Echo needs flying lessons

[Spirit Warrior]

Hey guys anyone got any suggestions besides clipping wings on how to help echo fly without going into a wall. Now she is settled she wants to fly and fly lol
We are currently building an Avery but its still not finished and its now autumn in the uk so abit to cold for her when we do finish it.

 

[MagpieDragon]

@Monica

 

[JLcribber]

suggestions besides clipping wings on how to help echo fly without going into a wall.

How the heck does flattening the tires on your bike help you learn to ride a bike? Seriously.

The only way to become a good bike rider is to get on that thing and pedal. No different for your bird. We do not "handicap" our birds. We adapt the environment to make it work.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Please don't clip her wings. The best method I know of is how @Macawnutz does it. Start by tossing onto the bed, don't quit this step too soon. He will get a feeling for her wings and landing. Then progress to tossing her back and forth to your partner. Backing up and getting farther away from each other GRADUALLY. He will improve steadily on discovering how to slow down and land. You can target him to and from a stand when he gets his brakes figured out.

Their biggest problem is discovering how to slow down and how to land.

 

[Spirit Warrior]

I havent clipped her wings. I dont agree with clipping birds wing's. They have wings or a reason. I asked for suggestions but didnt want the clip her wing suggestion.

 

[hrafn]

I havent clipped her wings. I dont agree with clipping birds wing's. They have wings or a reason. I asked for suggestions but didnt want the clip her wing suggestion.

Oh don't worry, you're unlikely to get that suggestion on AA.

I'm currently teaching my massive macaw how to fly after he badly hurt himself, and I'm using the method that @Macawnutz told me, which @Hankmacaw mentioned: throwing him, LOL.
He's already getting the hang of it and figuring his wings out. It'll probably be even easier for Echo, since she has a shorter wingspan and the fall to the bed is longer for her. Then graduate to tossing her to your partner/friend/whoever, so she learns how to fly toward something and to land properly.

Good luck!!

 

[Macawnutz]

If your sweetie is doing the hail mary's across the room you are already ahead of the game. Just let her practice and try to limit the long flights where they can get going really fast. Carpeted areas, maybe a sheet hanging in doorways to limit the areas and create softer oopies.

Bare with her. She will figure it out. Toddlers fall often when learning to walk.

 

[sunnysmom]

She just has to learn. Make sure windows either have curtains closed or put decals or something on them so she doesn't think she can fly through the windows.

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

Funny enough I'm have the exact opposite problem with my U2 also named Echo. Echo only really flys when he spooks. Usually only getting 5 feet or so. But he spooked at a fan a couple weeks and flew about 20 feet!! So I thought it would be a good idea to teach him to fly more accurately. I read about @Macawnutz technique of gently throwing them on beds in another thread and thought I would give a try. Unfortunately my Echo hates being thrown and will activately resist it. I'm not sure what I sure try next...

I still think the bed technique sounds like the best option if your fid doesn't mind it I wish you and your Echo all the best with your fly lessons

 

[Spirit Warrior]

Awesome thanks for the suggestions. Ill try the bed suggestion. Shes only 3 months and flys really well its just she needs to realise there are walls around her. It will be so much better when we get the aviary built. So that she can really stretch her wings

 

[Spirit Warrior]

How the heck does flattening the tires on your bike help you learn to ride a bike? Seriously.

The only way to become a good bike rider is to get on that thing and pedal. No different for your bird. We do not "handicap" our birds. We adapt the environment to make it work.

I dont clip my birds wings. I also dont agree with it as they have wings for a reason. I just didnt want to get clip your birds wings suggestions

 

[Monica]

Target training. This is your best bet, honestly! Teach Echo to target simply by walking around at first, then you could set up two chairs with their backs together and start working on teaching target training between the two chairs. Start with stepping from one chair to the other and back again. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Then move one chair maybe an inch away and target again. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Keep spacing the chairs further and further and rewarding the desired behavior. As Echo's confidence increases, she can start working on hopping from one chair to the other, then a hop with a flap, then actual flying. If at any time she hesitates, then go back a step until she's ready to proceed further.

Once she's good at targeting between, you can start teaching her to target to other areas around the house. You may need to start from the beginning at each location until the behavior has been generalized enough for her to understand. You can target her and cue, such as "cage", "perch", "gym", etc.

 

[Max83]

let him try first in not huge rooms, and make sure you have something hang on walls to make him see better it (little pieces of coloured paper temporaly attached to the walls for example so he doesn't crash on it).

pay attention and get rid of everything he could land on and throw on himself so he doesn't get injuried. cover the toilet and close windows and place curtains on them as other said. He'll learn quickly