Is it okay to leave the cage's door open 24/7?

[Koni]

I know that you shouldn't let your parrot out if there are risks involved like sharp edges around the room, open windows or doors, small places where he could get stuck, nobody being in the room etc. But is there a behavioral issue with giving it freedom 24/7?

I have an IRN and I let it go out of or get in the cage whenever he wants to. The door is always open. There's always someone in the room to look after it, the windows and doors are closed and secured so he can't fly away anywhere. And the room is somewhat bird-safe (in that there's lots of headphones cables and similar stuff that he can chew away). But there's always someone in the room to look after it if it starts chewing on cables. He rarely flies away from the cage too. He mostly flies away when I go to bed and he wants some attention.


My only guess for a problem with this is that the parrot will get used to "being free" all the time and when I need to close it in the cage he will stress a lot. Or maybe I will spoil him too much and he will start to behave bad. So my question is what is the ideal "cage time" in my situation? Should I leave it in the cage for X hours everyday just so he can get used to being in the cage?

 

[Aquila]

Sydney I can leave out all the time if I choose, the only thing is that he does fall off rarely, but almost never. I do close the door when I'm leaving for more than a few hours though or overnight. Since I have Gonzo now and he's on a routine, they both get let out in the mornings and away at bedtime. Gonzo puts himself away and Sydney now follows, so there isn't really much "putting" him away, I just close the door, and I'm pretty comfortable with that situation.

 

[Birdman666]

To me, that depends on how well your bird behaves.

I have six, with cage doors that never close, including two large macaws.

For the most part, mine behave. Every once in awhile I find something I didn't want chewed up, chewed up, and that's on me... but it really is a fairly rare occurrence.

The other thing is, will the bird fly out the door is someone opens it unexpectedly. If the answer to that question is yes, the answer to your question in no.

 

[itchyfeet]

Henry's door gets closed at night or if I leave the house - when I remember. I've been known to forget. It's amazing how much time he spends in his cage by choice, not that he doesn't come out - he's still on shoulders and the play stand etc. He's pretty independent, I'd struggle if he was a velcro bird I think. He copes fine if I'm out for the day, I just add extra toys and a foraging game or two.

 

[MikeyTN]

IF they're used to going in and out of their cage on their own even if the cage is left open at all times, I don't see why not, that's if they're being watched at all times. You just never know what they get into when your not watching. Of course I have some escapees at times that let themselves out when I'm not around. But they never leave their cage either and don't bother a thing.

 

[Weezerj]

Loki only enters his cage to sleep, door is never closed. As Mark pointed out, this only works because he behaves when he is out and stays in his designated play area.

 

[henpecked]

'd suggest leaving the food and water inside the cage only. Most of my many zons have their cages open 24/7 , generally they sleep/nap in their cage. sometimes they go "walk about' and i will lock them up. I think having their food in the cage keeps them "based" there. When i used to keep food dishes on the playstands it seemed to cause problems.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I know if I were to leave either cage open the following would happen:

Hunter: She'd find a nice, dark corner, 'collect' and 'make some' nesting material out of anything and everything she could get her beak on.

Sam: He'd 'unstuff' my couch, his favorite hang-out place (which he managed to put a few small tears into)

Ripley and Niko: I'd come home to a mountain of tooth picks - replacing my kitchen, door trims window trims. NO doubt about it. :54:

 

[ruffledfeathers]

I would never have done it when Georgie was young (just like I don't with Gil--too many things to get into, destroying property and hurting himself) but when she was a mature adult I left her cage door open when I went out. She normally just climbed on top of her cage, in and out through the day. No behavior problems because of it, nor did she then hate being caged.
However because she was never a skilled flyer I believe it may have been a contributing factor to her early demise. But if you have a skilled bird in a safe place I don't think it should be a problem.

 

[kiwination]

I actually only put my birds in their cage when i leave the house and even when i am home each has their own tree stands so they are out all day. the only time i put them in is if they keep misbehaving like excessive screaming then i put them back for about 5 min nad let them calm down a bit

 

[Sheeji]

I wouldn't risk it at all. Leo is out of the cage all day even if its just my 9 year old watching him but if we are sleeping or have to step out even for 10 minutes.. In the cage he goes. It only takes a second for an accident to happen. Make sure the cage is large and interesting enough for him. Its like putting a human baby in a playpen to make sure they are safe.

 

[flyingron]

Bacca has been pretty good about not getting into things (other than my sandwich).
I'll leave her on the perch if I'm only going to be out a short while.

If I leave any of the cage doors (either the real door or one of the swing out food bowls) unlocked, I'll come back and find her standing on top of the cage.

 

[Mimsy01]

Depends on the bird and your home. i wouldn't leave Foo out because it's too likely she might try and cuddle with a sleeping human and get squashed.

 

[Kiwibird]

As others have said, this majorly depends on your bird, some can be 'cage free' others can't.

After Kiwi figured out how to remove the breeder box door from his cage (and years of owning him and seeing how he behaved out of the cage), I no longer bother closing the cage up during the day (he'd just take the breeder door off and let himself out anyways!). Kiwi does not leave his "area" unless you physically pick him up and move him and has been trained not to chew what isn't his (and is very good about not destroying things around the house). I do close the cage up at night since I cover the cage for him to sleep.

 

[Birdman666]

What could possibly go wrong?!

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