• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

New cage help?

N31

Moving in
Joined
2/7/21
Messages
8
I bought my budgie a new cage recently, I’ve had him a few yearshe has a tall cage but he never goes further then half way down, spends all his time with one toy even though he has a fair few and rarely comes out of his cage other then to sit on the top.

I bought him a bigger cage with more flight room and the such. I want to move him into his new cage but hopefully with no stress towards him. He won’t go near it, I’ve tried putting treats in, moving his favourite toy over, even making a tunnel across from his old cage to the new one but he just refuses to go anywhere near.

I’m worried he won’t go over at all and moving him over could cause him stress, I’ve seen posts online that they’re inquisitive little creatures but mine just isn’t. I’ve tried training/taming him over the years but he isn’t having any of it. Any help would be amazing!

Thank you in advance
 

MC_Hahn's

Walking the driveway
Joined
3/20/20
Messages
265
Real Name
Marie C.
Do you have pictures of the new and/or old cages? Do you have a playstand for your bird to hang out during out of cage time? Have you tried connecting the cages with a ladder or other perch (I think a tunnel might be frightening, but I don't know how you constructed the tunnel)? How long have you had the new cage? Is the new cage large enough that you could put the old cage inside of it? Does your bird have a travel carrier that you could use to transport them into the cage?

Worst case scenario, you have to towel your bird to put them into the cage. Try to use a t-stand or perch to move them into the other cage if treats aren't working.

As for "inquisitive", I have a budgie who is terrified of almost everything. Target-training has helped her to overcome most of her fears. My other budgie is incredibly curious of anything and everything. It depends on your individual bird.

Sometimes an inactive budgie could have underlying issues, but your bird could just be frightened of the new set-up.

Best of luck to you and your feathered friend! :)
 

N31

Moving in
Joined
2/7/21
Messages
8
Do you have pictures of the new and/or old cages? Do you have a playstand for your bird to hang out during out of cage time? Have you tried connecting the cages with a ladder or other perch (I think a tunnel might be frightening, but I don't know how you constructed the tunnel)? How long have you had the new cage? Is the new cage large enough that you could put the old cage inside of it? Does your bird have a travel carrier that you could use to transport them into the cage?

Worst case scenario, you have to towel your bird to put them into the cage. Try to use a t-stand or perch to move them into the other cage if treats aren't working.

As for "inquisitive", I have a budgie who is terrified of almost everything. Target-training has helped her to overcome most of her fears. My other budgie is incredibly curious of anything and everything. It depends on your individual bird.

Sometimes an inactive budgie could have underlying issues, but your bird could just be frightened of the new set-up.

Best of luck to you and your feathered friend! :)

hi, the cage he is in is the old cage, it’s not go much in since moving it to the new cage, the other image is the new cage.
I’m in the process of building a play stand for them right now.

I feel like he would get very stressed if I just get him in a towel and put him into the new cage but I don’t know what to do.
I have put a ladder between the cages now like you said thank you for that idea.
I do not have a travel cage for him.

He interacts with my cockatiel, sometimes not in the most friendliest ofways I guess it just depends on the day he’s having

he’s always been a rather frightened budgie yet he will happily jump onto my finger but nothing else, if I move to close to me he will often fly away. He doesn’t seem that bothered by millet or anything else I’ve tried so far so there’s no real treat I can find as of yet that he’s obsessed with.

Thank you for your help and reply!!

EFBD4216-820A-4577-81B6-5DBA24E12571.jpeg
 

Attachments

aweb

Meeting neighbors
Joined
1/27/20
Messages
45
You've got a beautiful set up! Can you move the food bowl a bit closer to the new cage each day, or every other? They don't have to take food out of the bowls that just come with the cage, you can use any bowl and sit it anywhere. My budgie happily eats from a bowl sitting at the bottom of the cage, but also from those movable hook in ones. If you offered food in that you could move it over one or two bar slots each day, towards the door, just outside his door on the outside of the other cage, and so on until he goes inside the new cage. Does that make sense? It'll take a good while, maybe a couple of months, but he might surprise you and take to it sooner too.
 

aweb

Meeting neighbors
Joined
1/27/20
Messages
45
Plastic

Also Plastic

Matal

These are what I'm talking about. I don't love using plastic, but for a short period of time I would. I have the middle one in green, for travel and other "need a bowl here" purposes. Will use it in a pinch.
 
Last edited:

N31

Moving in
Joined
2/7/21
Messages
8
You've got a beautiful set up! Can you move the food bowl a bit closer to the new cage each day, or every other? They don't have to take food out of the bowls that just come with the cage, you can use any bowl and sit it anywhere. My budgie happily eats from a bowl sitting at the bottom of the cage, but also from those movable hook in ones. If you offered food in that you could move it over one or two bar slots each day, towards the door, just outside his door on the outside of the other cage, and so on until he goes inside the new cage. Does that make sense? It'll take a good while, maybe a couple of months, but he might surprise you and take to it sooner too.
That’s a great idea, I shall try that and see how it goes thank you. He’s been quite timid ever since I’ve got him and tried to train him up. I guess that’s just who he is really.
Thanks again
 

The_Mayor

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/3/20
Messages
518
Location
Washington, DC
Real Name
Martha
Another thing that I used to make it easier to get my birds back into their cage at night - I strung a rope in a place that was easy to fly to and then clipped it so it lead right to the front doorstep of their cage.

It used to be hysterical - when it was time to go to bed (or they wanted to hit up their food dishes) they'd sidestep down the rope, hand out for a few minutes (with me muttering, "go in; go in already") and then (if I was lucky and got to the cage door in time) head in for the night. So, having a rope from the one cage to the other might create what feels like a safe way to explore then new cage.
 

conureluv

Sprinting down the street
Joined
7/10/20
Messages
487
Location
US
Another thing that I used to make it easier to get my birds back into their cage at night - I strung a rope in a place that was easy to fly to and then clipped it so it lead right to the front doorstep of their cage.

It used to be hysterical - when it was time to go to bed (or they wanted to hit up their food dishes) they'd sidestep down the rope, hand out for a few minutes (with me muttering, "go in; go in already") and then (if I was lucky and got to the cage door in time) head in for the night. So, having a rope from the one cage to the other might create what feels like a safe way to explore then new cage.
Can we get a photo? I didn’t get your explanation and I want to try it :)
 

Lady Jane

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
8/25/12
Messages
26,573
Location
Maryland
Real Name
Dianne
If you take the old cage out of the room so he can no longer see it = this may help. Otherwise he does not know the new cage is his yet.
 

The_Mayor

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/3/20
Messages
518
Location
Washington, DC
Real Name
Martha
Can we get a photo? I didn’t get your explanation and I want to try it :)
I couldn't back far enough up to get a good picture, but here's how it looks at the cage. The other side of the rope is attached to one of the PVC supports for their enclosure but it could be anything you can attach a rope to relatively securely. I also normally have a clip I use to attach the rope to the cage, but of course I dropped it and will need to swiffer it out from under the cage tomorrow morning.;)

Rope Path Home.jpg Rope Path Home.jpg ;)
 

aweb

Meeting neighbors
Joined
1/27/20
Messages
45
I couldn't back far enough up to get a good picture, but here's how it looks at the cage. The other side of the rope is attached to one of the PVC supports for their enclosure but it could be anything you can attach a rope to relatively securely. I also normally have a clip I use to attach the rope to the cage, but of course I dropped it and will need to swiffer it out from under the cage tomorrow morning.;)

View attachment 375243 View attachment 375243 ;)
Genius! Well done in the problem solving department!
 
Top