There are two kinds of domestic birds – “in cage” birds and “out of cage” birds.
Pearl may not be able to fly (due to a wing injury when she was a chick) but she is definitely an “out of cage” bird.
The only time she likes her cage and wants to be in it is if we are at the V-E-T (at that point, the more bars the better) or she is ready for bed.
At all other times, putting her inside her cage and closing the door is a clear signal for her to start shrieking. No matter whether it is for her own safety, for punishment (if ever I have found one technique that DOESN’T work in communicating to this bird that she must cease and desist, caging her is it), or because she is tired and doesn’t yet realize it (cockatiels will be 2 until they are 22), she will shriek the moment the door closes.
If that doesn’t work, a noisy round of what I have come to call “big wings” (more on that in a subsequent post) may work to get her out of jail again.
Her body language isn’t too subtle either.
I call this shot “Sad Bird”.
This shot is called “Happy Bird”.
