Progress (?) with Hansel, my Wild CAG

[birdlady49]

I've had Hansel since the early 90s. He's a wild-caught CAG breeder, at least 20 years old. He rarely comes out of his cage and just recently has he even learned how to play with toys.

This morning when one of my other Greys (Mickey) was out, Hansel looked as though he wanted to come out too. So I opened his cage and he immediately climbed out. He climbed to the top, walked around from corner to corner, then climbed onto Mickey's cage. He started flapping and preening.

I rested my arm on top of the cage in hopes he'd come over, even if it meant his biting me. He didn't. I took one of his toys and tossed it at him. He tossed it back. We did this for a few minutes. Then he continued walking around on top of both cages, straining his neck to see whatever was in eyesight.

Finally it was time to get him back in the cage. I tried using a stick to usher him back. No go. I tried using a toy to move him towards the cage. No good either. I reluctantly tried toweling him but he squeezed out, growling at the top of his lungs. Eventually, he climbed back into the cage by himself.

I was sooooo thrilled. It was a very positive experience for both of us. I hope regular excursions outside of his cage will develop more trust between us.

[Valo's Moirana]

you might have luck getting him back in his cage with food... nino is a no-no too when it comes to stepping up onto anything (no stick, no finger - toweling, forget that). when he comes out of the cage, i take out his food dish - when it's time to go back into the cage, i place it back in the cage... the little man is soo food-driven that this alone gets him back into his cage by himself

congrats on the progress - one step at a time, right?

[birdlady49]

Today was another day of progress. While he was out, I handed him an almond. He took it, then realized what he had done and dropped it. A few minutes later, I offered a raw piece of pasta. He grabbed it but was just as scared as I was. He then sat there and ate it.

Getting him back into the cage was a little easier today. I did try offering food to get him back inside, but that didn't work. Instead, I tried using a small toy to "herd" him back, but he flew to the other side of the room. Then he started walking back towards me and his cage, climbed up, and climbed into the cage. Yippee!

[Lisa B]

sounds great! little steps....congrats!

[parrotntn]

If he's been in that cage THAT long, my that IS Progress!! Good for you!
Sounds to me like it's time to start introducing stick training. I'd use a stick to let him stepup and get out on.
With Cleo I just sat by her cage with the stick a few days and let her see it's ok to just hold the stick. The stick isn't a snake and not a danger.
Then, put a treat or a toy on the stick and introduce it thru the door...careful not to let her squeeze by. She eats off of the stick.
The idea is that she can only get out on the stick.
Soon, introduce the stick like you would a hand with gentle pressure on her chest with "stepup" cue. He'll fight at first, but eventually get it.
Soon, when he calls, he sees the stick in your hand, he knows he gets out.
BIG treats, praise, singing to the heavens. LOL. Cleo loves it when I praise her.
Once out, I had BIG Progess not letting Cleo play on her cagetop. SHe is a much much milder bird since stopping that.
I take her to her tree or playstand or our bedroom or anywhere but on her cagetop.
Keep us posted. It's sounding good!

[birdlady49]

Great advice, parrotntn! I tried the stick training and he couldn't fly away fast enough. So it's obviously not time. He's already acting aggressively when he's out ... coming to the front of the top of the cage while I'm changing papers, pinning his eyes, and lunging. So we've got a lot of work ahead of us and he may decide that the progress we've made is all he's ever going to make.

I don't know why he suddenly wants to come out when, for all these years, he wouldn't. And I wasn't about to force him as it was extremely stressful on the occasions that I did force him. He would never play with toys .... was petrified of them ... and wouldn't eat as long as the toys were there, even when toys were introduced outside of the cage. Suddenly he's playing with toys. Suddenly he's eating foods that I've been offering just about everyday for at least ten years!

I wish I knew what was going through his mind!

[4HAND]

I love this post.It gives me hope.Hope that older birds can learn to trust,and hope that a human is willing to wait for it.
Tena