Adopted Ringneck and Quaker Taming Thread

[shiraartain]

Quaker's name is Clover and Ringneck is Lemon. My suggestions were all thrown aside and I've admitted defeat. The Quaker is more skittish and has a clip that is severe enough to only allow her to jump a few feet when she attempts to fly. Ringneck has a light clip, the same as Fajr.

Day 1: The birds were brought to us sometime in the afternoon. We waited until they seemed less stressed in their carrier to transfer them to their cage. Once settled in their cage, the quaker kept moving to preen the ringneck's tail, who seemed to be annoyed. Inappropriate toys were removed (Paper spiderman mask, earbuds, yarn toys, roll of paper/cotton??) and the birds were given the feed they came with and covered at sunset.

Day 2: We sat outside the birdcage and talked to them. They didn't seem to be affected at all. Opened door and put hand at bottom. Ringneck didn't care. Quaker indicated level of comfort by putting claw on the side of the cage. Stopped moving closer whenever the claw went to the side and moved a bit again once claw was put back on the bar. Did this for about 30-50 minutes, then took hand out and sat and talked to them until leaving for breakfast. Both birds went to the cage door and sat on it, so we opened it while sitting a respectful distance away and handed them apple slices. Were surprised to find how readily they accepted them after the first one. Watched them play with clothespins until they tired and went back inside their cage on their own. Hear vocalization of ringneck for the first time when it drops its clothespin under the cage grate. Noticed that the quaker's attempts to preen ringneck's tail decreased after they were both given clothespins to play with. (On a funny note: Youngest sister complains that her bird's vocalization sounds like farts while the ringneck sounds cuter.)

Day 3: The birds seem content in the morning. I approach their cage slowly and place the bathing tray on top of their cage, it contains a bit of water. Would have waited to do this but they have both been scratching themselves often since they came. They both eye it nervously from inside their cage. Give them both their apple slices and sit down on nearby couch to work. They get used to the black tray. After a few hours I open their cage door and the ringneck is the first to approach the tray and test the water. After a while I realize the water is probably cold by now and proceed to use the yellow bowl that came with them to add warm water. The ringneck becomes curious around my third time doing this, and comes closer. Seeing his positive reaction to the bowl, I leave it in the tray and watch him play with it, then go back to grab a jug to continue filling the tray. I was apprehensive about this, but they're not frightened at all. The Quaker even ventures closer and I let her nibble the lip of the jug before pouring in the water. Ringneck bathes and Quaker pokes at the water, though she doesn't even perch on the edge of the tray. I return to my work and leave the room for a minute. Come back just in time to see the Quaker go from the cage to the couch arm. The birds and I all freeze and Quaker begins pacing arm of couch and slowly i put one arm on the cage and one on the edge of the couch so that she can use me as a ladder but she's still pacing. Take the hand off the cage and Quaker nibbles at my fingers, paces some more, and then climbs onto my sleeve and onto my shoulder and lets me deliver her to the cage. Similar incident repeats with the ringneck a few minutes later-he would normally be able to fly back, but since he was wet he had about the same flight ability as the quaker. Didn't hesitate at all to climb up my arm.

Now both have returned inside their cage, preened one another, and settled in for a nap. Typing this out and realizing it's only been three days, I feel like I'm rushing, but we have been letting them set the pace for all this. I've been retreating whenever they seem nervous, but aside from yesterday morning, the signs of nervousness are scarce.

I'm not sure where to go from here though. I feel I should wait at least two weeks before trying to teach them to step up. Should I just proceed with this routine? Letting them out until they feel like returning and handing them fruit and toys?

[Pajarita]

Yes, you are rushing things and doing some of them wrong - don't put your hand in their cage at all! You are a stranger and intruding on their space. No warm water, birds should bathe in cold water, it's not only better for their plumage, they actually prefer it. Also, your bonding with them (training included) is the wrong thing to do, their humans need to do this.

[Wolf]

It sounds to me like you are taking over all of the things that the twins should be doing. It sounded in the other post like the twins were going to take care of them and so on and if the birds are going to bond to the twins then you should take on the role of advisor only and let them do the physical end of it. Perhaps take the twins to the rom where your bird is to show them how to do the right things and let them take the lesson and apply it to their respective birds. At least that is how I would go about it.

[shiraartain]

Thank you both for your responses! I think I may have gotten a bit too excited about our new family members and proceeded to take over taming. Also, as their oldest sibling who has watched them grow up, I am definitely guilty of taking over tasks because I worry my sisters won't get it right though they are more than capable of handling this. They've been researching taming and their respective birds persistently and will recite entire paragraphs of bird care if my parents question anything they say .

I have spoken with the twins and am teaching them how to prepare the food for their birds as we transition them.You are 100% right about them being the ones who need to bond with the birds.

Parjarita, thank you for the hand comment! It definitely makes sense and I feel like I knew/have heard that, but my middle school research on budgie taming and my current knowledge is clashing everywhere. It looks like it's time for me to start writing things down as I gain new knowledge so I don't make this mistake again. The twins have yet to come home, so I will update later today/tomorrow on how today goes.

[shiraartain]

Day 4: The twins came home and I reminded them of the importance of their duties (they didn't change the water or newspaper in the morning) and they performed their tasks immediately after coming home. The cage door was opened and the birds were hesitant about coming out. They each did climb out for a bit, then returned to the inside of the cage. My search for a new cage has intensified as I'm having trouble finding a decent one for a decent price. Might settle for one larger than the one they came in and then move up again when spring comes around and more people are looking to sell their cages.

Day 5, Pt. 1: Woke up to twin asking about food advice and went downstairs to watch them both finish up their duties before leaving for school. Went I took Fajr out of his cage around noon and he let out a flock call for my mom, received an immediate response from downstairs from one of the birds in the cage. No further communications between them after that.

[liz]

Shira, where are you?

[Pajarita]

Sounds like everything is going well, Shira!

The thing about the hand in the cage is that, although it was used as a taming technique in the past, we have now learned that it falls in the category of 'flooding'. To make it clearer, anything that we do which imposes our will on them (meaning, it's not something they would choose at that particular moment), not giving the bird a choice in the matter, is flooding and not recommended. We used to do all kinds of wrong things in the past... things like taking the bird into the bathroom to make him used to us, make lights super low so it could not see well to get away from us, towel the bird and force it to accept our scratches to get him used to our touching it, etc

[shiraartain]

Liz, I'm in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.

Parjarita, that makes sense. It's difficult to keep everything straight in my head though as to what to use and not to use, I don't know how others manage it!

Day 5, Part 2: Twins came home, the door was opened and the birds ventured out. Didn't want to touch the ringneck who was more reluctant to go in, but he hurried inside by himself when we put their dinner in the cage.

Re: the new cage, there are two options now. My dad came home with their play gym which is pretty large in itself. He want to do away with a cage altogether and grant the birds (this pair, not Fajr) freedom. He wants them to perch on their stand and roam as they like. I get where he's coming from, but I have many problems with this plan which I will discuss with him this weekend and then report back to this thread. I would like to sell their cage and stand and get them a bigger cage and construct a stand for them ourselves. I am still on the lookout for cages- I checked out Ebay and am keeping an eye on craigslist.

[liz]

You think you have trouble keeping things straight. I can't remember why I asked you where you are.

[liz]

You think you have trouble keeping things straight. I can't remember why I asked you where you are.

I went back and re read everything. I was just checking to see if you were close enough to use one of my cages. I don't think so. That would be a little far for me to drive.