Wing time and hand training

[karibird]

I am thinking my girls need some out of the cage time. but they are still not completely hand trained and we had a horrible experience when I first tried to let them out. I think I did everything wrong now I am not sure how to proceed.

Jazz is my first one and will come to my hand most of the time but if I move she flies off.
Ice still bites (my rescue baby) i think there must have been really hand fear wherever she came from. We are slowly trusting each other.
Anyway, when we brought them together into the new cage, I had them in a closed room.
I had to handle them to get them out of thier individual cages. That was traumatic. Well, jazz was out and she has had some cage free time in the past but was still very fearful of open space.

Ice got away from me (did I mention she bites..), and took flight, She panicked and flew into a window, then Jazz panicked and also flew in to a window by the time I was able to get them both, Ice had given herself a bloody cere and Jazz was very stunned. I thought she cracked her beak... It was very traumatizing for all of us...(everyone is fine, just a bit shaken up)

That was in August. No one has been out since. I am scarred Ice will fly into windows or I won't be able to get them back in without undoing all the hand training we have been working on.

Any suggestions?
Should I wait till they are totally hand trained before letting them out? Shouldn't they get flight time? They do have space to flap and hover in their cage but no really wing time. How can I make wing time a happy experience?

[SpickyDavies]

he he, leave their cage doors open, with a stalk on millet outside
this gives them time to come out on their own and not take immediate flight
it's completely normal for a bird to smash and crash into windows and doors and what else they can...if it was my first time out off the cage, at such high speed
my reaction would be just the same!!!!!! panic panic panic, where do i land? HELP...splat.


they learn quick though
when they do hit walls, don't panic stay calm don't even look and let them recover and take off again

covering windows and mirrors will help at the start, move onto post it notes
soon they will work it out

give them time


personally my birds are not tame and are out all day and have no promblems with getting them in at night, if anything the energy they burn flying only makes handling easier

[lotus15]

My budgie was the same way when I first got him. Make sure all windows are covered (curtains/blinds or whatever else you've got)... Charles always went straight for windows and I was terrified that he'd break his breastbone for the longest time!! If they're chewers, make sure there's nothing unsafe-- cords, toxic plants, etc. Also, nothing that will fall over if they land on it.

Like Spicky said, I'd try to let them come out on their own. Charles's favorite perches are those bendy rope ones, so I attached some leading out the door of his cage, and put some millet outside, and sure enough he started coming out on his own. This of course took a month so be patient with them :) If you have a playgym, this will also help them feel more comfortable outside their cage as they know they have their own little safe space.

[Charlotte126]

he he, leave their cage doors open, with a stalk on millet outside
this gives them time to come out on their own and not take immediate flight
it's completely normal for a bird to smash and crash into windows and doors and what else they can...if it was my first time out off the cage, at such high speed
my reaction would be just the same!!!!!! panic panic panic, where do i land? HELP...splat.


they learn quick though
when they do hit walls, don't panic stay calm don't even look and let them recover and take off again

covering windows and mirrors will help at the start, move onto post it notes
soon they will work it out

give them time


personally my birds are not tame and are out all day and have no promblems with getting them in at night, if anything the energy they burn flying only makes handling easier

Very well put Spickey, that's my experience too. They learn quickly and they are good little navigators!

[karibird]

How do you keep a handle on all the bird poop, and escape options while they are out?

[lotus15]

How do you keep a handle on all the bird poop, and escape options while they are out?

Haha, well, there are a few places that Charles spends most of his time (climbing net, play gym, me), so I've got newspaper in strategic places and as for me, well, I deal with it :rolleyes: I do find droppings in random places every once in a while but I usually keep a close on on where he is and can tell immediately. He also always slightly lifts his wings and stands a little funny before he poops so I know when he's going to do it.

As for escape options, be very very careful-- make sure all windows and doors are closed, or properly screened. I've never had an issue with Charles even trying to escape thankfully but if you have an inquisitive bird, you might want to put up a sign on the other side of the door saying please knock first so that you can put him back in the cage before opening it.

[Ki-Ki87]

he he, leave their cage doors open, with a stalk on millet outside
this gives them time to come out on their own and not take immediate flight
it's completely normal for a bird to smash and crash into windows and doors and what else they can...if it was my first time out off the cage, at such high speed
my reaction would be just the same!!!!!! panic panic panic, where do i land? HELP...splat.


they learn quick though
when they do hit walls, don't panic stay calm don't even look and let them recover and take off again

covering windows and mirrors will help at the start, move onto post it notes
soon they will work it out

give them time


personally my birds are not tame and are out all day and have no promblems with getting them in at night, if anything the energy they burn flying only makes handling easier

Wow, couldn't have said it better than this! :)