative. was he housed in with other birds? he could be lonely. What is his diet? has he been taken to the vet to look for underlying conditions? As lethargy is never good, especially if caused by depression.

My problem was fixed shortly after I got my girl a companion, some birds just NEED a companion. I wouldn't go straight to that for being the problem, but may need to be considered.

If your bird is depressed (mine was) I have a different stance on the whole "play bird noises on a radio or TV" thing. To my girl it seemed to cause worse depression, she would look around, frantically flock calling for them and not find them. Later in the evening, she seemed to be even more droopy and sad when she had heard birds "pass by" but couldn't roost with them. (I assume) She has already been checked for underlying conditions, and was not ill, it was depression. But i seriously advise you get him checked for underlying conditions.

 

[onamom]

I suggest adding a boing to the cage, like this. They can be a great "central station" to help them climb all over the cage. My GCC LOVES hers and it was the first tool she used to get used to her larger cage. You may need to re-arrange some things to fit one in. It's great to hang them from the top of the cage in the middle this way they can easily climb up and down. Many GCC also love swinging and playing on them.

 

[fl1ck]

his probably in shock
personally id slowly move the food further away so he will have to climb onto the cage
and offer treats to encourage him
find out what food he likes

 

[Chenetaqwa]

I'm not sure comparisons are helpful. I got mine at 14 weeks and was already his 2nd home. He was with a single father who got him for his 2yr old son. He soon realised that it wasn't the best idea when the child was hell bent on either smashing him with a toy or opening the french door to let him out. Syd has always had his full wings and flew to me as soon as he saw me and perched on my shoulder very contentedly. Remembering advice I had already researched here I realised that this was a very good sign.

Again based on research here I leave room for wing spread and also change toys in and out regularly to create continued interest, but circumstances for you are a bit different. I think you might be worrying unnecessarily and it may be that he has been conditioned at the pet store to stay in one place through lack of space. It sounds as if it wasn't the best situation. Take your time give lots of encouragement but always allow choice. So it's the parrots decision what he does. Find what treats he likes so that you can reward behaviour that you approve of. Syd will kill for Sunflower seeds. Perhaps a treat held on the opposite side of the cage will tempt him to move to you for it. I always smile when I have changed Syd's set up when I can see him working out the best ways from A-B via changed perches etc.

Has he got access to bathing water? Some like to be sprayed gently, it has taken Syd 5 years to appreciate a gently running tap, he hates sprays and runs, his bath of choice was a pottery bowl that used to be my dog's water bowl. He now has that placed by the sink so that he can choose between the running tap and the bowl and carefully uses both. He then dries off on my shoulder usually snuggled against my neck - YUK!

Even so the parrot I have now is completely different to the one that first moved in and at a year old you still have to go through puberty so do some research on what is to come. It all feels like 2 steps forward and 3 back and you need more patience than you might think possible, but it will be well worth it in the end. I do hope you will allow his next set of feathers be unclipped. Syd's joy in flight is palpable.

I completely agree about not clipping wings ... I have 2 green cheek conures one was clipped when I got him the other was never clipped... she flies wonderfully...he was able to fly but had to work at it...now he's started to molt and can't fly and I can't wait for his feathers to regrow
About your bird hanging in one spot ...it was in with 3 others... probably in a bit of shock loosing it s flock... spend time with your new bird even if it's just sitting in a chair next to the cage ... as stated before...feed treats thru the bars and call bird from one side of the cage to the other side ... ( it will pay off big time later when he's out of cage)

 

[T00tsyd]

I've been thinking about this quite a lot since I first responded and I just wonder if the toys really are too much. Think about it if this little one has not had toys before isn't it possible that every strange item scares him? I know if I introduce something strange to Syd he can take a while before he will go near it. Isn't it possible that he really doesn't know which way to go?

I would still remove a few to give some clear space then introduce them slowly just one at a time.