MeganMango
New member
- Oct 13, 2012
- 522
- Media
- 3
- 0
- Parrots
- 1 red bellied parrot (Mango), 3 cockatiels (Bugsie, Alfie, and Bananas)
Dave and I will be bringing Mango with us on a trip back home to Ontario for our wedding. He quite suddenly became terrified today to get anywhere near it. Ive been putting him in and just walking around the house a little bit for over a week now without issue. This is not the first time Mango has become unexplainably terrified of something quite randomly during training. He has had the same reaction after about two weeks of working with the harness. This time though, I couldnt just put it away and come back to it in a year. These things dont come cheap, and its the only one that meets the requirements for our airline. Luckily its Sunday, because I had to spend all day getting him to relax again (We fly out on Tuesday). Long story short, loads of patience and an outrageous amount of treats and praise got the job done! It took an hour of me sitting next to it, and getting him closer and closer with him flying away again and again to get him to stand on it. I just sat at my laptop doing work while he stood on the carrier and picked at it with his beak. I then started to show him the pistachios (his fav) and then putting them around and inside the carrier. He started just cautiously entering, grabbing the treat and bolting out, but eventually (several hours later) he started to play with some of the toys in there. Eventually he relaxed and was going in and out on his own. After about 4 hours I took a big risk and closed the door. He panicked of course, but I talked to him and waited for him to calm down. Once he was whistling and playing again I opened the door and let him out. Then I put him back in. Repeat.
When I felt confident he was not afraid to be placed in the carrier and have it done up, I put him on his cage with some veggies and he took a nap (its hard work being a bird
). Dave works at the grocery store around the corner, and I had to pick him up. I decided to take Mango for a car ride. He loves the car, and whistled and played on the 2 minute drive. Once we got there we decided we needed a few items from the store. I was going to take Mango home and come back, but we decided to bring him along and see how he likes the crowd (the airport will be very busy). Mango absolutely LOVED the grocery store. He whistled at everyone going by, and was talking up a storm "c'mere, good boy, I love you". I am so relieved that he decided he likes the carrier, and that he enjoys going out on adventures. I dont think the airport is going to be a bad experience for him at all! He may come on small grocery trips with us in the future.
When I felt confident he was not afraid to be placed in the carrier and have it done up, I put him on his cage with some veggies and he took a nap (its hard work being a bird
). Dave works at the grocery store around the corner, and I had to pick him up. I decided to take Mango for a car ride. He loves the car, and whistled and played on the 2 minute drive. Once we got there we decided we needed a few items from the store. I was going to take Mango home and come back, but we decided to bring him along and see how he likes the crowd (the airport will be very busy). Mango absolutely LOVED the grocery store. He whistled at everyone going by, and was talking up a storm "c'mere, good boy, I love you". I am so relieved that he decided he likes the carrier, and that he enjoys going out on adventures. I dont think the airport is going to be a bad experience for him at all! He may come on small grocery trips with us in the future.
