CAG baby will not come out of cage - Videos

[Xray Susie]

I got Sydney in October from a breeder. He was 4-5 month old. When I would visit him, he would scream when I walked into the room, but then would play with the breeder on the couch next to me. I was wondering when I visited him each weekend, if he didn't like me, and considered other birds - Amazon, Goffins, etc. He did get better each time.

Anyway, I brought him home, and he did fine. My dogs didn't bother him, the vacuum, the broom, nothing bothered him. However, he never has been good at stepping up on my hand when inside the cage. He may step up with one foot, then grab a cage bar with his other foot or beak, and climb up the cage wall. Or he may look at me, and attack his toys.

I don't try to get him when he's napping or eating.

I've spoken with my breeder, and she suggested video, so she could see what I was doing wrong. She was wondering about the setup of my cage, but it is just like she recommended - see pic.



Anyway, we took 4 videos throughout the day yesterday showing our atttempts to get Sydney to come out. Sometimes when he is on his boing, and I actually bring the boing out through the cage door, he's magically fine, and steps up with no problem. He likes being out on his playgym, and sits on my lap on the couch, and gives me kisses, so it's not like he doesn't like me.

When he's out of his cage he steps up just fine every time, no matter where.

Would you please take at look at all these videos - they are not long - but each one is a little different. They were all taken yesterday throughout the day. I never got him out. Let me know if you see something that I'm doing wrong. Thanks.

YouTube - Come out, Sidney #1

YouTube - Come out, Sydney #2

YouTube - Come out, Sydney #3

YouTube - Come out, Sydney #4
In this one, he does step up nicely with one foot, then climbs onto the cage walls again. Notice that after I leave, he comes right to the front of the cage, and peeps for me. I do not know how to get this bird out of the cage.

[Nazir's]

I am no expert but I would remove all large items out of Sydneys cage, only in attempt to make it easier to get her out. Once outside of the cage, I would then practice step-up, offering some goody treats as to reward the correct, sought after behaviors. Anytime that you get a chance, making being outside of the cage more fun than being in. However, the key here is to get her out. Have you tried walking away while leaving the cage door open?

[Xray Susie]

One evening we sat in the living room where his cage is, and watched TV all night while leaving his cage door open. He never ventured out.

[huntress]

Well first off your giving up way too easy. He is a baby and barley knows all about the rewards of "step - up" and now he is in your house and doesnt know what your all about. Like the other person said you need to reward his coming to you with a treat he really likes. If it is something in his food dish - take it out and leave it out and only offer it from your hand. He has to learn to step on your hand to get it and then to stay there for a bit to get it and then to stay ther for a longer bit to get it. In the meantime try opening the cage door and walking away until he comes out and then I usually close the door behind them before I ask for the step up. Put your thumb on his toes as soon as he is on your hand and move away from the cage swiftly but not enought to frighten him. Remeber he is the equivalent of an infant still and in the wild his parents would still be watching over him. You are a scary stranger he has to learn about. His cage is his saftey zone. Another thing that will help is to take and installa short perch and a favorite toy to the DOOR so you can open it when he is on it OR he can get on it after you open it and move back. That might make it easier - but stop just giving up and walking away. he really doesnt understand that at all. He is not learning what your thinking "ok, if you dont step up, you dont come out" his brain is too young for that much cognative thinking yet. he is just thinking hey this lady comes and sticks her hand in here and asks me to step, I do, she runs away. Thats all he knows because I doubt the breeder put too much emphasis on staying there at his age. He just did because there was no place else funner to go,lol.

[huntress]

The other is to put his playstand in front of his cage where he can look at it. The only way to get ther is to step on you first and quickley move to playstand. Keep lessons super short, his thought process right now is super short.

[daughterbirdlover]

I had this same problem with my Panama Amazon when she first came home at 4 months old. I used an authoritative voice instead of a coaxing voice and really pressed up into her breast during the step up. As the others said, I had regular training sessions away from her cage.

[Nazir's]

Originally Posted by Xray Susie

One evening we sat in the living room where his cage is, and watched TV all night while leaving his cage door open. He never ventured out.

