All over the place...

[luluxoxo83]

Hi sunny and LuLu out of the cage today so they can explore. Well it was a complete disaster...I felt horrible! They were running into things and just didnt know where to go. They do not have a very good grasp so when they do get to something they kind of slip a little, that happens in the cage too. What should I do?

[bookworm0550]

like run into what kind of things??? i'm sure as they get more out of cage time, they'll learn. i'm sure there's a lot of things distracting them.

[bookworm0550]

my experience has always been that the first out of cage times are always the ones where they're kinda scared, don't know where to go, fly into things, etc...but as they get out more, they have an idea of what is where and whatnot.

[luluxoxo83]

They ran into the walls and things with small ledges and they just could not latch on. Now shioh and sky on the other hand fly everywhere and have a great time with plenty of things to land on, they have a play stand and they fly from fan to fan.

[momo]

I assume this is their first time out..
Our houses aren't anything like trees or anything that is what their normal habitat is like.. so it takes time for them to learn to be able to land on door etc.. Landing on latches isnt instinct.. so they are just learning.. just keep an eye that they don't hurt themselves..

also flying after being in their cage for a while.. its kind of like riding your bike again for the first time.. a bit shakey.. but you get there :)

[luluxoxo83]

Yes it was their first time out, I was just so worried they would get hurt. So should I keep trying

[michael]

I would continue their practice flights in a separate room (door closed), and try placing their cage (if possible) on the floor. Choose a room where they cannot get themselves trapped behind heavy furniture or somehow become lost. Preferably with no large exposed windows or mirrors either (or you can cover them with a shade or towel/blanket if needed). Even though you may find in the next few weeks a wing clip is necessary, its very important they first accomplish flight skills. Please keep us posted!

[LauraO]

If they are really only six weeks old, the original owner may never have let them out to learn to fly. Do you think they were just unfamiliar with flying or really really scared and running into things out of fear?

I'm wondering how they got back in their cage? If they went back in on their own, then I would keep letting them fly in the same room so they can get back to their cage. Just make sure it's as birdy safe as Michael suggests.

Baby birds learning to fly can get a little crazy and crash into things. The key is making sure they have some safety in they can't run into windows/glass or anything like that. I would probably continue letting them have flight until they build up their balance and muscles then I would think about clipping their wings.

Poor little things. They are lucky you took them in. It doesn't sound as if they were at all socialized growing up and not let out of their cage.

[luluxoxo83]

The guy said they were tame which I am believing less and less. I do not think he ever let them out at all because they seemed unfamiliar to flying. They didnt seem scared at all. The only time Sunny got scared was when he landed on the bottom of our livingroom table. LuLu seemed to do better, she was flying up to the fans which is were Shioh and Sky play all the time, but when she would fly off the fan she didnt know where to go so she woud fly into things. we ended up having to grab them and put them back ourselves because I didnt want them to get hurt. They were calm when we grabbed them and they didnt bite, but they dont just fly to us. I am so scared to try again. They landed on their cage a few times but didnt know how to get in. I had the top and the door open. I am also going to have to cover Shiloh and Sky's cage when I let the other two fly because Shiloh was biting them through the cage! She is such a stinker. Finaly when we got them in we let Shiloh and Sky out and Shiloh wanted no part in flying he went to Sunny and LuLu's cage and tried biting them, so I covered the cage and the stinker found a way under the cover and tried to get them again! What should I do? Shiloh is so mean that I cant even rearange the cage let alone clean it without getting snapped at! I love her but Goodness gracious....I have chuncks taken out of my arm from her! Here is a picture of Shiloh snapping at us!

Shiloh the snapping bird (I did the best I could taking this picture, she was snapping at the camera)
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/luvbug0883/002-1.jpg

Shiloh is the only one that steps up on a perch but then she walk towards our hand and tries to bite! Do they have anger managment classes for birds? Lol!

[bookworm0550]

wow, that shiloh...you sure she's not a snapping turtle? hehe, just kidding. well maybe you can put shiloh in a different room when sunny and lulu are out???

