Letting your bird fly?

[ninikins]

I'm wondering how often, if at all, you let your birds out to stretch their wings? And how much trouble do you have getting them back in!

[sbarber77]

I'm curious about this as well. Is there a trick to getting them back into the cage?

[Plumley]

I let my birds out daily, although they can easily stretch their wings in the cage. That's what all that hanging on tight to the perch while flapping like mad is. I wouldn't do this with a bird that wasn't tame, though, or there could be problems getting the bird back in the cage. If you get in that situation, turn out the lights. They see about as well as we do so they're easier to catch when the lights are low.

[Schilduil]

Hi,

We used to let our caged bird fly (budgie, canary, ...) a few times a week.

The first time you open the door it can take a very long time before it flies out. It will be afraid, don't scare it or try to force it out. It will get out once it feels comfortable with it.

Initially you'll have to catch it by hand to put it back in the cage. Once it's familiar with its surroundings it will get into the cage by itself. After all the food and drink is in there and it is 'home sweet home'.

Be sure to close all doors and windows!

Bert

[Ryan]

Both of my birds are let out daily to fly for about 15 min. Little Miss knows how to fly back into the bird room and onto the cage, her mate I often have to catch in a soft net, which isn't too big of a deal.

[Zanzi]

I let mine out once a week. My dad mounted some perches in our bathroom and they are great landing zones! Of course, getting them to get back into the cage is a whole different story. Usually, treats work well.

[HollysMom]

I used to let my budgies out daily--which led to their eventual demise when I went on vacation and had my mother care for them. I'd let them fly between getting home from school and dinner time, or, if I had sports, from dinner time until bed time. When I had canaries, I only kept one at a time so they seemed perfectly happy staying caged. I'd let them out about once a week, but not much more often than that.

[Zanzi]

I found that canaries are so much harder to get back inside the cage than budgies. Does anyone else have experience with that, or is that just my birds' temperament?:o

[HollysMom]

I also found that my canaries were harder to get into their cages after they'd been out for a while. I just attributed it to their being out less often than the parakeets, but now I wonder.

[Zanzi]

I'm thinking that canaries do not bond as deeply with a person as a budgie will...

[HollysMom]

Zanzi, that makes sense. My budgies always seemed to be more social birds. Although my canaries seemed to enjoy seeing me coming with their food they never seemed to want to associate with me as much as my budgies did. You would have thought it would be the other way around, since I always had my canaries one at a time.

[Zanzi]

My mom once had a canary with whom she was able to bond deeply, but she invested about 4-5 hours a day into that relationship.

[MalandJose]

We have had joey since he was 6 weeks old (now he is 18 mths old). From week one we decided that he was not going to be locked up. Once he was used to his cage, we opened the door and the only time it is closed is at night and when we travel or he is in the garden.
He comes and goes as he pleases. He perches on the pelmet over the window, on the chair, table, on our heads - wherever he wants. But he regularly returns to his cage - sometimes for food - sometimes just because he wants to. He knows it ain't a prison so he's happy to return. At night, we simply say bedtime and he lets us carry him back to his cage. I thought all budgies were like this?

[LynseyHat]

I let my Budgie out usually around 7.30 - 8am and he goes back in his cage at around 10am when I leave for work. When I get home at round 6pm I let him out again and he stays out until bedtime. He comes and goes when he pleases during that time and goes in for food or sometimes just sits on his swing chattering away. He is out most of the time during the weekend.

When I go to cover him up at night he always jumps on his swing and sleeps on it all night. I suppose he treats that as his bed.

[ninikins]

Wow, malandjose. Sounds liek you have a lovely relationship with your budgie! And you sound very lucky. Especially the bit about getting him back to his cage at night...he sounds adorable.

[wlctrent]

I have always let my bird out daily as well. The trick is to hand train them BEFORE you let them out, otherwise, they panic and can injur themselves flying around frantically. Normally for me it takes me about a week to get a budgie use to me with consistent effort.

But I agree, letting your bird out daily makes a happy bird!

