Location of bird cage, moving the cage

[kidsbird475]

We just picked up our GCC Saturday. Two basic questions. 1. Where to put the cage and 2. will moving the cage cause stress?

1. Where is the best place to put the cage? I've read that it should be where most of the family activity is so the bird can see and feel like part of the family. If it were that easy we would place it downstairs probably in a corner of the living room. Right now, the cage is upstairs by the front window. My thoughts were one, the bird can move to the side of the cage and see outside and two the kids generally come home and go into their rooms right next to the cages current location. The idea was the kids would be able to come home and wheel the cage into their rooms and spend time with the bird.

2. Would it cause stress on the bird if we moved the cage into their rooms everyday when the kids came home but put it back in front of the window every night? The bird could be in the cage while the kids were doing homework. We built a gym play area for the bird to play on while outside its cage but we heard to be careful with the amount of time the bird is outside of the cage. You shouldn't have the bird out a lot when you first get it then keep reducing the time outside as the novelty of the bird wears off. The bird will get frustrated and stress. So we are trying to be consistent from the start.

Any help would be appreciated.

[PlaxMacaws]

I think it's always best to leave a newly acquired bird in its cage and to leave the cage in one place until the bird settles in to its new environment. Moving a new bird around a home and exposing it to other disruptions should be avoided as much as possible. Simply take care to reduce the possibility of startling or otherwise stressing your new bird for the first two or three weeks. Give your bird time to adjust at a stable location with as much predictably and routine as you can. That will best allow it to become used to and accepting of its new surroundings as quickly as possible. After this settling period, you can experiment with either rolling your bird's cage from room to room upstairs, and/or moving it to an area of your home where there is greater activity to determine which situation may work the best for everyone involved.

Perhaps some of our other members will share their opinions with you as well. And by the way, congratulations on your new GCC! :D

[The Pinkertons]

I agree with PlaxMacaws , give your bird time to adjust, I personally would not advise keeping bird in your children's room unsupervised. They need to learn how to properly handle a bird. Parrots can and will bite! I would put bird in area with the most activity. Place cage in a quiet corner of the room .give your new baby time to adjust, and watch the comings and goings of the family.

[kidsbird475]

Let me clarify some points. My plan was to let the bird settle in. I should have pointed that out. After the bird settles would it be OK to move the cage back and forth from each kids room? When I say kids I'm not talking about little kids. My kids are in high school. They have been making trips to the pet store to visit the bird and handling her there. I don't think that will be an issue.

[PlaxMacaws]

Let me clarify some points. My plan was to let the bird settle in. I should have pointed that out. After the bird settles would it be OK to move the cage back and forth from each kids room? When I say kids I'm not talking about little kids. My kids are in high school. They have been making trips to the pet store to visit the bird and handling her there. I don't think that will be an issue.I think that could work. You'll know once you've completed a trial session. So wait a few weeks and give it a shot. Your bird should be reasonably acquainted with you and your kids by then and you may gain a feel for its reactions to various situations. If your upstairs plan fails to work out you can always relocate the cage to a different part of the house.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Casper just wants to be where we are. We're a small flock without too many pecking order problems. His cage is in our main room but he is only shut in at night and while we are eating (to keep him off our food plates). He has no problem with us moving his cage near the window (not in direct sunlight where he might get too hot) in summer and away from the window near the radiator in winter, but best of all, in the garden when the weather is suitable. He also finds the armchairs quite comfy:
4015

[kidsbird475]

thanks

[The Pinkertons]

Casper just wants to be where we are. We're a small flock without too many pecking order problems. His cage is in our main room but he is only shut in at night and while we are eating (to keep him off our food plates). He has no problem with us moving his cage near the window (not in direct sunlight where he might get too hot) in summer and away from the window near the radiator in winter, but best of all, in the garden when the weather is suitable. He also finds the armchairs quite comfy:
4015 Spoiled Bird !!

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Yep :)

[Sucre]

I love having my conures in the den, where we spend most of our time. They compete with the television at times, but that's okay.

Did you wind up getting a young one? I think you made a good choice with the GCC. They are real characters, lots of personality but easier to manage than some of the larger parrots.