# Flying out of cage



## newbirdmama (Sep 15, 2012)

Ive been hand feeding my new cockatiel for about a week now but several times now she's flown out of the open cage door while Im feeding her. Her wings have been clipped so she just falls to the floor and gets scared and I try to pick her up with a cloth so she doesnt bite me but 
Im afraid its undoing progress when I have to pick her up because she is scared of hands touching her. 
One of the times this happened she bit me; it startled me so much I dropped her. she wasnt hurt, but Im worried Ive undone trust. 

She doesnt seem scared-she just all of a sudden flies out. If there's a warning sign she's about to do it I seem to be missing it.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

She could feel comfortable at that point in the training to come out of the cage but is unsure how to do it. You could try seeing if she'll step up on a perch and trying feeding her outside of the cage.


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## newbirdmama (Sep 15, 2012)

I have taken her out for short periods of time and she seems to enjoy it and not be frightened and sometimes easily goes back inside her cage after 'playtime' but sometimes tries to fly off and ends up on the floor and once on the floor she IS frightened- So I am wondering if its too soon to have her out ?

Should I just pick her up and put her back in her cage if she does fly to the floor and continue to let her out or keep practicing stepping up before I take her out?

(The room is bird proofed. )


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I would say letting her out wouldn't be a bad thing if you can figure out a way to get her back in the cage without breaking the trust you've gained with her, like food bribery OR maybe getting her to step up on something.


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## Ghosth (Jun 25, 2012)

Take a longer perch/stick comfortably sized for a tiel, 2-3 feet long. Sit down in a chair facing the bird. One end of the stick in your hand, one end on the floor about a foot away from the bird. Sit still, talk softly, as that is an easy way to get "UP" it should climb up the stick till it gets close to your hand. 

At that point you can try some millet, see if it will come up to your hand for it. If that is a no go just lift the stick slowly back to where it can hop back into the cage.

Ideally with a clipped bird I like to have a rope, ladder, or similar device so they can get back on their own. Although once you get them stepping up on a perch it can be an easy way to get them to stepping up on a finger. Main thing is patience, keep your cool.


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## Bird Junky (Jul 24, 2012)

Hi To prevent escapes.. Use clothes pegs to clip a handkerchief
to the bars above the cage door to act as a safety curtain
while door is open.... No out of cage till STEP-UP completed...B.J.


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## Twitter09 (Dec 14, 2009)

*My advice*

If you Cockatiel flies out of the cage and ends up on the floor, I would approach it very calmly and get it to perch (step up) on your finger. You might have to gently corner it, if it walks away. But sooner or later it will learn that stepping on your finger is the fastest way to get off the floor so it will probably learn to walk over to you eventually. 

But throwing a towel over it and/or grabbing it will only un-do all your taming. That should be your very last resort. Most birds, even tame ones, don't like being grabbed... even with a towel.


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## newbirdmama (Sep 15, 2012)

It is scared of my hands and will NOT step up. it just continues to fly away. if it gets out I have to pick it up with my hands to put it back.
I have just been more careful in having the door open without letting her slip out because its the 3rd week and it still fears my hands despite hours of daily work.
Its been very frustrating. 
I have just started over as if it were day 1 with being extra careful not to let her get out the cage door while my hand is inside the cage.


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