wreaking havick on dishes

[Erynn]

Loki has built in dishes one has pellets the other cereals. They are on opposite sides of the cage and they are a metal cup that slides into a plastic piece. The plastic has a peice that flips down and covers the hole while there is no dish in. Loki watched me take his dish out every morning and quickly learnt to push it out and flip the lid up and crawl through. Now his latest antic(because we tied the food dishes shut) is to flip his water dish off of the bar spilling his water. We have tried refilling imediately, not refilling until the next day(only resulted in him drinking his fill and then dumping it), and tying it on the bars. This has worked for now but he is still trying to get it off, and I know he will figure it out. Any suggestions on how to stop the behaviour. He has toys and comes out to play and is chatty and healthy in every other respect. He just has this one annoying habit.

[Monica]

I've got a similar thing with my budgies, and their food dishes! I don't really mind it!

If you want him to stop though you might want to try getting different types of food dishes that he can't easily move, such as ones that screw onto the side of the cage bars... or maybe try a heavy dish he can't lift.

[love_lovebirds]

yeah Henry did a bit of this too, I pegged her water dish down with wooden pegs but, she chewed thru them of course. Now theres metal clips on there that seem to be holding up to her relentless beak.

as the previous poster said, try a heavier dish, or use a 'plainer' one (that doesnt have edges and bits that a bird might be attracted to chew.) A stern 'no' when your bird does this may help ... haha or not if he's anything like my bird.

Mels

[CrazyBirdLady]

Changing dishes might work. We’ve had success with the stainless steel cups you attach right to the bars of the cage.
The behavior is done for various reasons…a territorial hen, a male lovie that is bored or just wants out…or even better I’ve found most of my lovies like to make noise, hence the banging of the dishes.
Please remember, in trying to change this behavior, your bird might begin another behavior. If he can no longer bang on the dishes, will he bang his beak on the cage bars? Bounce up and down in the corner, like he’s doing push ups? Pluck? Just keep an eye out for any changes for the worse.

[Rue]

...I think birds just like creating havoc...it's fun and challenging for them...

...my Pi loves to toss things off his cage onto the floor...and he can manipulate remarkably huge objects, given how small he is in comparison...

[love_lovebirds]

Originally Posted by CrazyBirdLady

If he can no longer bang on the dishes, will he bang his beak on the cage bars? Bounce up and down in the corner, like he’s doing push ups?

My Henry does that, ever since I pegged the cage doors down with clips that she cant chew through. Is it a sign she is bored? Anythng I can do about it? If there are no pegs she gets out quick smart.. clever birdie.

I let her out usually when she does it, coz i know shes asking to come out, but i dont want her to get the idea she can get herself out whenever she wants.... if i dont open the door, she climbs to the very top of the cage and starts bouncing her beak up and down the bars there. (maybe so i can see her better? lol.)

Hmmm, anyone have any ideas or advice?

Mels

[Monica]

You might try some toys with beads, leather, and sisal... but of course some birds will always want to come out!

[love_lovebirds]

yeah thats true, if I'm home, its 'out out OUT! let me OUT!' even if her cage has plenty of toys in it..... ah well...

gonna go get some more wood blocks and cardboard rolls for her to destroy :P

Mels

[CrazyBirdLady]

Mine make it a point to let me know if they want out....lots of dish banging, cage bar banging etc... I'm not sure that it's a sign of boredom, more so a spoiled lovebird that wants out ........NOW! Veggie tanned leather strips are a favorite for my flock of lovebirds. We tie knots in them and slip dried hot chili peppers in them, beads, peanuts in the shell...they love them. You can also offer foraging toys which they love to manipulate and tear up. Reed balls filled with treats, dried fruits and veggies. Ever offer wheat grass? Mine love that too....and good for them. Mine love to stand right in a flat of it, chew the grass and eat the sprouted seeds.