let it out to fly...HELP

[nar1122]

I have read EVERYWHERE that it is highly reccomended that your bird is allowed to come out and fly. But, my p
let's (oscar) cage is on a stand, and his door opens, up. (like a sliding glass door, but upwards instead to the side.) SO its difficult for him to come out, and get back in. Does anybody have any "quick-fixes" for this?

as opposed to my cockatiel, his door opens outward, like a gate over a moat to a castle....
so he can easily come out, and back in.

Also, oscar, when I do take him out, he gets into EVERYTHING! he will eat anything he sees. So im careful....will he not do this when he gets older? (he is almost 5 months old)
My cockatiel (9 years old) walks around,, and flies, but he doesnt mess with anything. he just minds his own business.
__
inform me please!! thanks

[Pado]

Err - nope, they don't grow out of that :eek: - They are ALWAYS nibbling on things and getting into mischief but with repetition you can get them to pretty much stay where you put them.

Mine have a love of walking around on the floor - I can't allow this anymore because of that nibbling issue you mentioned - they were eating the paint on the baseboards (probably not good for them to do :rolleyes: ) and my male also likes to harass my dog - so I have just been picking them right up when they fly down and put them back on their stand - I also make a very loud whistle and repeat it when they fly down and now my male is at the point when he fly's down and I whistle he will fly back up - my female is not flighted yet so I still have to pick her up (but he's mostly the naughty one - the girls seem to mind better IMO) :D

For your door issue you could probably get some kind of lock - I have the slide up door on their sleeping cage - I also use this cage when I put them outside so I ordered these clips to lock the door when they are outside - you could also use them to keep the door open - only problem is the locks I got are kind of hard to open :mad:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=5797&Ntt=lock&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2003&Nty=1

[Sally]

The ones that slide up can come down too. Be very careful with that kind of door.

[nar1122]

mine doesnt

[Sally]

It sounded like it slides up.

[nar1122]

it just slides up....doesnt come outwards

[catfish]

I think what Sally is saying is that these guys are smart. They can sometimes figure out how to open their own cages... especially the sliding doors. If they slide the door up but lose their grasp, the door can fall back down and trap their heads... hurting or killing themselves in their attempts to get out.

I use D links that screw shut to lock all my sliding doors. I have found it a good way to keep Crabby my quaker locked up tight as well as preventing my p'let from getting out.

[Sally]

Yes, I have have just heard of accidents where the door slides down and hurts the bird. You just have to watch out. There are just so many accidents that can happen. I just wanted to let you know. I am always trying to make sure things are safe. Full time job! ha. Little birds can get hurt quickly.

[nar1122]

lol. thanks for the concern! ;)

[Sally]

Just want all to be OK. Your baby is so pretty.

[ArtS]

Nick,

I used to have similar cages to yours. I just rigged up a catch, which hung from above, out of a paperclip. It worked great!

The better solution is gat a cage like Sally's or Pado's ;) .

Regards,

Art S.