Need Advice: My Indian Ringneck won’t go back in his cage at night

[sergiu1060]

Hello everyone,

I’ve had my Indian Ringneck for about 2.5 months now. At first, he would go into his cage on his own at night to sleep, but recently he refuses to do so unless he’s extremely hungry. When that happens, I have to quickly close the door before he rushes out again.

I’ve tried placing treats inside to encourage him to go in, but he seems to sense that I want to lock him in and avoids it. During the day, he goes in briefly to grab food but immediately rushes out to eat outside. His cage has a lot of toys and space. It's actually near a corner near the entrance door of the living room.

I spent a lot of time with him while working from home, and he is always outside of his cage during the day. Because of this, I fear that he now sees the cage as a punishment since we only put him inside before bedtime or when we leave the house. Sometimes, I struggle for hours—until 1 or 2 AM—just to get him inside at night.

We are not sure what changed because, within the first few weeks, he used to go into his cage by himself around 8–9 PM to sleep.

How can I make his cage a place he actually enjoys and willingly returns to in the evening or during the day when we need to leave? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I have a few budgies that give me a hard time like this every night. Have you tried turning most of the lights off in the room shortly about 30 minutes before bedtime? That helps get them in the bedtime frame of mind. They won't ususlly fly in the pldark.
When its time for him to go in, try to get him to step up on a stick and slowly, but quickly if you know what I mean, transfer him into his cage. If my budgies still give me a hard time I throw a towel over them and put them in.

 

[sergiu1060]

Thank you for your message. Yes, I’ve tried that. When I turn off the lights in the living room, either he flies and hides on the shelf above the TV, or he just "freezes" on his cage near the wall without moving.

When I try to pick him up on my hand and quickly move him to the cage, he either runs at the speed of light straight to my shoulder or on top of the cage.

The only solution I’ve found so far is, like you said, using a towel and turning off all the lights, but I’m afraid that it stresses him out. And unfortunately, this doesn’t work during the daytime.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I feel your pain. They can act like such brats at bedtime. My budgies are very tame and don't like the towel but it doesn't traumatize them.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Some people say just leave them out but I don't want my birds sharing my home THAT much. I'd never get them back in the cage. People say they will go in on their own if you put the lights out with a nightlight right near the cage and some of mine do go in on their own.
Some of them go in on my hand or a stick easier than the few tough ones so maybe more perch/stick training would help but my budgies aren't motivated by treats so I don't try to train them.