# Getting Sweep to go back IN the cage...?



## elliot (Jun 25, 2012)

Hi, as I'm new here I think I'm posting this in the right place, but please correct me if I've done it wrong...

I've got a bit of an issue, I have a one year old male cockatiel called Sweep, who was hand raised and I've had him since he was 9 weeks old. Normally he's a real star and really well behaved in general, until I need to get him to go back into his cage, which he really doesn't like. He has a massive cage (its a montana san remo, all to himself - I'll post pictures soon) He has loads of toys, a UV light, natural perches and a budgie friend who lives in a separate cage next door (who has no issues about her cage) but even so as soon as I try to take him near it he flies off and it can take up to 20 minutes or so to get him back in... I never raise my voice and eventually get him back in by tricking him with food, I have only ever once had to throw a towel over him when it was a real emergency and he HAD to go back in his cage and quickly! (that was months ago)
I was just wondering if any one has any training tips to teach him that going into his cage is fine? Currently he comes out of his cage for about three hours a day, in three separate blocks of time, and when I do put him back in his cage I sit next to it and read or something for ten minutes or so, so that he doesn't associate the cage with me vanishing from the room, but even so it just does not seem to be working... Any ideas would be much appreciated! 

It makes me smile when I see that people have posted about having issues about getting their bird OUT of the cage, I sometimes wish I had that problem!!


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

I have the same problem with my boy Cupid, around 10 months old he got super rebellious and would fly away or bite me when I tried to get him back in his cage, I used bribery for awhile, I would use millet to get him to get on and stay on my hand and then into the cage and then once he was in I would give him another couple munches or even put the millet into the cage for him. Fortunately for me I found an easier way to get him back in the cage ( unfortunately it wont work for you), I put my female Aero into the cage first since she goes in no problem and then cupid will fly into the cage on his own after her 

Here is my thread on cupid, http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=25583, Im not sure if theres anything in there that can help you since I didnt get many answers. Hopefully Sweep starts behaving for you soon!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

I find turning the lights out then getting them to step up has worked for me
During the day I do find it a bit harder but sometimes they go in no problem


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## elliot (Jun 25, 2012)

Thanks for the advice, Sweep isn't actually that big a fan of millet, he does eat it, but he often won't follow it into the cage sort of thing, although it does work when he is hungry. 

As for turning out the lights, that works in winter, but since we have the long evenings at the moment it is still light when he goes to bed (about 8pm), closing the curtains just makes it dim, so I feel it stresses him out as much as anything then. Perhaps I should just get a well behaved girl friend for him like you Sarah 

Thanks for the advice again!


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## hanna (Apr 14, 2012)

Sometimes I've got similar issues with Joe. He tried a few times to settle on his tree house hoping I'll let him... cheky monkey, but I got him with food bribe to step on my finger and then I put him in his cage. He then behaved like an inverted hen, head down tushie up... lol and wanted to have a go at his night blanket. It took me a few minutes to get him settled with a few more seeds and a good night kiss.
I had to use a towel once too.....

But most times he goes in and out of his cage and towards bed time I keep an eye on him and close the cage door when he's in in the evenings, this is most arround 7:30 pm, sometimes 8 pm. And sometimes on weekends when we try to sleep in and he gets uncovered later than usual, in the evenings he can behave like a night owl....


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## delawaregirl (Dec 2, 2011)

We were having trouble getting Tweety into her cage also. She just wants to be with us and would prefer to sleep on our shoulder. She never goes inside on her own.. She will sometimes go sit on top of the cage or on the door. I would always tell her when I was going to put her back in the cage--it's time to go night-night, Moma and Papa are going to go bye-bye. It finally dawned on me that she knew when I said those things she was going in her cage so I have stopped saying that. And now I can get her on my finger and carry her to the cage and put her in before she knows what is happening.


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## elliot (Jun 25, 2012)

I haven't really tried putting a command to Sweep going back in the cage, for that reason, though I do tell him when I am giving him 'food' or 'millet' and try and use those to bribe him in sometimes, so he knows there is food involved. His other commands are pretty good, he comes when called 90% of the time, always steps up on command  He is just learning to sing on command too... sort of


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