I don't wanna go....

[Kerplunq]

So today is day two with my Conure. She is super social (always chattering on) and trying to get our attention if we leave the room. (Her original owner, taught her a whistle for that).
She is always asking for scritches from inside her cage. also she go onto the front door to let us know that she wants out (Last owner told us this).

Once outside of the cage she is social. She steps up only about half of the time and likes to run up the arm.

Now the issue that we are having. After about 45 mins or so, we decided that its time to get ready for the day and try to put Peach back into her home. When we try to get her to step down, she flies onto one of our heads and gets all bitey. I understand that she just wants some more out time. But any tips on how to get her back in.

I have already tried with placing food into the cage. Also tried the "luring in with a treat" trick. So far the only way we have got her in, is by petting and holding her back to get her in and then giving her a treat for being in.

Sorry for the long post, just trying to get this right so not to stress Peach or ourselves

 

[QBird]

She sounds lovely and a very sociable little dear who wants to be loved I realise you have not had her long however I must ask if you usually cut all attention when you put her in her cage and head off to do anything but pay her attention?

It may be that when she is put in her cage she thinks that's it playtime is done I'm being abandoned again. I would sometimes pop her into her cage and not close the door all the time, pop her in give her a treat and close the door, get her to go in for a few minutes and return and take her out. So it does not appear like a fatal cut off and lack of affection from this time on. In addition does she play well without you, i.e. foraging toys, chew toys and foot toys or shredders? If she has some favorites keep those in the cage too, if not it's probably nice to start playing with some toys like this then she may well be more comfortable chilling by herself in the cage.

just a starter for ten sorry if you did all this already

 

[QBird]

one more sorry did she come with her cage or is this a new cage?

 

[Kerplunq]

Well we (the wife and I) sat in there for a while before taking her out. We do talk to her while putting her in and have treats and food freshly put in the cage while trying to get her in.

As for the cage, it was hers I believe from the start. So everything in there isn't changed except for the bed she had. It was a dish cloth that I switched to a bird tent. But I placed that in there hours before bed time. Plus this morning she loved it and jumped in and out of it.

 

[Monica]

What are you using for treats?

 

[Kerplunq]

She is absolutely crazy for Sunflower seeds, we have millet spray, but Peach is meh about it. So I have been giving her one to reinforce the good behavior. Today (Since it is a bit of a snow storm here and we are using it as an excuse for both of us to stay home ) we will be trying to work her on step up and step down. She has been here now for 3 days and has gotten quite fond of us (Always asking for scritches) I thought now would be a good time to start.

 

[Wolf]

This could get long, but I will try to keep it short and go into more detail later on if needed.
The first few times that I take a new bird out of its cage, I do it about 2 hours before dusk. The reason is that it is easier to get them back in when it is dinner time and failing that bed time is just around the corner. You can use this to your advantage.
When I have my birds out of their cages, I make sure to ask them to step up and down at various times and places while they are out and also treat them at these times especially when putting them in their cage. I also make certain that some of the places that I ask them to step down are on and around their cage. Many birds get resentful and refuse because they don't want to be put back in their cages and this teaches them that even if you take them to the cage it doesn't mean that they are going to be put away every time.
Without going into detail this is as short as I can make this. I hope that it helps you. Please also bear in mind that you have only had her for a couple of days, so go slow and don't expect too much until she get used to you.

 

[Kerplunq]

That's a great idea. Using dinner time and bed time to my advantage.

I do understand I have only had her for a few days. Time and patience is what I got That's why I am asking for help. Something that Peach and I can work together on.

 

[sunnysmom]

Along the same lines of what Wolf suggested, it had been suggested to me when I was having a similar problem, to spend time with your bird when she's in the cage too. Sit with her, talk with her, etc. That way she doesn't always associate cage with you going away. Also, my tiel loves millet so he used to only get millet when he was in his cage. So it was a special cage only treat.

 

[pajarita]

Is there a room that you can bird-proof where she can stay cage-free during the day while you are working? Because, let's face it, who likes to go back to a jail cell and in solitary to boot? Maybe you can set up a little station near a window for her in that room...

 

[Kerplunq]

I wish I could have a room setup just for her. In my current situation, we just don't have the room. In a couple years, when looking at buying, we have already talked about a room just for her (and maybe some new friends ). What we are working on is huge fun while being in the cage. Taking some advice from @sunnysmom, we are going to be only offering Peach's favorite treat and toys only for in cage time. Also we are looking into making some very fun foraging toys for inside.
As for being caged, its a like a total of 4 hours of alone time.

 

[Wolf]

Another thing that may help is to set up a travel type cage as a sleep cage for at night and having her big cage out where she can watch what everyone is doing while she is in her cage as then she won't feel so alone. I worry when it comes to parrots being alone as it is not their way of being and causes then to feel vulnerable and scared. Maybe I worry a bit much about it, but ..... Let's just say I worry a bit.

 

[Kerplunq]

So today we had a MUCH better day. We took Peach out, tried to give her a bath. Spent a good 20 mins working on step up and step down (She hasn't caught on to the down part all too much). Then we gave some scritches and then we got her to go back in. Waiting for her was a homemade forager toy and a food bin with some freshly cut Honeycrisp apples. The minute she realized what was in there...lmao. She went to town in it. I guess it's all gonna work out fine I just had to experience something wrong to figure out what I needed to correct! Yay for learning on both of our parts

 

[Monica]

Step up is a much more natural behavior than stepping down. If possible, when you want her to step down onto something, try to make that object level with her or slightly above her, so she's still stepping "up", even if it is off of you.


Sounds like good progress so far!

 

[Kerplunq]

That's brilliant. Thanks for the advice @Monica

 

[Aubrey]

Good thread! Lots of learning going on