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Problems with my ringneck

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Problems with my ringneck

Postby Okrim » Sat Oct 13, 2012 7:12 am

During the day, if he's in his cage he constantly chews on cage bars. He actually got himself a wound on the top of his beak this way. He's got a lot of toys in the cage (3 bought toys, paper towel, cloth, I made him a foraging toy - he hasn't touched that one) and that makes me think he chews on the bars because he's trying to escape the cage. If I open the cage door, he immediately gets out. Only way I found to stop him doing this is covering the cage - and it's no good having him covered half the day while I'm on work... He's extremely frustrated while he's in cage, a few days ago he actually chewed off two of his claws... there was blood everywhere so I got him to the avian vet, she said he possibly has some phobia of cages.
Second problem is that while he's out of the cage during the day, he'll fly around maniacally and scream. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z27jgDIOE5w something like this. And he just doesn't stop. I tried talking to him, playing him bird calls on youtube, I played violin for him... nothing shuts him up except getting him back in the cage (and then he chews on bars and injures himself) or giving him a treat (and I'm afraid that's reinforcing his screaming). Once I left him alone in the room for about 2 hours, my sister said he was screaming all the time.
Also, during the day I can't really work with him. Whenever I get near he flies away. When the night falls he calms down, I can get him to step up (but only if he sees a treat), and yesterday he actually landed on my shoulder.

So my questions are: How to stop him chewing the cage bars? How to lessen his screaming without reinforcing it? And how to make some training possible during the day?
Okrim
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 4
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Ring-necked parakeet
Flight: Yes

Re: Problems with my ringneck

Postby Okrim » Tue Oct 16, 2012 11:16 am

bump
Okrim
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 4
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Ring-necked parakeet
Flight: Yes

Re: Problems with my ringneck

Postby cml » Tue Oct 16, 2012 11:30 am

I dont know about the chewing, but the screaming we can work with.

You will have to endure his screams, as it will take a while to train away, but it can be done. What you want to do is to IGNORE all screaming. Dont even look his way when he screams and definatly dont give him any attention. This is step one.

Next, I am sure he has some kind of sound that you dont mind as much right? Thats crucial for this method to work. What you do is, as soon as you hear that sound, you RUN, and I mean RUN to your parrot and give him all the attention in the world, praise and treats. But only when you hear this particular sound. You have to be consistent and ALWAYS run to him when he does that sound, and IGNORE everything else.

This works, we've removed all screaming from Stitch and its replaced with a wolf's whistle which he now uses for his contact call. Very much better than amazon screaming ;).

It may take time, so be patient, and with time I dont mean a few days, it can take as long as a few months. But it does work, as long as you are CONSISTENT.

Good luck.
Stitch (WFA) and Leroy (BWP)
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cml
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 1575
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: White fronted amazon, Bronze winged pionus
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Re: Problems with my ringneck

Postby Okrim » Tue Oct 16, 2012 2:51 pm

Thank you for your reply :D :irn:
Okrim
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 4
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Ring-necked parakeet
Flight: Yes


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