Post by Biggles on Sept 19, 2019 15:01:21 GMT
Advice to best method of dealing with an escapee who doesn't step up?
We have 2 budgies in that cage. Both have French Moult, we think.
Rose is a non-flier, and the friendlier of the two. *She'll step up onto your finger when you say "up" but if you bring the finger near the door, most of the time she retreats backwards (but will happily get straight back on your finger) You can move her around inside the cage though. Rose is happy to be stroked. *(not sure if Rose is male or female. She has a pink cere, which sometimes looks more brown and sometimes looks more purple!)
Biggles has some flight feathers and can fly a little. He will eat from your hand, and occasionally stand on your hand while eating, but not if you ask him to, and if you move your hand gets straight off. He generally doesn't like to be touched except on his own terms. He's shown no signs of wanting to go out either.
Today I was putting coriander in their cage and turned round with the (tiny) door open and Biggles flew right out. He didn't seem especially panicked, was happy with me coming up close, but, of course, he doesn't step up so I needed to get him back. He flew around on the floor for a little.
I waited until he settled, and then put both my hands round his body and carried him back in. First time I tried he did bite (not hard) and the second time he slipped out of my hands.
He seems fine-although funnily enough Rose came rushing up to him when he came back and was clearly telling him off
What is the best way to return an escapee without scaring them?
My son reckons he needs a bigger cage and he wanted to fly (we've got a longer cage on order-not a higher one because of Rose falling if she can't fly). And is it likely that he actually as waiting for an opportunity to escape? He doesn't fly much, and he doesn't even usually go much on the front of the cage (although Rose does) so it does seem a little bit of a fluke that he happened to do it the one time the door was open, and managed to get straight out.
We have 2 budgies in that cage. Both have French Moult, we think.
Rose is a non-flier, and the friendlier of the two. *She'll step up onto your finger when you say "up" but if you bring the finger near the door, most of the time she retreats backwards (but will happily get straight back on your finger) You can move her around inside the cage though. Rose is happy to be stroked. *(not sure if Rose is male or female. She has a pink cere, which sometimes looks more brown and sometimes looks more purple!)
Biggles has some flight feathers and can fly a little. He will eat from your hand, and occasionally stand on your hand while eating, but not if you ask him to, and if you move your hand gets straight off. He generally doesn't like to be touched except on his own terms. He's shown no signs of wanting to go out either.
Today I was putting coriander in their cage and turned round with the (tiny) door open and Biggles flew right out. He didn't seem especially panicked, was happy with me coming up close, but, of course, he doesn't step up so I needed to get him back. He flew around on the floor for a little.
I waited until he settled, and then put both my hands round his body and carried him back in. First time I tried he did bite (not hard) and the second time he slipped out of my hands.
He seems fine-although funnily enough Rose came rushing up to him when he came back and was clearly telling him off
What is the best way to return an escapee without scaring them?
My son reckons he needs a bigger cage and he wanted to fly (we've got a longer cage on order-not a higher one because of Rose falling if she can't fly). And is it likely that he actually as waiting for an opportunity to escape? He doesn't fly much, and he doesn't even usually go much on the front of the cage (although Rose does) so it does seem a little bit of a fluke that he happened to do it the one time the door was open, and managed to get straight out.