Need Help With Savannah's next steps...

[Blancaej]

So things have been going very well with Savannah. I've taken her to the store once a week for two weeks now and to school on Tuesday of this week. So she has left the house about once a week for the last 3 weeks. I've also managed to get her in her harness 3 times now and she's been outside 3 times in about a weeks time. She seems to enjoy going outside!

Her new play gym that some of you may have seen, she will hop on if I put her on it and eat nuts, but she won't roam on it at all she is refusing to check it out. So the new play gym is slow going.

Savannah is cage territorial and loves her cage a little too much! I get her to step up on my arm to come out of her cage because she is very uncooperative outside of her cage so I try not to let her hang out on the outside of the cage, because I can't get her to step up from outside of the cage. So I usually bring her right to the play gym, which I don't think she really likes. Anyway, she has learned if she wants to come out to step up on my arm. Otherwise, she stays put. Well the past week she has not wanted to get on my arm, so she stays in her cage. Even with that said, usually she warms up and wants to get out within an hour of me being downstairs so she comes out none the less. Which is fine for me. But the last two days she hasn't come out at all in the morning. I did manag to get her out yesterday afternoon. (Although she snuck out while I was changing her paper this morning! LOL!)

So this is what I am thinking is going on. I think she is not wanting to come out because of the school visit on Tuesday. This poor girl was cage bound most of her life and was only brought out occasionally. So her new life is a BIG change! I know she loves being out but she wants it on her own terms. I want to be able to get her out of her cage in an emergency so I need to figure something out.

I think all the stimulation is the cause of not wanting to come out. I don't want to stop having her try new things because I know it is good for her. And if I don't keep up taking her to the store and taking her outside, she will never get the social interaction she deserves. I also think the new play gym might be contributing. Right now, it's not really her favorite place. So I took all the color off. I find she wants nothing to do with colored toys so I've been trying to offer toys that are all natural colors. That's the other thing, she doesn't really play with toys! I am really trying to get her to start! But that's a whole nother post! LOL!

So this is my game plan - I really want her to come out in the mornings. Since I work everyday she needs that morning out time, before I go to work. I know the other play gym that I had for her she would walk on and eat on her own. So I thought I would put that play gym by her cage and use the new one down the road when we move the cages out of the dinning room. The new play gym can stay in the dinning room and we can slowly get her to adjust to it. I figured in the mornings I will put her breakfast on the old play gym and once she comes off her cage I will close her door to the cage so she can't go back. She will then have to step up to go back to her cage. The other issue is she was never properly taught to step up. She may have before her adoption many years ago but they never picked her up much that way. She was stick trained but the old owner didn't hold her on her arm. I think she had a fear of her going to the shoulder. I've had no issues with that. So I am going to work on getting her to step up better. Any suggestions there would be helpful.

So after all my babbling (sorry) what do you guys think? Should I keep doing what I'm doing and have her step up on my arm in order to come out or should I change back to her old play gym and let her come out on her own and climb onto the play gym in the am. Maybe I just need to give it a couple of days before I decide anything. She may have to just get over being at school with all the kids! Although they were very well behaved!

My biggest fear is she won't want to come out anymore and I DON'T want her cage bound again. The old owner said she didn't like coming out of her cage. I want her to look forward to it! I know I've been doing a lot with her. Should I cut back?

I know I have rambled on a bit, but any advice, tips or help anyone could provide would be great! Thanks!​

 

[Wdlodge]

You might want to give her "a reason" for wanting to come out, a favorite food, toy, etc. that way it's a win/win situation. Then praise a lot.

 

[Blancaej]

Thanks WD! I will try that as well!

 

[JerseyWendy]

I don't think you need to cut back, Blanca. I think Savannah is trying to test you now that the honeymoon period is over. You really haven't had Savannah for very long either.

I would personally do the "step up training" with her first, until she knows it so well that she will automatically lift her foot when she hears the "step up" command. Reward her heavily each time she's doing a good job.

