Flying Question

[MLaCross]

I was wondering how long it takes the flight feathers to grow in after they are clipped. It looks to me like Pedro's are in now, but he is still not really flying. Only when the cat and dog knock something over or when the doorbell rings. He tries to fly sometimes, when he is on his stand and wants to come to us, but he hasn't had much success. He did manage to do it once. He isn't a great flier either, I assume he has been clipped since he was very young as I got him from PetSmart. Is there something I need to do to help him learn, or will he just get the hang of it himself? I know JAG you kinda fling them off your finger (sorry fling sounds bad I can't think of a better word haha) I am just nervous to do that with Pedro. What if he drops like a rock and hurts himself!!!??

[NotEnoughTime]

If Pedro has not fledged then he may never learn to fly well and will likely have trouble navigating corners for the rest of his life.

I would encourage him to fly by setting him on a perch and then holding a finger and a sunflower seed (or what ever is a treat) few inches away and then get the bird to hop from the perch to your finger... Then progressively move further and further away.

To me it is a good idea to get him to learn to flap wings and gain lift because he can learn to break a fall - but... He will not understand about windows and mirrors while in flight... So those will remain a danger.

To grow in *all* flight feathers may take a year or more - but my girl gets lots of lift on only three of the primary flights that have grown back after her summer clip... But she's a pretty strong flyer.

[Jag]

I didn't start 'chucking' them until they were flying very very well.... I was just putting them on my finger (where they had a death grip) and bringing my hand down and forward fast enough to make them flap. They got treats and lots of excited praise. They started to take off of my finger on their own after a week or so of this. (Rico took a little longer cuz he's chicken) After fluttering to the ground off my finger, they would go a couple feet.. then longer. However, it was probably several weeks before they realized that I didn't have to move my hand for them to 'take off'... they can actually fly from any non-moving surface! LOL!! My guys were really goofy about all of this! I didn't have the heart to just 'toss' them for the same reason... I was too afraid they'd get hurt! However.. now with Rico's obsession with my laptop and the damage he's already started with it, I just "peel and chuck" over and over!

[MLaCross]

Oh i know all about the keyboard obsession...Pedro is trying to chew my keys off now! He yells at me when i stop him....brat.
Did your guys used to fly when startled before you taught them? He will fly when he is startled. Otherwise he sits on his stand and flaps his wings but never takes off.
Did I mention my bird is a dork?

[Jag]

Rico yells at me, too. He's also a brat. I think Rico's a dork... or 'touched'... lol! Yes, Rayne did take two 'startle' flights... both ended badly. When she 'wanted' to fly, she would just bounce, unsure of how to let go and fly. However, when startled, she'd just go.. and fly head first into a window or wall. That's when I decided I had to figure out how to teach her to fly... Rico never did.. he'd just duck down. He still does when Rayne flies over him... chicken.

[MLaCross]

Hahaha he ducks down. That's a pretty funny mental image. Pedro i actually pretty good at landing. Of course he lands up high where I can't reach him....but luckily my boyfriend is tall and it is better then hitting a window! He actually just flew into his cage because the cat scared him. Maybe I will let things be...I should consider myself lucky he can't figure out how to just take off from his stand and fly to me whenever he wants!!

[brdfvr]

I'm having to train Skyy to fly now. She has all her flights in, but not the breast strength to make it more than a few feet. Perhaps rocky just isn't much of a flier. I know it's cool to see a bird in flight when they are going all the time, but some birds just don't have that instinct to just fly for fun. I don't think any of my birds will Cougar only flew when she wanted to get to me. LOL!

[Jag]

You want a really funny mental image? I get static when I'm in my recliner. As soon as I get up to go anywhere.. the birds fly to me. So I have to jump up and grab the metal bar on their playstand to shock myself before anyone lands on me. (I learned this the hard way after Rayne got shocked then bit the snot out of me for it!) Then, if I'm leaving the room... I have to pretty much run out of the room to 'beat them' out of the lit room into the 'darker' hallway where they won't fly... if I don't, I have to come back and peel them off and try again. Yeah.. it was a little simpler when they weren't flighted! However, no one but us knows just how crazy it looks... LOL!

[MLaCross]

Haha I remember reading about how Rayne hated the shock! I'm glad you figured out a way to discharge it.
So Pedro's ears must have been ringing. He has been flying to his cage all night. Then when he wants to come back, he has been flying back!! He gets mad about me not picking him up for awhile, then he will eventually give up and fly. So much for MY freedom!

[Jag]

Aahhh.. so the little tyrant did know how to fly! I tried everything to coax Rayne to fly to me. She's just bounce. Didn't even flap her wings. Rico either. Rayne was doing laps before he'd fly two feet. I'm glad that he's figured it out on his own. It was a little nerve wracking trying to get my two airborne!