New Baby Attempting to Fly While in his Cage

[Jenlynn]

I just brought my Congo African Grey Niles home last week. The first six days went by without any problems. Then yesterday as I was about to leave for work I noticed he was climbing up the front of his cage and flying toward the back. I leave around 2:30pm so this was just out of nowhere in the middle of the day.

His cage is 36-Inch long and 24-inch wide and he really only gets 2 flaps of his wings or so before he reaches the other side. But the perch that came with the cage slides back and I'm worried it might fall or he will get hurt.

He isn't fearful of me. It seems like he wants to come out. Yesterday I did pick him up to comfort him, but then I was almost late for work because I could barely get him to step up to his perch and go back to his cage. This morning at around 7am I woke up to hear the same sound. It sounds awful like he's banging into things. His toys are flying and I'm just so worried he will get hurt.

I do not want to positively reinforce this behavior but I also don't want to leave him upset. This morning I walked out of the room and when he was quiet I came back in, gave him some fresh food, and went back to bed.

He was shipped to me from a breeder. He's between 4 and 5 months old. He was 502 grams when the breeder shipped him out on last friday am (11/11/11). The next day (last saturday) at his lowest he weighed 458. Since then though he's been eating very well and last I had him on the gram scale on Thursday he was up to 485. He gets roudybush pellets, a small portion of higgins mayan harvest seed/veggie/fruit mix, as well as a portion of people food. Last week I made up some brown rice and veggies and some apple slices which I gave him during our morning bonding time. He was clipped the day he was sent out to me and did test his wings the first day I had him out after I got him. Now he never attempts to fly while he's out. He went to the vet last Monday for his new bird exam and got a clean bill of health.

He will let me cuddle him and seems to love to be held close. He will stretch out his neck and absolutely loves head and ear scratches, so I know he's not fearful of me. He will let his beak rest on my leg for hours with his neck stretched out waiting for scratches.

Does anyone have any ideas of what could be causing this? Am I overeacting? Maybe he's just a baby with a lot of energy?

 

[oled]

I am not sure that I understand the question, flaps the wing is normal, banging in the cage, he will lear the limits in the cage, he is clumsy because he is only 5 month.

It is goog that you every week is following the wight. It is usual that they loose wight untill they are adjuste to the new home and he seem now the eat good.

Of cause he need to come out but it must be that you can get him in again without chasing him so that you can build trust.

Good luck!

 

[brianlinkles]

Congrats on your new baby! I too have a 16 week old cag. What you are describing sounds normal. Babies will flap their wings alot. Dorothy (my cag) will hold on to the bars and flap & flap! I am worried she is going to hurt a wing. It sounds like maybe he lets go while flapping, loses his grip or is just being clumsy. I wouldn't worry about this behavior. I wouldn't try and thrwart it either, it is totally natural and needed. They usually drop weight when fledging and the fact that you are tracking it is excellent. I would practice "step ups" this is such a fundamental important behavior that is so neccesary for socializing as well as retrieving him from places that you do not want him to be. I would then practice putting him back into the cage. Perhaps you can place a little treat in the cage when you put him in so that he identifies going back in with something good. It is great that he lets you cuddle with him! I have been cuddling with Dorothy since getting her. My breeder also suggested touching her all over during our cuddle sessions, under the wings, feet etc. This will make it much easier during wing clips, vetting etc. It sounds like you are doing great, I love his name by the way!

 

[Jenlynn]

Thanks for the reply...I know wing flapping is normal. It just sounds like he could hurt his wings like you had said. He definitely was aiming for the other side though. I also added more perches. I think when I got his cage and ordered the perches. I wasn't expecting it to be so big. Now he has a much more logical perch to perch navigation through the cage. I just think he was trying to fly to get to the other side. From what I understand of his breeder, he was in a large flight cage outdoors before coming to me. His step ups are great outside the cage...going back in...not so much. I think I will try the idea with giving him a nut when he goes back in so he feels like its less of a bad thing to be separated from me. Thanks for all of the replies. I have wanted one of these birds since I was in Jr High school and now that I have one almost 15 years later I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right and giving him the best start possible!