New cage blues

[Alien J]

TD has been needing a larger cage for a long time. We have very limited space in the RV. However, we decided to get Miyetti's cage from storage. I now have two cages set up in a 26' RV. TD will go into the big cage during out of cage time, but won't stay in it. He has also, quite suddenly, become afraid of things he was never afraid of before (i.e., charging cords, the cord from his heated perch). When it's time to cover him for the night, he lets me know if he is seeing something he considers scary and I have to adjust things so he can't see them. I don't know if he's playing me and just doesn't want to go to bed yet or what? How can I help him accept the new big cage as home? He just turned 8 months old. Thanks!

 

[CeciliaZ]

Have you put in his favorite or familiar toys and perches in it - something he knows? Also a favorite food or treat?

 

[Alien J]

Have you put in his favorite or familiar toys and perches in it - something he knows? Also a favorite food or treat?

Oh, yes. He has no problem being in it, unless I close the door.

 

[TikiMyn]

Maybe slowly start training him to stay in there? I would do this: put a perch near the door, where you can easily reach him. Reward him when he sits there with the door al the way open en slowly start to close the door a teeny Tiny bit, then reward him big time and continue that for as long as he needs, untill you can completly close the door. That is what I did with Fëanor to train him to be in his travel cage. He was the same, I put his favorite foraging toys in iT and he started to play with them, but if I closer the door he would panick. But with him I would take him outside once he was in the cage with the door shut and he loves that, so I don’t know if iT Will work with a normal cage. I hope you figure something out soon!

 

[Alien J]

I hope you figure something out soon!

Me, too! Bear in mind that when TD is out of his cage, my boyfriend and dogs are relegated to being outside. This really limits our time, depending on the weather. It's hard in an RV sometimes to do things the way you would in a regular house.

 

[faislaq]

Could you try feeding him only in the new cage with the door open? Treats, regular food and water, etc?

 

[Alien J]

Could you try feeding him only in the new cage

What a great idea! Thanks! I'll try it!

 

[Alien J]

TD seems to be enjoying his new "Big House" (sounds like he's in the slammer). Don't have the measurements, but suffice it to say, it took one and a half paper towels to cover the bottom of TD's little cage. It takes four to cover the bottom of Miyetti 's old cage.

 

[TikiMyn]

Great news that he has started to enjoy his new house!

 

[Alien J]

TD looks so small in Miyetti's old cage!

 

[Dartman]

That looks just like the cage Nerd lived in his whole life we got him and his brother back about 78. Surprised they still make a version but looks like a nice cage for a smaller bird in a limited space type deal. Mine had the guillotine door and the food cups slid into little square openings with slide doors but were aluminum and got filthy easily so I switched to stainless ones that had a mounting frame and we used a small critter water bottle so he always had clean water. I think we paid 50 or 100 for it back then and they gave us both birds for 200 as they didn't want to split them up.

 

[Alien J]

Surprised they still make a version

Don't know if they do. I bought this off of "Let it Go" when Miyetti went from tiny fledgling to "largest Pigeon species" in what seemed like a matter of minutes!

 

[Dartman]

I've seen my EXACT cage for sale on Craig's list before so they must have made and sold a ton of those back in the day before everybody wanted bigger cages for our fids. I still have it disassembled out in the shed for emergencies or just in case along with Beepers old Finch cage.

 

[Alien J]

I don't know how it happened, but I have about four cages in storage myself!