New Parrotlet owner

[Pajarita]

He sure doesn't sound like any breeder bird I've ever encountered! They are always terrified of people and would not eat anything but seeds... But, keep on trying with the different produce, parrots learn what to eat when they are babies from their parents so it takes a long time to get an adult to eat a large variety.

[Gale&Yogi]

Progress!! For the last few days, first thing in the morning, Yogi has let me get close enough for him to eat a bit of spray millet from my hand.

He now lets me put my hand across the inside of the cage as long as t is not too close to him.

He seems to be enjoying it because he will sit on a perch, stare at me and jump up and down.

[Pajarita]

Well, I have to tell you that putting your hand inside a parrot's cage is not something that anybody who knows about parrots will recommend or even suggest. It's one of those 'parrot no-nos' because they regard it as nothing but a disrespectful intrusion to their own space -not a good foundation for a good relationship, as far as they are concerned.

[Gale&Yogi]

I don't have a choice as he will not stay on an outside perch, and is not hand tamed at all.

Today we progressed to eating millet from my hand on the same perch as my hand, even touching my fingers while he ate. He approached my hand carefully but approached it.

I am doing what Michael suggested in his book. I will continue to do this until I can get him to step up onto my fingers.

[Wolf]

Michael's book assumes that you have already gone through the steps required to win your birds trust and you have not done this so here is the method that I use for this. It is in this link that I answered for a member with a Green Cheek Conure, but it is the same regardless of the species of parrot. Here is that link, I hope that you find it helpful. viewtopic.php?f=11&t=15840

[Gale&Yogi]

I talk to him often, using his name and repeating common phrases several times, like pretty bird, how are you and more.

He was never tamed by the original owner, and the next one gave up on the headstrong boy, but I am more pigheaded than he is.

He still freaks out when I open his cage but not as much. I have little patience with people but tons with animals.

[Wolf]

I hear you!

[Pajarita]

Wolf is correct. Michael's book is for hand-fed (and thereby imprinted to humans) birds so you can't even begin to follow it until the bird is 100% completely comfortable with you and trusts you implicitly. You will never get the same kind of relationship from a parent-raised that you would get from a hand-fed but you can still have a good 'understanding'