I want my bird to fly

[Cremaster]

Connie was clipped as a baby before I got her. She is doing well at aprox. 6 months. She has been growing feathers around her neck and head but not flight feathers. To be honest I am about over what I thought was a molt but seems to be her just growing in.

Any way, when she does get her flights I want to let her fly. I have addressed the safety issues pretty well I think. She also will step up unless she is on or in her cage. A small piece of almond has corrected this and made me "master" of my bird, lol. She will try to fly when she is somewhere she doesn't want to be, like the perch stand I made for her. It has height and she will fly down from it to people on the couch. She has another lower stand that we use for her place of defecation. She attempts to fly from that when she is done but only gets to the floor (where I do not want her). Will all these downward flights discourage her from trying till and when she gets her feathers? Should I be encouraging her or leave well enough alone? I don't want her to get hurt hitting the floor but don't want her to give up using her wings for flight.

My other issue is that we live in a lofted home. The great room has a very high ceiling. My last bird would fly to the high drapery rod and we had to climb to get him before he pooped on the drapes. Then he would fly to the banister on the second floor. How is a good way to make some areas "off limits"? It seems that once my last bird found a place that he liked it was imprinted in his brain till the day he died no matter how many times we moved him to the "correct" area.

 

[Lex123]

You could have your bird wear a flightsuit when he flies, they have a diaper on them

 

[Kristy]

My last bird would fly to the high drapery rod and we had to climb to get him before he pooped on the drapes. Then he would fly to the banister on the second floor. How is a good way to make some areas "off limits"?

What type of parrot is Connie?

I have had little luck with a "no fly zone" in my house. What happened to you with that first bird is happening to me as well. I just deal with it, I am glad I don't have high ceilings or I would really be out of luck getting them back in their cages.

Lower the rods perhaps??

 

[Cydney]

Instead of physically moving her or trying to make certain areas 'off limits' (which has yet to happen in my house lol), you could consider working on recall with her? That way, you could call her back/down to you when she flew up to the curtain rod or banister.

 

[4Z Birds]

Instead of physically moving her or trying to make certain areas 'off limits' (which has yet to happen in my house lol), you could consider working on recall with her? That way, you could call her back/down to you when she flew up to the curtain rod or banister.

Recall training would be great for the high areas of your home. Teaching your bird to step up on a dowel or ladder could also prove a valuable skill.

Connie's species isn't mentioned in your post, but I have to wonder whether or not she was allowed to fledge before being clipped. Don't worry, she will figure it out as new flight feathers grow in, and you will be there to instruct her on the limits.

In the meantime, it's important to consider what is acceptable within your household, and use this period of time to establish the rules (ie: no birds on the floor...I like that one). I also teach my flighted birds to "Stay" on a play area rather than let them think they can attach themselves to me simply because they can fly. They are not allowed to dive bomb my friends either.
They must earn their wings...

Good luck with Connie!

 

[JLcribber]

It seems that once my last bird found a place that he liked it was imprinted in his brain till the day he died no matter how many times we moved him to the "correct" area.

That is the reality of how things will "actually" be. If you don't want them to land in certain places then you must make those places not landable such as a piece of plexiglas over top the curtain rod on a 45 degree angle so if she tries to land on it she will just slide off and have to land somewhere else. All the training in the world is not going to stop them from going where they want to go once they have it in their head. Part of having a flighted bird is also having a flight friendly environment. That means adapting that environment. It's not always pretty to be functional.

 

[Kristy]

+1 John

John so true, my birds are recall trained but the slightest hint of going back in the cage or some percieved idea of that sends them to every high corner of the house.

They are so smart, I love the idea of 45 degree angles, never would have thought of that myself.

 

[atvchick95]

i was going to suggest a rod cover - but John's plexi glass idea is better Because what i was thinking the bird could still land on it its sort of like a box that goes over them

as for landing on railings what works with some birds is Put something they do not like on the railing It usually deters them from going to that area (that's how I get my Quaker Billy who hates me NOT to come at me and attack when my b/f isn't home to get him off me - he hates the flight suit So I drape it over my neck so he see's it and he won't get near me - he still growls at me but won't come and attack me unless he gets on the floor and sees my feet Then I just drop the flight suit and he runs for his cage)

 

[Saemma]

Perhaps consider hanging some gyms (Atoms, Boings, Rosie Swings) so that she has the opportunity to land on more interesting things.

 

[KimKimWilliamson]

I have vaulted ceilings, with huge, out of reach windows in my entry way. I was very worried about our new little bird flying up there in fear, and not coming down for days
I mentioned it to my vet and he suggested I put hand a curtain or shower rod over the doorway to the entry way, and hang a coloured shower curtain up. This MIGHT deter her from even trying to go to the entryway. (Unless she figures out how to walk behind the curtain, but Im hoping that by that time I will have her somewhat bonded to me and can get her back if she does go.) You could try something like that.....the curtain can be pushed aside or taken down when not needed.....

 

[Artagiel]

That is the reality of how things will "actually" be. If you don't want them to land in certain places then you must make those places not landable such as a piece of plexiglas over top the curtain rod on a 45 degree angle so if she tries to land on it she will just slide off and have to land somewhere else. All the training in the world is not going to stop them from going where they want to go once they have it in their head. Part of having a flighted bird is also having a flight friendly environment. That means adapting that environment. It's not always pretty to be functional.

We currently have shoes on our blind tops to the sliders. Plexi glass would be an improvement LOL!

The blinds are safe technically BUT cleaning tiel poop off every single blind slat....not fun.