Hello, my first bird and would love some advise

[Em&Louie]

Hello, my names Em and I have a Kakariki, his names Louie and he is 5 months old. I offered to take him off an elderly neighbor as she did not want him anymore. Understandably he is very shy, she never held him, let him fly around her house and caught him to put him back in his cage using a cloth.

I have been talking to him a lot, addressing him when I walk in and out of the room and taking time to have little chats with him, I have been putting my hand in his cage (with a treat) letting him get used to me occasionally, he will not take the treat off me and backs away as far as he can. I have let him out of his cage because I feel cruel keeping him in there when he is used to flying around, unfortunately this means it's difficult for me to get him back in his cage when its time for me to go out or go to bed. He stays up high where I cannot reach him and flies away from me when i come within a few cms reach. I have only had him for a couple of days and I understand it takes time to build trust, any tips or advise would be greatly appreciated, thankyou for taking the time to read

[Shelby]

Welcome to the forums! You should read Michael's Taming Article. It will be really helpful to you!

[Em&Louie]

Thankyou Shelby

[pennyandrocky]

just let him come to you.i would just sit in the room with him and talk to him since he has never been handled it's probably scary to him.getting him back in the cage can be done with a favorite treat until he gets used to your hands.they're curious so if you sit near him with a hand out he will come over to check it out.that's how i got my and used to mine.

[Em&Louie]

Thanks PennyandRocky, I am still trying to figure out his favorite treat, he does not seem very interested in anything, I have read they are very inquisitive birds but he doesn't seem this way..at least not yet anyway, when I let him out he avoids me, just sits in one place (curtain pole) and goes to sleep, the poor thing seems frightened all the time and I hope he is not always going to be this way.

[mresmeralda]

I definetely agree with shelby. Michaels posts are very useful.