My IRN baby (10 weeks old) hate the cage and goes neurotic whenever i try to put him in. he will bite the bars on his cage trying to come out and i worry he will hurt his self. he used to love the cage before. i started to move him on cage when he is 6 weeks old, i put a box where he can hide and he comes out to nibble food, he also comes back to the cage by him self after playtime. his problem started after i noticed after he learn how to fly. now he never eat, never stop biting cage, restless and even falling all around the cage whenever i put him. he also stop eating or trying new foods. and only try new foods when i carry him. I allow him to stay outside and free flight when i am home but i have a regular 10 hours a day job. and i cant leave him out on those long hours. please any advice?
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Mizzely
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How large is the cage and what types of perches and toys does he have inside?
Dimensions: 20 x 20 x 29 inch
he have lots of toys, two natural wood perch.
He does not even look them or try them.. he only play with them when i open the cage on top and put a perch and toys there.
He does not even eat during day time and will only take hand feeding during night time. he used to eat or try everything on his cage during 6-8 weeks.
he only stays inside when it's already 10:30 pm to go sleep. and he goes directly to his nest box. even i try to cover his cage at 7 pm. if i leave him all day on his cage he will try to go out all day till he hurt him self.
I am getting frustrated and is about to bring him back from i got him and i would hate to do that.
all he wants to do now is to hang out with me, fly around and land on my head.
he have lots of toys, two natural wood perch.
He does not even look them or try them.. he only play with them when i open the cage on top and put a perch and toys there.
He does not even eat during day time and will only take hand feeding during night time. he used to eat or try everything on his cage during 6-8 weeks.
he only stays inside when it's already 10:30 pm to go sleep. and he goes directly to his nest box. even i try to cover his cage at 7 pm. if i leave him all day on his cage he will try to go out all day till he hurt him self.
I am getting frustrated and is about to bring him back from i got him and i would hate to do that.
all he wants to do now is to hang out with me, fly around and land on my head.
Garet
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This could be a contributor to your problem. Can you bird-proof a room for him to have the space to fly? Depending on how long it takes you to travel to and from work, he spends 11+ hours alone in his cage.
well, my hubby is at home for 4 hours in between those time. he will carry and try to feed him for like an hour but he have to rest also. (I say try to feed him because he does not take food during day time.) so he has to put him back on his cage but he will cry non stop and will try to break out. if he would let him out he will fly around and sometimes knock his self on the wall or land on his face while he is lying down lol. our home is studio type and everything is there and there is no other room beside the bathroom.
I thought i could have a baby IRN but i am starting to think now that i was wrong :'(
Is there anything i can do, like giving him maybe a buddy he can play with inside the cage? is there anything i can try before i give up?
Mizzely
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It is normal and natural for a young bird to want to be with you at all times. It is unnatural for them to be alone. It makes them feel vulnerable.
20 x 20 is quite small. The wingspan averages 19 inches and you want at LEAST 1.5 times the size of the wingspan, and in your situation you should have at least 2 times. He goes from being super free to being stuck in a box. It's like having an entire house but then being shoved in a closet for 10+ hours a day. It would make me stir crazy too!
At the least I would have a flight cage (32x21) for him.
A buddy might certainly help.
What kind of food is he on? Are you saying he doesn't eat anything for 10+ hours? It's possible he isn't really weaned yet which is also contributing to the issue. Average is 10-13 weeks, but some take longer than that.
They also sometimes need to be shown how to play with toys.
20 x 20 is quite small. The wingspan averages 19 inches and you want at LEAST 1.5 times the size of the wingspan, and in your situation you should have at least 2 times. He goes from being super free to being stuck in a box. It's like having an entire house but then being shoved in a closet for 10+ hours a day. It would make me stir crazy too!
At the least I would have a flight cage (32x21) for him.
A buddy might certainly help.
What kind of food is he on? Are you saying he doesn't eat anything for 10+ hours? It's possible he isn't really weaned yet which is also contributing to the issue. Average is 10-13 weeks, but some take longer than that.
They also sometimes need to be shown how to play with toys.
Thank you for replying.
He is a baby and still small that's why i thought his cage is okay for now for him.
I am leaving all kinds of food for him that he used to eat. when i am at work plus my hubby try to hand feed him on his break time. i got him when he is 4 weeks old, nothing has change on his schedule and this problem just suddenly start after he learn how to fly, after one Saturday that i spent whole day with him and he is outside cage. after that he never wanted to be inside.
How strange! I am wondering, at the same time he learned to fly did you suddenly rearrange his cage, add unfamiliar toys, or maybe move the cage? Maybe that’s why he suddenly doesn’t like it. Usually they love their cage as a safe zone.
Or perhaps he feels too confined in the cage, or he had a night fright in it? I’m just throwing out ideas. Birds are such a puzzle...
It sounds to me like he has bonded strongly with you and sees you as his ‘parent’ so it would be really hard on him if you gave him up.
Or perhaps he feels too confined in the cage, or he had a night fright in it? I’m just throwing out ideas. Birds are such a puzzle...
It sounds to me like he has bonded strongly with you and sees you as his ‘parent’ so it would be really hard on him if you gave him up.
Yes I move it since it can no longer stay where it used to be (near the computer table) because i do not want to disturb his sleep. i immediately regret moving his cage. but even i put it back to where it is used to be it still wont stay inside.
what can i do.