You can also try and rotate on which playstand you put her, reward while rotating.

Savannah may not know yet what exactly it is you want her to do, so the confusion may not help.

As for her not playing with toys, have you tried (much) smaller toys? She may feel a bit intimidated by big Macaw toys. Once she learns how much fun it is to turn wood chunks into toothpicks, she could do a 180. What about foot toys? Shreddable things? Easy things like toilet paper rolls? Just wrecking my brain here, lol.

 

[Blancaej]

Hi Wendy,

I was hoping you would see my post because you always give such great advice!

I was wondering if she was beginning to test the waters now that I've had her for almost 2 months! And I think the step up training is definitely in order. I've been working with her some but she looks down and just stairs at my arm as I say "step up", "step up" and she does finally do it after I say it a few hundred times (LOL exaggeration of course!). I think I just need to keep doing it and really reward her when she does step up!

I love the rotating which play stand I put her on. That way she has the comfort of the one she likes and yet can get used to the one that is so new to her. I do think that she will enjoy the new one more now that I took off the vetrap. I will try it tonight. I think the color was just too foreign to her.

I also like the smaller toy option. The natural toys I have put in, she plays with a little and I praise her when she does. I was going to start putting in a foot toy "bowl" for both birds. So I think that would be great too. I could try the toilet paper rolls, too. She is just really apprehensive with new things. But the only way to get her past this major apprehension is to get her used to change!

As always, thanks for the great ideas!

 

[Blancaej]

One more note...I do think you are right about not cutting back. I think it does her good to have these activities. But do you think I should still require her to get on my hand to get out of the cage like I've been doing? And if she doesn't get out, well she'll have to wait until I get home.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I can imagine it could be a bit hectic in the morning, when your time is limited to do the chores, etc. IF you could perhaps start 15 minutes earlier, that way, if you offer your arm/hand to Savannah to come out, and she declines your friendly offer , you can try again 5 minutes later....repeat until you run out of time. That way you know you've given her more than one opportunity to come out.

Also, when she DOES come out, offer ample praise/goodies/overexagerated 'atta girl', maybe she'll soon realize she'd rather come out the first time she's being asked to.

...just ideas...

 

[Blancaej]

Thanks Wendy! I'm usually downstairs 1 to 2 hours in the morning before work and make several attempts to get her out. I think it was 5 or more attempts this morning until she snuck out because I had to change her paper. Lol! Sneaky little girl. I think I will try really upping my praise. My feeling is I should stick to doing this so she continues to step up. Plus she is uccooperative when hanging out on the outside of her cage! Thanks again!

 

[Blancaej]

So Savannah got right on my arm when I got home which was good news. But the best part was she actually got on another perch on her new play gym! Taking off the colored vet wrap helped. Yay!

 

[JerseyWendy]

So Savannah got right on my arm when I got home which was good news. But the best part was she actually got on another perch on her new play gym! Taking off the colored vet wrap helped. Yay!

Great news, Blanca!!!

 

[Blancaej]

Thanks Wendy. She got out on the 3rd attempt this morning. I think if I don't worry about, just keep trying, she will come out most of the time!

 

[JerseyWendy]

YAY!!! Savannah is SUCH a smart (and gorgeous) cookie.

Persistance prevails.

 

[Blancaej]

It sure does! I worked with her a little on her play gym doing step up this morning. She would beak me a few times then finally give in. Stubborn girl! I did treat her every time for doing it. By the last time, she was less beaky. I do think she is testing me! LOL! But we will get through it!

 

[Blancaej]

Just wanted to give an update that Savannah is doing great. I haven't cut back my activities with her. But I make sure to give her a day break whenever we do something different. That seems to help. So every other day I allow her to hang out at home in the house just to relax.

Then the other days I take her to work or outside. She's been to work twice this week and seems to enjoy it! So I am learning to communicate with her and know the signs of when she needs a break from activity. It helps so much when you understand what your bird is trying to tell you! LOL!