Help with new Indian Ringneck parrot.

[jaixion]

I recently adopted an Indian Ringneck parrot. A little background information: he was bought from the pet store and is an 8-10 month old male. I've had him for two months now, but he doesn't seem to be getting any more used to me. He has a mix of seeds, pellets and shell grit each day all day, fresh water, fruits each morning (apples, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, bananas or whatever fruits I have), and vegetables in the evening (usually cooked corn, carrot, peas and sometimes sweet potato). He has toys in his cage and spends most of his day playing with them, which I've read is a sign of healthiness. Is this true? He loves his mirror and talks to himself a lot. The cage he is in at the moment is a little small, but I am looking to buy a larger one soon. I have a few questions regarding training and taming, although I'm sure they've all been asked and answered in other posts.
He does take apple that I put through the bars, but he's only ever taken it from my hand once. He backs away whenever I get close to his cage, and if I put my hand in he throws himself against the walls and freaks out. He allows me to change his food and water but that is all. How can I get him to trust me? I'm also concerned about his health, as if he happens to get ill, I can't remove him from his cage to take him to an avian vet. Hence I can't have his wings clipped to make the training a little easier. Any ideas? I'd also like to know if he'll ever become tame or trust me. Thank you in advance.

[pennyandrocky]

hi, i would take the mirror out, i've heard it's not good to have a mirror in the cage. my greencheek has bitten me in the past when i had him on my shoulder in front of a mirror, now he knows biting means he gets off me,but while training keep away from them.

[jaixion]

Thanks a lot, I'll try that now.

[pennyandrocky]

i hope it works.i love ringnecks and a huge fan of marnie on youtube

[jaixion]

I'm a big fan of marnie too. My ringneck is also blue, but nowhere near as friendly as marnie. Do your ringnecks talk?

[pennyandrocky]

i don't have any ringnecks my cousin has one. i have a greencheek and a ducorps cockatoo both talk alot. greencheek ″hey baby~ ″love you~and ″mommy~cockatoo ″hi mya~″what are you doing?~″is mya a pretty girl~and ″peekaboo~

[jaixion]

Did it take a long time for them to learn? I suppose you had them since they were young?

[Polarn]

I know clipping is a personal choice. However, my beliefs are that if you clip a bird (especially early on) you will remove a lot of the birds confident, and I do believe that if you lower it's confident and self asteem it is more likely to resort to biting. Then it might be debated weather it is best to clip a bird before it has ever been flying or wait a couple of years in order for it to learn how to use the muscles etc. personally I think if you have the possibility or can create it for your bird to be flighted that's what you should do.
Sure it might be easier to push yourself on a clipped bird since it can't take off up to the curtain rod. But even if it is clipped it might not want to cooperate, and instead of leaving the training perch it will resort to biting to get you to leave, now you might not consider beeping bit to be to bad (and if getting a parrot I consider you have to account for the possibility to get bitten at some point). However weather it hurts or not when a bird says no, it is still a no. And in my experience a bird that is at peace around you will enjoy training and wont fly off anyways, unless you push it's boundaries, but then you know to slow down and try again another time. Besides its a great feeling when your bird learns to recall. You put your hand out say its name and it comes flying to interact with you.
Summarizing my 2c worth of opinion: don't clip your bird to ease the training...

[jaixion]

Personally, I agree. I don't particularly want to clip his wings because, obviously, birds are flighted creatures and so deserve to retain that ability. What I am worried about is my four cats or him flying into a fan or landing somewhere out of reach, such as behind the tv cabinet. I'm not sure how I'd get him back inside his cage if he were to leave it. Although I can't catch him to have his wings clipped anyway, but I think I'll try to tame him while he's flighted rather than clip his wings straight away. Would you have any advice on taming, training or bonding by any chance?

[Polarn]

Not something that might be considered super quick or anything special, I just let Polarn out gave him treats and if he moved closer I moved closer, he was an aviary bird that came here dec12 and the last couple of days we have been training on recalling and since yesterday to step up. Honestly got no idea why he felt more comfy with the recalling than stepping up, might be because when asked to step up I have to go to him rather than the other way around. Anyways today we have been working on stepping up and moving in and out the cage from perch to perch outside and inside cage. About cats and birds, I know it is possible for them to get along, however I wouldn't trust them when I am not around, however your bird will have better chances to get away if one of them decides to chase him. And most birds wanna stay at high ground anyways so if you got perches or swings etc mounted high, that's where he is most likely to end up. And in worse case scenario you will have to catch him, I did with my hands a couple of times in the beginning when he didn't return to eat and drink in a day etc. a lot does it with a towel or gloves, or when dark. Same if he ends up behind the tv, either you pull it out a bit so that he can walk out, or you grab him and set him down somewhere else.

Also get something to fiddle with all the time when in the room, like a ball with a bell in it or whatever, spin a pen around your finger all the time, just something, anything really. The birds curiosity will take over and s/he will get closer and closer to check it out. Just continue fiddling until he touches the object, then when he figured out it is ok to touch he will come by every now and then to check out what your doing.