?? Being Trained By TD??

[Alien J]

I was going to title this thread Training TD, but somehow that didn't seem right! I am having one issue that, at times, can be very problematical. TD has turned "time to go back in your cage" or "time to get in the Bye-Bye Box (carrier I purchased from Drs. Foster and Smith)" into an energetic, delightful (happy fun time for TD) game of "Catch Me if You Can" or it's sibling, "Make Me". For the slave girl, "A-wee-wee-Mommy" (my cockatiel name is, you guessed it, "A-wee-wee").

As we are full time Rv'er's, and also have two dogs, this can really create a serious problem sometimes. For example, during these last two heat waves of over 108 degrees for over a week at a time, it gets hot quite quickly with the windows up, etc. Or, if it's raining (usually not an issue here in SoCal but in the winter it can be), it's not fair to keep my guy and the dogs standing in the rain for what seems like forever. And it's very frustrating for Aweewee, I mean me. I always give TD at least an hour of out of cage time before asking him or her to return to the cage or carrier. At first it was not a problem. Sadly, (I mean gladly), TD is smarter now...a treat isn't a good enough bribe I guess when you know you'll never go without enough to eat! HELP!!! Please! It's bad enough knowing I'm a wee-wee without proving it by being outsmarted by my 'tiel!

 

[sunnysmom]

Can you give a cage only treat? For instance, my tiel loved millet spray. So, he only got it when he went back in his cage. Also, I made going in the cage fun. I would sit with him and sing silly songs for a bit, etc. That way he didn't associate "going in your cage" with me instantly leaving him.

 

[Alien J]

Can you give a cage only treat?

Millet worked for awhile. Sunflower seeds worked for awhile. I don't believe it's that TD doesn't want to be in his/her cage or carrier, bcuz the moment I accomplish the feat, TD is laughing, whistling, playing peek-a-boo, giving kisses, etc.

I'm with TD pretty much 24/7. Always in sight (except when in the restroom). We are almost always within the sound of each other's voices... that's how it is in an RV! I think it's just a game to TD. And, though I hate to do it, on occasion I've had to wrap my hands around TD and physically put TD into the place TD needed to be at that moment (like when one of us has a Doctor's appointment). When I've had to go that route, TD screeches and "bites". TD does that if I put my hands inside the cage too many times for his liking, and when he's sleepy... he's real cranky when sleepy...but never has he actually bitten me. Nor has he ever pottied on me (just had to throw that in... proud Mama-slave). I really don't like to force TD, but my guy and my dogs often tire of the waiting... and when it's 100 degrees, so do I.

 

[Princessbella]

Does he have a favorite toy that lives only in the cage? Tiels love to have a routine. With Bella, when I want her to go into her cage, I use the phrase "I have to go to work, I love you, be a good birdie" and I have a heat lamp that goes on when I go away and goes off when I am home. So when I turn on the lamp, Bella knows to go to her cage. I also change out her food and water even if I had done it earlier. When it comes to bed, I say "night night" "I love you Bella" and she goes to her sleep perch. But that is after she gets her good-night scritches. Oh wait, does that mean that Bella has trained me? Instead of wrangling TD, if you make the cage a special place to be (and thanks to the vendors at AA, I have) TD should get the picture.

 

[Alien J]

@Princessbella Great ideas! I'll see if I can incorporate those behaviors towards favorite things into "going into the cage is super fun time"!