parrot doesn’t want to go back into his cage at night?
August 27th, 2009 | by Adrian |
the problem is he won’t step up when it’s time to go back into his cage at night to sleep. he knows exactly how to do it but he knows we are going to put him in his cage and prefers to sleep in our living room. we do not want that because he usually wakes up early (5.30 am or so) and we are not awake until an hour later and don’t want him unsupervised as he is very curious and adventurous and we are worried that he might get hurt.
he loves his cage when he is inside (plays with his toys, swings, eats) so it’s not that he’s scared of his cage or anything. he just prefers to stay in the living room where all of us are.
sometimes when he’s hungry it helps to offer him a piece of apple and then he’ll step up but at night he’s usually not hungry.
the thing is that he aleady knows that i desperately want him to go sleep at night so he plays with me a bit- he will lift his foot (to show he’s ready to step up) and when i come to pick him up he puts the foot down again and bows his head waiting for me to scratch it. so he is just doing it to get my attention but still won’t step up.
i just don’t know what to do about it. when i take him out of his cage he always steps up.
he knows exactly that he can go out again the next day….at the moment i wake up early every morning to supervise him as I’m scared he might get hurt. then he will go back to his cage because he is hungry and then go out again an hour later or so. but i’d prefer him spend the night in his cage and have breakfast in his cage and THEN go out…at the moment i have holidays (starting university in october) so i spend lots of time with him.
any ideas ?
I don’t want to towel him. my dad once had to grab my other grey parrot to put him in the cage and the parrot disliked him ever since. he just never forgot about it. i don ‘t want my parrot to hate me isn’t there any other way ?
when i go to university there are still other family members to play with him and i will spend time with him every day as well.
By: Lily R
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8 Responses to “parrot doesn’t want to go back into his cage at night?”
By vincentv247 on Aug 28, 2009 | Reply
I’d give him something in his cage that you are currently giving him outside of it, something he really enjoys. Or, get him to do something in his cage close to when it’s bed time, something that he usually does earlier in the day. Good luck!
By Julie on Aug 30, 2009 | Reply
No idea, but your parrot’s like teasing you haha that’s so cute
By karen h on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
You are either have to grab him to put him in his cage or you can put treats in his cage such as fruit that he likes and he will go back in.
By jarmstrong382000 on Sep 4, 2009 | Reply
Well, I enjoyed your interesting story. He sounds like my kids. I don’t know a lot about parrots, but sometimes you have to trick kids. Can you delay his supper, so he IS hungry when you want him to go in the cage at bedtime? Sure sounds like a smart parrot.
By dolphinsilversea01 on Sep 5, 2009 | Reply
Work with him a bit. Start the process of putting him in his cage for bed time a few minutes earlier and make it a game. Play with him a bit like he likes. Parrots like routine, but they also like to play games. He is like a kid and wants to get in that last play time before bed time.
By janettehanley432 on Sep 7, 2009 | Reply
Do not EVER let him win this game. He must be put up at night. Just get him to step up, and say night, night or something like that every night. If he will not step up you may have to towel him, but letting him win the game will give you nothing but problems later. He is just like a 2 year old child, testing you for what will and will not be tolerated. He will have to spend more in cage time later when you go to school so he will have to get used to it. You must make time for him EVERY day even while you are in school. Behavior problems, such as feather plucking can develop if you suddenly spend less time with him. So start weaning him now, unless there will be another favored human at home while you are at school. You should probably read “The Well Behaved Parrot” by Mattie Sue Athan. Very good book. She has authored MANY avian related books.
Also “Good Bird” by Barbara Heidenreich,
I have had the pleasure of meeting both of them at the 2007 AFA Convention
Congrats on the new addition to your family.
By Jax on Sep 9, 2009 | Reply
I use sunflower seeds to lure my parrot into her cage at night because otherwise she never wants to sleep and always wants to be with me.
By Ringo's on Sep 9, 2009 | Reply
Maybe you can try a earlier time for going to his cage, because they have routines they do all birds from wake up to times they eat and nap and prepare for the night.
My military macaw you cant do anything with him after a certain time because he becomes unpredictable and will not listen but any time before that he is great is when he is preparing for the night first he gets noisy then he eats then, noisy again, and goofy hangs upside down flaps wing a lot even will sometimes scream and he has a tree stand with a swing that hangs from the ceiling over top and when l say you ready to go night night he will flap his wings his eye will pulsate and l unplug his light he goes to his swing and go to sleep usually at 7:00
so maybe it has to do with the fact it may be to late and he is in his ornery state so try maybe 30 min earlier to she if that may help.