# How to get Obi to happily stay where I put him?



## TheJediBird (Sep 11, 2015)

I don't have a perch yet, but I will make or buy one at some point (I don't get a chance to go places like Petsmart all that often). When I get Obi out and don't have him on my arm because I'm doing something else, I just put him on top of his cage. However, when I leave him anywhere he just runs back and forth and yells then eventually flies around the room until I come and get him. Is there any way to get him to stay on his cage or the perch when I do get it? I would like to make him a play gym but feel like it would be wasted if he doesn't want to stay on it and I don't have a lot of extra money. I already spent quite a bit on toys that he doesn't play with. That I can accept, though, since he'd just rather spend time with me instead. I don't mind him always wanting to perch on my hand or arm, but sometimes I do have other things I need to do.


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

Birds are active animals, and they tend to wander. The best thing you can do is create a space where he has everything he might like do play with, but even then, that's not set in stone. My birds had a playgym, but now a days, they like to wander around with my supervision. Of course, they do have each other to play with, so they do keep each other busy


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## TheJediBird (Sep 11, 2015)

CaliTiels said:


> Birds are active animals, and they tend to wander. The best thing you can do is create a space where he has everything he might like do play with, but even then, that's not set in stone. My birds had a playgym, but now a days, they like to wander around with my supervision. Of course, they do have each other to play with, so they do keep each other busy


I have a lot of different kinds of toys for him, but he doesn't like playing with any on them. It is really cute when he walks after me and climbs up my clothes though.


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## freckles (Oct 2, 2015)

I have only had my current tiels for 6 weeks but I've been leaving them on a play gym in a safe place a little at a time. At first I would leave them on it while I was in the room and let them fly to me when they wanted. They also get to eat millet on their gym so they think it's a super fun place. Slowly they would stay on it longer and longer. But felt safe because I was still in the room. Now I've been leaving the room for short periods of time. In the beginning just to go get something. It seems they just want to know I'm coming back. Now they will sit on it for half an hour or so as I do other things. I constantly sneak a peak to make sure they are safe but they are learning its a fun place to hang out and I'm not leaving forever. They don't fly anywhere they just play and eat millet. Don't know if this helps but it's working for me.


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

Sometimes, getting a bird to stay put is like getting a two year old human to stay put. We are in an apartment, so we just close doors to rooms we don't want Joey in and let him have at it. He mostly stays in the living room, but occasionally wanders into the kitchen. Our last apartment had an open plan living room/dining room/kitchen, so he roamed all of them.


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## TheJediBird (Sep 11, 2015)

TamaMoo said:


> Sometimes, getting a bird to stay put is like getting a two year old human to stay put. We are in an apartment, so we just close doors to rooms we don't want Joey in and let him have at it. He mostly stays in the living room, but occasionally wanders into the kitchen. Our last apartment had an open plan living room/dining room/kitchen, so he roamed all of them.


I would do that with our house, but we have two cats and a dog who have access to the entire house.


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

TheJediBird said:


> I would do that with our house, but we have two cats and a dog who have access to the entire house.


That does make a difference. We're actually in a 'no pets' building, but it was no problem to have Joey. I think they go on a case by case basis to decide.


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## TheJediBird (Sep 11, 2015)

I had Obi out around the house earlier because the cats were out on the deck and our puppy was outside as well, but then someone let the puppy in and she wanted to play with Obi and freaked him out, so....


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## Colorguarder08 (Sep 13, 2014)

You think that's bad I can't be 2 feet from Riley without him flying to me. He will SOMETIMES play on his stand for a whole 5 minutes but then flies right back to me. Even if Carolina is out with him Riley would rather be with me than him


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## TheJediBird (Sep 11, 2015)

It doesn't help that I am only 5' 5" and we have a lot of things hanging on the wall that he likes to perch on where I can't reach him.


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

TheJediBird said:


> It doesn't help that I am only 5' 5" and we have a lot of things hanging on the wall that he likes to perch on where I can't reach him.


A wooden spoon handle or spare perch for him to step up on might help with that, sort of an arm extension. Joey is still stubborn about stepping up on hands or fingers*, so I use a wooden spoon handle to put him back in his cage (we let him come out on his own), but it is also a great help for getting him off curtain rods and the ceiling fan.

*He loves scritches, and we can adjust toys, feed him, etc, with our hands brushing up against him. He just doesn't want to step up.


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## TheJediBird (Sep 11, 2015)

TamaMoo said:


> A wooden spoon handle or spare perch for him to step up on might help with that, sort of an arm extension. Joey is still stubborn about stepping up on hands or fingers*, so I use a wooden spoon handle to put him back in his cage (we let him come out on his own), but it is also a great help for getting him off curtain rods and the ceiling fan.
> 
> *He loves scritches, and we can adjust toys, feed him, etc, with our hands brushing up against him. He just doesn't want to step up.


It's funny, because Obi actually prefers my hands (as long as I'm wearing the gloves he really likes) over any kind of perch. It took a long time to get him used to a ladder that I use sometimes.


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## Colorguarder08 (Sep 13, 2014)

I feel your pain I'm also 5'5" and Carolina on the other hand LOVES to land on curtain rods and hates hands


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

Maybe get another pair of the same gloves and cover a perch with the fabric, just for an arm extension?  

It is weird how some love hands and some don't. Joey is completely fine with hands for everything but stepping up and sitting on.


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## TheJediBird (Sep 11, 2015)

Obi is perfectly fine with stepping up on hands, but doesn't like hands in his cage and is just now letting me pet him a little.


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