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Cage question.

Tommymarshall

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Hi all! I have a cockatiel as well as a pineapple gcc, and a dog. Anyways both birds have their own cages and the dog is kennelled in the night time. Both birds are really part of the family, they are aloud to do pretty much whatever they want to do while we are home within our rules and will gladly harness and unharness, clipping ect with out toweling. Unless of course we change the room around or have lots of people over, then they act out and forget to listen! Then it is only a last resort too. There is almost someone always home. Anyways lately we have been letting them sleep out of their cages. Obviously with full access to their safety any time they feel they need it. And low and behold once we make our way to bed they make their way to their cages. Often they sleep on top of their cages or on pirches very close to their cages. We do keep the food and water in the cages as well as on a couple of small pirches through out the house. I'm not scared of accidently leaving the dog out because he knows his place in this food chain! And we cage them if we all leave. The question I have is are we the only people that have done this and does anyone see any detrimental issue with causing bad habits? I'm interested for sure. Thanks for any info.
 

EkkieLuv

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Risky to let them co-habitate without some boundaries, especially if the birds are clipped (you mentioned clipping so I'm assuming they are) and can't efficiently get away from the dog. But only you know your situation... if you're able to safely keep the dog out of the birds' space and able to closely monitor them then I don't see a problem. Accidents happen, though. We have 3 dogs, plus a foster most of the time. The only one we let stay in the house or un-kenneled while birds are out is the one with no teeth... and even then we still watch closely. Our birds could inflict damage on the dog for sure if they wanted to!!

:welave:
 

Tanya

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Welcome, welcome!

A night fright could have them hitting a window or ending up wedged behind furniture. And you wouldn't know they were hurt or distressed until the next morning... When it might be too late.
 

Tommymarshall

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Please just fire away! I'm not even familiar with night frights, I'm not new to birds either. But have never experienced/or known about it. But our window is proofed so not worried about that. Behind any furniture is not possible, I have either bird proofed(for budgies) Gaps, entrances, whatever, I don't want them to be a chore, so if they can get hurt( number one priority) my youngest son is the one that deals mostly with that. If his hand can fit in his bird(tommy teil) can fit in, or run into. And if it's irritating, exasperating, manotonus, that's all Marshall mine (pineapple gcc) we bird proof it. And now the curve ball. My son 9 has a thing. He has super high anxiety, anger issues(above and beyond) and minor ocd. Ever since we got tommy ..teil and a harness he has been a different boy, we even let him go to stores with him... It's kinda funny when ppl ask we call him his service bird. In reality he is, he will not throw a fit, or even get too upset around tommy. As for the dog, he is locked up at night, and has t latch on his nose. Now tommy rides around on his collar all the time and directs him where to go. Haha.
Wow, I rant. So sorry, but I really didn't now that people loved birds as much as us. I'm just trying to get it all out.
I'm from north Canada so not much summer to have tropical birds outside although for about 55% of their 3 summer months they will spend outside.
About the clipping is that wrong? They do fly pretty good even when they are clipped if they get spooked!!
 

Cynthia & Percy

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EkkieLuv

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Sounds like you're doing pretty well and being cautious. Night frights don't happen to all birds... but sometimes they can get startled by something in the night and try to fly or fall off a perch. If you're not new to birds and yours haven't done it, they may never.

Clipping their wings is a very personal decision. We do not clip ours. My feeling is that they were put on this earth to fly and we already take so much away from them by keeping them captive. It's also the best exercise they can get! I would also rather they have the ability to escape a dangerous situation if it ever occurred rather than be grounded. One of our birds was found as a stray so we understand that escapes/losses can happen but choose to just be extra diligent so it doesn't. That said, it's only my husband and I and occasionally his teenage daughter and we are all extremely careful about doors, etc. Many people choose to clip for various reasons. Again, it's personal and depends on your situation. You're already aware that clipping doesn't necessarily keep them from flying so isn't a failsafe anyway. But no judgement here! You have to do what's best for you and your family and fids.

I think it's great that your son is so positively affected by having birds! That's awesome!!
 

Tommymarshall

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Thanks! I appreciate that I have a place to ask silly questions. Btw, if they are outside then do you harness them? And we have made our own game with the exercise. If you briskly walk with one on your finger the bird flaps, often harder than if they are flying. Obviously harnessed in case they get spooked, I find Ravens and crows make them sketchy. But otherwise an amazing work out!
 

EkkieLuv

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Yes, what you do I call flapping exercise :) And yes, definitely have them harnessed or in a carrier when outside - clipped or not! It's just not worth the risk of losing them.
 
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