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won't come out of cage. please help

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won't come out of cage. please help

Postby nananikki » Tue Dec 06, 2016 10:46 am

I first welcomed Ripley to out family a week and a half ago. When I got him home he seemed very happy and content. The cage I had wasn't as big as I knew he needed but had him in it until the new cage arrived. He was coming out o to our hand and playing with us. Yes he would nip a little but still came out. Which even at the store they said he did that but was fine when he got out of the cage. The past 2 days or so. He will not come out. We open the cage and put our hand out and he squawks and runs to the other end. He acts like he wants to come out but wont. I don't want to force him but I don't want him to not have that interaction with us either. Is this something I should be Concerned about? Or is he just trying to be stubborn
nananikki
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Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Re: won't come out of cage. please help

Postby Pajarita » Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:43 am

No, he is not been stubborn. He doesn't trust you yet. Parrots are not like dogs or cats, they are not human-oriented from day one, you have to give them time to feel comfortable in their new home and to begin to trust his new human. Personally, I never recommend people put their hands in their cages or even ask them to step up until the bird asks for it out of its own initiative. They are like people... We don't like a stranger touching us or been too familiar with us and they don't like it, either. Just open the door to his cage and walk away. He will, eventually, come out and climb atop his cage (you can put sweetfeet perches outside his cage and even branches going up for him to climb and chew -I, sometimes, hang toys from the branches, too).

For now, the best thing is to leave him/her be and allow him/her to get used to you and his/her new home. Talk, sing, whistle and keep him/her company for hours every day. Establish strict and steady routines for him/her based on a solar light schedule and offer two different kinds of soft food served warm and fresh twice a day (breakfast and dinner). Offer a seed or two as a treat from your hand BUT if he/she doesn't take it, don't worry, just put it somewhere he/she can reach and just walk away (the offering is not a reward for good behavior, it's a token of friendship you are offering). If you don't free-feed protein (which you shouldn't with a sun conure), he/she will go back into his cage when you put his seed mix dinner in the bowl inside the cage (or a couple of sunflower seeds if you need to leave the house).

Basically, don't rush the relationship, let him/her set the pace and take its own sweet time deciding. It will happen because parrots NEED the physical touch and interaction, it's hard-wired into their brains as a survival tool but it needs to be on their terms. Parrots react very well to respect, patience and love but not so well to people who impose their touch or rules on them and, taking into consideration how bitey and noisy sun conures can be when they are not happy, it will behoove you to establish a good, strong foundation for your relationship with him/her.
Pajarita
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Flight: Yes

Re: won't come out of cage. please help

Postby nananikki » Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:55 am

Thank you for the advice. I just wasn't sure as he was coming out and loving up on our shoulder and playing around on his plays at I have gotten him. Then he just stopped. It was right after I put him in his new cage. When I go over and talk to him he runs over to what ever side I'm on and goes crazy chirping back at me and foes up and down his cage and all. I just wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing with him.
nananikki
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Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 4
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Sun conure
Flight: No

Re: won't come out of cage. please help

Postby liz » Wed Dec 07, 2016 8:01 am

The best way to earn their trust is to be available but for them without making contact of any kind. He needs to learn that you are not a preditor who wants to eat him. Leave the cage door open and he will come out when he is ready. Put a perch outside his door to give him something to be on that is not far from his cage. His cage is his castle and the only thing he knows is his. Do as little as possible with his cage until he starts coming out. He will also be less fearful if you could give him a perch at eye level.
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Re: won't come out of cage. please help

Postby nananikki » Wed Dec 07, 2016 9:02 am

That's what we did last night. Was left his cage open my son who is 17 was sitting on couch by cage talking to Ripley then he turned around to watch tv and the next thing we know Ripley was on his shoulder snuggled up by his neck talking. Lol this is what he was doing right after we brought him home. So it was nice to see.
nananikki
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Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Types of Birds Owned: Sun conure
Flight: No

Re: won't come out of cage. please help

Postby Pajarita » Wed Dec 07, 2016 12:27 pm

Yes, it ALWAYS pays to allow them to decide what to do. But be careful with the 'night interactions', birds are supposed to be fast asleep by the time is dark outside (think of the birds out in the trees and the chickens) and keeping them up with artificial light messes up their endocrine system and makes their bodies believe it's spring and summer all year round (which is real bad for them!).
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: won't come out of cage. please help

Postby Markabb30 » Sun Jan 26, 2020 7:23 pm

Hi my African parrot Bella is 14 months old she’s come out her cage all the time she steps up all the time But for he last two day she won’t come out or step up she goes to back of her cage can anyone help please cheers mark
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Re: won't come out of cage. please help

Postby Markabb30 » Sun Jan 26, 2020 7:39 pm

Markabb30 wrote:Hi my African parrot Bella is 14 months old she’s come out her cage all the time she steps up all the time But for he last two day she won’t come out or step up she goes to back of her cage can anyone help please cheers mark
Markabb30
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Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 3
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: African grey parrot
Flight: Yes

Re: won't come out of cage. please help

Postby Pajarita » Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:02 am

Hi, Mark and Bella, welcome to the forum. If nothing has changed (diet, routine, home, people in the house, etc), take her to the vet because birds that are OK do NOT want to spend all their time in their cage. Please do not waste any time. Parrots are prey animals and, as such, they hide symptoms (so they don't appear 'weak' to the predators and become a target) until they can no longer do it so, by the time we realize that something is wrong, they are VERY sick. I don't know what her diet is but if you have been feeding her only seeds, nuts and people food, she could be deficient in several minerals and vitamins -which cause disease (for example, lack of vit A will cause respiratory infections - just one example, there are more). Also, if she has been allowed to roam free without supervision, she could have metal poisoning. Please do not wait!
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: won't come out of cage. please help

Postby Markabb30 » Tue Jan 28, 2020 7:51 pm

Hi thank you for your advice Bella came out today no problem she was like she was before so don’t know what the problem we I’m sooooooo pleased she came out whoop whoop :gray: :gray:
Markabb30
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Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Types of Birds Owned: African grey parrot
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