Any advice would be wonderful!

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slyon100
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Joined: Thu Sep 10, 2015 12:38 am

Any advice would be wonderful!

Post by slyon100 »

I recently purchased an Indian Ringneck from an owner. She is not hand tame at all and she screams. She has toys, I spend time with her in the morning prior to work and when I get home, but she will not let me touch her. In the morning she wakes the house with her screaming. She has plenty of toys, fresh fruit in the morning, water, and a clean environment. I am new to owning a bird and I love her dearly. What can I do to help her?
Wessel Gordon
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Location: South Africa
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Re: Any advice would be wonderful!

Post by Wessel Gordon »

Slylon,

Two questions right off the bat:

1. How long have you had the bird?
2. Did the previous owner part with it because of behavioral issues?

My reason for asking how long you have had the bird is that bird (just like us humans) take some time to adapt to a new living arrangement and can take quite awhile to settle down.

If the previous owner let the bird go because of behavior issues I must congratulate you on undertaking a difficult task, especially since this is your first bird. The bird might have learnt that screaming and other forms of negative behavior got the owner's attention and kept it up for that reason. A bird doesn't rationalize between good and bad attention it just sees that the behavior is getting a response.

What I would suggest is to spend time around the bird without attempting to touch it for at least a few days (more likely a few weeks) and talk to it in a low, pleasant voice. You can read a book or the newspaper...what you say isn't really important; what is important is to get the bird used to your voice and you being around the cage. Just remember that building trust isn't a short-term exercise and let the bird set the pace. If the bird displays a behavior you want to encourage (at this stage even just sitting quietly and watching you for 5-10 minutes without screaming) put a nice treat in a foodbowl. IRN's tend to be very food-motivated and you can use that to your advantage in taming. Make sure that whatever you use as a treat isn't available as part of it's normal diet to increase it's value to the bird.

I wish I could tell you you will have a well-behaved bird in a day or two but judging from what you told us and my experience with birds you will have to start with babysteps.

Good luck
Wessel
MissK
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Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Any advice would be wonderful!

Post by MissK »

Hi Sylon,

I'm pleased to hear you've brought home a second hand bird! So far we know about this bird:
*female (you sure about that?)
*good at screaming
*not hand tame
*won't let you touch her
*is offered fruit
*has toys
*cage is clean

I, too, have suggestion, and questions.
Suggestions:
*don't try to touch her
*if she moves away do NOT chase her, not with your body, your hand, a treat, a toy, a nugget of gold, nothing
*respect & compassion
*give her time and space to figure out her new situation


?Questions:
*her age & how long the seller had her
*describe her prior situation(s)
*why did they sell her
*describe her typical day at your house
*describe the noises and what she is doing as she makes them
*describe (or photo) her cage and where it is kept
*describe her actions when you approach the cage, give the food clean the cage, etc
*does she like any food better than another? Which?


Answering these questions will give us a slightly better idea of what's going on and also give you a chance to examine your own situation. For example, there is great difference between "when I offer a treat my bird leans forward and screams while she hops towards me and I think she is aggressive" and "when I offer a treat my bird turns her back to me and screams while she hangs on the back of the cage so I don't think she likes treats."

In the first example, I would say the bird wants the treat but is nervous about you, and the thought of aggression is a misinterpretation. The screaming is just bird noise, and the situation looks good.
In the second example, I would say the bird is very frightened and trying to escape with her life. You need to back off because every second in that position is detrimental.
-MissK
Wessel Gordon
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Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:02 pm
Location: South Africa
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Re: Any advice would be wonderful!

Post by Wessel Gordon »

Slylon

MissK raises a few valid points as usual.

What will help us even more is if you are able to take a video of her ''screaming'' or any behavior you find unacceptable. Preferably the video should start a few seconds before she starts the behavior so we can help identify if something triggers it and if it's really screaming or simply excited IRN noises you are not used to.
sanjays mummi
Posts: 2050
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 12:07 pm
Location: Bedfordshire UK

Re: Any advice would be wonderful!

Post by sanjays mummi »

Good point, Sanjay will join in the dawn chorus, most birds are vocal first thing. Do you know if she was hand reared, or aviary bred and parent reared?, Sanjay was the latter, and after 5 yrs will not be handled, he accepts food, he preens my hair, he lets me scritch the back of his neck, but he does not step up, shoulder ride, or allow liberties!. I love him dearly, and I don't care if he Never does those things. He is my bezzie mate.
cocopuff
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2016 5:09 pm

Re: Any advice would be wonderful!

Post by cocopuff »

I recommend patience, patience, more patience and lots of TLC. I adopted my ringneck over a year ago. I was told that there were no behavioural issues but she initially was scared and then screamed and did a bit of biting. Over the past year, she is more confident and happier. She does not like to be touched and I'm working on that. But she gets lots of treats, attention, TLC and her sounds are now happier. it doesn't happen overnight but it is worth the effort.
MissK
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Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Any advice would be wonderful!

Post by MissK »

I'd love to know how Slylon is getting on.
-MissK
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