Where Is Your Cage Located - And How Much Out Time?

[Scotty]

WOW, something I never really considered, well having a GCC and out of the cage all day has never been much of an issue with BeBe, but she's starting to become a little screecher.

But now that I have Noelani the Umbrella Cockatoo, I just read something on Mike's blog about Out Time for Parrots and putting them back in their cages at some point in the day.

To be honest I really thought most people, well for those that worked at home or, like the house wife scenario, might be keeping their parrots out all day?

I never thought that at some time in the day I should put BeBe back in her cage, to me a GCC doesn't seem like much of a pain to keep out all day, BUT Nolenai, well I can certainly see this as more a pain, in fact she's already starting to scream for me when I just leave the room for a few minutes.

So now I'm thinking while Noelani is being good, time to go back to the cage, well when I can afford to get her a good sized cage too...

So how often through out the day are people who are home all day keeping their birds out?

Also where is your cage located in your home?

[Graeme]

Well I have a Sun Conure (Bailey) and he is out of his cage most of the day, everyday. It wouldn't matter what type of bird I had, it would be the same and it would be flighted.

Bailey is flighted and as such is able to chose what he wants, to a certain degree. If he wants some one on one time with any of the family members, he is able to go to them. When he wants some alone time, he has the opportunity to go somewhere in the house to chill out, this is mostly the games room when it's quite, but he has also just started going back into his cage on his own for a short time.

I have Baileys cage situated in the dining room, which is sort of open plan. It incorporates the dining, kitchen and lounge rooms without any doors. He is able to see us from his cage when in any of these rooms. The cage itself is up against a sliding glass door (not used) so he gets plenty of light and is able to see out. He also has a new cage that allows him to be able to spend time outside in the sunshine.

There are times throughout the day when Bailey has to be placed back in his cage. sometimes it is because he is being naughty, although it's not very often. for his meals and when we have to go out, when we have visitors, but once he has had a little time to get used to them he is allowed out and of course, at night when he sleeps.

[Pajarita]

The healthy parrots in the birdroom don't have cages (only the handicapped tiels and budgies and this is because most of them cannot fly at all). The female Senegal which lives in a cage comes out a minimum of 2.5 hours during the winter (this is when the days are shortest in December and then she stays out more and more until she is out a minimum of 5 hours a day (but it could go all the way up to 7 hours) during the summer because the days are long and I don't work (I work in a school so I am off all summer). During the winter, she stays in until I come home (2pm) and then stays out until sunset when she goes back to eat her dinner and it's beddy bye after that. But it's always good to put them in the cage at noon for a couple of hours so they can nap (as they do in nature) - during this time, I don't even go into the birdroom so as not to bother their rest.

I forgot! Her cage is in front of a window.

[Scotty]

Pajarita, ahh nap time, that made me wonder about this recently, I guess I'll have to do that with BeBe as a GCC more often since this is a small bird, making me think around 12-1pm give them a nap time...

Birdroom, wooo, have any pics? I'd like to see what this looks like...

Thanks guys...

[GreenWing]

The cage is right in front of a large window, where Chance sees nature and wild birds and people walk by (I live close to a train station, and people walk by often, and it's hilarious because Chance often yells "Goodbye!" when she sees people walk by). I also have a roped orb hoop that has toys hanging from it, this is next to her cage, as well.

Chance is out of the cage for the entire time I am home, except at bedtime. She calls herself "jailbird" and even says "I'm a jailbird" so I wonder if she was kept in the cage for long periods of time in the past... which makes me feel sad. She is only placed in the cage with toys when I have to leave the house.

[marie83]

Harlies cage is located right in the corner of the room furthest from the window as shes a nervous bird- it helps her feel more secure. Ollies is right next to hers but he can see out the window as his cage is tall. It will be a similar set up when they come back to where I'm living except Ollies cage will be half and half across the window and wall.

My pets have never had a set amount of out of cage time, I believe its important for them to be used to being caged (in case of emergencies, illness etc) but I also think its important for them to have as much time out as possible. Generally speaking they are out the cages for at least 5-6 hours a day, usually more but sometimes it might only be for a couple of hours, other times it might be from dawn right through to dusk.

[KimberlyAnn]

Emmi is out when we are home. She goes in and out of her cage as she pleases. If we lock her in her cage while we are home, she screams. If she is locked in her cage while we are not home, she's quiet, our neighbors say. This is due to routine as we leave the house.

But I'm not kidding when I say she screams when she knows we are home and the cage door is locked. It only lasts 5 minutes, but damn...she gets so mad! Lol I can't help it though. Sometimes we need to feed the snake and sometimes we need to leave the door open to bring in shopping bags.

[Scotty]

GreenWing jailbird, LOL...

Kimberly becareful, sounds like maybe you can't put her in the cage and keep her from screaming?

Today I had to leave Noelani in the cage most of the day, she wouldn't even keep quiet for 10 mins...

The sad thing is the original owners never taught her to sit quiet in her cage and play with toys and amuse herself, and I didn't even really notice any toys in her original cage when I got her.

BUT the real sad thing is the original owners were pretty clueless how to keep and train a parrot, now Noelani is starting to become a bit of a handful, but I'm taking it day by day and I have EARPLUGS, LOL...

[pennyandrocky]

my birds cages are in the game room, not ideal but it's the only place big enough right now. I am planning on fixing the basement up for my son he needs more space and then I can give his bedroom to mya and penny . they are both out of their cages from 7 am - 630 pm unless they go with us to visit family where the homes/camps are not bird proof.

[KimberlyAnn]

No, she can go in without screaming. We just have to do our routine. I have to slip on my shoes, pick up my purse and keys...then give her a spring of greens so she can take them to her plank perch all by herself. Then I just say, "See you later Emmi!" and close the door. She does not make a peep if I go out the door.

But if I have not left...oh boy lol "Come here! Come here now! Scream Scream Scream." Then a violent jiggle of her bell. Then she settles down after a few minutes. Like this morning, I was feeling horrible. I got the flu. :'( So I took her out of her sleep cage and put her in her big cage with her food. She spent a few minutes just saying..."Emmi? Emmi? Are you ready? ARE YOU READY? EMMI?" I fell asleep soon after. She's locked in her cage now in case I fall asleep again. She's swinging on her coconut talking to herself, ignoring me. Just a few hours ago, I would never had slept out here if she had kept being loud. But it's not an issue, it's all about routine. If I change the routine...she notices. Just like her saying, "Are you ready?" That means morning shower, but yeah...that was not going to happen.

Also, our cage is in the livingroom close to the couch and away from the big window. This is because our couch is huge so there is not much we can do with the placement of things. I do wheel her cage to the window sometimes. Plus having it where it is, she can get everywhere she wants in the livingroom.