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how to make my caique play

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how to make my caique play

Postby caique13 » Fri Oct 03, 2014 10:58 am

I have a 10 week old caique that is on two and half feeding a day.
With him I've notice that he would rather perch go fly somewhere higher than play with toys. I tried playing with him on the table or floor but he would rather fly to my head. I would hand him a foot toy and he would bite it for a bit but will stop as soon as I let go or if he got bored he would stop and then try to fly to my head. I avoid giving him shoulder privileged for now. When I put him in his cage with toys on the bottom to play with he would climb up and sit on the perch instead. And if there's no perch he would just climb to the top of the cage and stay there or try to get out. How do I get him to play with his toys more. Sadly he doesn't like to lay on his back. He's flighted and will be flight train
caique13
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Types of Birds Owned: Soon to have baby caique
Breeding pair of green cheek conure
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Re: how to make my caique play

Postby Wolf » Fri Oct 03, 2014 5:20 pm

First of all you need a variety of toy types and just foot toys. You need hanging toys that he can shred, toys that he can chew, toys to forage in and toys to play with and he will need them added slowly to his cage, just one or two at a time. Also since they are new to him you may need to show him how to use them by playing with them in front of him and maybe with him as well.
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Re: how to make my caique play

Postby Harpmaker » Fri Oct 03, 2014 5:25 pm

He's still a little baby. His favorite toy at this stage might be you. He needs parental warmth and attention until he's older.

Play with it where he can see. Most parrots want to see what you are doing.

He may also be intimidated by the toys. A lot of birds are suspicious of new things. If you haven't had him long (and at 10 weeks, he hasn't been around long) he may be too scared to move off his perch. Make sure that his cage has one side against a wall, or cover a side with a towel to keep predators from approaching on that side, and remove all the toys. Put one across the room outside the cage, and move it closer to the cage every day.

If you've only had him a few days, focus on making him feel safe. Playing can come later.
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Re: how to make my caique play

Postby Wolf » Fri Oct 03, 2014 5:29 pm

Thank you Harpmaker, I was coming back to mention that this bird also sounded like he might be scared of too many toys in the bottom of his cage and to remove all but one or two of them.
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Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Re: how to make my caique play

Postby caique13 » Fri Oct 03, 2014 6:22 pm

He doesn't seem afraid of the toys. I have different kinds of toys for him he just seem more interested in foot toys. It's just that he only plays with it when I'm holding it and then when I let go he loses interest and would try to fly to my head. He's actually 12 weeks. Second things is that is it normal for him to rather want to perch and play then play on the ground? Is he past the age where being on the ground isn't as fun as being high up?
caique13
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 3
Number of Birds Owned: 3
Types of Birds Owned: Soon to have baby caique
Breeding pair of green cheek conure
Flight: Yes

Re: how to make my caique play

Postby Wolf » Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:28 pm

I seriously doubt that he was ever at an age where being on the ground was more fun as they are pretty much hardwired to perch in trees. There are only a few reasons for this type of bird to not be in a tree or perching like it mostly the one that would be normal for captive birds is that they are clipped or that there is not enough room for them to fly.
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Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 8679
Location: Lansing, NC
Number of Birds Owned: 6
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
African Grey (CAG)
Yellow Naped Amazon
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Flight: Yes

Re: how to make my caique play

Postby caique13 » Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:09 pm

Makes sense. Since I have him flighted and he Flys around I see why he would not want to play on the ground. Thanks for the help
caique13
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 3
Number of Birds Owned: 3
Types of Birds Owned: Soon to have baby caique
Breeding pair of green cheek conure
Flight: Yes

Re: how to make my caique play

Postby Pajarita » Sat Oct 04, 2014 11:46 am

Only ground foragers and partial ground foragers feel comfortable on the ground, canopy birds avoid it as much as possible. And birds don't really play in the wild, you know... The bird industry and birdsites have made these 'toys, toys, toys' hyper thing but birds just like to be with other birds (or their humans) and chew or shred and they couldn't care less if it's an expensive toy or a rope with a knot on it and frayed ends or, better still, a nice tree branch with bark on it that they can peel, leaves they can pluck and wood they can chew.
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Re: how to make my caique play

Postby Wolf » Sat Oct 04, 2014 3:13 pm

Very true. They also play on the idea that it is more appealing to the human to have toys as opposed to sticks, twigs and leaves.
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Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Flight: Yes


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