Garet
Rollerblading along the road
Let him out. That cage is too tiny, even for a baby, and he needs to fly to get out his energy and build up his muscles. He needs more than one hour with a human, too. He's screaming because he's bored. He needs to fly and interact with something, and you guys are ignoring his needs and forcing him in a tiny cage. Even my lovebirds aren't in 20x20 cages. They NEED room to stretch their wings and play.
If you keep him in a small cage and deny him companionship for most of the day, he may even resort to plucking. Can you bird-proof your bathroom? It's not ideal, and you'll have to be on top of closing the toilet lid and keeping everything he shouldn't touch under lock and key, but he's in a critical part of his life where he needs this. He also needs a much larger cage and a friend if you can't be there with him.
Your only other options are finding somewhere else where he can have his space and getting him a larger cage and a friend, or finding someone else who can provide him the basic care he needs.
If you keep him in a small cage and deny him companionship for most of the day, he may even resort to plucking. Can you bird-proof your bathroom? It's not ideal, and you'll have to be on top of closing the toilet lid and keeping everything he shouldn't touch under lock and key, but he's in a critical part of his life where he needs this. He also needs a much larger cage and a friend if you can't be there with him.
Your only other options are finding somewhere else where he can have his space and getting him a larger cage and a friend, or finding someone else who can provide him the basic care he needs.
Garet, he does not only get 1 hour a day, or else he wouldn't be bonded to us that much i believed.
he gets 2 hours with me every morning. i prepare breakfast, shower etc. with him. even when i go to work he stay with hubby. when i come home from work he stay with me and not cage at all. but we cannot carry him and stay with him 24/7 . my problem is he does not even want to be in a cage even for a single minute. from loving the cage one day to complete hate.
he gets 2 hours with me every morning. i prepare breakfast, shower etc. with him. even when i go to work he stay with hubby. when i come home from work he stay with me and not cage at all. but we cannot carry him and stay with him 24/7 . my problem is he does not even want to be in a cage even for a single minute. from loving the cage one day to complete hate.
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Why don't you get a larger, more friendly flight cage? You can fill it with many interesting items he would love to play with. He can also spread his wings a bit in the cage. We all do things for our birds if they are not happy.
Does he play with toys at all?
kiwi2017
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I have a 12 week old IRN who is in a 32” wide flight cage. In my estimation that size cage is perfect for him. I think anything smaller is too small. If you’re already having issues with him and his cage good time to change it now. My new baby has open cage pretty much all of his awake time but I find he moves between playing on top and being inside. I have a brown head parrot though that HATES being locked in her cage anytime and has pretty much been like that since 12 weeks (she’s 17 months now). I think your baby is just starting to exercise his personality a bit. I’m certainly no expert but some birds just aren’t happy with a closed door. My brown head has proven very responsible and is happiest on her cage top perch unless sleeping (she has a favourite spot inside for sleeping) so I let her be.
My IRN has tons of toys, ropes and other perches inside and out his cage and I have them connected so it’s easy for him to navigate getting in and out. Is there any possibility you’re baby is frustrated with his set up?
I’m likely not much help but I do have a baby IRN the same age.
My IRN has tons of toys, ropes and other perches inside and out his cage and I have them connected so it’s easy for him to navigate getting in and out. Is there any possibility you’re baby is frustrated with his set up?
I’m likely not much help but I do have a baby IRN the same age.
Garet
Rollerblading along the road
Because your cage is too small and birds are flock animals. Bird's don't enjoy sitting around on perches for hours at a time with no one to talk to, especially when they're bonded to someone.
Birds will bond to anything out of desperation for some sort of interaction. What you're doing is essentially keeping him locked up in solitary confinement for most of the day. A 20x20 cage isn't going to cut it. My lovebirds have larger cages than that, and they're always excited to get out and play.
Mizzely
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Imagine a baby human. It learns to crawl. Suddenly it hates its crib when before it was perfectly content in it. Why? Has something about the cage changed? No. The baby has changed.
Your bird is still a baby. He has learned flight. Instincts tell him to use those new found muscles to perfect the craft. Instincts tell him to abandon the nest and follow his parents to learn about what is safe to eat, where to find food, etc. Being locked in the cage frustrates him because it goes against everything in his body to stay in that box.
The cage is the nest. You are the parent. You are fighting instincts. Birds are still wild animals. They are not domestic like a cat or dog. They are slaves to instinct and as his owner, you are now too. I have to remind myself that its more like being a zookeeper then a pet owner.
Your bird is still a baby. He has learned flight. Instincts tell him to use those new found muscles to perfect the craft. Instincts tell him to abandon the nest and follow his parents to learn about what is safe to eat, where to find food, etc. Being locked in the cage frustrates him because it goes against everything in his body to stay in that box.
The cage is the nest. You are the parent. You are fighting instincts. Birds are still wild animals. They are not domestic like a cat or dog. They are slaves to instinct and as his owner, you are now too. I have to remind myself that its more like being a zookeeper then a pet owner.
That probably makes you the most helpful of all!
so i got him a bigger cage last night, (32') but he still wont stay inside and does the same thing. after opening the new bigger cage he fly back on the top of his older cage. then went to the nest box on the smaller cage at 12 midnight till 8 am. and again on the top of smaller cage all day today. still he wont tolerate and wont stay a single min on either of the cage.