While pet sitting birds, I'm starting to learn all types tricks of the trade. I've had some owner's whose birds will not come to them while inside of their cages but will gladly step-up while outside of the cage. They advise me that they just open the cage door and leave the room. The bird will then and only then eventually come out but if they remain in the same room the bird won’t come out. They sometimes leave food or treats outside of the cage to build the bird's interest and lure it out while they are not present. It amazes me that they somehow have become content with those methods. Noted within my ending progress (sitting) report, I advise them just what I have to you; frequent training sessions outside of the cage--in short periods, keep it rewarding, and fun. In no time, they'll e-mail me informing me of the progress that they've made, stating how their birds are now stepping up, even while inside of their cages.

Practice makes perfect and continuous behaviors become a habit. My birds have heard step up so much that they lift their feet, even at the sight of my fingers besides their feet. I don't even have to say step-up any more but I still do.

I noticed in your video that the man in it didn't say step up initially. You may find it helpful to always alert your bird of what you’re doing, prior to doing it. I just see it as a form of respect and respecting their space. It also allows the bird an opportunity to know what to expect and what's expected of it at that point. Anytime that your bird is stepping up, say step up and anytime that you place her down, say step-down. They are smarter than you know and quickly will get it.

I am a firm believer of earning what you keep. Therefore, I would leave the cage very basic for now. I'd provide just a few toys, perches, food, water, and treats. This allows you the space to maneuver easily around the cage, making it a little easier for you to obtain the bird and lessen your chances of her climbing away. It doesn't take long to teach step-up and once your bird seem to become a little more accustom to it, I'd then return the extra activities back into the cage. Because of the problem at hand, the fun should be outside of the cage and not in it, just for now. Good luck!

[Xray Susie]

Outside of the cage, he steps up just fine.

I'll take the toys out, and leave just one. What about the boing? It's often on there that he'll climb to the top, or hang upside down on the boing and I can't begin to get him to step up like that. I'm wondering if that is his fun, and his reason for staying inside the cage.

[Nazir's]

The boing would probably be the first thing that I'd remove. It was the main thing that I focused in on. If he's stepping up just fine outside of the cage, this ought to make your training sessions a little easier and more fun for the both of you. Get creative, have fun, remain consistant, good luck.

[PowerBBS]

I have a story to tell that isn't designed to give you hope, it's just to let you know that there is no guarantees and there is no set timeframe into teaching your fid:

When we first got Skoobie Doo, he would not step out of his cage at all. He was very frieghtened of his new surroundings and I'm sure he felt quite displaced.

We did as someone above has already suggested. We opened his cage and let him come out on his own. It took almost a full week for him to venture out on his own. It took almost two months before we could go up to him, before he would stop running back into his cage/sanctuary (afraid of us).

We softened him up with treats and such so that he would get used to us and realize that we were not going to harm him. Our grey is very timid still (almost a year later) and we work daily with him. Right now only my wife can pet him, but at least I can give him kisses and get him to step up (sometimes) and put him into or take him out of his cage. He likes the Mrs the most.

He's very scared and timid of change. We can easily stress him out by changing around his cage or by cluttering up on him. He lives in a very large cage now (his first cage was a poultry 20x20x30 which by no means was even close to being large enough - here's a pic of the cage that the previous owners had him in:)


Now he lives in a 1/2 cage that is 6ft x 6ft x 3ft and is still very timid of change (he hasn't even ventured to the back side of his cage yet. He's been in this large cage since June (here's a pic of him in his large cage:)


My point is.... there's no timeframe that we expect Skoobie Doo to finally trust me completely planned. We work with him many hours a day to get him to accept us. It's quite possible that Skoobie Doo will never trust me enough to pet or cuddle him. But I will never be dishearted. I still love him. Just keep trying and stay patient and never force him. They don't forget.

I do not say that you will have the same timely task ahead of you. I only say that you should not give up. Just be patient for as long as it takes and love your fid without hesitation. Most likely you'll have success due to the young age of your fid (Skoobie Doo we got at age 3). He's most likely just a little afraid right now.

Good luck and patience to you.