Advice needed: geting non-hands-on cockatiels back in the cage and how to help my "third wheel"

[Irishj9]

On getting them back into the cage. I find bribery works with 3 of my 4 newbies. I show them an open box of sunflower seed. ( Caiques are allowed a SMALL pinch of sunflower seed each day)

WOW, A WHOLE BOX OF SUNFLOWER SEED!!!!!!!.

seed bin 2.jpg



They jump on, and I move them to their cages.

Except for one. (There's always one!). I haven't figured out yet if shes stupid or clever. She looks at the sunflower seed warily, and backs off.

She insists on being caught by hand. She doesn't struggle or bite, but she refuses to be bribed!.

[Grammy]

OMG, they are so cute.
Cumey and Nimby are millet junkies. I've tried tempting them with big hunks, but once I move toward the cage, they scatter. Maybe I should offer them a stick with millet wrapped around it in a darkened room or maybe I should just climb in the cage myself and close the door.

[Irishj9]

"Climb in myself and close the door" Love It, LOOOOOOVE it!!

What a great idea!!.

Several of our lovebirds don't wanna go back in the cages, except for food. They wanna play all day in the bird room and sleep on the play tree. What the heck. life is too short. let them have some fun.

[Irishj9]

Its easy to get them back in the cage, also boring I'm afraid.

Step 1) you feed them in the morning and just before bedtime.

No food in between

Step 2) Put their evening meals in the cages.

Step 3) Step well back

Step 4) Close cage doors, go to the drinks cabinet and pour yourself self a looooong well deserved rasberry juice!

[Grammy]

You know I might just try that. It would require a serious adjustment in life style though as right now the birds (and I !) graze all day.

[Ziggymon]

Heheheh...I think the little girl is smart - once you start spoiling guys, they take you for granted.

[CeciliaZ]

I have a tiel who is "hands off", he will not step up, or perch on my finger. But he will perch on my shoulder or arm as long as it is covered either by a sleeve or a hand towel and then I can easily get him into his cage where the other tiels are.

[suileeka]

Hey Pat, I had trouble getting them back to the cage at night too, so I did something similar to what JP is suggesting. I would take their food out mid-afternoon, and then refresh the bowls with high value food like seeds or millet and put the bowls back in the cage about 30 minutes before bedtime. That usually got them to fly over and climb back in the cage. Of course, they were probably more food motivated at that point in time!

How cute that Stormy and Nimby have formed a bond! Sounds similar to the dynamics with my own tiels - I have a M/F pair with a female who is left out and picked on..

[65sunnyday]

Grammy, you're right--Nimby just doesn't have a clue

*warning* It's been said that 3 (three) pairs get along much better than 2 pairs.

[Ziggymon]

*warning* It's been said that 3 (three) pairs get along much better than 2 pairs.

Really?