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Post by Learner on Mar 13, 2017 21:56:31 GMT
starlingqueen I've just read your post again and....
Thinking of the problem you have in wanting to let the birds out but needing to get them back in again:
If you can get the cockatiels to perch on a length of dowel that might help - much the same as it can do with nervous budgies but if that's not possible you might try this:
When I have to catch a flighty budgie rather than chase them about and lunge to catch them I use an 18" square (or there abouts) of debris netting. It's a bit like having a large Tea towel but the birds can see through it and so can I. (The netting is a little heavier than net-curtain and I had plenty of it for the veg Plot - I doubled it to make the square).
Once it is over the bird, after it has landed, I can easily and safely take hold of the bird and then move it to my free hand leaving the netting in the other. Often I leave the netting in place and put the bird in a cage as I release it.
For some reason, once the net is in place, my budgies simply stop fluttering and stay reasonably still. I had wondered if their claws might get entangled in the mesh but this has never happened - the netting goes over them so their claws are furthest away.
I know you'd have to get quite close to be able to do this and it may make the little devils more nervous for a while but my lot seem not to fuss particularly. It is quick and certainly reduces the chase when a particular bird won't co-operate.
Hope all is going well.
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Post by starlingqueen on Mar 13, 2017 23:39:23 GMT
There is a lot of trust issues with these 2. As I said, when I rescued them they were in a tiny cage with another tiel that he wouldn't let me have, felt awful leaving that bird behind. To get them from the cage he took it out into the garden where he had a massive flight. Completely empty apart from the overgrowth of weeds. He then opened the door and shook the birds out. Then he grabbed a net and chased them around with it until they were exhausted, swiping at them the whole time. He caught them in the net and the put them in a box. The hen has never flown properly since. Their feathers were all damaged and sticking out some were snapped. I was horrified by it all and just glad I had those birds out of there. I also got 4 budgies from the same person, they were in a hamster cage. One of them dropped dead at my feet the day after I got them, one had French moult and there was a really old guy that died within the year. These tiels must have gone through a lot in their time so taming is going to take a long time. When they were in the aviary they hardly ever moved, they sat on a shelf and only left it to eat and drink. Pretty much the same as they do in the cage now.
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Post by Learner on Apr 25, 2017 0:36:35 GMT
Sounds as if you have a task and a half on your hands starlingqueen . I hope things gradually improve.
It is hard to win trust when it has been lost for a long time. I think routine and knowing what will happen when helps make birds more relaxed.
My lot ignore me for the most part. I'm there to provide food but get in the way occasionally when one or other is trying to fly out of the inner flight cage to visit a buddy at the other end of the Bird House (shed). Sometimes I am a handy perch and other times they decide to try my clothing or hair to see if anything is edible. Nice to be wanted I guess
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Post by starlingqueen on Apr 25, 2017 1:20:58 GMT
The male has stopped hissing and wing slapping when I walk into the room so that's a good sign but still a long way to go.
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