How to get U2 out of cage?

[paper_lantern]

So, as I said in a previous post. I'm taking care of an abused/neglected Umbrella 'too for a week or two until I can bring her down to a parrot sanctuary downstate.

She has been living in a dog crate for years now. Not toys or perched. I set up a larger cage, not ideal for a 'too, but since she is temporarily here I figured it would do, I expected to have her out most of the day anyway. Problem is she won't come out of the crate. When I went to visit her the owner was able to pull her out of there but it really frightened her. She was fine once she was out. I'm obviously not going to physically pull her out of the "cage", as I know what her owner was doing was wrong.

I've tried just leaving the door open and nothing yet. Should I try enticing her with food? Any ideas? Will she eventually come out on her own?

[pennyandrocky]

try food,she doesn't attempt to come out at all or does she get spooked? don't put food inside the crate but outside the open door.

[paper_lantern]

It almost looks like she is afraid to come out, or unsure. I'll take the food out of her crate and place it just a little bit outside of the crate. Hopefully that works, thank you!

[pennyandrocky]

i wanna thank you for helping this poor bird,i hope it works out.my first bird an was so cage bound i had to take his bite to get him out,would never suggest attempting with but food helped too.try some unsalted almonds mya will do anything for them,you could also eat next to the crate and share so she knows it's good just fix her a bowel of what your eating too's love cooked food.

[paper_lantern]

She started to peak her head out the door a little I think she is getting curious. Will try again tomorrow, its late so I put her to bed a little while ago. Thank you for all the advice!

Oh and I know, I wouldn't attempt that with a 'too, I've heard their bites are horrible, I'm going to try to avoid a bad bite =P

[ljeanne]

i have a 'too that was also housed in a dog crate. he was abandoned by owners and chewed all his feathers off. he is now a ball of down from the neck down and a cockatoo head. funny if not so sad. anyway i took the bite and don't recommend it. he panics whenever i move towards him or bring anything past him and falls hard balance is way off too. no feathers makes him so vulnerable.

[macbrush]

I was facing the same situation when I first got Spencer, a CAG. Now I can lure him to the perch I attached outside the cage with his favorite toys. Sometimes food and water works too, but it a rare occasion.

I had to gain his trust for over 2 months, and then play with him with his favorite chew toys (in this case, its a spray bottle), or waving a piece of newspaper to tease him. Eventually, he's so excited that he finally came out to attacks his toys! At the beginning, it takes times for him to warm up. Now he would come out as soon as I have those stuff in my hands. I am still working on willingly stepping up though.

[paper_lantern]

She has come out, I set a few toys out on a blanket for her, however she plays with them for a few seconds and then runs back into her crate with them. She won't go near the larger cage, I'm being patient fingers crossed!

[liz]

You are making progress. It took Myrtle a while to come out of her little cage. I put her cage on the dining room table (to keep the dogs from stealing) and put all kinds of good stuff around it and left her alone. I talked to her as I went by but did not make a fuss over her. Once she had her flight feathers she started leaving her cage area. A bird without flight is very insecure.

Some times she would fall off the table while playing with a toy and walk over to climb my pants leg. I did not touch her with my hands but walked over to the table so she could get off on her own.
She had been grabbed out of her cage and was afraid of hands.

It took a year but she is very social. She flies to anyone. Our one finger tickle sessions have turned into and upside down and on her back wrestling match with her saying tickle tickle.

[ljeanne]

oh wow liz thats awesome!