[LauraLou91]

We've got two birds and let them out everyday. They enjoy it. To get them in we just lift the cage to wherever they are sitting and although sometimes they are a pain a climb up the sides, or fly away they will eventually go back in. :rolleyes:

[redgirl]

When I am out I make sure all windows are closed I shut the door so far and let them have the full Lounge to themselves, Its great for them.

[Violeta]

the first few times she wouldn't go back in by herself so we put the cage near to where she was (which was usually on the floor at that time) and covered the area above her with a book to stop her flying upwards! then we gently guided her towards the door untill she found the entrance and hopped in! a very tricky operation!!!
and one day she flew in completely by herself when we didn't even expect it!!

[redgirl]

Mine do that too, they are in seperate cages but in the same room and the yalways end up in Eddies cage lol

[Ali]

I let Oscar out in the morning and he is out until about 11pm - he can go in and out of his cage as he pleases. Bed time is a bit of a nightmare because he doesn't like to go into his cage - we just use his favourite toy to bribe him which is working just now! :P

[redgirl]

Thats great...they love the freedom dont they.

[Ali]

yeah a bit too much!

[redgirl]

Your right about that lol

[Julie]

Just wondering if anyone knows when Budgerigars start to fly?

[arppt01]

I let my birds out once in a week, preferrably in weekends. For them too!! Basically the reason being they don't want to get in early. I am going to experiment on this shorly. I will let mey fly before the feeding time. Hopefully that will work.

[Julie]

Mine practicaly lives outside his/her cage but never tries to fly. She sometimes flaps her wings but I suspect it's only to stretch.

[bluey]

i let my budgies out all day every day, he gets all agitated inside his cage

[Budgieman]

My birds cage is large enough where she can flap her wings if she wants to, but I do take her out every day, even when she is feeling grumpy. She is clipped, so she can't really fly, but she does do a fair bit of flapping around. Be careful when you are free flying your birds in the house. There are so many ways a flying bird can be injured or killed that it's impossible have a 100% bird safe home. Don't ever let them out of your sight, not even to answer the phone. If you must take your eyes off them, put them back in their cage until you can devote your full attention to them again.

[matejav]

Our budgie isn't really tame-I cant hold him in the hands. We have him for about 3 weeks. I let him out of cage every day around 10 o'clock. He gets hungry by 4 or 5 in the afternoon. At that time he flies to the cage to eat.

At the begining I put a few seeds in front of the cage, so he could see them and come to the cage to eat. Than I put a lot of seeds on my hand (luckyly hes likes to eat) and by trying he got on my finger and so I could put him in the cage. When he got used to my hands (if they had seeds on them ;-)), I started to give him one grain at the time between 2 fingers. He got sooo frustrated by the slownes of this feeding proces, that he climbed to the cage by himself. He does that ever since. Now I just close the door.

If you know when your bird likes to eat, you can calculate approximately when he will become hungry, try first on a day when you're at home. Let him out according to when you'd like to get him back to the cage. Make sure that your room is "bird safe" - windows coverd with curtains, landing space, etc. For landing space- top of the wardrobe or similar will do. Our budgie's flying path is from the wardrobe, to woodcarving and doors. Eventhou his cage is pretty big, at about 10 o'clock he stands on the 3rd perch and looks towards the door. When I open the door he jumps on 2nd and 1st perch, on the cage door and out he goes. I see that he really likes beeing outside the cage.

[Beachbaby]

:)
Hi!..........I have three budgies........2 males.....1 female........I have had them since they were babies and they have always had total freedom to fly round the house whilst I am at home. When I tell them to "go back in" they do.........I always use the same tone of voice...........this proved to be very useful when one of them got out (husband opened window!!!).........I found him in a neigbours gardens sitting in a tree having the time of his life (the bird.....not my husband) ......I took the cage round and told him to "get back in" and he did!!!!............they still come and go as they please.

