Is he being naughty or is he clever?

[laine]

It may also be that my routine is far too much the same, however, in a morning I am finding it increasingly difficult to get Smokey back into his cage so I can go to work. He is fully flighted and seems to know when it's time to go. He flies round the house and I literally have to bribe him to get in. If I offer him my car keys, phone or some money (yes I did say money - usually nothing less than a $50 interests him - seriously) he will get temporarily distracted then I can quickly get hold of him and put in away. He will come to me of his own accord and sit on my hand when I call him, but as soon as we near the cage, he's off. He doesn't do this on the weekend when I tell him I need to go shopping and he has to go home for a while or at bed time!! Only first thing in the morning when I haven't got time for his games. If he doesn't fly around he hides in a corner of the lounge room that I can't get to. (I have knee problems at the moment and can't kneel down, I think he knows this too ) Therefore the corner behind the couch is a perfect hiding spot as Mum can't reach. This made me think that this is a combination of clever and naughty as yesterday I altered my routine. He was enjoying a neck tickle, and while I was obliging I walked to his cage and put him in. When he realised what I had done he went nuts. He really took it out of the wooden man that hangs in his cage (poor man always cops a beating when Smokey cracks it ). I relate his behaviour to a child who is just being difficult. Smokey is almost 4, very tame and close to me. I just get so frustrated.

[Lags]

yeah, my first IRN was exactly the same. as soon as he saw us grab the keys, that was it, he wouldn't come near us. and because he was flighted, it could take ages to catch him! cheeckly little buggers aren't they?! We never really came up with a solutin ather then bribes and distractions. but then one day our incredibly tame IRN (he did tricks and talked) that we thought loved us and would never leave just flew straight out the door (it was open for only a second) and was never seen again
So our new bird has clipped wings and is easier to handle, although she still resents being put in her cage all the same!

[ian1]

I think my 9mth female has an IQ of about 140 thats all devoted to beating the systems I put in place.

At one stage I would have 'penelope pitstop' strings attached to cage doors and lie in wait. As it currently stands she lives outside the cage permanently...if I put her in she sulks like she's ill and I have to handle her to get her in....and I'm sure some of you know what trapping and handling an untame IRN is like. I can't even get close until nightfall and the handling sets me back months in building trust.

At least she doesn't chew like the Alex, although she's getting a taste for the curtains.

[pinkdevil]

I had a IRN that when it was time to go back to the cage flew around the house to.

I varied my routine as to when I was putting him back in the cage, also when he did go back in I had a big bowl of lovely treats and a "new" toy everyday to help make going back fun. I found the favourite food and only got that when it was "back in cage" time. It didn't take too long before placing back in cage was no struggle.

To change the routine, I sometimes got him out for a few minutes then placed him back in the cage with a small treat, then 10 minutes later let him out again, other times I would put him back part way through my routine as to confuse as to when he was actually going back into the cage. Also I had him with me while walking to his cage near the "back in cage" time then just stood there or placed him on or near the cage, so that he didn't think everytime I walked over to the cage with him he was going to go back in.

I just messed up HIS routine

[bec]

hahahahaha!!!!!
its sounds like a bit of both to me too!!
it actually reminded me of my teenagers but for me its impossible to
get them out of bed during the school week but on the weekend they are up at 5

[LAAnnie]

Reminds me of Pretty Girl, getting her into the cage at bed time. I say"Bedtime for Birdie" and she flies away and hides in a corner! She understands everything I say, too. If I say "Are you ready for bed?" She will take off and fly into the shower to hide.

Just like a litte kid, she hates to go to bed.

[inept]

How are naughty and clever any different?

Ruffle is just the same way around bed time and I used to "solve" the problem by cordoning off the rooms and places he likes to fly to by closing doors and then just chasing him around until he tired out but he just got more and more persistent with his fleeing from bed time. I am not above bribery anymore. I will offer him a bedtime snack of a couple safflower seeds or a goji berry or a raisin and he practically falls over himself scrambling into the cage. He knows what's going on and he doesn't care. He would leap into a lion's mouth if there was a goji berry in there.

[LAAnnie]

It never ceases to amaze me. These birds have a brain the size of a lima bean, yet they are so intelligent.

I guess they have 100 million years of evolution behind them. That must count for something.

[laine]

I found out what tiggers off the behaviour for Smokey in the mornings, when I need to leave for work. I have told you all before that I have a digital photo frame for Smokey that plays a movie of me talking to him while I am work. I say all the things I know he likes to hear and the things I want him to learn to say. As soon as I set up the table and place the photo frame on it he goes nuts. He starts flying round the house, making me chase him. I don't have trouble getting him in the cage when I tell him I am going shopping or out on a short trip because I don't set up the table & frame. He knows I won't be long, but obvioulsy if I set up the table I am going to work and will be out all day - this means he is in his cage all this time. I have resorted to putting him in the cage first, shutting the doors and then setting up the table and photo frame - works wonders no more chasing birdie round the house before work. Hmmm, for now I am winning LOL

[greeny]

Wow, smoky is smart. What can you do? He doesn't want to stay in his cage all alone when you leave. Poor guy.

Mine do this too, when fully flighted they will at some point decide that they want to do what they want to do and they become hard to catch. When this happens - bang - off go the wings. By the time the wings regrow the bird is out of the habit of evasion. After some period, unuslly months, they will realize they can start that bad behavior again. So we repeat the cycle.

I cannot blame them. They are just smart birds who want it their way!

[Elivia]

Well all of this has given me food for thought! I dont like clipping my birds wings (my rickneck is only 6-7 weeks old now but we have had previous birds). I was actually debating this with my partner today. He wants to get Bluey's wings clipped but i dont. I like to give my fids the freedom of having the entire house to fly around in, but unfortuantly my lorikeet escaped about a month ago from his outside avairy ( his wings were not clipped),so i am very hesitant on what to do.

To clip or not to clip is the question for me!!!! hmmmm....very tough choice. Naughty birds who dont want to go back in there cages or birds that want to be naughty but cant cause they have there wings clipped. Very tough choice. lol.

Bluey actually flew for the first time today! It was very scary (for me and Bluey!) I had him on my arm and he starting flapping his wings about. He lost balance and somehow managed to get off my arm then he was off!!!!! Me and my partner were running around the house after him trying not to let him crash! As soon as we were settled back on the couch again watching tv, he spotted his basket (he likes his basket and is still very hesitant in going into his big cage yet ). When he spotted his basket it looked as though he was sizing himself up for another fly! It freaked me out cause he only just flew for the first time minutes ago! He did not end up doing anything about his basket in the end, so he then went happily back to chewing on my ear-ring sending small (but high pitched might i add) sqwauks through my eardrum! They certainly keep you on your toes!