# Help? They won't come down.



## Izzy_Meadows (Jun 6, 2013)

My two new birds, Storm and Monster, are flighted. Last night, at the same time, they both flew to the curtains in their room. They refused to go back to the cage for bedtime and are sti ll refusing to come down. They are not hand tame, and Monster can be aggressive. Now what? My mom thinks they have built a nest, but I hadn't noticed any hormonal behavior.


----------



## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

Ah dear!
Use food. Seeds or millet spray maybe?
Other option, though not preferable, is to just grab them in a towel.
Or have you tried pushing them off there and seeing if they'll fly to their cage?
Hope they come down!!


----------



## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

Using a towel or a rag to grab them works great.

As for Monster's aggressiveness (I'm going to assume he has a biting problem), birds will continue to bite if you react to them biting you. My suggestion is to let the bird bite you as you take it down and do not respond as it does (do not say "ow" or "no" this will encourage them). If he sits on your hand peacefully offer him millet.

I hear a lot about persuading birds to come to you while taming. This has never worked for me, to some degree at least you have to show the bird who's boss. As long as you're not rough and remove them slowly cupping them between two hands (if possible) and ensuring the toes aren't caught on anything you will be fine. Sure, offer them millet and drown them in positive reinforcement when they're doing something good. But never be afraid to grab them in a moments notice when in danger or if they're refusing to step up so you can put them away.


----------



## Izzy_Meadows (Jun 6, 2013)

I will try that when I get home from work. I'd hate to grab them and make them not trust me but if need be. I know one thing. Those curtains are coming down. No babies will be hatched here. I am much too senstive and busy.


----------



## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Will they step up on a perch to come down? And use some millet for bribery? I know each tiel is different, but I've never had to grab my tiel except when I had to give him oral medicine. I would use that as a last choice, but obviously they do need to come down. I know you haven't had them long but there are some good taming techniques under stickies at the top of this section- training and bonding that can help too.


----------



## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

Someone on TB had success with catching her budgie in one of those butterfly nets from Dollar Tree stores. Do you think that would work with them?


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

I would grab them because you need to do it for their safety. I have never had an issue with a bird distrusting me in the longterm because of occasionally needing to grab or restrain them for their own good (e.g. meds, etc.)


----------



## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

They haven't eaten or drank since they went up there, so they need to be placed into their cage so they can satisfy these necessities.


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

I also would not leave them up there while you're at work. There's all kinds of toxic things they could get into in a home.


----------



## BabyMoo (Dec 19, 2012)

Don't throw a towel. Get up on something and grab them gently with a towel but don't throw it. At least that is what I would do with mine so that the towel doesn't scare them and make them fall. Get up on something stable, have your mom help you. Get close to them and offer them a perch to see what happens but if they don't get on the perch then get them with a towel. Hope you get them down soon.


----------



## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

also i highly doubt they're nesting - just to put your mind at ease  they're probably just scared and insecure...


----------



## Izzy_Meadows (Jun 6, 2013)

They weren't nesting. My mom is crazy. When I got home I saw there was no place to nest. Eventually they came down on their own and we quickly took down the curtains so they wouldn't be tempted again. (We had just put them up before they flew up there). I highly doubt that Monster didn't come down at some point for food. As for safety I leave them out of the cage all day. They are in a room that we made just for them with nothing besides birdie stuff and a bed.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Since they aren't tame yet, letting them out like that and then having to force them back into the cage is really not going to help in the taming process. You can't tame them if you can't them or if they're just going to continue to fly away from you. Plus, taming them is best done in another room, away from their cage. So until they are better tamed, I wouldn't be letting them out like that all day. It wont hurt them to be in their cage, trust me. And this way, if something scares them, they wont go flying willy-nilly around the room, crashing into things. Its better to let them out under supervision. If I'm not home with my birds, even though they have their own room, they stay in their cage. And they are perfectly fine with that.


----------



## BabyMoo (Dec 19, 2012)

roxy culver said:


> It wont hurt them to be in their cage, trust me. And this way, if something scares them, they wont go flying willy-nilly around the room, crashing into things. Its better to let them out under supervision. If I'm not home with my birds, even though they have their own room, they stay in their cage. And they are perfectly fine with that.


I agree. BabyMoo is always in her cage when I'm not home. The cage has to have the things they need to be happy while you are gone, such as fresh food and water.


----------

