Walking on the Floor and Fly-Hopping?

[CaptainGentleGiant]

Another question for you guys.

Captain likes to climb off his play stand and walk on the floor. I have 3 chihuahua. Their pictures are in my pups album on my home page. He recently, climbed down from his play stand area, walked into my bedroom, walked under my bed with the dogs watching. Thankfully, I am here to supervise things.

Since I've already shared, how he likes to flap his wings often, not sure which is worse flying or walking. Hope he is not trying to strengthen his wings by all this flapping. However, the walking can be dangerous too.

Just a few hours ago, he fly-hopped from his play stand to the file cabinet and fly-hopped onto the back of the sofa. One of my dogs was sitting close by. I said NO, grabbed the stick and put him back on his play stand.

This is a very WATCHFUL job. Does this get easier????

How do you keep them from walking around and or fly-hopping around?

[jenseits]

Welcome to being a parrot owner!

You can train a bird to stay certain places and avoid others just the same way you would train a dog or a child (with the extra challenge being that birds, unlike dogs/kids, can fly)... but the challenge is really making sure that the places you want them to be are appealing. It's about making them WANT to stay put as much as discouraging them from going elsewhere. So if your bird is wandering around the house... why? Is he bored? Can you make his playstand less boring?

[Dawnsfall]

When our bird walks around the house he is usually looking for someone in particular, and if that person is not home and we pick him up and take him to check every room, he will be satisfied that they are not home and quit looking. He will hop down from his cage or couch or window perch and walk across the room if he wants to go somewhere else or wants to play with toys on the floor. So you often hear "Cody on the floor!", which is how we warn everybody in the house that there is a bird walking around. We do not however, just let him wander around unsupervised.

[Fiver]

I have the very same problem with my grey, Ralphie. I also have a nearly 50-pound dog with a high prey drive that is kept separated by a gate. However, I still don't want Ralphie on the ground. It can take a lot of consistency and persistence to get through to a determined parrot.

Like jenseits said, make sure to have a large, stimulating playstand. I just upgraded mine to help with this problem. It's worked so far. And always, always move your parrot to a safe, approved play area the second he/she steps foot on the ground. Don't give him/her a chance to explore and have fun down there.

It's hard, b/c I think that Ralphie really loves walking around, scratching about and whatnot. I think this is partially b/c she is clipped (came to me that way when I adopted her), and is not very confident maneuvering around branches. One day, when I have the space, I want to set up a playground on a large table where she can walk about and climb.

Good luck!

[MissV]

Ditto on the interesting playstand being your best bet.

But the truth is....macaws usually want to be with their human if that's who they bond to. Etienne will play and entertain himself but at some point he's going to jump off or climb down his play stand and get to me. I don't have dogs though.

Best to train the DOGS to stay away from the macaw....especially because birds have a different mentality than dogs. They don't come from a natural society of posturing and cowing to the "top dog" (or alpha) so to speak...so you have to work out respect and find a safe way to do it.


Luckily these days I ONLY have birds...so Eti is free to drop to the floor and run to me. In fact, it's insanely endearing. He ran all the way around the living room and into the next area where I was sewing to climb up the chair and sit on the seat behind me. ^^

[Congobongo]

I totally believe he was looking to find you. If you cannot be with him and supervising then put him up in his cage.

My dogs don't mess with the big birds. They don't flit around and flutter their wings like a finch. So, it doesn't trigger the hunt instinct. Also, I don't get all worked up if they are close etc. so I think that also keeps everyone on an even keel.

I also explain very clearly that to live in my house, we all must get along. They are all rescues and rehomes so..I think they actually GET it!

[kellywess]

<<chuckles... cuz she knows the feeling>>