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Teaching my bird to fly

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 9:57 pm
by Justino222
So here s a little back story.

I met my partner 6 years ago and he had a white eyed conure that he has left in its cage for 9-ish years.
We moved into a condo 5 years ago and the bird stayed with his parents. While his parents were on vacation a year ago, I was watching their house for them and decided to take this aggressive bird out of his cage to see what would happen and HE FELL IN LOVE WITH ME! This bird bonded to me from the moment I picked him up and still has that same bond to this day. My partner still will try and pick him up, but Casey (the bird) will aggressively try to attack him and everyone else. I am just glad that he is now in our home and loves to take showers and play.

I want to know how I can encourage him to fly. He is used to being in a small cage (now he is in a cage that is 6.5 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and 3.5 feet deep) and used to having his wings clipped. I let his wings grow out so he could get proper exercise, but he doesnt seem to know how. Is there a way that I can show him that he has an ability that he doesnt know of?

Thanks!

Re: Teaching my bird to fly

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 10:55 pm
by wildbird
If you can, move his cage to window or porch where he can see other birds fly. In a safe room in the house you could let him out of the cage, and he might try it. Don't take him out of the cage outside, even with his wings clipped.

Re: Teaching my bird to fly

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 5:09 pm
by Fraza
Yep I’ve had experience abit I taught my society to fly he couldn’t do it at all ok free flight with others he would run across the floor and climb up the curtains because he couldn’t fly

I used to get him on a big stick and hold him above his cage let him jump to it, gradually each day moving further back then eventually I could move far enough back for him to glide and flutter to the cage , then finally he just flew one time

Re: Teaching my bird to fly

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 5:41 pm
by Sheather
Clicker training. Offer him treats every day and click a clicker, sold for dog training for about $1 at any pet shop. He'll come to associate the sound with food. Gradually move the treat further away, over several days or weeks, so he first has to walk over to you, then jump, then fly. Eventually he'll be flying to you across a room and won't even realize he hasn't always been doing so.

The trick to getting the bird to realize it can fly is just to make it think it always has been able to. Right now, he doesn't know he can.

Re: Teaching my bird to fly

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 6:58 am
by CathyCraftz
Show him videos of birds flying or let him watch from a window. He should learn soon enough.

Re: Teaching my bird to fly

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 12:19 pm
by Justino222
Thank you, Everyone! This is great advice! I will definitely use a clicker to train him with as I would love for him to learn to fly to me. He is 13 years old. Is he too old to learn new tricks?

I let my parakeets out for free flight (when not breeding) and he sees them, but I cannot let him out with them because he is aggressive towards other birds.

Again, thank you all<3

Re: Teaching my bird to fly

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 2:47 pm
by Sheather
An animal can learn tricks at any age, he may just take longer to understand your goals. Once he does, he should be as trainable as a any bird.

Re: Teaching my bird to fly

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 12:37 pm
by Justino222
It seems his right wing is stiff/atrophied. He cannot straighten it all the way out, so I have been doing little exercises with him and trying to get it moving.

Re: Teaching my bird to fly

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 6:14 pm
by Babs _Owner
Justino222

While he's perched on your hand or arm start by waving your arm in motions up and down that causes his reflex to flap his wings to kick in.

Praise him as he flaps his wings and make it a game. Like a nice roller coaster ride with daddy.

The more he flaps his wings, the stronger they will become. Hope this helps.

Even if he has permanent damage and can never fly, the exercise is good for him daily. I do this for both my parrots daily (their wings are clipped) because they need the exercise.