Hello from Dubai

[Pajarita]

The parrot is scared, my dear. It's also confused, lonely and depressed, he was taken away from everything he knew, his family, included, and brought to a strange house, with strange people and no bird family. It needs time to get to trust you and know you so, please, don't put your hand in the cage and don't ask it to step up until it starts feeling more comfortable in his new home. Spend as much time as possible in the same room as he/she is, talk, sing, whistle and, every now and then (and that doesn't mean one after the other) give it a treat from your hand. Feed it a good, healthy fresh food diet: cooked whole grains (wheat, kamut, brown rice, oat groats, barley, quinoa, etc) mixed with cooked and diced vegetables (corn, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and squashes, broccoli, etc) along with raw produce (one fruit, one veggie, one leafy green) for breakfast every day and a small (about 1/4 cup) of a low protein seed mix (and this does not mean a lot of sunflower seeds, they are not good for them in quantity) for dinner. Take your time, allow it to realize that you mean him/her no harm and soon, it will show you it wants to have a closer relationship with you.

[liz]

A second bird does not make that much extra mess than the first. I don't have one of anything. Two can communicate and comfort each other as well as having someone to talk to when you are not home.

I rescued Myrtle about 4 years ago. She was 1 and now 5. She was a "war orphan" who needed a lot of rehabilitation and love. She become very bonded to me but would not let me touch her head or back until this year. I had to start with "tickle feet". While she was on top of her cage above me, I would say tickle feet and wiggle 1 finger while aiming for her feet. She loved it and even started presenting her feet for the tickles.

Don't push. Slow and steady with a soft voice and respect for the bird will create a stronger bond.