Socialization?

[SKOShields]

Hi guys!
So I plan on getting a two year old Senegal in about a week, and I had a couple questions about socializing him. Since I don't know his full history, I don't know how well he was socialized by his previous owner(s) and I was wondering how successful ya'll think I would be at more or less starting the socialization process over myself. He seemed to be doing pretty well when I went and met him, he came right to me and had no problem with me petting him or stepping up.
I want to be able to take him places with me, but I don't want to stress him out if he's not ready for it. Any advice I can get on how to gauge his level of socialization and/or how to best continue socializing him without him freaking out would be amazingly awesome! Thanks!

[Saerphe]

Harness Training would be very valuable. You'd be able to take him outside to parks and places where he could meet lots of different people.

Trick training and recall training (if he's flighted) would be a good idea too. Target training is a must regardless. If you read his body language and notice he's about to bite, making him do a trick can potentially distract him from behaving badly. And let's be honest, it's fun to show off your pet's tricks to friends.

[Michael]

I'd say bring the bird home first and see how he adjusts. Then based on that you can decide how soon to start taking him out, socialize, etc. You need to be reasonably confident of your handling the bird (and the bird with you) before you can direct other people to be able to handle it.

[SKOShields]

Thanks for replying, I thought I was alone here lol.

I'm planning on doing the harness training, even though he's clipped right now. I really am debating about allowing him to remain flighted once his feathers grow back, but I'm not sure. I don't wanna be preached at about how birds have to fly and all that so please dont. It'll all depend on how well he adjusts to the house and the dogs and such.

My main question is, does age have anything to do with how well a bird can be socialized? Like,if he was never really socialized (i think he was at least a little based on how well he reacted to me, a stranger just picking him up and playing with him) will it be ridiculously hard to socialize him? My biggest thing is that I don't want to move too fast and take accidentally him somewhere that scares him and scars him permanently.

[GlassOnion]

You said you have dogs, yes? Kay, in all seriousness, birds are safer from predators when they are flighted. I have a cat, and honestly, if my two were clipped, they would have died a long time ago. It makes me very nervous when I hear of mixed animal households with clipped birds because if a bird lands on the floor, or if an animal pounces the cage/stand, there is simply no way of escape for poor birdie..

This is not a 'keep your bird flighted' lecture, but something you need to be aware of. When I hear of people who want to clip their birds for their own safety against 'other' pets, I just want to hit my head on a wall, because it's completely illogical.

[SKOShields]

What about keeping him clipped just until he gets used to the house? There are a couple places he could go if he got scared that I'd rather he didnt, like behind the tv or a high shelf. I've looked at the clip or not to clip threads on here and I see how strongly people feel about leaving their birds flighted, and I can see both sides of each argument. I mean, I have a 13 year old GSD who just lays there all the time that I don't think I'd have to worry about but I also have a 2 year old lab mix who listens pretty well but has a tendency to be hyper. I'm not sure how she's going to react to the bird, but I have enough faith in her training that she'll listen to me. And lord knows if the bird were to fluff up and scream at her shed be scared if him forever lol. She's a baby when it comes to being scared. We'll just have to see how it goes. I'll keep yall updated. I'll more than likely keep him flighted once his feathers grow back.
How long does it take for the flight feathers to grow back in? cuz I'd really like for him to bond with me before he has the option to fly away whenever he wants. I'd like to have enough time for us to really connect first.

[Michael]

http://TrainedParrot.com/Socialization

[marie83]

All the birds I have had have been able to fly from fledging apart from one. She wasn't clipped but they never gave her chance to fly and she was in a cage so small she couldn't even stretch her wings.
None of them have ever got stuck behind anything apart from the one that wasn't used to flying. It never happened again because they learn so fast. She still isn't a good flier and has trouble steering herself but she now knows her limits and her rubbish flight doesn't cause any problems.