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Ringneck now refusing to step up

Discuss the methods and techniques of clicker training, target training and bonding. These are usually the first steps in training a young parrot.

Ringneck now refusing to step up

Postby snowie » Tue Oct 14, 2014 8:08 pm

Hi all I got a hand reared ringneck mutation 3 days ago he's around 4 months old first couple of days he stepped up fine yet today when out of his cage he refused to step up tried once then gave it 10 minutes and tried again to no success so gave it another 10 minutes this time he attacked the stick so tried my finger and he decided to give it a firm squeeze so left finger in position but he just ignored it cannot fault him otherwise let me stroke his belly and wings today and was gladly accepting treats from my hand mainly monkey nuts which he seems to enjoy any help would be gratefully appreciated, thank you in advance Booboo and Carl
snowie
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Types of Birds Owned: Ringneck Mutation
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Re: Ringneck now refusing to step up

Postby Harpmaker » Wed Oct 15, 2014 4:31 pm

My response is based on general information which applies to most parrots. I can see four possible problems.

1. If you only pick up Booboo to put him in his cage, he knows what's coming and doesn't want to go back. Put another perch out in the room so he has someplace to be moved to besides in his cage, and move him there sometimes.

2. He has no reason to want to go back to his cage. Always give him a treat when you put him back. I give my bird a piece of walnut, a pistachio, or a piece of dried fruit.

3. Booboo hasn't bonded with you yet. Three days is early for the "honeymoon period" to be over, but maybe he just got up the courage to tell you "no, I don't want to do that." Firm up your bond before you ask for anything.

4. IRNs are notorious for relapsing to a semi-wild state if they don't get enough attention every day. Booboo is young for that, but if that was the case, you would need to start taming from scratch.

Anyone who actually had a ringneck feel free to chime in with better information than I have. I just thought snowie shouldn't have to feel ignored.
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Re: Ringneck now refusing to step up

Postby Wolf » Thu Oct 16, 2014 1:47 am

From what I read, Harpmaker is pretty accurate in her assessment of what you have described to us. I would definitely spend more time with bonding with this bird and this is simply a matter of talking to the bird and spending one on one time with it. I stress the on of the one on one time as this means time with the bird in direct physical contact with you. Also always reward your bird for returning to its cage for you with one of its favorite treats. Get in the habit of placing your bird on different perching spots throughout the time it is out of the cage. This will put an end to it thinking that the only time you pick it up is to lock it up.
Hope this helps.
Wolf
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Re: Ringneck now refusing to step up

Postby snowie » Thu Oct 16, 2014 9:08 am

Thank you both ever so much for your reply's it is greatly appreciated, have ordered him another perch and are taking things slowly with him have also decided to order 3 books on parrots in general as I have so many questions was told
to keep his food in the cage all the time is this correct? And do I need to bath him if so how and how often? Thank you both once again, Carl and booboo
snowie
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 6
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Ringneck Mutation
Flight: No

Re: Ringneck now refusing to step up

Postby Wolf » Thu Oct 16, 2014 9:36 am

I do keep some food in each of my birds cages for them to nibble on throughout the day, but this is not either pellets or a seed mix, it is fresh veggies and gloop. The reason for this is that parrots need a varied diet and too much of a seed or pelleted diet will lead to both behavorial and medical problems such as liver disease.
As for bathing, I have birds that will use a bird bath, large shallow dish, and I have birds that need to be misted down with room temperature for their baths. Generally speaking if they don't do it themselves then I mist them once a week.
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Re: Ringneck now refusing to step up

Postby snowie » Thu Oct 16, 2014 10:22 am

Thank you for the advice Wolf at the moment he's on seed mix but going today to get some pellets have tried him with carrots and broccoli which he seems to enjoy will try him with a shallow dish to see if he will bath himself if not have already purchased a mister he always seems to be cleaning his feathers he seems a lot more active today bopping up and down as I talk to him and fluffing up his feathers was whistling away like crazy this morning also noticed he sometimes opens his beak really wide but doesn't seem to be in a aggressive manner
snowie
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Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 6
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Ringneck Mutation
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Re: Ringneck now refusing to step up

Postby Wolf » Thu Oct 16, 2014 2:07 pm

They yawn like we do. Are you aware that pellets are just ground up seeds with artificial this and that added to them. They are intended to replace seeds and not to feed in addition to seeds. They are fed the same way as seeds.
I feed gloop in the mornings along with chopped fresh veggies and a fruit. I give them enough to have something to nibble on all day and then I feed a seed mix in the evenings and remove that after they go to sleep at night.
Wolf
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Location: Lansing, NC
Number of Birds Owned: 6
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
African Grey (CAG)
Yellow Naped Amazon
2Celestial Parrotlet
Budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: Ringneck now refusing to step up

Postby Pajarita » Thu Oct 16, 2014 2:17 pm

He sounds hungry, are you feeding soft foods? This is a baby we are talking about and needs, at least, two types of soft food served fresh twice daily. Be careful with pellets, do research before you decide on them (but not on birdsites, go to the field biologists or ornithologists reports on their natural diet ecology because these birds eat mostly fruits, buds and blossoms and just a few green seeds so pellets are completely inadequate for them (too dry, too 'dead', too high in protein, too low in fiber, etc).

I hope you are experienced in ringnecks and that you don't work outside the home because they are not birds that do well with first time owners.
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Re: Ringneck now refusing to step up

Postby snowie » Thu Oct 16, 2014 2:42 pm

Thank you once again wolf may try him on this diet
snowie
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 6
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Ringneck Mutation
Flight: No

Re: Ringneck now refusing to step up

Postby snowie » Thu Oct 16, 2014 6:49 pm

I have no experience with Ringnecks Pajarita we was giving little information on him by the breeder told me that he likes red apples and was given a bag of seed and shown how to step up etc and that was about it any soft foods you can recommend please
snowie
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Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 6
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Ringneck Mutation
Flight: No

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