Conure won't go back in his cage, even for his favourite treats.

[Cads]

Hello,
my 4-month-old GCC refuses to go back into his cage. We have him for almost 1 month now and we are bonding quickly with him. He steps up to our finger with no problems, we can sometimes stroke/scratch him, and sometimes he just sits on us and just chills and is so peaceful. He is only out for a few hours each day as I work online and can't work with him out (he is jealous of my clients) I don't want to grab him or throw a towel on him so what should I do?

 

[Jcas]

If this a situation where he needs to go in right now, you made have to use a light towel or cloth to grab him and put him in. You could also try getting him to step onto some sort of stick or perch and then moving that into the cage. However, long term you will want to work with him on seeing his cage as a good place. Oftentimes, we make the mistake of only putting the bird in the cage when we are going to lock them up and leave. Naturally, this creates an aversion to going in their cage! The first step is to make the cage fun with lots of toys, treats, and different perches. Only feed them in their cage ( at least for a little while) so they have a positive association between being in their cage and the enjoyable task of eating. Lastly, make a habit of putting your bird in his cage and then taking him out immediately, or in within just a minute or two, many times throughout the day so that he learns that going in the cage doesn’t always mean he’s getting locked up. Good luck with your bird

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Hello,
my 4-month-old GCC refuses to go back into his cage. We have him for almost 1 month now and we are bonding quickly with him. He steps up to our finger with no problems, we can sometimes stroke/scratch him, and sometimes he just sits on us and just chills and is so peaceful. He is only out for a few hours each day as I work online and can't work with him out (he is jealous of my clients) I don't want to grab him or throw a towel on him so what should I do?

I adore my budgie Rocky but she is very stubborn and won't go back into her cage herself and I don't know why. I hand raised her so she's very bonded to us and loves to play but she's very strong willed and won't do anything she doesn't want to do. She also bites when "displeased". I have to put a small blanket over her, pick her up, and put her back. At first I thought she might get scared to be handled like this but Rocky doesn't seem to be afraid of anything. I now think she actually LIKES to be picked up in her blanket and put back. She doesn't fight it unless she REALLY doesn't want to go back. I'm not saying you should pick up your conure like this to put him back but it could be an option if he likes to be held.

 

[wrench13]

Toweling or otherwise grabbing most parrots is a trust busting action. If you MUST I would use the smallest piece of material you can find that effectively allows you to capture and hold her. A small hand towel or washcloth, perhaps. But the advice above by Jcas is very valid.

 

[onamom]

What does your cage setup look like? Is the cage large enough for him? Toys but not too crowded? Always worth re-evaluating your cage set up in a situation like this.