Got Bongo's cage set up.

[Cliffordsmom]

I'm a little worried. It is a lot bigger than her other cage. It took me a couple days to decide if she was ready for a big one or not but when I noticed that she was beginning to get bored I decided she needed more to do, so more room.

We set it up last night and all the LOUD NOISES scared her so she ended up flying to me and cuddling in my shirt while I read the directions to boyfriend. Once together we set her on the playtop while we stripped all the toys and perches out of her old cage and put them in the new one. Every time I reached in to put a toy inside she would grab it and shake it like she did not want me to put it in there. She tried several times to climb off the cage and onto my head/shoulder, and she is having a really hard time navigating around the bigger space because she is so un-graceful.

I'm wondering what or how I can set it up to make it easier to navigate for her because she is still very unsure of her footing. She doesnt even trust herself on the boing rope, and spends most of her time on her favorite perch just looking at things. I'm afraid she will be too afraid to climb down to her food and water. Am I over-reacting? ugh

I know I know, you need to see pictures, but I did not want to freak her out this morning, I'm afraid she may be a little scared as is. This is my first baby bird so I want to make sure I do it the right way.

 

[KatherineI]

Well, yeah, without pictures it's hard to tell That said, dhe probably just needs a bit of time to adjust to it, is all. Lots of "adjustments"; new home, new flock, new cage, etc. I was told not to rearrange Sugar's cage for a minimum of 3 weeks after I first brought her home, which I was unfortunately not told until after I had already changed her cage around once Maybe it was just too soon to change Bongo over? I know you thought she was getting bored, but maybe her need for security overrides boredom for her?

 

[Cliffordsmom]

I asked the breeder before we brought her home why he moved her from cage to cage at the pet store on a weekly basis. He said so she can get used to a changing enviroment and enrichment, so she doesnt have security issues. I figured it would be ok :-( Hope I did not do the wrong thing :-(

 

[Safira]

I think you did right. She may not be completely comfortable at first, but just think if you'd waited a few weeks and she settled in, you'd throw her world in chaos all over again moving her later. Give it a few days, she will settle down.

I'm getting a new cage for Lucy, one of my CAGS, and I wish I could have had it when I got her so I could drop her right in instead of her having been in her current cage at my house for a few months already.

 

[KatherineI]

Some birds can acclimate to change easily and quickly. Some don't like it at all, and others just take some time. I can't say whether or not you did the right or wrong thing for Bongo, because I don't really know Bongo's personality. I was told not to change much of anything the first few weeks and with Sugar, I can see why. She's a very phobic bird. She's easily frightened, she doesn't handle change very well. Bongo may not be like that. He may be more like my Loki who just rolls with the punches. Oh, you moved this to over there? Cool. The only thing Loki every truly did not like, was when we actually tried to give him a bigger cage. He hated it, lol.

 

[Cliffordsmom]

I'll see about taking some pictures tonight. I made a game out of the very loud scary noises though. Thought I'd share. Every time a loud noise was made Bongo got a little scared and kinda hunkered down into my shirt. So I maded the loud noises cool by saying "oh wow!" or "wooooow" and instead of hunkering down she would perk up and look to see what happened. Joe said that he is home for lunch and Bongo keeps saying "woooooow" said that its like a robot wispering. But she is checking things out and she is eating. so I guess she will adjust. Her second word I cant wait to get home tonight to hear it

 

[Thefishknot3]

You sound like I did when I got my CAG "Greycie". She is now 6 months old (4 months old when I got her). I started her out in her mansion the day I brought her home. She "freaked out" and scared me. So I took her out comforted her, sat by "the mansion" and talked to her. I tried it again and she freaked out a little. She was all over the cage and wouldn't calm down. I sat next to the cage and talked to her until she finally calmed down. She was very clumsy for a while. I had low perches in her cage but she preferred being up higher. Every now n then I would hear wings flapping and "pow" she'd hit the bottom of her cage. Scared me to death every time. But I figure she has to learn. She was also timid when it came to eating and drinking water. But just wait! She's an acrobat now. I can tell she loves her cage. Eats any and everything I eat or thinks I'm eating. She's a very intelligent bird. I VERY seldom hear her fall anymore. If ever its because she's clowning around to excess . She masters her cage now, even though she's rarely in it! Bongo will be just fine!

 

[MollyGreenCheeks]

My Cody was very ungraceful and unsure of his footing when I first brought him home but just a couple of weeks later was just jumping and bouncing around all over. I recommend putting a favorite treat at the top of the cage where the boing attaches and Bongo will be getting practice while getting the treat.

 

[dishgal1]

Try some zig zag perches. They work really great getting from one side to the other I have 2 in my little conure's cage, an upper and a lower.

 

[mtdoramike]

I know exactly what your going through. Mac is the worlds worst about new things like cages and playstands. I had to order the exact playstand that he originally had in order for him to immediately accept it, which he did.

Could you have bought another cage like the exact one he originally had? Was there an issue with the old cage? I'm dreading the time when I have to replace Mac's cage. Thanksfully it's still in great condition. But when I do, I will buy the exact cage like he has now.

 

[Cliffordsmom]

I know exactly what your going through. Mac is the worlds worst about new things like cages and playstands. I had to order the exact playstand that he originally had in order for him to immediately accept it, which he did.

Could you have bought another cage like the exact one he originally had? Was there an issue with the old cage? I'm dreading the time when I have to replace Mac's cage. Thanksfully it's still in great condition. But when I do, I will buy the exact cage like he has now.

Her old cage is very small. Just like a starter cage and was not at all big enough for her to be in all day long once i returned to work and wasnt going to be home to play with her all day.

 

[PortaPerch]

This conversation got me wondering if nails are not being clipped before needed? Greybeard was not gripping real good when we got him, so we skipped the nail clipping for quite awhile. He does fine now.

 

[Cliffordsmom]

The breeder clipped them when he did her dna, she doesnt need them clipped yet.