Hey everyone,
I'm so going to need to clean Byndi's entire cage this weekend. How do I get him to come out and stay out so I can clean it without totally freaking him out and ruining how far we've come?? Last night I started to just put my hand and forearm all the way inside the cage. I didn't go after him, just put it in there and didn't move it. He was all over the place. Climbing the sides and top. Not screaming or anything. But wouldn't sit still and then settled a little and eyeballed my hand and arm. I did this three times last night. He freaked each time. But I just don't want to force him out of the cage and force myself on him. But his cage is going to need cleaned thoroughly this weekend. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
Do you think you would be able to take the top off the cage with Byndi inside of it and just clean the bottom? I know it sounds odd but I've done it before with the phobic budgie I have. She bites worst than our IRNs combined. And she felt more secure since she was still in her cage. Just a thought.
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
Hey, what I did with my cockatiel was closed all the doors and windows and put his cage on the ground. Then I opened his cage door and got a spray bottle and sprayed him. He gets annoyed and jumps out of his cage and onto the floor; you can use other ways to get him out like sticking a pencil into the back of the cage and scare him out. You could either leave him on the floor with someone supervising him or put a play gym near him and coax him onto it using a towel and holding it up and gently forcing him onto the play gym(if your bird is use to a play gym then he should go to it himself) then wash the cage. If you have trouble getting your bird into the cage again use the towel trick and gently per sway him into his cage by letting the towel brush against his back. When I said "scaring him out" I am sorry if this offends you but some times this is the only way to get him out. It took me a few weeks before I tried this trick because his cage had never been cleaned so it was becoming VERY dirty and could have made him sick. I hope this helps.
Thanks a bunch you two! I'll give it a try and let you know what happens. He so does not want me inside his cage and after last Sunday he really hasn't come out at all. Dang stubborn bird!
Dang stubborn bird! 