I'm not sure what to do anymore...

[Kiryon]

So, I've allowed Oz to become flighted and he loves it! He looks so proud of himself after a good flight around the room! He'd stopped flying into windows but now it's started again.

Before he would fly off and return to me when my hand was in the air but now he just goes cray and flaps around until he runs into a window (or the Christmas tree). I get a terrible pain in my chest every time it happens. I'm seriously considering clipping him again now. His flying into windows is a source of stress for everyone in the house and I find myself thinking 'what if the next time is the one that doesn't forgive' every time he's out of the cage.
Any advice?

 

[thekarens]

Have you tried covering the windows when he's flying? Birds can't see a glass window.

 

[Kiryon]

I use decals on the windows so he'll see it's not empty space and it worked for a while but he just seems to lose control or something after he's done a few wild rounds round the room.

 

[thekarens]

That's a tough one. I'd be tempted to clip him.

 

[getwozzy]

Do you have blinds or curtains you can close?? If curtains are closed he'd probably be less likely to try to fly towards the windows....

 

[Featheredsamurai]

With Rosie I used a fine mesh curtain, she would hit that which would safely slow her down Before she made impact with the window. Whenever Rosie was out flying I would weigh down the bottom of the curtain, this is how you safety slow them down.

Rosie never hits windows, or Mirrors(but mirrors are easy since they see another bird flying). They learn quickly that you can't get through.

 

[Kalidasa]

Is this at night? Is the area well lit?

 

[Kiryon]

@ getwozzy Unfortunately no, it's mostly the glass patio door he hits

@ copperarabian He seemed to have learned he can't get trough. It had been a good while since he hit a window but now he's started it up again and he hits them with much more speed than he did when his feathers were still growing in and he was just starting to fly

@ Kalidasa This mostly happens during the day. I make sure all the lights are on when he's out so it's always well lit when he flies.

Mirrors aren't a problem, the only time he hit it was when the cat startled him by sneaking in ans jumping on the bathroom countertop before I could close the door (not to attack him or anything, he always does that).

 

[lquan]

All of my windows have blinds. My patio sliding door is tinted. Other windows near the high ceiling that don't have blinds, are also tinted. My Lily can see tinted windows just fine. I bought the the tint films from Pep Boys and tinted them myself. They look great. My wife loves it since it keeps the house cooler in the summer. Unfortunately, it takes some skills to tint windows correctly.

 

[Betrisher]

Yeah, mesh or lace curtains are good! I've hung a cargo net across the sliding glass door that caused our problems (the other half has insect screens). Decals are OK, but you have to use big, solid-looking ones so the birds can actually see them: better to put something in front of the window. Here in Oz, it's very common to see doorways covered with a variety of insect excluders. These could be a sheet of narrow vinyl strips or many long strings of colored plastic beads or just dangling rope fringing the door. (Australian flies are legion and they are all bent on getting into your house and breeding there, right down to the last maggot!) One of these insect doors would be spot on to hang over a window temporarily while your bird's out. Do you get that kind of thing in Canada (guessing your flies are a bit more docile than ours)?

 

[crimson]

I would try sheer curtains, or blinds.
you can still let light thru either one of them, while protecting him as well.

 

[gizzygirl]

I use window clings but I put on a ton! You can still see out but they're strategically placed lol. I haven't had any problems with my 6 birds since. I also have mine clipped but they seem to be power flyers lol they still fly through the house and we get them clipped about every month!

 

[cassiepengo]

oh i had the exactly same problem with bamboo. you dont have to really worry that much. even though they keep flying into it, they'll know after one or two times thats they cant get through it. when bamboo used to do that, i always took the curtains and flapped them around so he got scared and flew away. i did this for around three ofr four days and now hes totally scared of it. well of course he knows its there, even when the curtains are close. he wont go there unless the curtains are drawn up wide or if he can hear birds around.