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Returning Mojo to her cage ?

Wardy

Rollerblading along the road
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The bottom line Mojo doesnt like going back in her cage, with the exception of putting her to bed it can be a struggle at times.

Bed time we both close all the conservatory blinds close the curtains behind her cage i tell her its bed time and she generally go's in without any fuss.
Any other time it can be very hit or miss.

Any hints or tips on how to improve this ?
Can she be trained to go back in her cage herself ? If so any hints tips or links ?

What i have read online doesnt sit right with me.
* dont have food outside there cage
* limit time spent outside of cage
 

Alien J

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Janet Rush Van Eyck
I don't have any answers for you... I have the same issue with TD. I always felt it is because TD doesn't get out of cage time very often. He likes being out, so he doesn't want to go back in. Makes sense, but, I, too, would like to know how to make the process easier. It's taken me several hours at times to get him back in. And, sadly, I've had to force him back in on occasion...
 

Tazlima

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I'm not sure how limiting time outside the cage would make it easier to convince them to go back in. I'd actually expect the opposite. If you knew that every time you went to a certain room, the door would lock and you couldn't come out again for four hours, you'd probably avoid going in there unless you had time to spare and nothing better to do (e.g. bedtime).* There are a number of training techniques, but one of the main goals should be teaching your bird that going in the cage doesn't mean they'll have to STAY there. Lead them in with a target stick and let them turn around and walk right back out. Then maybe graduate to closing the door and immediately re-opening it, etc.

I put food in a variety of places, but I keep everyone's water bowl in their respective cages. I want them accustomed to
going in and out on their own throughout the day, so when they DO need to be shut in for a longer period (such as when evacuating for a hurricane), the cage itself isn't aversive. I also make sure that when I need to put them in the cage, there's a high-value treat waiting for them. They'll generally go in happily because they know I've made it worth their while.

Finally, review your cage setup. Is the cage a fun place to be? If not, make it fun. I think of my birds' cages like a child's bedroom. It's their own space, where they can retreat when they're stressed. It should be clean and pleasant and have fun toys to play with - their own little oasis of calm and control in a crazy world.

*We humans do this too: My sister LOVES to talk, and there's no such thing as a short conversation with her. When she calls and I see her name pop up, I quickly think "do I have an hour to kill right now?" If the answer is "no," I have to admit that I won't even answer the phone. I'll call her back later, when I have more time, because I KNOW a two-second question will take an hour to get through.
 
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