Double taming

[parrotsareyay]

If you get a bird that has been socialized, weaned well and has all the qualities of a good pet, would you still have to tame it once it gets home. Once it gets to a new home, would it test boundaries and the owners or even become wild even if it was a sweet bird while with the breeder?

[Michael]

The reason to "retame" a new parrot even if it is super tame is to build a relationship with you. The bird may be used to others handling it and it even may accept you handling it. However, if you simply take the tameness for granted you may overstep boundaries and make it scared of you or lose tameness when it matures. So by following taming steps and start from scratch is a safe way to work things up slowly without exceeding the bird's capabilities. If the bird is already tame this should go much quicker. For example when I brought Truman home, he was willing to step up and be touched from the very beginning. However, I still tamed him so he would accept being grabbed, having his wings opened, etc. I target trained him because it was the easiest way to begin trick training.

[AmazonServant]

Something to remember is that when you buy a bird from a shop or breeder, it's still more or less a baby. Being weaned and socialized and all that jazz is just the beginning, just the first steps towards having a well-behaved bird. It hasn't yet experienced living with a family, having its own big cage, not being around lots of birds, and really its personality has not yet developed. Getting a bird that is tame and well-behaved is a great start, but you have to keep up with teaching and socializing it. Birds don't just learn how to behave when they're young and then stay that way forever - they are constantly learning. And if you don't continue to teach them properly, they'll learn the wrong lessons - like that they should scream if they want attention, should bite if they're afraid or jealous, etc.

[parrotsareyay]

I have read the books, but in your experiences, how would you guys go about taming and socializing

[GlassOnion]

Expose the bird to as many new situations and people as possible. I would harness train it right away and take it outside frequently, so it becomes accustomed to change.

[AmazonServant]

Hilarious plug! I'll do my homage to Twin Peaks by just sticking to Twin Peaks though.