Nike came to me when I called her

[bill_e]

Nike has been very clingy since being flighted, we han hardly walk anywhere without her flying to one of our shoulders. She's also been flying to me if I hold up a treat.

Anyway, today my wife and I were sitting on opposite ends of the couch and Nike was on my wife bothering her by picking at her earrings etc and my wife complained that she had had enough. I took that cue and started calling Nike over to me and to my surprise she immediately reacted to my call and jumped up onto the back of the couch and ran over to me.

It definately was a deliberate act on her part to come to me when she heard me call her so I'm quite happy with this.

Her continued positive behavioral progression since she's been flighted (since the fall) makes me dread the day I have to make the decision whether to clip her for the summer or not for her safety.

 

[Scott]

Never underestimate the intelligence of a parrot! Of course such cooperation is subject to Nike's mood and whims!

 

[Anansi]

That's great, Bill! The first time something like this happens is a milestone! I'm happy for you and Nike!

 

[chris-md]

So glad to hear this, bill!

I hope you don’t, it sounds like Nike is quite happy with her new coat. What’s happening during summer only where she is at risk?

 

[bill_e]

Come May we will be taking Nike with us camping, around a half dozen times. Unlike our house where we can purposely go in and out a door far away from where Nike is, the camper is small and with only one door which one has to have it open for a long period of time to enter and exit. This is because a camper does not have a top step landing so opening or closing the door when you're on the steps takes a while. Obviously the concern is that she would escape.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Bill, I'm swallowing my envy and saying...

"Congratulations!"

 

[Anansi]

Come May we will be taking Nike with us camping, around a half dozen times. Unlike our house where we can purposely go in and out a door far away from where Nike is, the camper is small and with only one door which one has to have it open for a long period of time to enter and exit. This is because a camper does not have a top step landing so opening or closing the door when you're on the steps takes a while. Obviously the concern is that she would escape.

How about one of those mesh drape things with magnetic strips that people use for their doors to keep insects and such out when they have children who fly in and out of the house frequently? They're weighted so that they close immediately after you push through them, thus giving you time to close the door beyond them. Of course, make sure to get the heavy duty ones.

Otherwise, you'll have to just take a smaller cage along.

 

[bill_e]

I actually had the magnetic screen discussion with Sailboat in another thread. A variation of that is a possibility and would require me to make a rod such that the door could be opened and closed and person standing inside the camper before you walk through the screen. Determining if that design is possible will have to wait until the camper comes out of winter storage.

As for a cage, she has an Avian Hotel cage that we take along but she still spends time outside the cage.

If I cant figure something out could I do without it and not clip her? Sure, but with the way she wants to fly to our shoulders it's not worth the risk.