Need help getting macaw back INTO cage!

[skylavaulter]

Rio is a 4 1/2 month old catalina macaw that we've had for two weeks now. Everything is going well. Haven't started TOO TOO much training-wise because we wanted to give him time to adjust. He will step up 70% of the time, so we're starting with that, but the one thing we are having the most trouble with is getting him into his cage for the night. It goes like this every single freaking night...

Rio steps up to my shoulder from living room java tree. Rio happily rides said shoulder upstairs to our bedroom. Rio becomes somewhat nervous as we cross the room, getting closer to the cage. Rio moves to the back of my neck as we approach the cage closer, so I can't reach him. I open said cage's door. Rio flies away and lands on bed headboard. I retrieve Rio from said headboard, this time preventing him from leaving my arm and climbing to shoulder. We move again to the cage. Rio flaps frantically when attempting to put him in said cage, and manages to wiggle past me and get out. Rio lands on TOP of his 6 foot tall cage. I stand there repeating myself like an idiot "Step up. Step UP. STEP UP!" with arm extended and tippy toes. The peanuts come out to lure Rio into his cage. He doesn't budge. I grab his feet with my hands and MAKE him come down, wrestle him into the cage, and frantically close the door as quickly as possible. Sometimes it's a succes. Other times, he gets past me again and goes to said headboard. Repeat process

I know there's a thousand things here that I'm doing wrong, so please help me! It's a nightmare!

 

[IcyWolf]

Is bedtime the only time you're putting him in his cage? Try putting a few of his favorite treats in his bowl before you put him in, and let him see you put them in his cage. Make sure that this is the only time he gets these treats. I would start by putting him in his cage, let him eat his treat and calm down, then when he is mellowed out, let him back out and give him lots of cuddles. keep doing this, randomly throughout the day, making the periods of time he's in there just a bit longer. If the only time he is going in the cage is at night, and it is for a good 10-12 hours, that would explain why he is upset, you don't want the cage to become a punishment, you want it to be his safe haven. If you can show him that the cage isn't so bad and he gets yummy treats and fun toys in there, and then cuddles when it's time to come out, he may not see it as such a traumatic ordeal. We had the same problem with our conure, as soon as we would get near the door he would take off and fly away, and then once he knew what we were trying to do he wouldn't come to us. We went and got all kinds of new treats and got him all excited about them, we made yummy noises and pretended to eat them and exclaimed to each other how great they were! Then those treats went in the cage, and so did he, then just a little while later, we'd get him out, play for a bit and then do it all over, it actually only took a few weeks and now we can put him right in his cage

 

[skylavaulter]

That's a good idea! Yes, he's really only in his cage for sleeping. One of us is usually home, so he's never really had a reason to be in the cage during the day. We figured it was best to have him with us downstairs all day. But I see your point - if we only put him in there for bed, why would he want to go in it? We'll have to start trying during the day, a few times a day, and see if that helps any. Thank you!

 

[IcyWolf]

I'm guilty of the same thing, since I'm home all day I usually let the amazons and the alex's cage doors open all the time so they can come and go as they please(they stay on there cages). Lately I've been randomly putting them in and closing the door, I just got to thinking that even though I'm home almost all of the time, if anything would ever come up, I don't want them to be all stressed out because suddenly they are locked in their cages and they aren't used to that. And you never know when some fluke thing or emergency comes up and you don't have the time to fight with a cranky bird about going back in their cage. I've noticed with most birds, life really is what you make it, if you act like it's something that is super fun and awesome, they will probably think so to

 

[MikeyTN]

This is part of the reason why you clip them while they're young. They're sneaky!!! IF you going to have him on your shoulders, be real careful especially as he matures! I never allow Willie on my shoulders but he push his way up there especially when he's scared of something, he hides behind my head or gets really close to my chest. Just remember they have that big beak that can really do some damage. When you try to get him back into the cage, do the treat thing like Icy mentioned, BUT they're not easy to trick! Best is to hold him on your arms and use your other hand and cover his head and place him back inside. Or sometimes I would hold him down on his back to place him back inside. Good Luck!