[kirstykustard]

i have one budgie and he flies freely too, when he's had enough he takes himself back in the cage. if i need to get him back in i just have to call him and pop him on his door perch...he loves being in his cage though as it has about a zillion things to play with! :)

[Minty's Mate]

I open the cage door every day but they rarely come out and fly. When they do como out they go back in on their own when they are ready and they are not tame at all

[Barrie Shutt]

i have mine in a outdoor avairy up to a 100 at times,when i want them to go in i bang a few times on the perch beside the entrance to the indoor flight and they all go in no problem.

[Blackadder]

One of mine fly's in by her own accord, the other I use a piece of doweling and approach using a soothing voice, I then gently rub the doweling on their chest and they then get on it, I then walk them slowly back to the cage entrance and they fly in!

[chirps]

I let mine out about once a week in my bedroom, it is very hard to get them back in the cage if they do not want to go in! Especially new birds. You just have to keep taking them to the cage.Over and over.(if the bird can sit on your finger) They will keep flying away but eventually they will get tired and you can put them in the cage.

[tanja]

I let my budgies fly every day. As soon as I come home from work I open up their cage (if I don't open up at once they almost tear the hatch apart!). They have several places to land in my livingroom (see picture), and they are out until I go to bed. It is not a problem at all to get them back in the cage. I just take them on my finger and put them back.

[debseygirl]

My three come out everyday! Cheeky comes out for about 30 mins, but he's old & gets tired. Summer's out for about an hour & Louis comes and goes as he pleases. All three jump on my hand and I put them in. I've never any problems getting them back in....thank goodness!

[Keety]

We have had joey since he was 6 weeks old (now he is 18 mths old). From week one we decided that he was not going to be locked up. Once he was used to his cage, we opened the door and the only time it is closed is at night and when we travel or he is in the garden.
He comes and goes as he pleases. He perches on the pelmet over the window, on the chair, table, on our heads - wherever he wants. But he regularly returns to his cage - sometimes for food - sometimes just because he wants to. He knows it ain't a prison so he's happy to return. At night, we simply say bedtime and he lets us carry him back to his cage. I thought all budgies were like this?

That really is a great story, but I wouldnt like all the poop everywhere:eek:

[Keety]

Doesn't anyone on this forum clip their wings?

[Ryan]

From time to time, but only in a way that allows them to still fly, just not very far and very fast, but enough to get away from danger. Most others will jump all over you on here for clipping the wings.

[Keety]

From time to time, but only in a way that allows them to still fly, just not very far and very fast, but enough to get away from danger. Most others will jump all over you on here for clipping the wings.

Wow, weird, its recommended on all the care websites, for safety reasons, and its really common around here. I've never heard anyone say its a bad thing, why would anyone get upset about it?

[njaeanna]

It's a personal preference thing. some believe it's a good thing, whilst others believe it's a way of making the bird disabled, much like if someone chopped off the bottom half of your legs.

Usually turns into a very heated debate...

Anna

[Martharolfe@aol.com]

Hi,

I let my budgies out everyday! They don't always do very much, just fly to the curtain rails, but I guess they like it because they can't wait to come out.

Now that I'm down to one budgie she REALLY doesn't do much. That's why I want to get another.

They will fly back to their cages to roost -- well, usually! -- so I let them out at about 4pm and they are back in the cage by about 6 or so.

[Minty's Mate]

Personaly I just don't like the idea of clipping a birds wings but many do and I have no problem with that

[Keety]

Personaly I just don't like the idea of clipping a birds wings but many do and I have no problem with that

Oh good, I clip my birds wings and I don't everyone hating me for it. I think its safer for the bird, and especially now, it will help me bond with her. So anyway, my answer to the original question is I won't be giving her free flight time, but I have and will be taking her out on a regular basis for playing, socializing, and sightseeing.

[imadisgrace]

Brodie and Summer fly every day,i open the cage, Brodie comes out and goes backward and forwards to his cage several times as if checking everything is ok and then Summer comes out. They are not tame but go back to their cage when they are ready.
At first they would fly around a bit frantically and aimlessly but i am impressed to see that they have learned how to fly with a purpose and it is a joy to see them both gliding around the room from one perch to another.

