# A.M. Cage Thrashing - Please Help



## Miranda (Feb 21, 2009)

I started a new thread in case it was missed in my other one.

Kylie really wants out of her cage but since she is so new (and so spastic), I don't know if I should let her out. She is calling, yelling and generally bugging out. The breeder said to let her out to fly around (she is clipped) but I wanted to get her calmed down to her new environment.

I am trying to do things slowly and calmly. I predict if I let her out she will continue to be wild, just out of the cage. I would never be able to get her to come to me or step up so I would have to catch her to get her back the cage and I don't want our relationship to start that way. The breeder had a heck of a time getting her in the cage to take her home. Yes, she is supposed to be hand-raised.

Meanwhile she is a nut in the cage; messing up her beautiful feathers and splashing water all over (that I don't care about). She calmed down after awhile yesterday after I posted originally. For the most part, and for most of the day she is calming and is not startled or as panicked we near the cage. But the morning fever-pitches are unnerving. I just don't want her to get hurt.

Please advise! :blink:


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## Sharon (Dec 13, 2009)

I definitely would not let her out. She sounds scared, and panicked...and that will only be worse outside the cage. I'd keep her in a quiet area, away from traffic, talk softly to her from a distance and just wait.


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## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

When you say she's thrashing about, what normally happens just before it? Have you walked through a door or anything? If so that could cause the panic. My two panic occasionally upstairs, because the door sticks, then opens suddenly sometimes, and gives them a fright. And my bf panicked them this morning, carrying a very big red object, which they really weren't expecting. Or if it's early and she's sleeping, it can take very little to scare them and send them into a panic. During the night, it's called a nightfright. It can be caused just by a movement or noise they aren't expecting. If she isn't awake yet, it could be that. My dog bumped the cage one morning, just when the birds were uncovered, and although it was only a small movement, that panicked them.

It's important to work out if she's panicking because of something like I've mentioned above, or if she's flapping around the cage to exercise and because she wants out. How big is her cage?


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## Miranda (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi Mythara,

No she is not being startled. This is only happening in the morning--no night frights. She seems just really annoyed and mad and like she wants to get out. Her cage is smaller than she is used to: about 16X13x36. It's a quarantine cage. She is calling a lot; you know the "fwee-fwew" call. Very loud and agitated. Louder when you leave the room. She is climbing all around the cage, throwing food around. Very vocal. My first tiel called a lot but nothing like this. I feel sorry for her (or "him" --she is so loud she could be a him).

I tried covering the cage and that settles her but I don't know if that's the right thing to do either. Yesterday she did this through the morning but settled around noon. She was fine the rest of the day.


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## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

Could she go into a bigger cage? That cage really is tiny. A bigger cage will give her room to stretch and flap and exercise her muscles, without bashing into everything. If she's used to flying around a lot, which it sounds like she is, she'll be wanting to stretch and exercise her muscles, and it doesn't sound like that cage is giving her room to go that. Hopefully more space would allow her to exercise easily, without any thrashing.


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## Miranda (Feb 21, 2009)

I don't have a bigger cage. Just the flight cage that the other tiel is in.

I thought this would be fine as it was the one the first tiel came with.

Good news is that she was just playing with her foraging box.


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## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

You should really have two cages for them. You have to consider that the two 'tiels may hate each other and never be able to share a cage. The minimum cage size for a cockatiel is 24" x 24". Birds are very rarely sold with appropriately sized cages if you get them from a pet shop, which is where I assume you got the first one if he came with a cage? It's good that she's settled enough to play, and foraging will be really good to prevent boredom. =)


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## Miranda (Feb 21, 2009)

I got the first one through Craigslist (on-line want ads) a rescue. 

I realize if the birds don't get along I will need another cage but I wasn't planning on getting one until then. I really can't afford another cage just yet, what with the price of the bird and her vet bill. Kylie will be spending most of the time out of the cage eventually. Even so I will keep my eye on Craigslist for a good deal on a used cage.

Do you agree that I should not take her out? I can give her interesting things to do in the cage, like the forage box, and other fun things, until I can take her out.

Thanks for all your advice!


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## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

The person you got him from on Craigslist probably got him from a pet shop then. It's sad but pet shops generally don't know much about the animals they sell, and most of the cages they sell aren't suitable. Craigslist can have some really good cheap cages on though, so it's definitely worth keeping an eye on. 

You could try taking her to a small room, like a bathroom, and letting her out there, then tempting her back into the cage with a treat like millet. You could also clip her wings before letting her out, which would make catching her easier - our birds when they had clipped wings, or just when they fly off and lose themselves, were always happy to hop on to a hand and get a lift back. Or, at least make sure she has a clear zone in her cage, where she can flap around, without bashing into anything. It's possible that she starts off by flapping, then flaps into something, which panics her, causing her to stop thinking just react. She reacts to bashing into something by trying to get away from it, only to bash into something else, and so on, until she's exhausted, and finally calms down (this is also what happens during nightfrights). It really comes down to how confident you are about handling her. =)


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## Miranda (Feb 21, 2009)

Thanks, I will look for a larger cage. I re-measured my small one and it is a little wider than my report, but not much (20 inches).

I want all my interactions with Kylie to be positive so I hesitate to take her out because I know she will not step up and I will have to catch her to put her back. And who knows what else. But then I don't want her to get too stir-crazy either. I will have to give it some thought.

Right now she is calm, so that is nice.

Thanks again!


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## Miranda (Feb 21, 2009)

She's rather settled. Now all she does is whistle, chirp and demand attention. I can put my hand in the cage to feed, clean, and add toys and she does not freak out. Much. 

I can't wait until she is out of quarantine so she can meet Kirby!


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## WallyBird (Nov 23, 2009)

That's great to hear. Sounds like she's in a good home


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## Miranda (Feb 21, 2009)

Thanks, wallybird!


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## WallyBird (Nov 23, 2009)

How are things progressing? Are you able to take her in and out of the cage yet?


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## Miranda (Feb 21, 2009)

She is doing well. No more freak-outs. Lots of appeals for attention. We can take her in and out of the cage with a millet-lured step-up only. When that happens she is concentrating hard on the millet and seems to be ready to go wherever it goes, i.e. not stay put on the shoulder or the finger unless there is millet to eat. I don't consider that a reliable step-up, so these are quick sessions. We will keep working with her. Don't want to rush it. We are very happy with her!


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## Birdlette (Feb 25, 2009)

Can she hear your other tiel? If they are flock-calling back and forth that may cause her some agitation. My two do fine until I take one into another room and the flock-calling begins, then whoever is with me will fly off in search of the one left behind. General panic will ensue until they are re-united!!


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## Miranda (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi Birdlette,

Funny you should ask. They sometimes "talk" to each other, and that is a very lively exchange. But the other tiel seems to have gotten more quiet since Kylie's arrival, as if she doesn't want to start a ruckus. I hope she is not put off. We are trying to pay extra attention to her. Can't wait to see how they react in a few weeks when they are in the same room together.

But Kylie has no more freak outs. She is very verbal and lets us know when we leave the room, but that's it. She chirps much more than Kirby ever did, to the point where I wonder if she is really a "he." Her chirps have more variation and and are more like "warbles." But she has no outright whistles. We'll see. She is 3 months old and Whiteface Pearl Pied and I hear they are hard to sex. The breeder thought she was most likely a "she."

Anyway she is coming along fine.


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