Free flight

[Siobhan]

Trixie has only been out of her cage once, when she elected to explore while Mama changed her into a bigger cage a few days after she moved in. I want to be in the room while she's out, so I can supervise until she's used to things, so I waited until this past Sunday when I had a free afternoon, opened her door, and sat down across the room to let her fly around. The room is bird-safe, and my starling is free all day every day. So Ringo and I sat there and waited. And waited. And waited. And Ringo got bored and went to her own cage to play with her toys, and I still waited. Trixie was interested in the open door. She hopped from perch to perch and chirped and trilled and whistled, but she never did come out. I finally gave up and closed it again (to keep Ringo out -- Ringo is insatiably curious) and went about my business. Later I came back to clean her cage and opened her door and left it open while I worked and she still didn't want to come out. If she's happy inside, that's fine, but I don't want her to be confined if she'd rather be out. I suppose it will take a little longer for her to feel comfortable. Does anyone have a canary who comes out for free flight regularly?

[passiflorafinch]

I can't speak to canaries, but all my Gouldians get free flight time whenever I'm home. Some like to be out and about, a couple never want to leave their cage. I think it's a matter of personality.

[Zebrafincher]

Hi there,

My old cranky canary, Kevin, free flies most days in the back room ("the bird room") we keep him and the others in. It does take a while for them to get used to it. When I first let him out, he'd obviously never flown before and his wings were weak. Give her a few times to get used to it. She will, and she'll love you for it.

Kind Regards
Zebrafincher
Proud owner of:
*Kevin aka “The Old Man” – very cranky canary – 13 years old and rules the Roost!
*Beaky aka “Beaky Beak” the Zebrafinch – 1 year old – and a real, real cutie!!!
*Merlin aka “Merl” the Starfinch – 3 ½ years old – and “bossy as anything for such a small fry!”

[Siobhan]

Yeah, the only time she was out, she was struggling to fly, too. Probably she never had, either. But she's got a nice big cage now and is doing much better at jumping from perch to perch easily, and handles her huge swing (meant for a parrot, but she likes it better than the little budgie swing I tried to give her) like an old pro. I'll keep offering the open door and hope that eventually she'll zoom around like the other birds do. She and Ringo are the only birds in that room. The parrots live in a different room.

[monotwine]

She may not " understand" that she can leave. Often if a bird has been confined for very long to a cage they know their boundaries and never leave. Encourage her by laying treats or spray millet half way through the opening and then a little further away etc. It will also then help you to eventually lure her back into her cage and establish a routine with her.

I'm sure she will be very glad to fly around once she gets the hang of it. Patience they say is a virtue.

[Atbird]

I had canaries that would not leave the cage for months. They finally came out when I put another canary in a cage next to them.. They felt safe flying onto a cage...I think they didn't know where to go at first. Plus, they had to check out what was in the other feed dishes ;) . Now they love to come out, and I've also given them a play stand ( from an old laundry rack) that they love to hang out on and eat...you can get a canary to go practically anywhere with some greens and millet.

[Sheather]

I have a couple of canaries who transitioned from being entirely caged bound, to free-flight occasionally, to now complete uncaged freedom in the bird room. Both of mine had no hesitation to leave their cages at first when I began to introduce freedom to them but my finches were much more hesitant. It took about a week for them to become comfortable leaving their cages, and they would return to them to sleep until to save space I removed them from the room. Now the majority of my birds fly loose all the time; there are a few in another room of the house at any one time who are caged but still fly free a few days a week.