[Disguy]

I have had this little guy for about 3 months. We were making great progress on getting him to step up onto our fingers inside the cage, but whenever he was out of the cage he would immediately fly away aimlessly running into walls (or back into the cage). I took some advice and clipped his wings, and while out of the cage he is great, he will step up from my finger onto another finger endlessly, and seems fine with it.

He also does not bite, like at all. But now while in the cage, he wants nothing to do with me. if my hand is in the cage, he goes to the back, if I approach him I can see that he is nervous and does not want me there, and he wont take treats from my hand. I think he is associating my hands with removing him from the cage, and really does not want to do that. Once he is out though, he is totally fine. I can pet him, scratch his neck, not problem. So I dont really think its a problem of "fear of hands" as much as it hes he would rather just stay in his cage all the time.

Im stumped as to how to progress now, since I dont want to keep forcing him out of the cage to get him to spend time with me, but He wont even take millet from me while in his cage, so I no longer have a good starting point.

Any advice?

 

[Rubydoo252]

Hi and welcome to the forum!
Many parrotlets are very protective of their cages. It can help to put perches and toys on the outside of the cage to help them want to climb out. Tumi has all sorts of things on top of his cage or on the side to give him a space to be on his cage but not in his cage.

 

[David Miller]

Great advice, Rubydoo252! I might add that when a human approaches the cage with their hands, try to approach the p'lett from below the body of the bird, while trying not to tower above them. Sometimes, if you approach from above their head, they get nervous and this puts them on alert.
Dave🦜🦜🦜

 

[vkelman]

Clipping the wings brings trauma and they remember that bad experience for a while. Bird which cannot fly doesn't feel self-confidence.
Although, to be healthy the bird needs a lot of flying - that's what her body is designed for!

I would never never clip wings, unless it's a matter of extreme danger...