I'll ask here I guess.....

[jimpierce7]

Ok, don't laugh, I'm serious here. No REALLY I am!!! How do I teach a bird to fly?



Zoey was never fledged. She has no idea how to fly. I hold her over a bed and give a little push up and she flaps like mad but falls straight back down. If I give her forward motion, she stops herself so she can........ fall straight back down.

[Monica]

Try holding onto her feet as you jog around the house? Or move yourself in a circle moving your arm fast enough to force her to fly.... I do this with Noel each day... although she can't fly, she gets at least a little bit of exercise (not much as she can't handle much).

Or, you can hold her and gently toss her onto a bed... forcing her to flap.... and if she does reward her profusely... just keep doing so each day, a few times a day, and just her flapping will get her flight muscles up. This is what I did with a budgie... the better he got, the further away I'd move from the bed... and he actually got the hand of it that if I tossed him, he was to try to fly to the bed... eventually got so good that he could fly on his own....

Of course some may suggest getting Zoey to jump to you, for a treat or otherwise... from a perch or back of the chair. Used to do this with Noel, however she tends to be too hesitant and unsure...

[jimpierce7]

I'll add the arm part to it today. I do flap her wings by having on my finger and dropping my hand fast. And of course say "flap flap flap" as I do it. Its almost like she isn't into her wings so much. lol

[tielmama]

Wow! I wonder if Zoey's wings are kind of weak from non use. I bet your flapping exercises will get her in shape. Once she gets the hang of it, you might never catch her!

[Valo's Moirana]

jim, are you reading my mind???

i was wondering the same thing considering that valo's wing feathers are grown back in, and he sometimes uses them.... all other times, he still bobbs his head at me to carry him around.... i guess he sort of figured that he can fly, but hasn't made the connection to the fact that it also allows him to move around

[kathleen]

Maybe, you need to "show" her. Tuck your hands under your armpits and pump your arms like you are flying. Ha ha, I'm just kidding. How old is she?

[jimpierce7]

Zoey is 26 months old.