 

[lene1949]

You're not doing anything wrong...

I had the same problem with Max, after he learned to fly... He would always take off instead of stepping up... I often had to keep him flying until he was so tired, he couldn't be bothered anymore.

The first thing I tried was holding my hand on top of him, the first two fingers on each side of his neck... Of course that only worked after he'd stepped up on my hand... So make sure the bird steps up on your hand, not your shoulder or anywhere else. Just practice this many times a day, putting him straight back where he was.

I found out that Max loves nuts (he only gets one, when he goes into his cage)... I began offering a nut to step up... I kept the nut just out of reach, until we were closer to the cage, then I let him grab the nut, while I was still holding onto it, and let go, when he was on his perch in the cage...

Putting the bird into his cage several times a day, helps getting the bird to like his cage - it needs to have enrichment toys and foraging toys in there - Max sleeps in the office in his cage, and when I'm finished here, his cage goes into the loungeroom, which is open plan with kitchen and dining room... Max gets out several times every day to fly around the house, and I have no longer any problem getting him back into his cage... Sometimes he'll even go in there by himself.

 

[luvmytooo]

Not sure if this is a good idea but would it help to bring the cage downstairs so he can be with everybody and yet be in his cage to eat his treats or breakfast ? This way he sees the cagew as a good thing and a safe haven ? I use the same logic with puppies. Their crates are a safe haven for them and always a good place to be.
I always treat the birds with something they love when I put them in their cages for whatever reason , same with the dogs. They all get a "cookie" when crated or caged. Works for me

 

[MikeyTN]

LoL@cookie for dogs when they go in crate. We do the same....lol....rotten brats!

 

[luvmytooo]

LoL@cookie for dogs when they go in crate. We do the same....lol....rotten brats!

Yeah , tell me about it , lolol.
Works every time though ! I used Susan Garretts "Crate Games".
Makes life much easier when traveling and showing them
I figure its basically the same concept with birds and their cages.

 

[MikeyTN]

It works with some birds but some are sneaky. Im about 6' tall and trying to chase after birds on a 7' tall cage wasn't easy either and I have to use a latter and perches cause they're taught to step up to a perch.

 

[suncon97]

Not sure if this is a good idea but would it help to bring the cage downstairs so he can be with everybody and yet be in his cage to eat his treats or breakfast ? This way he sees the cagew as a good thing and a safe haven ? I use the same logic with puppies. Their crates are a safe haven for them and always a good place to be.
I always treat the birds with something they love when I put them in their cages for whatever reason , same with the dogs. They all get a "cookie" when crated or caged. Works for me

This was like my method.Still,sometimes Pearl crawls up to the top of her toy hook.Her cage was very tall but we drilled a hole through the metal bar holding the perch on top and put the toy hook down through that and fastened it down so it's easier to reach because it used to reach our ceiling almost.But now sometime she does that "birdie run" and tries to get away or she just jumps from her cage,lands,and runs out of the room(or tries to run lol)

 

[luvmytooo]

My Goffin would decide he didnt want to go in his cage and he sometimes did that "birdie run" , lolol.
That is one thing that cracks me up every time
When i saw the Bare Eye run after me in the store I was LMAO and I couldnt breathe , watching those little guys run is absolutely hysterical. Then one of the macaws starts laughing with me , it was a comedy act I can stay in a store and play with birds all day ,but unfortunately my husband doesnt feel the same

 

[suncon97]

Lol Pearl can run faster when she goes sideways!When we laugh(which is about every 10 minutes here about something)we hear Pearl no matter what part of the house we're in,doing a crackly voiced chuckle like her voice is changing as if maturing lol.

 

[triordan]

I wouldn't allow him on your shoulder~ and i agree, let him play on the cage during the day, not just for bed time...i have found that my GW macaw will go in when the lights are turned off

 

[Mare Miller]

At first, when I tried to cage Amigo, it used to be pretty much up to him whether or not he was going to go in. After a few years, we've come to an understanding, I call it telepathy. He has no choice and knows it! I'll block his evasive moves with my other hand, doesn't take force, just a hand blocking his moves.