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Indian ringneck advice and tips

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

Re: Indian ringneck advice and tips

Postby Wolf » Sun Mar 06, 2016 9:53 am

The cage is not just about training it is also about his knowing that it is his safe place, where he can be and not be bothered, most birds use their nesting area for this and with most captive birds the cage is the place that they most often associate with their nesting area. I understand about letting him live cage free, but I would at the very least use his cage for food and water. Have you given any though to what you will do if you need to take him to the vets office? Cages do not have to be a bad place, but keep us up to date on how things go for you.
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Re: Indian ringneck advice and tips

Postby mmeager » Wed Mar 09, 2016 2:36 am

Just a quick thought.
Have you noticed at all where his chosen safe place actually is? Where he sleeps, where he goes to when a little nervous, especially when you have visitors that he doesn't know? (our IRN most definitely lets us know of his displeasure about strangers!!!) Maybe you could use that knowledge to your advantage.
Another thought about a cage for him is maybe put his food and water in the cage, but leave it open, perhaps hang a rope or something out of the door so he has easy access to and from, that way its still his choice, but he will have somewhere to claim as his own, and you can use that to your advantage as well. But so can he! In a good way. I don't think its cruel to put a bird in a cage when the bird is also given freedom of your home. But as with children, dogs, cats, all pets! People! Rules still must apply for the benefit of all concerned. Cage or not, I really think everything revolves around mutual trust of each other, and rules help to establish that, because then everyone knows where they stand.
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Re: Indian ringneck advice and tips

Postby Wolf » Wed Mar 09, 2016 8:27 am

Parrots love routines, I am not so sure about rules as they do have a sense of humor and there are times when it appears that they just love getting their kicks by at least bending the rules. That is alright with me at least mostly as rules are pretty much just guidelines that allow us to establish routines, which parrots love. They love to know when to expect you to be home with them and when it is time for a meal, or playtime and other such things that most of us just don't even really see any more in our daily lives. But not a parrot they hold on to these little schedules and routines and do not respond very well to any changes in them.

These things help to make their world comprehensible to them and some what predictable, it seems to give them the idea that they have some sort of a voice in their daily lives and this is very important for their mental and emotional stability. Most of them, even those who don't spend much time in their cage like knowing that it is theirs and that if they need a break from things in general or even from us that this is their safe place that they can go to and not be bothered until they want it. Sort of like a persons bedroom serves while they are growing up, or like our home provides us with some shelter from the world at large. A cage does not ever need to be a bad thing, it can easily be a safe haven for your bird. Most of my birds are out of their cages nearly all day long, except for when I leave the premises. The dogs are outside whenever I am not in the house as well as many other times, the cats have their outside pen that is needed to protect them from the hawks and eagles in the area, as well as feral cats, dogs and other predators, which allows me to let my birds spend time out of the cage while I am doing things outside that are not suitable for me to take them along with me on and will soon have their very own sub standard aviary outside, as it is very hard to take 7 birds outside at the same time in individual cages or in harnesses. Rolls of stainless steel mesh are extremely expensive, so I will have to do it using other materials, which is why I said substandard. Any way that is beside the point which is simply that a birds cage does not have to be a bad thing for the bird, and providing and using one for our birds does not make us a less good caregiver for them.
Wolf
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 8679
Location: Lansing, NC
Number of Birds Owned: 6
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
African Grey (CAG)
Yellow Naped Amazon
2Celestial Parrotlet
Budgie
Flight: Yes

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