Personalities

[MariaPMC]

I've my ringneck for over 3months now, and whenever i see him he hides from me. shy or scared? 'cause if i grab him he goes on my shoulder or in my head or whatever and he cant be scared or he'd fly off as soon as i put my hand anywhere near him, right?
for eg. my cockatiel aint scared of me anymore (she's been around for the same time as him) if i go near the cage to put in food or whatever.
Today i let him loose (but controled) in my garden, so he could go into the trees and climb or play or something he'd find amusing, and you know what, he found amusing to hide from me O.o but when he stopped i put my hand over him and he climbed on just normaly.
i'm confused about his personality! Even the cockatiel must be! one time he grabs her with his paw the other he's preening her, i mean wth? lol

[Melika]

Hane sometimes hides in his cage too. I find that he just doesn't want to be handled right then. I can come back five minutes later and he'll often run to a front perch in his cage and step up to come out- most times. Other times he just doesn't want to come out for anything. I guess I sorta let him choose, for the most part.

I am careful about letting him climb around outside if I'm not watching him. One time I stepped inside for just a moment and he walked over into the GREEN bamboo and I couldn't find him! The neighbor was running a machine so I couldn't hear him either. I looked like some crazy person walking around looking for an invisible dog, calling his name. Finally did hear him chirp back- only after a somewhat panic stricken five minutes...

[jimmyjack]

if its happening everytime you approach, it could be something in how youre approaching him. especially since you have other birds and are comfortable with their behaviour and have a bond with them, it may be a subtle difference in his nature that you are accidentally overlooking.

i recently took in salvador's sister, queenie, for several weeks as my friend was having alot of difficulty with her. when they approached her cage, shed get very scared and hide at the back, or jump around in a panic. she wouldnt even take treats through the cage. once they had reached in and grabbed her out (though clearly this wasnt enjoyable for her), she would be perfectly fine sitting on their shoulder - infact shed make a mad dash for the shoulder. but if a hand came anywhere near, shed freak out.

they have had quite a few other ringnecks, and their experience with other ringnecks and how they interacted with them was preventing them from realising the difference in their nature - the same with people, you cant teach all children the same lessons in the same way. it was the first one my friend had raised herself, and she was at a loss, to the point she was thinking of selling her or giving her a new home.

the first thing i did was stopped grabbing her. i believed that was the number one cause of her fear of hands. probably not the best thing, but salvador still likes a little fruit puree in the mornings and night, off the spoon like when he was a baby. so i tried this with her aswell. the moment my hand approached, even with food, she freaked. so i backed off and gave her space. i placed her on a t perch about a metre away and gave salvador his food. well, he gobbled down twice as much as usual with the presence of another bird, but by the end her curiousity got the better of her and queenie tasted the smallest amount of puree and then back right off again. within a few days she was taking more and trusting alot more.

i would also spend atleast 2 half hour sessions with her each day (if you dont have this much time, offer what you do have). atfirst id just sit infront of the cage and rtalk to her, and hold a little treat in - not really offering it to her, but jsut so she got used to my presence. everytime i went passed the cage, id also drop a small treat into her food ball - really obviously so she was watching. after a few days, i would open the cage door and sit and talk. i started reaching a little further in with the treat (something easy like millet spray that they can grab without having to come super close).

it was these small wins that started to gain her trust. i tried reaching in the cage and offering my finger for her to jump onto rather than grab her out.also when she was perched on my hand, i dropped my elbow so she couldnt get to my shoulder - the hand was the highest point, and therefore the safest. i also gave her lots of praise and treats. suddenly my hand became the happy place, not the shoulder.

im a bit upset, as she went back to her proper home yesterday, but my friend has been amazed at the difference in queenie each time she came around. i also explained to her what id done, and why id done it. sometimes its the people that need training, not just the bird

sorry for such a lengthy response, but your situation sound almost identical to the one queenie was in, so i thought id explain, and then it all just came out. i hope it help. sometimes, i think, its best to work within the boundaries the bird sets, rather than the ones we establish for them.

good luck!

[MariaPMC]

well i've suffered a lot in training him! blood lost mostly my poor fingers. my main issue is time mostly. not much time for bonding, so i actually think i must be stressing him... he doesnt bite me anymore and lets me aproach more everyday. but i like to abuse him, petting him and penut butter o.O an advise on another post.
made a video so u see what i mean lol, he's hot/cold with me sry bout the quality

thanks for the story, but i just dnt think of myself as a bbbbbbbbbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaddddd owner just young and inexperience with such complex birdie

[jimmyjack]

absolutely, and i was never even implying you were a bad owner. i really hope it didnt come off that way. i mean, youre on a bird forum trying to get info on what to do, really, what bad owner goes to that kind of effort . and theres only one way to get experience right - even im still learning, not even close to being some kind of bird guru.

the affectionate grab & handle works for some birds, eg, salvador was fine with this method of being raised, yet queenie his sister it didnt work and we had to take that approach. yes time is definately the ultimate issue. ive been lucky that i had a few weeks off. for iggy, its been tough finding enough time as shes needed alot more attention, and i feel guilty for not giving it to her.

[MariaPMC]

lol i forgot the video, after all the trouble i had to put it on youtube, i blame my birdie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozVlmDtqqEc

ye i also feel guilty sometimes for not giving as much attention to my birds as i'd like, but humans work to feed the fat and lazy birdies!

[jimmyjack]

he's such a bright colour!

and i wouldnt worry too much - seems like things are going reasonably smoothly in that video. just stick with it!

you could always try using a command before you offer the peanut butter, like "come here" or something, so that he associates that with the food offering. i noticed he was walking toward your hand for the treat, so this could quite easily be established. mind you - you might already be doing that - only so much you can do while trying to film!

also is his cage on the ground? just looks like it there? if it is, you could move it onto a table, so that when in the cage he can get higher, about head height - this will make him feel safer and less stressed.

persevere - the relationship can take its time to evolve. but you have the time - he'll be around for many years