Paco is now on the floor! Help!

[Snowghost]

Paco has really come a long way. We have our routines and his diet gets better every day, no more biting, he is grinding his beak and his feathers are coming back in. All of his life Paco has been cage bound, he is 20 years old now, he does not know how to fly. His last owner let him walk around the house. Well I have put toys in the corner of his cage so he can't get to the floor for his own safety, I hate doing it as walking is exercise. Well this weekend he is no longer afraid of the toys and is getting to the floor. Three times! I'm thrilled he is getting over his fear, however, I can't let him just walk around in my room.

Question: How can I provide him with a safe place to walk around? Cardboard walls won't work, he can chew them. What kind of cheap material could I use to make him a little walk area? I'm giggling thinking how silly this must sound. When I get my own place I hope I can encourage him to fly. That's a project far down the road. Never a dull moment in my life with Paco!

Look! His tail feathers are coming in, after a year!

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

Since he can’t fly maybe a baby playpen with a cloth over top

 

[TikkiTembo]

I was also going to suggest a baby play pen. Wouldn't be totally bird proof since he could probably climb it, but it may help.

 

[MnGuy]

Great progress and beautiful CAG!

It’s hard to keep a CAG contained. You’d need a pen with a secure top, which just becomes another cage. A CAG will climb right out of a pen with no lid. Mine climbs baby gates and metal play pens.

Greys love walking on the ground. Mine climbs down her cage or flies down and walks around my house. She eventually found out how to hang onto the lowest branch on her play tree, slide down the main trunk and drop onto the ground.

I live alone so I let her walk around supervised. I’m lucky that she hasn’t gotten to the baseboards, but she’s ripped a slice out of a door and a chunk out of an old coffee table.

I just try to keep her busy with toys in certain areas of the living room. She also likes to perch on a face wooden brace under the coffee table, so I put toys on the brace and newspaper underneath.

My best advice is to set up toy and treat stations in strategic spots (if your house/room is safe). You could use large, low-profile plastic containers.

Others may disagree. But my CAG just loves the ground too much.

Good luck.

 

[Snowghost]

I thought of a play pen, but a top will freak him out. I was thinking of some kind of bumper pads? He doesn't chew on anything. I bet though if I change anything he will not climb down and walk around. Since he doesn't know how to fly I worry about him not getting any exercise.

I have new toys and he won't go near them, chew blocks, nope, I use them in the corner of his cage to keep him from climbing down, guess he got over that fear since I found him on the flow twice this weekend. It was so funny, I walked in the room, he was on the floor, I jumped and he did too, I was hysterical with laughter!

 

[Begone]

Be happy that Paco is walking on the floor. That is natural for them.
It tells that he is feeling comfortable in his home.

 

[Snowghost]

I know right? I am tickled. I just want to block the area off so he can't get under the bed or near electric cords.

 

[Begone]

Safe all dangerous things instead.
Like:

 

[Snowghost]

Where do I find something like that? What is it called?

 

[MnGuy]

I thought of a play pen, but a top will freak him out. I was thinking of some kind of bumper pads? He doesn't chew on anything. I bet though if I change anything he will not climb down and walk around. Since he doesn't know how to fly I worry about him not getting any exercise.

I have new toys and he won't go near them, chew blocks, nope, I use them in the corner of his cage to keep him from climbing down, guess he got over that fear since I found him on the flow twice this weekend. It was so funny, I walked in the room, he was on the floor, I jumped and he did too, I was hysterical with laughter!

Bumper pads inside a pen to keep him in? I don't think it would work.

I think living with a CAG means learning how to live with a ground parrot. I think keeping them from walking on the ground is unfair because they really do prefer it. Even if/when CAGs get their flight feathers in and learn to "fly," their size really restricts their ability to learn how to properly fly inside the typical home. It's hard to imagine because CAGs are medium-sized birds, but they really need a lot of space to fly.

My house is 1,200-square-feet and has a very open layout, but my grey (adopted at age 6; now 18) has only taken a few purposeful flights around the living and dining room. They are more like slow descents to the ground, not the kind of real flight a conure-sized bird could achieve in a house.

