Re-homed Senegal

[Hottdogger]

I just gave a female Senegal parrot a new home. This will be her third home at least. I have never had a Senegal before, but have had parakeets and now green cheeked conures for years. So I do have experience with birds. It is obvious that this bird has been teased and is afraid of hands and would get defensive when we approached the cage. We have made progress in the past few days so she is not so scared now and she will step up when we put our finger in to get her out. She does not like getting out of the cage and sits with her back to us most of the time. I have gotten her to eat some bits of fruit from my hand.
My question is...can she be rehabbed and socialized so she does not carry fear with her from now on, can she be worked with enough that she would enjoy and want to come out of her cage and be with people. I have no idea how old she is. Everything I have done with her such as holding her and petting her, rubbing her head and neck, feeding her seem to be a new experience for her. She has been very quiet and subdued which I think would be normal behavior for a bird that has had its whole world changed.

[Wolf]

It appears that you have made a lot of headway with her already, but I hope that you are not moving too fast for her. You didn't say how long that you have had her, so it is difficult to say from here. Just take your time and don't push too fast. As long as you treat her with love, kindness and respect she will come around and be just fine. She just needs a bit of time to learn to trust.

[liz]

Don't try to hold her and pet her if she is scared. She is scared of hands. Open her door and back up. If she does come out she will probably just sit on the top of her cage but it will teach her freedom. By not going after her you are teaching her that you respect her and her space. Can she fly? If she is clipped let her feathers grow. That will give her some self confidence. She won't be so afraid if she knows she can fly and get away. They are not afraid of faces just hands so keep your hands behind you and talk to her. Is she up high enough that she is not afraid of things above her? Remember that preditors come from above.
When she relaxes she will call to you and then come to you.

[Hottdogger]

Thank you both for the encouragement. We brought her home Thursday evening, but had worked with her throughout the day. She does not seem to be as afraid and yes we have held her and snuggled her, and she is eating some foods from my fingers. Her flight feathers are clipped, and she is a heavy bird, probably overweight. We are letting her out, I have been letting her step up on my finger and then taking her out of the cage and letting her go on the top. I have to put her in and take her out as she does not seem to realize she can do that when the door is open. I have made sure that every time she sees my hands, has felt them, that it is a positive thing and that they bring her good things to nibble also. She has started making sounds that sound like....wee wee or woo woo, shrill and high pitched.
I am not for sure what that means for her or why she is doing it. Any thoughts in that regard?
Thanks for the info I appreciate it!

[Wolf]

I have a female Senegal parrot who is bonded to me, Despite the best efforts of my Grey. I can't be certain but it sounds to me like a weak version of what Kiki, my Senegal when she is just talking to me while perched on my hand. She normally say it once or twice and then quits, so with Kiki, it is kind of like a greeting or a I like you kind of thing.
I would make certain to have this one vet checked for possible liver problems, as well as a general health check.

[Pajarita]

First of all, thank you for taking in a bird that needs help! Now, a word of caution, birds that have been neglected or abused and are afraid of people would step up and even allow you to touch them (there are two kinds, the ones that are 'broken' and the ones that are 'defiant' -yours seems to be the 'broken' type) BUT it's not a good idea to ask them to do this because, although it seems as if the bird is agreeing to the touch, in reality, you are just continuing the same flooding that broke their trust in humans in the first place (the fact that she stands with her back to you and does not willing come out of her cage are the clues that tell me this). If you want to help her get over her problem for good, you need to slow down and allow her to take the first steps. This is not really negotiable. You will get results the way you are going but they might not be long term and, if she turns on you after they honeymoon, you will be in trouble because sonnies can bite real hard!

My suggestion to you is put a perch right outside the door of her cage, open the door and speaking very softly and sweetly to her, put a treat on the outside perch and walk away. Do not put your hand inside the cage and ask her to step up, do not hold her, do not cuddle with her, do not do anything physical until she takes the first step. This is VERY important! Parrots are not like dogs and you can't use the same techniques you use with them (what you are doing is a precisely that -getting the animal used to gentle touch after been abused but parrots brains are not wired the same way as dogs). Parrots that have been betrayed by humans through neglect and/or abuse need to refind the trust for humans in and by themselves and that means a very slow process and always allowing the bird to take the next baby step in that direction.

Now, when I say walk away it doesn't mean leave the room, it means staying in the room doing (or pretending to do) something while talking to her (always use her name -the name she had from before, not a new one- and praise her saying things like Good girl! Pretty bird! etc), look at her out of the corner of your eye (staring is a predator behavior) and, every now and then, walk up to the cage and offer her a treat -but, if she doesn't take it, just leave it where she can reach her, don't make her taking a treat from your fingers something she would have to force herself to do. You need to concentrate on making her feel comfortable and that there is no onus whatsoever on her, no 'paying' for a treat, no forcing herself to accept your touch, no nothing.

If you are very careful, very respectful of her wishes and don't get impatient, she will reward you with her complete trust and that is the foundation of a long term loving relationship.