Lying on back

[imdnt]

Hi all!

Bravo is a tame Indian Ringneck and ever since he was about 3 months old, I've been able to put him on his back without him squirming around or freaking out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58811496@N07/5593731339/in/photostream

I tell him to step up which is when he'll grab my finger and I then lift my hands he could pull himself up.

He's now turning 7 months and it's only within the past 2 weeks he would lie down and let me trim his nails without fuss. I have to say step up twice so he realizes it's time to get up .... He's just sooooo relaxed! The longest I've had him on his back was 30 min and he fell asleep.

So my question is, how long can a parrot stay on it's back? I can only assume the answer is 'as long as they want to as long as they don't feel any discomfort' but would love to get a definitive answer

[Michael]

As long as they can get up and know how. Young birds may not realize how to get up and just be kinda stuck there until they are lifted. If the bird chooses to lay down for so long I think it's fine. But if you've never seen your bird roll to get up on its own, then it may be forced.

[imdnt]

Hmmm ... that's interesting with the rolling. Bravo tends to push up with his wings sometimes whilst I lift.

Is this roll something that can be taught or is it one of their natural instincts?

[CheekyandMalolo]

Our GCCs will happily be put on their back and laid on a table/couch/shoulder and stay there for a fair while, either until they've had enough or until they are told up. If they're laying in our hands we just press a finger into their feet which the grab and pull themselves up, if they're on the table they roll over onto their feet.
I would say the roll is very instinctual, however you could teach it, when you say 'up' get them a gentle push over to one side, just to dislodge them a little and they'll probably automatically roll and jump up.

[imdnt]

I would say the roll is very instinctual, however you could teach it, when you say 'up' get them a gentle push over to one side, just to dislodge them a little and they'll probably automatically roll and jump up.

Cheers for that.

I'll give that technique a go.

Only recently learned that parrots didn't know how to crack open a nut but rather learnt how to do it from others so I wasn't sure if this was something they also needed to learn.

[patdbunny]

Once I saw a youtube video of a bird rolling over like a dog on command. Maybe you can google.

[imdnt]

Think I found it

http://www.furrytalk.com/2010/06/a-trained-bird-acting-like-a-dog-amazing-video/

[Kirsten]

Skittles will lay on her side, but she doesn't seem to like being on her back yet. Is that normal for younger birds?

[kaylayuh]

Skittles will lay on her side, but she doesn't seem to like being on her back yet. Is that normal for younger birds?

Some birds just don't like to be on their back. Completely normal if they don't, just as normal if they do. The only way I can get Cheney Bird completely strapped in his harness is if I flip him onto his back. The budgies, however, hate it.