# Out of cage time



## horribleyear20 (Oct 30, 2021)

Hi I am mentally getting ready to have my 4 budgies have out of cage time ....but want some advice 

I have 2 lrg cages ...with 2 birds in each 
Only one of the 4 is kind of hand trained! 

They have a room of their own ... a upstairs bedroom... with my sewing machine and little bar fridge (medicine inside) ....I feel it is ...safe I covered sewing machine etc. 
How should I do this ? Obviously I would close the door 
1. Should I start with opening doors on one cage at a time ....or both 
2. should I do late afternoon a couple hours before dark ..
3. Will they return to their cage when I darken the room? ...or do I have to chase them?
4. Will they return to their own cage or will they all go into one? 

I am nervous about this ...... we have a play stand that I will place above the top of one of the cages which are side by side.....thanks and sorry for all the questions


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*1. You might want to start with one cage the first day and the other cage the next.
Keep in mind that the budgies may or may not be ready to come out of the cages. They may not feel comfortable venturing out on their own just yet.

2. Late afternoon is fine.

3. Do not chase the budgies around the room. Doing so will cause them not to trust you.4.
You need to allow them to return to the cage(s) on their own.

4.* *There is no way to know for sure if they will go into their own cages or will all go into one cage if you let them all out at the same time.

I have untamed budgies that go back in their cage because I've used positive reinforcement training to teach them they will get a reward when they do so.

Initially, when I was ready for them to go back in the cage I would first dim the lights and pull down the shades in the room. If the radio or TV was on, I turned it off.
Then I would stand by their cage and ringing the bell on one of their toys while telling them, "It's time to go in your cage now!"
Once they went back into the cage, they were given a small bit of millet. 
This method worked well and they now go in the cage when asked to do so without the lights being dimmed or the blinds lowered and the TV or radio can stay on. 
Getting the millet reward is the best part of "going back home"
*


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## horribleyear20 (Oct 30, 2021)

FaeryBee said:


> *1. You might want to start with one cage the first day and the other cage the next.
> Keep in mind that the budgies may or may not be ready to come out of the cages. They may not feel comfortable venturing out on their own just yet.
> 
> 2. Late afternoon is fine.
> ...


Thank you ...


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

Don't be surprised if when they come out and begin flying they bump into walls and the ceiling. Once they get their bearings in the room it will not happen. Make sure all mirrors are covered and there is something over the windows so they do not think that they can fly through them.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*If you are particularly concerned about them hitting the walls, you can hang sheets out two or three inches from the walls to prevent the collisions.*


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