[luluxoxo83]

yes I could but to move the cage would be tough, especiall for as often as i let them out, but I guess its my only option. I can let shiloh out with sky only, and then once I get shilloh back in the cage and put her in another room I wil have to et sunny and LuLu out to play with sky...... Sky is the lucky one that gets to stay out most of the day!

[thebubbleking]

Sounds to me its just a lack of practice soon youll be wishing they didnt fly so well lol

[LauraO]

I don't think moving the cage is mandatory if there are some safety precautions like making sure there are no windows without curtains, the fans are off etc. It really sounds like these birdies are just learning to fly and birdy flight school is a little dangerous and hard to watch but part of life. I don't mean to say don't be careful, it's just I've had a bunch of parent raised and hand fed babies learn to fly in my home and the first few times is not pretty not even with mom and dad watching over them. I will say in all the babies we've had learn to fly we haven't had anybirdy get hurt. Lovies are sensative but they are also tough and resilient. I would say just keep giving them time out and if you keep their cage where it is, they will learn to go in it soon enough.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes

[momo]

as bookworm said put her in a different room to where her cage is so you can re-arange her.
.. get her out of the cage.. let her fly around even by herself.. or if you have a small bathroom. or just a room with a toilet in it.. close the toilet lid.. let her just fly around in that.. and rearrange her cage while she's in there..

I have to put elmo in his play pen and clean/re-arrange his cage in a different room otherwise i will lose my WHOLE hand.. and vice versa when I want to clean/rearrange his play pen..

i would also do the different rooms for letting out of cage time.. or moving sunny and lulu to another room while shiloh the snapping turtle has her time out of cage time.

ps. that photo looks like one crabby lovie! hahaha.. reminds me of the crazy cat lady off the simpsons.. hahaha!

[bookworm0550]

I figured that since shiloh likes to bite the babies while they are in their cage and whatnot, you could prob just move her while the babies are out or something.

[luluxoxo83]

UPDATE- Well I let the babies out again yesterday and they did MUCH better. They were still a little figity, but over all they did better. I let them out with Sky and they followed him for the most part. I did notice that Sky was picking on them and trying to bite them, here is a photo of them picking on eachother. Is that normal Lovie behavior when they first meet?
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/luvbug0883/006-1.jpg


And then when I had Shiloh and Sky out alone, I had to cover Sunny and LuLu because Shiloh will bite them through the cage. Instead of flying around and playing with Sky, Shiloh was more interested in getting to Sunny and LuLu. I pulled the camera out and this is what I caught Shiloh the stinker doing....he is trying to get under the cover!
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/luvbug0883/005-3.jpg

And here are a few random photos I snapped!
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/luvbug0883/003-2.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/luvbug0883/009.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/luvbug0883/010.jpg

[LauraO]

It's good to hear you let the babies out again and they did much better. The better flight means they were likely not allowed to fly much or at all in the past. They are too cute by the way. It's good to see them playing on the gym and means they are already getting more comfy.

I'm not surprised Sky and Shiloh are biting at the babies. Believe it or not, this is pretty normal as is some beak fighting and toe biting. I think you are handling the situation well and not letting Shiloh near the babies as she seems much more aggressive. The pic with Sky and the baby looks pretty normal and should work out over time. I would just keep a close eye on everybirdy when they are out together to make sure there is no real serious fights.

Good Luck and keep us updated:)

[luluxoxo83]

Is there a better way to get them back to their cage though? They will land on it, but they dont know how to get in. I am trying to avoid catching them because then they just get scared .

[BarbieH]

Sometimes catching them isn't necessarily a bad thing; they learn that you won't hurt them when it happens. However, you could try putting together some millet stalks that lead from outside of the cage to inside the cage. That should entice them inside. What's the door like -- opens down (like a drawbridge), or out to the side (like a door), or up from the bottom (like a window)?

[luluxoxo83]

It opens to the side like a door! The millet idea is good. I'm going to try it.