My parrot can fly! Now make it stop.

[Hookturn]

ok so I posted about my joy in the fact that my baby got her wings back. She comes to me like a champ and goes home too. Not to start a war over clipped vs flights, but I can't imagine ever clipping her.
Ok so my problem now is that she flies all the time. Before getting her wings, her cage was open 24/7. Now if I'm in the room, she will fly to me unprompted, constantly. If I catch her flying to me and I say "go home", she does. How do I handle this? Will she stop on her own? She also likes to take laps around the house. I don't mind that. In fact, I love it! She's so beautiful in flight. It's just the landing on me that's an issue.

[Wolf]

Never had anyone who wanted their bird to stop flying once they started flying. If you keep sending her back, she will probably learn to only come when called, but you are dealing with a social creature that only wants to spend all of its time with you. I really thought that you knew this about her.

[Michael]

Makes you realize that the bird's "cage" was never really open before...

[Wolf]

So true, Michael !
So I have been thinking about this most of the night and I can't come up with anything other than what I suggested in my first reply, that is sending her back to cage top or play stand if you did not call her. I suppose that a small portable perch might bridge the difference and work better for your bird. That way you have a perch near you but not being you that you could allow her to fly to.
The desire to spend all the time possible with you is kind of hardwired into their brains as this is what they would do with their mate in their natural environments. So this is an instinctual behavior and it is very difficult to change such a behavior. I would also be concerned that trying to alter this behavior very much would open the door to other less desirable behaviors.

[shiraartain]

Highly recommend a portable playstand! We have two of them, and if I'm too busy (studying, have my hands full) to give Fajr my attention at the moment, I clip some food to it and give him a toy. This allows him to spend time around me as he likes and also allows me to get my work done.

Ours are both homemade- one is two thick rose branches attached to a base and the other is a bit more complex, but still small enough to be carried easily.

[Pajarita]

No, I doubt she will stop on her own unless she has another companion because what she is looking for is what nature meant for her to have: 24/7/365 company - something that, apparently (and this is not a criticism, mind you), had been denied her before. You can try training her but I doubt it will work as there is no real incentive for her to stay away from you.

I have to add that having a lone parrot is not a pretty and colorful bird in a nice, roomy cage full of toys. What you are going through is precisely what having a lone parrot is all about (this little animal velcroed to your shoulder or chest) and why it's so much easier on people to have a pair (and let's not even go into the infinite benefits they derive from having a mate of their own!). But you can try walking around with her on your shoulder after her breakfast and while you do chores around the house or whatever, put her in her cage around noon for her mid-day rest, and using a table stand for when you are sitting down somewhere. It's not NOT like having the bird perched on her cage all the time but it gives you a bit of breathing space while not traumatizing her...

[Hookturn]

Makes you realize that the bird's "cage" was never really open before...

So true! And I do let her hang out with me lots. I will try the play perch idea. I already have one I made from a lemon tree. And please don't misunderstand, I love that she can fly. And her new flight feathers are so beautiful! I'm super happy she's flying, but I do need a little down time with her not on my shoulder. Thanks for the suggestions! Will give it a try.

[Wolf]

I know what you mean, I have three that want to be on me while I do things and they don't get along.

[Hookturn]

Well that sounds like a complete bummer. How do you deal with it wolf?

[Wolf]

Mostly one bird at a time. I can let some o them out at the same time, but when Kookooloo is on me she will not allow any other bird on me and when she wants her time on me she will chase the other one away. The parrotlets are too small to let the larger birds out while they are out, same with the budgies. It is just one foot in front of the other and do the best that I can.