I know.... patience....

[aportinen]

I have rescued a Eclectus and she has been with us for 2 months. I bought her a new cage and have some questions for all you. First off she will not step up from her cage to save her soul. I work a little every day with her and she has now started to try and bite and climb the top of her cage from one end to the other, when I ask her to step up. Do I continue or is she learning that if she climbs away, she can avoid stepping up?

I also can not get her to accept her large cage. She is happy in her smaller cage so I have decided to leave her there for now. When I get her into the new cage, she just shakes and will fall to the floor of the cage and try to get out. I don't want her to get hurt so I have put her back into her smaller cage where she is comfortable.

I know patience is the key but am I rushing things too much? I really want her to be happy and content with us. When ever one of us leaves the room she will scream and we talk to her. We have tried to say good bye every time we leave the room and hello every time we enter. She is in our dining room so she has access to see what is going on. We have one large open living space of living room, dining room and kitchen. Think maybe I should but her in a room by her self for awhile. I am at a total loss and feel like I am doing her more harm than good.

[jimpierce7]

I'm just guessing here but it sounds to me like she may see the smaller cage more like a true nest and the big cage may just be too wide open. You may have better luck teaching her to step up out and away from her cage.

[4HAND]

Is the top of the cage flat?If so you could offer food in a dish up there so she comes out on her own.Then ask her to step up to a perch and carry her away from the cage to transfer her to your hand.Some birds are phobic about leaving their cage.They need to venture out on their own and not be forced out.It sometimes helps to attach many perches,toys and cups to the outside of the cage and leave the door open.The slower you go,the faster you'll get there.
Tena

[birdlady49]

Some birds are just more comfortable in smaller cages. Don't force it, especially since you probably don't know much of her history.

The last thing you want to do is "give up" when she runs to the other side of the top of her cage. You can't let her know she's winning. You must persist and get her to step up. If you need to stand on a ladder while doing this, do it. I have the same problem with one of my Greys but, at this point, a strict STEP UP is all it takes.

I wouldn't recommend putting her in a room by herself. She needs the socialization that only being in a busier room of the house can provide.

[Nazir's]

I understand your wanting her to be happy, comfortable, and content. After all, you're excited for the bond to finally take place already. Eventually, she and it will be BUT on her own time. This is a two way street and you're already a step ahead. The best thing that I could suggest at this time is that you continue to be patient and give her some time. I would certainly put her in a less active area for now, just until she builds her trust and confidents with you and your family. Before long, she'll be begging to explore more and more. At that time and point it would be a great time to move forward.
Just as Jim has suggested, it may be a little less confrontational if you were to teach her to step up outside of her comfort zone but keep it short, fun, and simple. I am assuming that she may already know how to step up but have decided that it me just be safer for her to get away. Now is a time for quiet, taking things slow, being patient, and establishing trust. All the other things will come with time.

When I first brought home my Eclectus, he was a little overwhelmed with my household activities and his new surroundings. Therefore, he resided in a smaller travel cage for the first three days, inside of my closet. He was let out a few times a day for short periods at a time while it was less active and quieter. Around day three, he was calling for my attention more frequently. It was then when I decided to introduced him to his play stand during quiet times. Now, I can’t get him to sit still in one spot. He just loves to fly throughout the house, land on my head, and hang upside down on my hands. I figure that’s him showing his appreciation for me respecting his boundaries and wishes, first hand.

Good Luck.

[aportinen]

She will step up once she is away from her cage just fine. She does not like the interaction with us too much yet. When she has had enough of us, she will fly off and waddle back to her safe cage. Once she is away from her safe spot she is good, here is a picture of her and my 3 year old grand daughter.

[Nazir's]

They both are adorable. I am sure that with some more time all things will work out just fine. Thanks for sharing the picture.

[swanwillow]

Stepping up was hard for my ekkie too-we must have brought our home at the same time, LOL. My girl is 4 years old, but cage aggressive instead of fearful. In other words, every time I wanted her off the cage I got biten. HARD. I worked with her for 2 months before coming home, and ever since then.

What helped me;pomegranate. Invest in 2 (one for the grandkids, one for the bird!) I can take step-by-step pictures if need be, but its fairly simple.
1) give her a pomegranate. Give her a few. And do this at a time of day thats shes hungry-early morning, or before dinner
2) hold the pom out of her reach, so she has to reach for it.
3) hold the pom out of reach, farther this time, so she has to step on your hand to get it. As she steps, say 'step' or 'step up' or whatever you use.
4) as soon as she steps, give her the pom, tell her good girl, and place her RIGHT back to where she was to eat it. This is so that she learns its not BAD to step, and that shes really getting what she wants.
5)repeat until shes tired of it. Quana can do this exersize for about 15 poms before I get an 'I'm tired of this crud' bite.

[Zoe's Mom]

I rescued my Eclectus almost 9 months ago from a very bad situation. Only in the last few weeks have I been able to build up enough trust to touch him when he is in, on or around his cage. I spent months just standing at the cage either with my hands folded behind my back or in my pockets. If he saw the hands....he was gone in a flash! After quite a bit of time he realized I am not there to harm him. He still would rather I didn't touch him but then there are times he welcomes it.

I spent a lot of time playing games that involved my hands. I would put an almond in my hands and cup them together and let him peek inside. Then I would let him pry my hands apart to get the nut. I would do the same thing with balls and bells too. I found that he LOVES popsicle sticks so I would hand him one and keep hold on half of it for a while and eventually he learned that "hands" aren't necessarily a bad thing.

Not knowing the situation that your bird comes from could be a good or bad thing. Good in the way that I don't really want to know "how" someone abused the poor animal but bad in the way that you aren't sure really what is causing their fear. I know that Zazu fears hands because he was hit by them. Therefore I know better then to shove them too quickly inside his cage or to reach over his head. I avoid a situation before it happens. I always hope and pray that the day will come that he doesn't fear me touching him but I keep an open mind that it may never come. Sometimes I think that if I didn't have hands everything would be fine .

Sometimes my husband will complain about the fact that you just cant scoop him up like you can our other birds but I always respond...give him time. There are days that I feel the day will never come but I am too stubborn of a person to give up. I made a promise when I brought him home that he would have a better life. If that means not being handled from his cage then so be it. I also told myself way back when we got him that I would judge our progress in one year. Judging from the calender....I still have time .

Don't give up. One day it will just happen...on her terms of course .