I'm an idiot and took Merlin outside,

[BillsBirds]

Recall training is a good idea, but, in my experience, lost/escaped animals of all kinds are scared & overwhelmed by being in a strange place. And often don't respond from a distance. And other animals have come to me, without knowing me, just because of a friendly voice, or familiar word or command. So, it's worth a try. Anything that might work will help.

 

[lene1949]

Uhmmm... I attend to agree with you, but I must admit that lately I've thought I could take Max outside, because his recall is so good... With my high (4-5 metres) celings, and Max flying down at very sharp angles.. surely he could go outside...

I'm so glad I read your post, and I'm so glad you got your bird back...

 

[suebee]

soo glad you you got merlin back, and yes he prob did want to fly to you, but even angel won't fly down stairs!

poor merlin,

 

[wenz2712]

Im so glad you got Merlin back It must have been very stressful for you .... I have just bought a large Cage for Codie to put in the Garden, even though she has her wings clipped, she can still fly at a certain height... At least this way she can still be outside which she loves, but without the worry of her flying off

 

[Safira]

Is this the same bird that got his head stuck between the bars of his travel cage and you had to go to the fire brigade for them to get her out?

I'd change her name to Lucky!

So glad you got her home, I would be terrified.

 

[roxynoodle]

Mayden has been wanting to change his name, lol! I was thinking Murphy as Murphy's Laws seem to apply.

I once almost named a horse Nothing But Trouble, but there is an old Indian tale that a horse will always live up to it's name. Well, she seems to have lived up to it just because I thought it, lol!

 

[mtdoramike]

You were soooooooo lucky. It sounds to me like it's wing clipping time. Because next time you may not be so lucky.Both of my birds are clipped, but I still will not take them outside without being in their travel cages.

 

[Mayden]

Yes this is the Merlin who only two(?) weeks ago got his head stuck in bars, and rushed off to the vets thinking he was dying etcetc. He really is the most unlucky animal I've ever had. ^^

I taught Merlin how to fly down the stairs, it was something I was insistent on him knowing before I ever took him out, 'just in case' but I think he just too overwhelmed when out. What with having the wind helping him out, all the people in the park, starting to go dark etc. He did keep trying but every time he'd get so low (still too high for me to reach him) he'd flap and be taken right back up again. So even if your bird is taught how to fly down, don't get too confident that they'll be able to do it outside with different conditions.

Fortunately Merlin isn't a phobic bird so even with the cherry picker being loud and it'd gone dark and all the people shouting for him to come down etc. He wasn't phased. Even when the ball we were throwing up to spook him practically skimmed him, he refused to move. My birdy's tough. I commend those who can free fly their bird and wish them all the luck. But it certainly isn't for amateurs. Andrew doesn't even want him out in a harness right now, or even a cage. But that's not happening, once I get the new travel cage (gonna be a longer wait now we had to pay the cherry picker xD) then he'll be right back out in the sunshine with some space to climb etc, but no risk of him being able to fly away.

Murphy is a good idea, I suggested it to Andrew but he refused. Grumpy man ^^

Merlin's been super cuddly last night and today, I think he's appreciating just how nice, warm and fun it is hanging around with/on mummy. I normally can't walk to another room without him wanting to follow me, I guess I let that belief take over me too when out there.

Ohhh, overwhelmed still (and exhausted). Merlin seems to have his energy back though, gonna go get some breakfast and share my weetabix with him.

After this ordeal, made me realize just how precious he is to me. I knew I loved him very much before this but when I thought I'd never see him again, no cuddles, no food stealing, no "whatya doin?", made me realize that I'd be lost without him, he really is my baby. Just because I didn't birth him doesn't mean he's not my child.

Hope you all think twice about freeflight now!

"6yyyr2222222222222222222222222222222222qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq6yyyr2222222222222222222222222222222222qqqqqqqqqqtttttttttttttttttttqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq"
Merlin wanted to add his input too. ^

 

[Mayden]

You were soooooooo lucky. It sounds to me like it's wing clipping time. Because next time you may not be so lucky.Both of my birds are clipped, but I still will not take them outside without being in their travel cages.

The reason I don't want to clip is because he only has one good leg, otherwise I would have him trimmed. I am considering it because he seems to be getting better moving around on his feet these days, but I'm not sure. Merlin's never going out without a travel cage now unless he's clipped, but when we'll do that I'm not sure. Gonna wait on updates about his leg first

 

[roxynoodle]

Even if you clip him, make sure first he really can't fly. My Blue Crown conure seemed to fly just fine! I was like, well, that was useless! Rowdy and Pete fall like stones. And of course the wind can give them lift. You might still put on a harness just in case. I know Sennies are a little on the portly side, but he's still small enough he might fly anyway. I know a lot of 'Toos being so light fly with full wing clips.

Yes, actually that happened to one of our new members here. He adopted a 'Too, the wings were clipped by the rescue before they sent her out, and she flew over his house and up into a big tree despite that.

 

[Mayden]

Even if you clip him, make sure first he really can't fly. My Blue Crown conure seemed to fly just fine! I was like, well, that was useless! Rowdy and Pete fall like stones. And of course the wind can give them lift. You might still put on a harness just in case. I know Sennies are a little on the portly side, but he's still small enough he might fly anyway. I know a lot of 'Toos being so light fly with full wing clips.

Yes, actually that happened to one of our new members here. He adopted a 'Too, the wings were clipped by the rescue before they sent her out, and she flew over his house and up into a big tree despite that.

