Playing "catch the bird"

[ZoeS]

My 6 month old rose-crowned conure is almost fully flighted (two clipped on each wing) and is a bit independent, so it can be hard to convince him to go where I need to him to go. He's really good about going to bed at night, and going into his cage in the morning before work, but other than that he will on occasion (this happens 1-2 times a month) avoid our hands. He steps up but prefers to fly to a shoulder or fly to above the cupboard or on the ceiling fan (it doesn't work but we haven't removed it) where he is hard to reach. I don't like chasing him around when I'm late to go somewhere or when I need him out of the kitchen because the stove is on. Sometimes bribery works.

I have contemplated clipping him a bit more so he can flutter around but can't take great flight, but I feel like that's hobbling a slave so he can't get away.

Any magic tricks? Will he grow out of it a bit as he mature? Or is this just a "well, birds fly" issue that I'll have to just deal with?

 

[Mayden]

I think it's just something that you have to keep training with him. Birds arn't robots and so arn't going to listen to your every command because, hey, they just don't feel like doing what you want!

If you anticipate you're going to be leaving, make sure you try and get him in his cage early etc. Same for cooking, ensure he's out of the kitchen before it's time to cook, etc. I know it can be a pain but they are living, breathing, thinking creatures and just sometimes like to be a pain in the bum and not cooperate.

 

[ZoeS]

I think it's just something that you have to keep training with him. Birds arn't robots and so arn't going to listen to your every command because, hey, they just don't feel like doing what you want!

If you anticipate you're going to be leaving, make sure you try and get him in his cage early etc. Same for cooking, ensure he's out of the kitchen before it's time to cook, etc. I know it can be a pain but they are living, breathing, thinking creatures and just sometimes like to be a pain in the bum and not cooperate.

I figured as much but I was hoping for a magic solution . Oh well, what can ya do! He's a really great bird most of the time, and when DH is home it is a breeze because he is a bit more attached to DH than to me.

 

[lexx510]

TREATS! Nothing motivates Guava to jump back into her cage like the sight of her favorite treat. Select a treat that you know your bird fins to be irresistible. I make sure that Guava sees me putting her treat inside a food bowl, and she usually follows so that she can dig in. Make sure that these treats will ONLY be given to her inside of the cage. She has to learn that the only way to get them is to go in her cage. This also helps to build a positive association with being in her cage.

 

[cdog]

I have the same problem with Sully. He is fully flighted and does not like to go back in his cage. He is aggressive so I cant physically put him in his cage. His favorite food on the whole planet is blackberries but even those cant get him back in his cage. At night when its time to tuck him in I cant get him to go to bed so I just leave him out and let him go to bed on his own. He doesn't get into trouble so I have no problem leaving him out its just I cant go to bed until he goes back into his cage which is usually around 10:30pm. I just leave him out all day until he goes to bed at night so it isn't too much of a problem but it can get annoying sometimes if I am tired and want to go to bed.