Uncaged?

[PortaPerch]

Note: we have the flight feathers clipped monthly.

As soon as Greybeard climbs down out of his open night cage in the morning, I take him to the toilet for his Morning Do. From there he rides, walks, or flies to the open day cage/playstation in the room we call Middle Mess, where he spends most of the day alongside Chewbaca. He often climbs or flies down from the day station and to the bedroom, and then climbs up onto the bed to be with my wife, his "mate."

When he says, "Wanna' go nite nite," and flaps his wings, we escort him to the night cage in the spare/guest bathroom. In other words, he is never locked in a cage. He and our two old cats ignore each other.

Does your CAG have behaviors that require him or her to be caged?

 

[Mozzie]

My cag "Peppers" is never shut in her cage. She sleeps on top of her cage. She hangs out on her play stand in the day. She has issues with her cage door being shut, so we never shut it. She never gets into trouble at night so it works for her. Plus our bird room is totally bird proof any way. In her last home she was caged all of the time for a year (so sad) so that is why she has issues with the door being closed.

 

[lene1949]

Note: we have the flight feathers clipped monthly.
....................

Parrots only need their flight feathers clipped after they grow out, which is after molting... Some birds grow out their feathers faster than others, such as the cockatiel...

If someone are charging you to clip those feathers on a monthly basis, they're ripping you off...

 

[wenz2712]

Codie spends quite a bit of time in her Cage! She goes in there herself to play! and obviously, when I am not here then she has to go in her Cage! I think a Cage makes them feel secure and they also see it as their own territory.

A Bird would does not need clipping once a Month!

 

[mrob]

My eccie is only in his cage when I am not there - out at uni or work. Otherwise, he has pretty much free range. He sleeps with me on the other pillow. When my husband is home he sleeps in his cage without protest.

I live in a small apartment and he just cruises around playing with anything he can find. Because it is just a one bedroom and open plan he is supervised the whole time. Right now he has his head rammed into a corner in the kitchen yelling 'NAUGHTY BOY... AHAHAHAHAHA......I LOVE YOU" at nothing in particular. I have no idea why he does this, but in behind the toilet is another favourite spot to go and yell random things. Must be the acoustics? I havnt clipped him for a very long time but I am going to have to soon I think, my place is too small and up too high to take the risk.

Each to their own ..... I value having his cage, it is massive and he like it, sees it as security and goes there willingly, but also loves being out. Every bird if different.

 

[oled]

Over time life can change and so can perrots. Do to that I belive that it can be good that they are used to a cage

 

[mrob]

Now that is a very good point Oled.

 

[Spiritbird]

My bird is in her cage when I step out of the apartment or go to work. Otherwise she is supervised with out lf cage time. There could be a sudden loud noise like fire alarms in this building which scare alll of us. If Rosie is not caged it is very difficult to get to her to put her in the travel cage to take outside. It hapened 3 days ago.

 

[PortaPerch]

Forever grooming is included in the purchase price from Fran's Exotic Birds. We take them in about monthly for the full treatment: feathers, beaks and nails. Our two each have two or three flight feathers shooting out right now, and it doesn't take many to allow flight. An outing to Fran's includes seeing all the neat parrots for sale, and buying food and toys, so we never walk out with just a free grooming. In fact, that's how the wife fell in love with Chewbaca.

 

[artemis]

Lots of out-of-cage time is good, but unless the bird has a specific issue (like Mozzie's grey does) I think it's a good idea for it to learn that just because you're home doesn't automatically mean it's going to be out of it's cage. After all, you may someday NEED to keep the bird caged for a bit. (Maybe you're having guests over who are afraid of birds, or having the house remodeled, or are going to be working with dangerous substances, or doing something that will keep you too distracted to safely supervise an unchanged bird.) Birds which never learn how to amuse themselves while caged can be tough to deal with if circumstances change and you suddenly start having to keep them confined.

 

[Spiritbird]

Rosie does get put in her cage if I have any people coming inside unless she knows them. She likes being inside her cage and truly feels it is her home. Yes, she thinks of it as a possession and defends her cage from anyones hands including mine.

 

[Safira]

I have wood molding all along my windows and the floors/ceiling.. varnished with what I am sure is not-safe varnishing stuff... and Gracie, one of my CAG's, always tries to bite at it when she's on her cage.. I can only imagine what she'd do if she could roam the house unsupervised.. it'd be mass chaos!

 

[RescueMe]

Our situation is such that our bird doesn't have a dedicated bird room. Our dogs have their room and when we are gone, they spend their time in it. This is primarily done for their safety as they are capable of doing harm and eating things that may earn them a trip to the vet an potentially surgery. I wish that we had a similar situation for Sparky. We are also working on a safe outdoor space for her as well. I think for most birds a cage free life is great, with the assumption that they are able to be confined when necessary, however most homes are not able to provide this within their home. I very much am looking forward to when I can build an aviary for Sparky to enjoy and gain lots of opportunities to live as much like her wild relatives as possible. She will always have to space within our home, and we love to be with her, I just want her to experience lots of room, flight if possible, and foraging activities on a grand scale.

 

[4theBirds]

It's great that your cats ignore your parrots. I recently learned a hard lesson. We have dachshunds, two of whom loved our 19 yo CAG. Paddy (CAG) would feed the two through his cage, and they would lick his beak. One afternoon, Paddy got out through his feeding door when we were feeding him. In a split second his two friends were on him. Unfortunately, Paddy is no longer with us. One can only blame the caretaker, not the pets. As Caesar Milan would say 'Animals, Dogs (Birds), Breed, Pet.'

 

[PortaPerch]

So sorry about Paddy.

The cats learned a long time ago that our birds are not prey, but to be ignored or respected. Dunno how they learned it.

 

[Mare Miller]

Hahahaha! I don't have a CAG with behaviors requiring a cage. I do have a U2 that does! His behavior is quite atrocious! Seriously, it is. This hit a funny bone, with me, my U2 would wither away in a cage, (at this point).

 

[KatherineI]

It's great that your cats ignore your parrots. I recently learned a hard lesson. We have dachshunds, two of whom loved our 19 yo CAG. Paddy (CAG) would feed the two through his cage, and they would lick his beak. One afternoon, Paddy got out through his feeding door when we were feeding him. In a split second his two friends were on him. Unfortunately, Paddy is no longer with us. One can only blame the caretaker, not the pets. As Caesar Milan would say 'Animals, Dogs (Birds), Breed, Pet.'

I am extremely sorry for your loss of Paddy

I too currently do not have the ability to have a designated bird room. My birds are in cages whenever I am unable to supervise them or leave the house. I cannot 100% "bird proof" my home, but I also don't plan to either, as I never fully "childproofed" my home either. I believe supervision is the key. Most days they are out from morning until evening, unless something happens or I have to go somewhere. Sugar doesn't even sleep in a cage, but she's able to be placed in one and has one that she sleeps on top of. I feel strongly that every bird should have a cage, just like I believe every dog should be crate trained.

 

[4theBirds]

There's no question about dogs being crate trained.

 

[4theBirds]

Hahahaha! I don't have a CAG with behaviors requiring a cage. I do have a U2 that does! His behavior is quite atrocious! Seriously, it is. This hit a funny bone, with me, my U2 would wither away in a cage, (at this point).

I don't see the humor.