[Minty's Mate]

I let my birds out on Saturday and forgot to close the curtains (we have a double glass patio door). I turned round and found Minty perched on the door handle enjoying the view of the outside, LOL. They seemed to realise it was glass because they didn't fly into it like they did on their first trip out before I was better educated on birdroom saftey. I will show a pic once I have downloaded it

[Keety]

Sorry if this is a dumb questions but I know that birds poop--a lot.
Don't they poop all over your homes?

[Barrie Shutt]

Sorry if this is a dumb questions but I know that birds poop--a lot.
Don't they poop all over your homes?

fancy keeping flying elephants just like budies thet will poop all over your house.

[Minty's Mate]

Sorry if this is a dumb questions but I know that birds poop--a lot.
Don't they poop all over your homes?

yep:D you just have to clear up

[ediri]

I must one of the most priveledged budgies-my 1 year old male budgie Conan has free reign of my house all day..the only time I put him in his cage is when he needs his sleep, or when I take him to visit my mum in the car..in which case he willingly goes in.

Took me a couple of months to "potty train" him, but he now goes back to a small area I set up on my computer desk (which is lined with newspaper) and does his thing there. If anyone is having problems trying to get their budgies out of their cage for the first time, my suggestion is to use fresh weeds or greens to lure them out...thats how conan came out eventually :)

[tilly2socks]

Why does my budgie not like it out of his cage? I leave it open all day - he will sit on the edge and maybe once every 2 weeks fly out - but he seems happy inside. we have had him 6 months now - he is fairly tame as we can stroke his chest- however is not at all interested on coming out whilst on your hand? Any reasons why?:confused:

[Mindy]

Budgies get attached to the cage because it's where the food and water is. Give him time and he will appreciate that open door. One of my budgies climbs all over their big flight cage from top to bottom but the other gets disoriented and doesn't know how to get off the side until I open a door on the side. Bet ya can't guess who the brave curious little one is!

[Mindy]

Place some food on the outside of the cage, or a warm bath to the outside and see if he doesn't come out. :)

[minky]

Minky lives outside of her cage except for at night
We even have a food & water bowl for her and Keekee the Hahns Macaw on the coffee table (spoilt or what).
As we live in a bungalow she just follows me from room to room when
she is feeling a bit clingy.
Both her and Keek are silly tame so its never a problem putting them back in the cage at night.

[matthew lockley]

I've had my budgies for about a week and a half and they come out every now and then, they are not fully tame at the moment so I can only let them out on the off occasion, but when i have them tamed well ill let them out and about alot.

[Jojos mum]

Jojo has always been free about the house because I feel guilty enough keeping him indoors! He stays in the livingroom all day and his cage is in the bedroom. Normally I take him through to his bed and he hops up on his swing inside his cage and goes to sleep. Occasionally he decides I'm staying up too late and he flies through himself. I couldn't imagine clipping his wings he just loves flying so much.
I wish I'd known it was possible to potty train him. Mind you, Jojo very much knows his own mind so I doubt he would have complied:rolleyes:
I would really encourage people to let their birds have some freedom. Birds are meant to fly, it's what they love just make sure everyone in the household is super careful about doors and windows! It's heartbreaking to lose one!:(

[ausuomi]

my bird pluto usually goes and sits on the roof fan (when its off:D) and then i go get him down (which is quite an effort) then i bring him down on my finger and put him on my desk....after a while ill put him back in his cage...i only got him yesterday...lol :D

[usamma]

I don't let more than one out at a time to fly. When I tried that once they got into flock mentality and it was very hard to catch them! Also, I don't let them into our greatroom (very large room with vaulted ceilings) until they are tame.

I have a set-up in my larger bathroom where I take the lid off the cage during the day when I'm home. They are free to sit up on the top of the cage, stretch their wings, and sometimes a few will do short flights away from and then back to the cage. It's a confined area and easy to clean when it's time for them to go to bed.

If your birds are not tame and you have a hard time catching them, try letting them out only after dark. If they land, you can turn the lights off after noting their position and easily catch them.

