About Free Flight

[Elvenking]

Do I allow Issac to free flight to me at will? He gets his "two-year-old" mode on sometimes and absolutely must be on me somehow. Which I do not mind most of the time....he's cuddly and sweet. But I was on the phone tonight....and he was having a fit like a child trying to talk his mother while she was on the phone. HA! Do I let him be like this or are there methods to keep em in line. I could go in another room lol.


As I type...he just landed on top of my head. What to do?

I have to imagine that for many this would not be socially acceptable behavior. Imagine if I have guests. He is probably due for more toys too. I have like 9 coming in the mail....where the hell are they...LOL.<br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/02/25 05:24

[Elvenking]

This bird suprises me in many ways. Usually I come home and immediately have one-on-one time with Issac. I feed him and talk and play with him....then i ahve to go clean up...and he is usually at least cool walking around on the kitchen counter for a bit while I do that...chewing on the dish wand or something like that. But for an hour after that tonight...its like he was suddenly possessed to be on me. LOL. Like a "I need to be close" attack. Not frantic...but much more frequent. LOL...He ended up chilling out but it left me wondering what got into him. Birds will be birds I suppose.

[JillyBeanz]

Elvenking wrote:

As I type...he just landed on top of my head. What to do?

Swat him like a fly before he lands! I don't let Harvey on my head, and if he does get there as soon as he lands I remove him. He can happily fly to my shoulder or my lap, but not my hand. It's a personal preference - but I'm not entirely sure why anyone would want to leave their parrot on their head :unsure:

If you have a flighted bird, then something you will have to accept is that he flies! He will follow you all over the house, he will want to be with you. You are Isaac's chosen one and he'll want to be with you (Harvey's currently sitting on my forearm whilst I type)!

It's great through when you are in another part of the house and you call them - and they come to you - it's a pleasure to see

[pearllyn]

As Jill says, he is a flighted bird and you'll just have to accept that. It's just Issac demonstrating that he want's to be with you so why would you want to stop that anyway?
However, and I guess it is personal choice, but I don't allow Alfie on heads - it's a pecking order thing. In the wild the most important flock members get the highest branches. It's the same reason why cages and perches, in theory, should be lower than your head. Some people keep shoulders off limits too for the same reason, but I must have a big head cos it's still higher than Alfies if she's on my shoulder.
Also, the phone thing - Alfie does this too! She goes nuts when we're on the phone. I don't know why - most of the time she's trying to grab it from us - maybe trying to liberate the little person she can hear is in there - I'm not sure. At any rate I don't allow her to do it - I use my 3 strikes and you're out policy and it is working. You just have to decide what he can and can't do, and be consistant. There's no point in letting him land on your head sometimes, when you will disallow it at other times - Issac won't understand this.
Jill's right though - it's such a joy to have your grey come and find you when you're at the other end of the house! It's awesome!

[Elvenking]

Most of the time....I don't mind him on my shoulder. And of course it is super sweet that he wants to be with me. I would have to be totally oblivious not to recognize that. I also do appreciate it for that much. Sometimes I have to get things done though I cannot do it if he is trying to get at every single thing I do. This morning I was flossing my teeth and trying to get the laundry out of the dryer and its never been harder. I guess I will just find a way to work it.

What is your "three strikes" method?

There is not a particular problem with landing on my head. He just goes there when he gets the idea that it is going to be difficult to make the shoulder landing. He gets removed from my head immediately after he does it. Most of the times he executes perfect landings to my shoulder...it's actually pretty impressive

Don't get me wrong, I knew that leaving him flighted would give him the choice of where he wanted to be. I just want to let him know where the right places to land are in a positive way. <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/02/25 18:49

[JillyBeanz]

Elvenking wrote:

Sometimes I have to get things done though I cannot do it if he is trying to get at every single thing I do. This morning I was flossing my teeth and trying to get the laundry out of the dryer and its never been harder. I guess I will just find a way to work it.

That's what his cage is for!! If I am doing a task which doesn't require any input from Harvey, and would be detrimental if he was involved, he gets put in his cage. It's safer for him and me.

You don't have to have Isaac out the whole time you are home - for instance - I have just been telephoning some companies about some furniture I've ordered - it's taken 45 minutes and Harvey was put in his cage - he's out now - all's good.

It's not cruel to put them in their cage - they can't expect to be with you 24/7 - and by giving him all the cage out time he wants will make it more difficult when you leave him.

[Elvenking]

I am already gone for work during the day, so I love to give him maximum out time when I get home. I do have to get over the fact that the cage is not a prison though and i suppose you are right.

LOL...a little piece of my heart breaks every time I see him claw at the bottom of the cage to get out. He does get over it I believe....not sure...never caged him when I was home for long enough. *Total Softie*

I certainly hope his box of toys shows up today, I want to make life super fun for him! <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/02/25 19:12

[Dave007]

""""There is not a particular problem with landing on my head."""

Well, that's until he shits on your head. You can never be guaranteed that he won't drop a plop. Not to worry, it can be used as a new styling gel and if it works, get a patent.

Now that your bird is flying all over you, it's now the perfect time to teach him to constantly land on your hand or wrist. When he finally gets that down pat, your head won't be as attractive. You bird will feel thatit's accomplished something good just like they feel when they learn how to fly from branch to branch in the wild.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2010/02/25 19:40

[Talon]

Nilah LOVES being in her cage, so she goes there willingly...except for bedtime. She prefers to sleep in her playground in the Living Room, but that's not allowed due to my dog and cat...
My daughter has taught Rikki to say in the most sad, pitiful voice ever...."come baaackkkk, come baaackkk.."
So I have to have my heart broken everytime I put Rikki in her cage and walk away. :S
Talon doesn't mind going in her play cage. She always says, to me "be back soon okay???" :unsure:

[Elvenking]

Hi Dave. Yep...when I see him coming I will stick my hand out. I look like a pro trainer in front of people when Issac and I do this. Other times when my hands are full, he makes perfect shoulder landings. But when I sit at my computer desk...the head landing is likely. I am sure he will get the idea that is not where to land. He is never there for long. Also, he is getting a lot better about not flying to Pedros cage, only about 2 times last night..and he came right off.

For his age, I think his behavior is quite normal. He is the healthiest and the happiest bird I could imagine, I have to be ever so grateful for that.