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IRN would not eat inside his cage

Gokha

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Hello everyone!
I own a 3 month old IRN baby and I have to admit I spoiled him a lot. I got him right before the Corona thing started, so I was able to spend a lot of time with hime, maybe too much. He ended up eating and being weaned outside of the cage and usually only goes to his cage to sleep (he doesn’t want to do so though).
So now I am facing this issue that he would not recognize the same food and water bowls when they’re inside the cage, he only eats when he’s out and those bowls are on the table.
I understand that it was my mistake since the beginning. But now I have to go to work for half a day and when I come back, his crop is still empty and no signs of him touching the food inside the cage. He waits for me and only eats when I come back and put the bowls on the dinner table.
How can I train/teach and show him that he should eat inside his cage when I’m not home?
I’m worried for his long term health and because of this issue i’m binded to go straight home after work without being able to run some errands.
I’d be very grateful to receive any advice.
Also, I should mention that whenever I’m at home and it’s not dark, he wouldn’t stay still in his cage and would not play with his toys. He just climbs around the cage and hand on the bars. I tried making him pay attention to the food or give him some treat when he’s inside, but all he wants to do during that moment is to get out of the cage, so I can’t freely open the cage door and try feeding or playing with him while he’s there.
 

cassiesdad

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That's a tough one.

He's gotten used to being outside and free of his cage. You could start feeding him only in the cage...but you must be adamant with it...insistent even.

You've got to be more stubborn than he is...he's still very young, so "old" habits can be replaced with new ones easier than if he was older...
 

Gokha

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That's a tough one.

He's gotten used to being outside and free of his cage. You could start feeding him only in the cage...but you must be adamant with it...insistent even.

You've got to be more stubborn than he is...he's still very young, so "old" habits can be replaced with new ones easier than if he was older...
Thanks for your reply!
I’m trying to give him treats when he’s inside the cage, to let him know that I’m please with him (we already started clicker training, so he knows that treats are a reward). But, he somewhat doesn’t pay attention to the treats/food when in the cage. I was thinking to remove all other food sources and put him inside the cage when he looks for food? Would that be cruel?
my husband suggests to force him to become really hungry so he wouldn’t have any choice but to eat, but I doubt that would do him good :/
Should i keep trying the positive reinforcement method?
 

cassiesdad

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I was thinking to remove all other food sources and put him inside the cage when he looks for food? Would that be cruel?
...it's not cruel...there IS food...it's in the cage! ;)

Usually you hear about birds that only eat IN their cage...and it's pure bribery that gets them to trust eating outside of it. You have a very unusual little guy there, for sure.

Again, it's not cruel to feed a bird inside the cage...he enjoys being outside the cage...all birds do...but he can learn to eat inside his cage. That will mean NO treats outside the cage..all food inside the cage. Once he's got that idea down, you can work in treats outside the cage...but only after he eats in his cage.
 

Gokha

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...it's not cruel...there IS food...it's in the cage! ;)

Usually you hear about birds that only eat IN their cage...and it's pure bribery that gets them to trust eating outside of it. You have a very unusual little guy there, for sure.

Again, it's not cruel to feed a bird inside the cage...he enjoys being outside the cage...all birds do...but he can learn to eat inside his cage. That will mean NO treats outside the cage..all food inside the cage. Once he's got that idea down, you can work in treats outside the cage...but only after he eats in his cage.
Thank you! I’ll definitely try that
 

cassiesdad

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Milton, our U2, is a "funny" eater. He does not eat when my wife is around...even if she brings the food to him! He likes when I watch him eat...and will stop eating if I leave the room while he's eating.
Now, if I'm not at home, and my wife feeds him, he'll eat with no problem...such a weird 'too, indeed... :jawdrop1:
 

Gokha

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Milton, our U2, is a "funny" eater. He does not eat when my wife is around...even if she brings the food to him! He likes when I watch him eat...and will stop eating if I leave the room while he's eating.
Now, if I'm not at home, and my wife feeds him, he'll eat with no problem...such a weird 'too, indeed... :jawdrop1:
Haha, Zazu would stop eating from the table if he sees me leaving the room :D he would call for me and land on my head
 

Gokha

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@cassiesdad so this morning I had the chance to stay home (thanks to only 50% workforce allowed in the office during Covid) and we have a small progress. I put the cage in the middle of the living room and opened the door. Removed all other food sources. When he came looking for food on his (our) dinner table, i said “oh you want food? Come” and took him to his cage. This was actually the first proper time he ate inside the cage :D he only ate for couple of minutes, but i hope he will understand soon. Thank you very much for your advice! 6CB61A0F-748B-4124-897D-7513F9B54955.jpeg
 

cassiesdad

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@cassiesdad so this morning I had the chance to stay home (thanks to only 50% workforce allowed in the office during Covid) and we have a small progress. I put the cage in the middle of the living room and opened the door. Removed all other food sources. When he came looking for food on his (our) dinner table, i said “oh you want food? Come” and took him to his cage. This was actually the first proper time he ate inside the cage :D he only ate for couple of minutes, but i hope he will understand soon. Thank you very much for your advice! View attachment 340494
This is wonderful news...congrats to you both!

The learning to eat in the cage will continue...keep on keeping on... :yes3:
 

Gokha

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So i’m a crazy bird mommy, who bought a camera to watch Zazu while i’m at work first of all, he touched his food couple of times, but only for short periods. I noticed, that he tends to eat little in the day time (even when i’m home) and fill his crop only before sleeping. Is that normal?
second of all, i think i kinda figured out the reason his feathers are falling,which i will discuss on my other thread
4ED26F88-A9B8-4D49-ABE3-4EE51D69172B.jpeg
 

cassiesdad

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I noticed, that he tends to eat little in the day time (even when i’m home) and fill his crop only before sleeping. Is that normal?
...hey, that's when he's hungry! Sometimes you can hear one or another of our birds eating ...in the middle of the night...that's usually followed by a splat of poop...which you can hear clearly...it's the middle of the night, after all....;)
 

Gokha

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...hey, that's when he's hungry! Sometimes you can hear one or another of our birds eating ...in the middle of the night...that's usually followed by a splat of poop...which you can hear clearly...it's the middle of the night, after all....;)
Haha yes, I hear the pooping sessions continuously throughout the night :roflmao:
 

Gokha

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Another update and progress is going well :) when i’m home he also goes to the cage to eat, but I have to move it to the living room when i’m sitting there, otherwise he doesn’t fly to his cage when it’s in another room :D 0E14D146-1B8C-4D60-AFE9-CD16DA84437A.jpeg
 

cassiesdad

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...moving right along! ;)
 
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