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Vet Visit Need Advice getting Paco to a smaller cage

Snowghost

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Paco is a 24 year old CAG, we have been together for 3 years. He needs a nail trim, no biggie. Has one wing that I think a vet needs to look at, every since it molted, he tears up any new feathers coming in. So its vet check time, I'm pretty sure its emotional however I found a vet that is closer then 2 hours away. He has now started to chew on the other shoulder and he has tail feathers so that's a first, 5 tail feathers in 3 years. So what is going on with this wing?

I had him in a smaller cage and we traveled together to another state and he did great. We were new then. I did towel him a bit to get him into this smaller cage, (don't worry its big enough for him)

I told the vet it will take me weeks probably to get him transitioned to the other cage. How can I do this with the least amount of stress possible? I know I can sit it near him and he will be deathly scared of it so it will take a while. Another thing, his "home" is 3ft by 4 ft if not bigger so I won't be able to keep him from going to it, but he can't fly but he can climb down and walk around on the floor. There have been major changes in our lives that could not be avoided, I'm sure its emotional but a vet check is needed.

I need any pointers right now, I want to make sure my buddy is ok.
 

Shannan

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Is there a favorite perch that you could switch from one cage to the other? That helped Walter when I had to make a big change. I also looked at how Walter moved around in his old cage and set up his new cage so he would have to move in similar manners to transition to different parts of his cage.
 

Snowghost

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Well that was another issue we had. When I got Paco his cage was filthy took three days to clean it and the perch he had was in such terrible shape I had to through it out. Trying to get him used to the new one was quite a feat. Its a wooden dowel. I know many people do not approve of them. He's 24 I'm not stressing him out. The reason his nails are long, either the dowel is to small, or he does walk on the floor, (he did with his old owner but I have carpet and I don't think that helped keep his nails trimmed). (he doesn't know he can fly). I got a bigger dowel, took weeks to get him used to it. Well my dumb butt finally got it up high enough for him to sit on and the dowel fell, with him on it. I forgot to place it above the cross bar so it wouldn't fall and it did. So back to little dowel. I don't think the current dowel will fit in old cage. I have a large branch and he sat on that with no problem. I didn't think I would have to move him completely to the smaller cage, food bowl, bell and every thing? His old cage will be with in his eyesight. Won't he want to go to it? It's been his only home for 23 years. He is already stress from life changes, I worked at night, off work cause of the pandemic, new job working during the day, job was eliminated, back home during the day, an illness, home again, sleeping a lot, his world and mine have been turned upside down. I'm at a loss as to what to do. Maybe I should wait. I just hate to see the blood drops at the bottom of his cage, it was so bad one time, the bleeding I thought I was going to lose him. Thankfully he hasn't done that in awhile. Thank you for your suggestions.
 
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Snowghost

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@Shannan I just got an email notification from your old post, this isn't about traveling for vacation this is a vet visit? I'm confused.
 

Shannan

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I’m confused too. I thought your vet recommended putting him into a smaller cage. Sorry about the confusion. I hope Paco gets good reports from the vet.
 

Toy

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I put Jengo (CAG) in a plastic dog crate. There are no perches in any of the crates. I fold up a large towel, place it in & they stand on it. Crate goes in back seat, facing front, behind a seat, strapped in if possible. In winter months I cover 3 sides with a stadium blanket. All of my parrots go in dog crates. It started with lets go for a ride, gave a treat. Now Jengo will just walk into her crate when I ask. We carry them out to the aviary, which is at the lower end of my yard. None are clipped, so they go out & back in, in crates.

SO if Paco will step up, place him in front of the crate (we use a small plastic dog crate with a metal wire door), with the door open & ask him to go in. Lay his favorite treat inside so he can see it. If not then you may need to towel him & place him in then give him a treat. Lots of phrase and/or treats for going in & coming back out. You should do your best to get him used to going in a crate for emergency reasons.
 

flyzipper

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I like dog crates for my bigger guys too -- with their nice large openings.

My relationship with Oscar is such that he will eagerly step up for me, but when he sees the travel cage he's not yet keen on stepping in on his own.

For us, I can simply place my free hand on his shoulders to control a fly-off and so he can't grab the crate opening, and then guide him deep into the create so I can close the door before he can turn around. I acknowledge this isn't ideal and is contrary to a no-force philosophy. That said, longer term, the plan is to socialize him better with the travel cage, but that training never happens before crating is needed next (my fault, I need to prioritize it).

He's shown me recently that he is willing to enter a cage when he knows something good will come of it -- he enjoys being wheeled outside with me in a cage. Longer term, when I have an outdoor aviary, I could see using the travel crate for safe transport outside, so it will have a positive association, and make the crate easier to use for a vet visit.
 

Snowghost

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I put Jengo (CAG) in a plastic dog crate. There are no perches in any of the crates. I fold up a large towel, place it in & they stand on it. Crate goes in back seat, facing front, behind a seat, strapped in if possible. In winter months I cover 3 sides with a stadium blanket. All of my parrots go in dog crates. It started with lets go for a ride, gave a treat. Now Jengo will just walk into her crate when I ask. We carry them out to the aviary, which is at the lower end of my yard. None are clipped, so they go out & back in, in crates.

SO if Paco will step up, place him in front of the crate (we use a small plastic dog crate with a metal wire door), with the door open & ask him to go in. Lay his favorite treat inside so he can see it. If not then you may need to towel him & place him in then give him a treat. Lots of phrase and/or treats for going in & coming back out. You should do your best to get him used to going in a crate for emergency reasons.
Well he will step up on his own terms and toweling him is out of the question. All I have is a cat crate. I know I should have been working with him way before this happened but life just keeps getting in my way.
 

Shannan

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I agree that a crate is the safest in the car but given your guys history you may consider a large clear storage bin with a locking top and holes punched in the top. It may feel less closed. And you can work on the crate later.
 

Clueless

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Secret steps up on her T stick and I transfer her into a cage that way.
 
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