New baby Ringneck advice - LAST PAGE UPDATE

[dan4]

Ive had one previous bird when i was younger, a cockateil which i managed to tame using a mirror as he seemed to like it a lot. It got to the point where i could tickle his head. My mother accidently let him out when i was younger and he was lost So i always wanted another bird and now i have my own place i decided to get an Indian Ringneck

Ive had Stuey for a week now, he was apparently hand reared and handled daily. The first day i couldnt even go within 6ft of him before he flapped around in the cage acting very uncomfortable. Im out of the house every week day for 10hours which isnt ideal but i spend every evening working on him trying to build trust and the second day he took a piece of apple i poked through the bars

Everyday since he took the apple i have been hand feeding him and he is happy to let me sit by the cage. The last day or two i have been opening the cage to put my hand in to feed him, this has had mixed results and today he managed to get out. The only way i could get him back in was to grab him and put him back in, i noticed while i grabbed him he seemed lifeless until i put him on his perch. No biting at all, i kind of wish he would bite me instead of being totally scared of me!

I have been experimenting with other treats and have discovered sunflower seeds and a flat white seed like an almond with a shell that he also likes, however apple is favourite at moment. I tried to get him to move for the apple but he will not leave his usual perch for it, he will only walk along the perch occasionally to get it. Most of the time i have to take the apple within range of him. Ive sat for at least half an hour with the apple in a spot but he wont have any of it

I think a clicker is useless at the moment until he trusts my hands???? What is the best method please now....

[Shelby]

Since you've only had him a week, he's still settling in and getting used to you. At this point, spend as much time as possible near him, talking to him, offering treats, etc., so he realizes you can be trusted and you won't hurt him. I've heard putting the cage in your bedroom at night helps with bonding because in the wild, birds in a flock sleep together. Also, sit near the cage when you eat your meals, because flock members eat together.

[dan4]

I did think about moving him but i was worried that me grabbing the top of the cage would scare him and ruin the trust i feel like im building with him?

After yesterdays escape mishap i was worried i had made him more scared but this evening i noticed all his food was gone and he was a little agitated. I took the opportunity to slice some apple and attempt to get him to move for it, after 5min he was sufficiently tempted to change perches up and down and to each side of the cage for it. I have yet to aquire a clicker so im whistling the same two notes each time he moves for the apple and as he takes it, ive no idea if its helping but i felt like i had to give him some sort of noise of reward with the treat

He seems very very fussy about food at present, i bought a large premium parrot feed bag and most of it ends up on the floor, he seems to pick out certain seeds. I want to take them out of his food but i dont want him to not eat at all..... Banana is hilarious so far, he seems to have a severe aggression for it and instead of being dropped it gets thrown as far as possible!

[dan4]

Ok ive got to a point where i can stand right in front of cage and he will come for food, ive had to work out how much food he eats daily and specifically put the same amount in for him to want to come to me

However i have hit a wall whereby if i open the front of the cage he gets as far as possible from me and is generally uncomfortable, he will not accept any treat even apple which he normally goes crazy for. Ive now had him two weeks and hes still terrified, i thought he might have got braver by now. I really need to clean the cage properly but i cannot do this with him in and i know theres no way he'll come to me outside the cage. Helppppp!!!

[nikii]

hi im niki.i have alexandrine parrot n i really understand ur feeling.
i have him for 5weeks now n he still scared of me.he dsnt even come out from his cage till now
But i have an idea for you.change the apple to something more sweet like grape or pomegranate.before my parrot REALLY likes apple,so i give him alot of it.n now he really bored n dsnt want it at all(he throw apple always now).so watch out dont always give him apple too much because he will hate it.
try to find pomegranate im sure he will come to u(he will die for it ),but before u give him u should eat it in front of him n make him corious about the taste.
oh ya,for now dont open the cage door.i did that to my jojo n he got scared.give him like a week more to get normal again.just show the fruit near his bowl n he will come for it(if it possible u eat the fruit there also with him)
this really works for me,try it.good luck!!

[dan4]

Hi niki thank you for the advice, i will imagine he will love grapes and pomegranite along with other citrus fruits as he loves apple. Ive found he has a very big craving for millet now

Tonight i opened the cage and like last night he came down for treat. Eventually he tolerated both hands at the opening and playfully bites my fingers, he is gentle so im not scared but this isnt a habit id like him to continue so instead of attempting to get him to step up to my hand i used a perch. After almost an hour of temptation he gave in and stepped up but went straight back into cage. The second time he came along way onto perch so i eased it away from cage as he ate. This freaked him out and he took flight. I had to use a sheet thrown over him to get him back in cage after id cleaned it out

Im guessing im moving too quickly trying to take him away from cage, but i felt i had to clean the cage as it had been a week since he was last out. I can change the floor tray but cant get into cage to clean unless he's out you see

I have a clicker but i dont think im entirely sure how to begin with it, i tried for a few days clicking when he came to where i pointed before treating him but im not sure exactly how he's understanding the clicks

[nikii]

hi,wow seems he really better now
ya i also have a problem about cleaning his cage.because jojo dsnt wanna come out from his cage,i took him to shower every week to clean his cage(he really enjoy it).btw what kind of cage that u buy?my cage have something like a button at down of it that i can press n i can seperated it from the metal wire(its becoming 2 part).i put water around the metal wire(the wire always clean right?),take his toy out n napkin it with a clean towel.
the messy part its always the bottom area(near the tray).nah that part i can seperated it by press the button,i wash it n his cage completly clean again.sorry about my english hope u understand what i mean
yeah i agree with u its easier to clean it when the parrot out of their cage but i dont have another option because he wont come out.
i also have problem with clicker since my jojo runaway everytime he hear the sound.just give him time he will come out soon(at least he still better than my jojo )
good luck n dont forget to give us news.
cheersss

[Polarn]

About your friend being afraid of the clicker try dampen the click by having it inside your sleeve or in your pocket when you click. Should ease it for him/her. Once s/he is fine with that move the clicker out in the air again

[dan4]

I feel like nothing is working now. He is scared all the time he will only come so far for food and that doesn't always work even though i stop feeding him hours before. If hes out of cahe i have to chase him and grab him which is stressing him out. I'm at breaking point where ive lost all interest in something which is less brave than a sparrow

[nikii]

hi,no dont give up!!!
did u check my post in this forum?kath,polarn n liz give me alot of great tips!!just read it,i follow what they say n my jojo seems really better now.(specially the idea kath give me to catch him when its dark n he dsnt know that its me catching him(thx kath)).from today i let him free 24 hours n i dont chase him anymore.he seems very happy!!try it!!

i know its really stressful but dont give up,even i feel like my jojo likes to test me everyday to get what he wants.just ignore him,but i just can tell u if they r out,they will not really scared of u.n because they dont really want to come back to their cage even to take food they will prefer to take it from ur hand!!i tried it my self!!give him more freedom will make him start to come to u,so u dont need to try tooo hard to win his heart.

good luck