Help! My parrot is terrified

[Ursibear]

Hello guys! I just wanted to keep you updated
He still feaks out when he sees my hands, but as long as i keep them out of sight he doesn't mind that i get close. He's been playing the mimic game with me for a bit now.
He even lets my boyfriend to "scratch" his head with one finger, but he won't let me :<
But i think he's getting more confortable
The one thing i don't understand is this behavior he has developed... He keeps crouching on his perch and when he does this, the whole him shakes, and his wings are at a different height. Why does he do this? Is he injured somewhere?

I just wanted to thank you all for your help. I am new to this parrot ownership thing.

P.D: Would it be a good idea to get him a girlfriend? As Red-bellies live in small colonies in the wild?

[liz]

Watch him closer next time. If he is crouching and vibrating his wings then he is begging. You just have to figure out what he wants.

[Kinny]

I know this is just about my individual bird, but I thought maybe it'd help a bit?

I have a Jenday Conure who I bought only 5 weeks ago. She is 1 year old and was completely parent reared and untame. She now hardly ever bites, will come 'UP' onto my hands and snuggle with me. She absolutely loves kisses everywhere especially on her head, and is now starting to like and accept scratches from my fingers everywhere on her body.

I spent [and do spend] a few hours each day sitting down outside her cage and talking to her. Then I'd get up, still talking to her, and go about my daily business. [I have her in the main room where my small family always is]. When she bit, at first it was because she was absolutely TERRIFIED. So i kept my hand where it was, didn't flinch... when she stopped biting I'd move my hand away.

After about 2 weeks, she wasn't afraid of me anymore, and her biting had gone down a lot, but then she decided to just be plain naughty and bite me again. So, seeing as her biting wasn't out of fear anymore.. i told her "No." in a very VERY deep low serious growly voice, glared at her into her eyes a little and tapped her beak lightly. Her expression changed instantly. She knew she'd done the wrong thing and it was almost like she was thinking "Darn.. I didn't get away with it!"

She hardly bites at all now. And absolutely LOVES being out with everyone. I believe your bird just needs some space. Let him know you aren't going to hurt him. Trust is the NUMBER ONE thing to build up with a parrot. He'll come around I'm sure.

~Kinny

[Kinny]

Oops! Sorry I forgot to add... I personally wouldn't get him another birdie friend yet. Once you do that he may just bond with that bird and not you. I think you should build up your trust with him first.

I hand-reared my Kakariki, and he somewhat helped me to let my Jenday know that she can trust us. But that's only because of his cheekiness and the fact that he's already extremely tame and has a strong bond with me.. I'm his Mummy All his siblings thought when I went and picked my boy up were nasty little things that hated being touched.. and they were only a couple of weeks old. So yes, not all birds are as tame as my Kakariki.. so I wouldn't take any chances if I were you. However it's completely up to you. ^^

[Ursibear]

Thanks for your input Kinny
I haven't managed to find a breeder that has red bellies in Norway anyway, and I don't know how good would it be for a little bird to be shipped in a crate from god knows where :s
It also looks like I've done something wrong with Sisu... So I definitely can't deal with another "chirpy" (as my stepson calls him) at the moment.
He eats treats from my hand in his cage, and he puts his head against the cage bars so i can scratch him. But every time i get close he puffs up his feathers and lifts up his wings for just a second, as if he was going to attack. But he forgets all about it as soon as i start talking to him, then he starts mimicking and whistling.
Sometimes he chirps and chirps until i get up, open the cage door and reach in to scratch him on the head. But sometimes out of the blue he will click his beak and then bite down on my hand or fingers. He does it pretty hard too, he has taken a couple of chunks of skin now and then. I don't back off or scream but, at some point i am going to need to stop this somehow, as i work with my hands and they can't be infected and sore I really wish i knew what am i doing wrong so i could correct it.
God knows what have they done to the poor guy the past 12 years. I just want him to be happy

[Eurycerus]

I really wish i knew what am i doing wrong so i could correct it.
God knows what have they done to the poor guy the past 12 years. I just want him to be happy

To me it sounds like you're not doing anything wrong. I think it's just going to take patience. A lot of patience and consistency. I did target training with Nika inside her cage and she learned to associate treats and fun times with me before I let her out again. You have a more problematic parrot (for the time being) so it will probably take longer. I know it feels like nothing will change but it will, just slowly! Keep posting your progress. It'll make you feel better to see the incremental differences between each day or week.

[Polarn]

well just for your information unless your scared of us swedes then there are a couple of breeders who does breed the red-bellied parrot here. That however means a bit of a carride the first thing it has to do, so you would perhaps want to find someone who makes sure their tame when they leave or even harness trained so that you can be somewhat social with the bird during the trip. but hey, what is neighbours for, we got red-bellies and you people got whales, i dont like the seal clubbing club though

[Ursibear]

well just for your information unless your scared of us swedes then there are a couple of breeders who does breed the red-bellied parrot here. That however means a bit of a carride the first thing it has to do, so you would perhaps want to find someone who makes sure their tame when they leave or even harness trained so that you can be somewhat social with the bird during the trip. but hey, what is neighbours for, we got red-bellies and you people got whales, i dont like the seal clubbing club though

I do live in Norway, but i was actually born in Spain so I don't have anything against swedes, no. In fact i have been across the border several times lol.
It would be great if you could provide me with the name of a reputable breeder of two, if you know of any!
I did realize it's probably not a good idea to get another parrot right now, like Kinny said, but nothing wrong about checking up for when Sisu is ready

[Polarn]

well to be honest I've never really spent time looking for any of the african species, however I've only heard good things about a breeder close by gothenburg website: goja.nu

The website seems slow to update and last i talked to someone who got a mayers from there was about a year ago, but send em an email if your curiouse.

When I talked to this girl whe had sent an e-mail stating her interest (as you should do if you want to buy from them) then when a baby bird was hatched reserved for her she got a link to a personal website where they kept posting updates and pictures of her baby bird so that she could see it evolve. They seem like nice people caring alot about their birds and their offspring from what ive heard others say. Only bad thing ive ever heard from someone is that they should handfeed babies (this is from someone who truly dislikes handfeeding babies and therefor dislikes any breeder who does).

There are a couple of more breeders but non that ive ever really heard anything about. and like senegals they are often bred at home by individuals...

[Polarn]

oh might add though thats their website kind of sucks and it seems as if they havnt updated it in about a year...