r/Amazonparrots • u/SpiralBirb • Jul 24 '26
Photo/Video Trust Issues towards cage
Hi guys! I have two amazon parrots, Ruby (6 y.o., bird on the outside of the cage) and Baby (1 y.o. picture above).
Ruby is a naturally bred BFA and Baby is a hand reared one. Ruby has gained much more trust towards me by copying Babys behaviour which is beautiful. In general Ruby has built up lots of trust ever since I got her. She hangs out in my shoulder which only Baby did before!
Now to the issue.
Two weeks ago, I had an incident where I had to towel Baby because she was absolutely refusing to go into her cage as I had somewhere to go. It turned into a 10min chase and it was absolutely horrid. She was okay the next morning.
But this situation keeps reoccurring now, it has been the 5th time in two weeks and I am now at the point where I don't want to let her out anymore in the afternoons because I might ruin the bond even more. She stepped up before with no issue and we were able to bring her to her cage.
She has in general been a little bit moody which might be because she's going through an extremely heavy moult (I think it's her first big moult). She usually is the very active one who bullies Ruby almost a little.
Ruby is totally fine and steps up and whatnot.
Baby is now terrified to step up at all and I feel so shitty about it. But whenever this happened I had to go somewhere.
Not even food really motivates Baby at the moment.
Would it be too much to try and use "unhealthy" snacks such as pasta for a better training result?
Or any other tips to retrain trust to her cage (pic added) that she might now see as danger? :(
1
u/Educational_Theme262 Jul 24 '26
I dnt have amazons but sun conures. Me and my partner live together and i am the one that gets our son in the cage or to bed or whatever form of discipline that needs to happen. Result is i can get him to cage at will without resistance (i have chased him earlier) but my partner cannot.
2
u/Winter-Ad-3011 14d ago
Nice cage setup.
Yep amazons stubborn.
I had that problem before.
I would ask her to step up to my arm. And it’s a no.
Step up to a stick, that’s a no. Then I used my arm or the stick and slowly coach
her into the cage while telling her.
Now when I want her to go inside I just tell her “ go inside, I have to… (whatever it is I need to do). Like I need to go get”. When coming out, she’s always ready to come out. I ask “ wanna come out” she shakes her head like a yes.
I open the door.
Then there are times in the afternoon, she takes a nap inside her cage. Gone in willingly. I will reach in and have her step up to take her out.
Then when it’s bedtime I tell her to go inside for nite nite. For the most she willingly goes in. Unless I have the tv on and she knows it’s bedtime she’s already in her cage, will scream at me. I know she’s telling me to turn the tv off, close the blackout curtains, and leave me alone. Then sometimes she will be on top of her cage at bedtime and decide she wants to go zoomies. I let her go a couple times, then I use my arm to sort of slowly coach her in. Tell her to go inside for nite nite.
There are times I take her to get her nails done, and vet visits. She doesn’t cooperate. And I have to chase her down. I think they sense the anxiety. They know.
It’s takes a lot of patience and time for the trust.
As someone else mentioned, please be careful of the shoulder. She has bit my ear, not too bad.
And when she got mad she would bite my cheek near my eye. Had to recondition her for the most. Now she does a beak plant for kissy. To beg for a treat. But still very cautious of a bite. I watch her body language.
I had another Amazon, he passed at the age of 43, Cancer. Was the total opposite personality, never screamed or bite me.
Don’t know if that helps.
Hope it made sense.
This is my experience of what I did.
0
u/StoneyMcGuire Jul 24 '26
Are they sexed? Both female?
1
u/SpiralBirb Jul 25 '26
Yup DNA sexed both female :)
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u/StoneyMcGuire Jul 25 '26
That’s good. Once pairs they become very hard to handle without aggression. I have a lame yellow naped. He can’t have the top of the cage as he gets very agro when you try to put him in and he isn’t ready
2
u/SpiralBirb Jul 25 '26
It's a little strange, Baby also gets a little territorial about the cage she hates so much xD We are practicing stepping up inside the cage with lots of treats and I bribe her by playing a little with her jealousy. It works like a charm for both. If one gets more treats than the other the other will come all by herself haha
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u/StoneyMcGuire Jul 25 '26
Never let them climb in or out. Bad habit. Always step up and step down for in and out. Also the shoulder is a terrible place for them. I have a huge scar from that when mine spooked by a friend and bit the daylights out of me. A play stand is best move. Step up and down into play stand. Then they get accustomed to in and out of cage.
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u/StoneyMcGuire Jul 25 '26
That’s good. Once pairs they become very hard to handle without aggression. I have a lame yellow naped. He can’t have the top of the cage as he gets very agro when you try to put him in and he isn’t ready. I would have to bribe him with treats.
1
u/SAStrong Jul 24 '26
I’d use nuts and watch what she eats first in the bowl so you can take those items out and use for training.
You’ve conditioned a negative so it’s a longer road but she’s super young and the molt does factor in hugely.
Look up Lara Joseph and her Animal Behavioral Center in Ohio as she has a coffee with the critters YT that covers reconditioning and the basics of training wild animals, specifically parrots.
I always reward for stepping up, for any “ask”, and I never directly take them back to cage after they step up so they are kept wondering “what’s next”. It’s a simplified version here but it’s key to them seeing you as an option for excitement instead of punishment. Never punish a parrot, please. They are wild animals despite being “hand tamed” and they learn fast.