Merlin's never being freeflighted again, even if clipped it'll be at /least/ a harness.

I need to go get my breakfast, pesky forum keeping me hungry.

 

[roxynoodle]

Lol! Yes, eat your Wheaties, girl! And share with Merlin I just finished mine and you are 5 hours ahead of me

Yes, my BCC was obviously not going outside after she flew 50 feet in my house like she hadn't been clipped at all!

 

[Wulfgeist]

Oh my goodness I just saw this post..I'm soooo glad you were able to get him back. That has always worried me about my beloved cats as well and that's why I never let them run in and out at will.

I'm so sorry for your scare, both of you, and super relieved this ended well.

 

[beckybird]

Don't beat yourself up anymore. This has happened to the best of us! I brought my lovebird outside once and a similar situation ensued. My Karma flew up into a tree, and I threw my purse up into the branches, which frightened him down. He flew across the (luckily un-busy) street and landed on the sidewalk where I finally "tackled" him. It felt like my heart was jumping right out of my throat. I am glad you got your birdie back inside. It could've easily gone the other way- but it didn't. I guess you two were meant to be together!!

 

[MikeyTN]

At least it's a happy ending you got him back in. A lot of people don't even get them back.....

 

[Mayden]

Don't beat yourself up anymore. This has happened to the best of us! I brought my lovebird outside once and a similar situation ensued. My Karma flew up into a tree, and I threw my purse up into the branches, which frightened him down. He flew across the (luckily un-busy) street and landed on the sidewalk where I finally "tackled" him. It felt like my heart was jumping right out of my throat. I am glad you got your birdie back inside. It could've easily gone the other way- but it didn't. I guess you two were meant to be together!!

Yeah we were terrified he was going to fly further away and end up going towards the road, or even worse, the river mersey!

I'm sure you understand the relief I felt then when I got him back, it's truely terrifying, like a mother losing her child in the mall I suppose! So grateful to everyone who helped us get him back. He actually stayed in bed with me all weekend whenever I've been in bed, so that was until say 3:30 this afternoon today. All snuggles and cuddles.

This was the morning after the night before

Can't stress again how happy I am he is home, stealing my food + crapping all over me as per. It's something we can laugh about now, but we certainly weren't laughing when it happened.

 

[Mare Miller]

I'm so happy for you that you got your bird back but I'm gonna have to chime in with my first experience with Amigo's flight of not coming straight home. It was a heart attack worthy emotion, for sure.

Do smaller parrots have less cognizance of their world than larger parrots? Do they not recognize the people they have bonded with? My bird, being my first, is the only experience I know.

I was in heart attack mode when Amigo flew into his first tree. I was so scared and felt so guilty for being the person to allow this to happen. My husband, myself and youngest son, 17yrs. at the time, spent hours trying to coax him down from this tree. We got out the ladders, my son climbing all over this oak tree and Amigo just moving away from him.

There was a storm blowing in and we were for sure that we would never see this bird again. Guess what? He decided that we were his flock and he wasn't going to go too far from home. He flew in at the last minute and to this day, gives us, (me anyway), pleasure with his presence, every day.

I love you Amigo!

 

[roxynoodle]

A lot of people think larger parrots are more intelligent, but I guess I haven't seen that that's true. I would put Rowdy up against any bird to be honest.

However, they do have differences in courage and their ability to get riled up I think. So some birds scare very easily. Pete is my largest bird, but the easiest to get spooked. And I think when some get overly excited, they just can't think of other things but rather be caught up in the moment. So personality traits might come into play more so than intelligence. It seems to me they are all pretty darn smart.

My sister is supposedly a genius. But, she has no common sense it seems. I bet if you locked her in a room with a can in one hand and a can opener in the other that she would starve to death So intelligence isn't the end all be all, lol!

Just be glad it's over with, Mayden. And that it had a happy ending and love Merlin And at least it didn't go on for a week like my piggy!

 

[Mayden]

I'm so happy for you that you got your bird back but I'm gonna have to chime in with my first experience with Amigo's flight of not coming straight home. It was a heart attack worthy emotion, for sure.

Do smaller parrots have less cognizance of their world than larger parrots? Do they not recognize the people they have bonded with? My bird, being my first, is the only experience I know.

I was in heart attack mode when Amigo flew into his first tree. I was so scared and felt so guilty for being the person to allow this to happen. My husband, myself and youngest son, 17yrs. at the time, spent hours trying to coax him down from this tree. We got out the ladders, my son climbing all over this oak tree and Amigo just moving away from him.

There was a storm blowing in and we were for sure that we would never see this bird again. Guess what? He decided that we were his flock and he wasn't going to go too far from home. He flew in at the last minute and to this day, gives us, (me anyway), pleasure with his presence, every day.

I love you Amigo!

I love how you have Amigo, he's fully flighted and able to fly with the birds but always seems to return home to you, it's wonderful and I wish I could trust Merlin like that.

He knew it was us on the ground but was unable to make the proper descent. He never tried flying to anyone else, just me and Andrew. I'd possibly consider something like what you and Amigo have if Merlin wasn't so small, U2's are pretty huge and I imagine are not often bullied by other birds! Love to hear of him being out and about

 

[Mare Miller]

Mayden, to be honest, I would not free flight a bird smaller than Amigo. There are a lot of things that could go terribly wrong, predator wise. But, I'd bet you that Merlin would have showed up on your porch if you were his one and only bondo.