[ausuomi]

my pluto has already gotten abit tamer and doesnt go onto the fan anymore...YAY!!! its still the second day of having the baby budgie...

[bluebutterfly]

my little boy stimpy goes in and out of his cage as he chooses, he's not as hand tame as some budgies but seemes to understand when its time to go in to bed! we live in a flat which has been budgie proofed so there isnt anything he can hurt himself on and he enjoys the freedom, although we have a brick breakfast bar he like to chew on which results in little bits of brick being deposited in your cup of coffee in the morning (so you never drink right down to the bottom) his door is closed at night so he doesnt go for a midnight fly and hurt himself, he mainly likes to come out to play when my hubby or myself are sat watching the box.

[spickydavies]

I'm wondering how often, if at all, you let your birds out to stretch their wings? And how much trouble do you have getting them back in!

usually every day, and i end up leaving them untill thet decide to go back in on there own accord, and then i herd the rest when its bed time
i'm lucky as they only hang around the top of the cage & fly back & forth so i'm saved from a poo coverd floor!

[howling-wolfie]

I let Louis out everyday because he is tame, he mostly just sits on the top of the cage or climbs on me then flys about for a bit, how long he is out for varies on how much time I have, i let him out whever possible but the dog has to go outside so I have to be fair.

I only let Lemon out because she has a small cage, she is a NIGHTMARE to catch, it sometimes takes like 2 hours >.< she cant go back in to her cage herself because the cage door is very small and she wouldnt be able to fly in like Louis does.

[Taz/Claire]

let my birds out for the first time on saturday they come out ok and i must say they gone back ok as well. but there was one that did not want to go back but at the end he did. so going to let them out more as was nice to see them fly out the cage and the kids love it as well.

[kathy]

I'm wondering how often, if at all, you let your birds out to stretch their wings? And how much trouble do you have getting them back in!

Well with mine I held him and got him use to the room and that, and then gradually left his cage door open and then he got to come in and out off his own accord. He has it always open and then he will come out and go on the hanging perch and then go back in when he is ready :)

[carolt]

Twiggys door is more or less open all day, apart from when we are eating, but even then we forget but she just amuses herself or watches us eat? Some days she takes mad turns at flying and goes back and forward, back and forward before landing on my head. She does get quite a bit of flying done in the day. Some days she comes looking for us if we have left her a long time and she flys the length of our house which is 70ft long. She goes through the dining room, hall, corridor and turns right or straight on into our bedroom!! Quite a fit little so n so then!!! Needless to say I don't ever have windows wide open just in case she is exploring.

[NickNack]

My birds are out all day. The doors to their cages are open & they get their treats on the play center so they end up there to munch & play. It keeps the mess out of the cage with fresh foods. They fly around all day & go to the canarys cage & annoy him. He doesn't come out of his cage & fly ... he flys inside & enjoys interacting with the budgies thru the bars. There is no poops anywhere but on the play center & in the canarys cage. They don't go to the drapes of curtain rails or anywhere else except sometimes visit the ceiling fan ... so clean up is easy.

[Mayden]

I let my Wonsy ( a budgie/keet:)) out every single moment I'm in the room. If she wants to stay in her cage, she can. If not, tehn she can fly about. She normally just plays with my old glasses or my hands/hair, especially when I'm typing. >.< She's lovely and friendly and just goes back into her cage when she wants. When I'm going to bed I just say 'cmon wonsy, bed time now.. yadayad' and she'll hop on my fingers and I'll take her to her cage. :)

[Bonesy]

My birds are allowed to fly all day. When I get in I open the cage door, they have a beat around the room for a few hours then go home after a while to chow down.

Key is not to accidentally punish your bird for going home by not letting him out for days afterwards. He'll think going home means being locked up for ages. When a bird goes home, praise him/her, then re-open the cage door again.

Soon they learn the cage is safe haven, and you can begin stepping up your bird, carrying him to the door of the cage and saying "Home?" and they go in. Keep a ladder spanning from the doorway to the first perch, this makes it an easier landing platform to come to the door with :)