Learning to Fly

[Hjarta5]

My sennie, Luna, is believed to be about 6 years old and when I adopted him, two of his flight wing feathers were severely cut so that he was often unbalanced when climbing on his cage or playstand, and when he did launch himself into the air out of some fright, it often meant a crash landing. I am not sure if he ever had his full flight feathers based on what I know of his history. However, this morning something startled Luna while he was on his playstand, and instead of crash landing onto the carpet as he usually does, he flew from our bedroom to his room and successfully landed on his cage -- though not without visible signs that it took a lot out of him (which may also be due to him being slightly overweight based on his prior diet of seeds).

Being relatively new to our home, Luna is still afraid of hands as well as other things, and we try to make sure not to move quickly around him. But he is often eager to step up to a rope perch where I move him from cage to playstand, engage in some basic chopstick touch training and peek a boo with a towel game, and generally is happy to socialize as long as we give him his personal space.

That being the case, what can I do to help him gain confidence and exercise his wings more? Is there something I can do to help encourage him to fly in a safe environment? Or should I just let him be for now?

 

[orphansparrow]

Thats awesome! It seems to me like he is already making baby steps. I think I'd just let him be for now. You want him to feel comfortable each step of the way - it'll be slow going, but he'll get there. Probably no rush is needed, as him trusting his environment and his newfound skill is more important.

 

[Hjarta5]

Thats awesome! It seems to me like he is already making baby steps. I think I'd just let him be for now. You want him to feel comfortable each step of the way - it'll be slow going, but he'll get there. Probably no rush is needed, as him trusting his environment and his newfound skill is more important.

Thanks! I often feel like a new parent to a baby -- I never know if Im doing something right or wrong for them

 

[TikiMyn]

It is marvelous that he flew already! And it is great that you want to encourage flight but what you can do right now is a little limited because you are still bonding. You could try putting a play stand near his cage though, just far away enough that he has to do a little jump to get to his playstand. Then you can keep putting the playstand father away from his cage(if you have Some kind of poratable playstand of course! Maybe a chair could work too but As he is new to your home and pretty scared of all the new things I don’t know if he Will like that) good luck!

 

[Hjarta5]

It is marvelous that he flew already! And it is great that you want to encourage flight but what you can do right now is a little limited because you are still bonding. You could try putting a play stand near his cage though, just far away enough that he has to do a little jump to get to his playstand. Then you can keep putting the playstand father away from his cage(if you have Some kind of poratable playstand of course! Maybe a chair could work too but As he is new to your home and pretty scared of all the new things I don’t know if he Will like that) good luck!

Thanks! His playstand is portable so I will do that. So far, I have generally created a bridge of some sort -- with a rope perch, vet taped dowel, etc -- between his cage and playstand for him to move about if he felt like it, but he's wary most of the time. I will move the playstand closer and see if he feels comfortable hopping over -- but I will have to pretend not to watch him as he doesnt like when I do that

 

[TikiMyn]

They can be so particular about what they like! I am sure he Will warm up to everything in time

 

[Hjarta5]

Maybe a chair could work too but As he is new to your home and pretty scared of all the new things I don’t know if he Will like that) good luck!

This morning while the birds were having breakfast in the dining room, Luna did a short flight from his playstand to briefly touching a chair and back to the playstand again! I was amazed

 

[TikiMyn]

This morning while the birds were having breakfast in the dining room, Luna did a short flight from his playstand to briefly touching a chair and back to the playstand again! I was amazed

That is great! So soon already, I have no doubt Luna Will learn to fly super quick

 

[Fergus Mom]

Wow Luna!

 

[Hjarta5]

Weirdly, I think Luna is open to taking the leap because Wally, his Quaker parrot friend, is usually zipping about and flying throughout the house -- even with his chopstick touch training, once Luna saw Wally get a treat, Luna picked up so much quicker!

 

[TikiMyn]

They learn a lot raster from their birdie friends! Henkie my lovie has been with me for I think 4/5 years, never bathed in anything but his bowl, and he did that once a month. I take him with me into the shower almost every day and offerend him to bath in the sink regularly too. No succes. Untill he saw Fëanor bathing in the sink. Took him 5 minutes and he was bathing along! Now he puffs his feathers when I show him the sink if he wants to bath

 

[Hjarta5]

Untill he saw Fëanor bathing in the sink. Took him 5 minutes and he was bathing along! Now he puffs his feathers when I show him the sink if he wants to bath

Too funny! I love their personalities - so smart, so quirky!

 

[Begone]

This morning while the birds were having breakfast in the dining room, Luna did a short flight from his playstand to briefly touching a chair and back to the playstand again! I was amazed

So their is no need for you to do anything. He now is doing the most natural thing, using his wings for transportation.
Congrats!

 

[Hjarta5]

So their is no need for you to do anything. He now is doing the most natural thing, using his wings for transportation.
Congrats!

Thanks! Luna looks like a flying meatball, but he's getting there