You can cover wires with those tubes someone posted. Check Office Max, office stores and maybe even pet stores. I know my friends with a rabbit use them. For the bed, I'd secure some wooden boards in the gap. But don't just prop them up, because the CAG will explore them and you don't want them falling on him. CAGs can be easily spooked.

For toys, rotate them in and out. Mine loves balsa wood and minimally chews up other types of wood.

Good luck! Looks like he is settling in well.

 

[Snowghost]

I meant something like bumper pads just to keep him away from the dangerous areas. I was wondering about the room he would need to fly. I had a White Front Amazon that was flighted. She flew to the top of the door and to her T stand. I left the stand up in hopes Paco would take interest, but he doesn't fly so I took it down. He has fluttered to the floor from the top of his cage. I gave up on toys, he is scared of them, no matter how long I leave them sitting next to his cage. He has a cylinder bell he pays with and sometimes takes a wack at a toy that has flat pieces of wood on it. I can tell he has chewed on it in the past. I had no idea a Grey was a ground bird, that's comforting to know that its normal for them to walk around. I have worked with him for a year now, we have made great progress. I just would like to see him play more.

 

[MnGuy]

I meant something like bumper pads just to keep him away from the dangerous areas. I was wondering about the room he would need to fly. I had a White Front Amazon that was flighted. She flew to the top of the door and to her T stand. I left the stand up in hopes Paco would take interest, but he doesn't fly so I took it down. He has fluttered to the floor from the top of his cage. I gave up on toys, he is scared of them, no matter how long I leave them sitting next to his cage. He has a cylinder bell he pays with and sometimes takes a wack at a toy that has flat pieces of wood on it. I can tell he has chewed on it in the past. I had no idea a Grey was a ground bird, that's comforting to know that its normal for them to walk around. I have worked with him for a year now, we have made great progress. I just would like to see him play more.

Please don't give up on toys. Some birds, especially if they didn't come from the best home, take time to learn how to play or feel comfortable enough to play/relax in their new home.

Good luck.

 

[BertAllen]

I certainly wouldn't stop him from exploring as it might set him back. You two have come a long way and you need to encourage this.

 

[Begone]

Where do I find something like that? What is it called?

IKEA, and a lot of other stores and on Internet.
It's called cable protection wire/tube.

 

[Snowghost]

As always guys, thanks, and gals. No I won't give up. @BertAllen thank you, you have been with me since the beginning of my journey, he has come a long way and I am over the moon happy. I don't want to discourage him, I want a happy bird. He is now eating corn, peas, carrots, strawberry's and apples. He likes banana's again, they just go bad so fast. Did throw the sweet potato on the floor just now. Hope it ok that they are frozen instead of fresh, he won't eat chop. I can tell though that he has plumped up and his feather look great. Thanks @Eloy will look into the suggestions.

 

[Rain Bow]

Hey guys & gals,
Wouldn't something like this also work? It's probably cheaper & alk @Snowghost would have to do is cut it to size?

TekTube 1 in. x 25 ft. PVC Schedule 40 White Ultra Flexible Pipe 2201100025 - The Home Depot

Our white Ultra Flex Flexible PVC Pipe is commonly used for pools, spas, and other water features where the utilization of rigid pipe is either not practical or not desirable. Commonly referred to as PVC pool or spa hose, flexible PVC tubing and flexible PVC, our white Ultra Flex flexible PVC...

www.homedepot.com

 

[Snowghost]

Thanks @Rain Bow, I only have one place where he can get cords. Since he is afraid of cardboard, I think I will make a small wall around the perimeter of the room. I will cut it to size so he can't get under the bed. As always I supervise him when he is on the floor. Why do they go for the toes?

 

[Rain Bow]

Laughing about the toes, Maybe to explore them? Too bad it's w/ a beak. Buddy has gotten better w/ them but its taken years of teaching him that a foot is to get an elevator ride "birdy style" & he still occasionally bites @ it.

 

[BertAllen]

Why do they go for the toes?

I never walk around without runners on. End of story. LOL

 

[TLC]

Safe all dangerous things instead.
Like:
View attachment 336803

Ikea