Introducing a new cage...how to?

[junglenutcracker]

We will be switching our GW to a new and larger cage over the weekend.

Should we do it all at once or should we place the new cage next to her present one so that she has a few days to familiarize herself with it for a few days. As to be expected she is quite attached to her present cage so there may be en element of stress for her to make the switch...

Or, does it make any difference?

 

[JerseyWendy]

If it were me I'd put the new cage together, furnish it, and put her in it. End of story. However, I would have her watch as I'm doing it all.

I've moved my Ripley (also a GW) like that and had ZERO issues. He immediately enjoyed the extra room, and made himself right at home in his new, bigger cage.

 

[itchyfeet]

Same as above My inlaws needed to do this for their cockatoo. She started planning it pretty intensively, because we all know how parrots 'could' react to change. The too's old owner told her to 'just do it'. He watched and was fine

If I was doing it, I'd probably finish the new cage using whats currently in the old cage, but it probably won't make a huge difference.

 

[junglenutcracker]

If it were me I'd put the new cage together, furnish it, and put her in it. End of story. However, I would have her watch as I'm doing it all.

I've moved my Ripley (also a GW) like that and had ZERO issues. He immediately enjoyed the extra room, and made himself right at home in his new, bigger cage.

You are probably right! I may be worrying too much!
I keep forgetting that macaws in general are resilient and perhaps one of the most self-confident of parrots.

 

[akrrm]

I did the same with my macaw a few months ago. He had been in the same cage for his whole life and I thought he would have a meltdown. I put the cage together, put him in there and took his old cage out. He was fine and loves his new cage.

 

[RavensGryf]

Of course every bird will be different, and you never know how they will react until you do it. They just might surprise you. For some insight, here are the experiences I've had with several of mine. I just moved everyone right in. Robin was the only one who was able to have his old cage right by the new one, but turns out he didn't care anyway. Once his furnishings were in the new cage, he knew that one was his cage.

At first I was worried about giving Robin a new cage which he desperately needed. Afterall, I'd had him in his old familiar one for over 20 years, and I really felt bad about changing it. Turns out, I was more concerned about it than Robin was! He has always been so 'go-with-the-flow' so it shouldn't have been a surprise there.

Raven went from a dometop to a playtop, and he was fairly uncomfortable with it for the first month or so. He didn't freak out, but I could tell he was feeling displaced and maybe a little depressed at first, but he learned to love it. Griffin is always over at Raven's house, and Griffin loved playing in Raven's new cage from the start!

Griffin is my most easily traumatized and nervous of the parrots, so his reaction had me pleasantly surprised. Just like he did above with Raven's new cage, he took to his own new cage (even a completely different color) right away. He loved it instantly I think!

Twigs the budgie was taken out of his modest sized cage, and put in a giant double flight cage... also in a different room. Just like Raven, he was also feeling 'displaced' at first, and stopped singing and vocalizing. He finally started singing and being noisy, and I knew he then felt comfortable again (after about a month).

 

[Kiwibird]

Every bird will react differently, but I'm with Wendy. Assemble cage in clear view, put her favorite toys, treats ext... in there and put in bird to get acquainted with her new home Naturally though, if she is REALLY fearful and freaking out, then you may need to leave the cage next to the old one for her to explore at her own pace.

Kiwi was also attached to his old cage, but as soon as he took a look at the big, beautiful cage he has currently, all love for the old one was forgotten. He made himself right at home with no complaints.

 

[Birdman666]

I've only had a problem with this once or twice, and both were very neurotic birds, - i.e. pluckers - that didn't adjust to any form of change what so ever...

Every other bird?
Has it got food and water bowls?! Yes.

Do I like what's in them?! Yes.

Are those my toys?! Yes.

(And in Sally's case - Do I still have my spot in the window?! Yes.)

Okay, we're good to go then... "Don't touch it, that's mine!"