Nika is 4 years old, she was fully flighted when she was surrendered to the shop I got her from. When she got there, she was clipped to make her easier to handle (she was a bit of a 'problem child'). I managed to talk to her breeder who said she didn't recommend clipping the babies, so I'm assuming Nika was flighted for most of her life. She was surrendered to the shop in the beginning of March 2019, and I picked her up shortly thereafter.
When I first brought her home, she was always trying to fly, even though all she could really do was glide. When I got her a taller cage she would go to the top and throw herself off of the cage top and glide to the floor. I tried to convince her to fly to me, but she'd just sit on top of her cage and wiggle her butt, twitch her wings, and point her head downwards while staring at me. I thought that meant she wanted to fly to me, but she always gave up and started screaming for me to come and get her.
Lately, she won't glide for playing, or to get places. She's tried to fly when she's been spooked, but not for anything else. Is there anything I can do to help build her confidence? Do I just have to wait and hope that her feathers finish growing back this fall? I'm assuming she'll be pretty out of practice after several months of barely gliding, do I need to pad the floor or anything?
When I first brought her home, she was always trying to fly, even though all she could really do was glide. When I got her a taller cage she would go to the top and throw herself off of the cage top and glide to the floor. I tried to convince her to fly to me, but she'd just sit on top of her cage and wiggle her butt, twitch her wings, and point her head downwards while staring at me. I thought that meant she wanted to fly to me, but she always gave up and started screaming for me to come and get her.
Lately, she won't glide for playing, or to get places. She's tried to fly when she's been spooked, but not for anything else. Is there anything I can do to help build her confidence? Do I just have to wait and hope that her feathers finish growing back this fall? I'm assuming she'll be pretty out of practice after several months of barely gliding, do I need to pad the floor or anything?