Hi, I just entered the world of IRN and got my first IRN 2 days back. I named him (if he is he) as Jackie!
The guy who sold me said he is a young male, but I am not sure about both the facts. The bird has a short tail (almost not there) which I am not sure why it is so.
He didn't eat anything on the first day but then it has been eating a little now. I gave it carrot, tomato, guava, spinach, grapes and mix seeds. But it just ate tomato and a little bit of seeds.
It looks very terrified as it starts flying and crashing in the cage as soon as someone goes near the cage, leave alone the though of bringing the hand close to it. I am trying to provide it a calm environment with little human interaction but it still doesn't look very happy.
Please help me in identifying the gender of my IRN and the approximate age. I am attaching some pictures. These might not be very clear as the site allowed me to load just small versions of these.
Thanks!
Hello world!
Moderator: Mods
Hello world!
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Re: Hello world!
Welcome,
I have this theory that the name determines the gender and Jackie is both male and female so until he lays an egg a male he will stay, he looks young as for his tail it might be due to a moult but it could be the shock of settling into a new home.
My bird Billie shed tail fathers when l first got her but they quickly grew back.
Do not give tomato! Search the forum there is a lot of advice on foods.
Just sit as close to the cage a he will allow and talk to him, read a book, eat your meals next to the cage, let him see you are no threat to him. Do not put your hand in his cage.
I have this theory that the name determines the gender and Jackie is both male and female so until he lays an egg a male he will stay, he looks young as for his tail it might be due to a moult but it could be the shock of settling into a new home.
My bird Billie shed tail fathers when l first got her but they quickly grew back.
Do not give tomato! Search the forum there is a lot of advice on foods.
Just sit as close to the cage a he will allow and talk to him, read a book, eat your meals next to the cage, let him see you are no threat to him. Do not put your hand in his cage.
Re: Hello world!
Thanks AJPeter. Jackie has started eating carrot as well now but his intake of seeds is still very low.
There is another thing I am worried about that he has not uttered a single chirp\noise since I got him. Is there any age when they start speaking or there can be any deformities as well?
Thanks
There is another thing I am worried about that he has not uttered a single chirp\noise since I got him. Is there any age when they start speaking or there can be any deformities as well?
Thanks
Re: Hello world!
Some birds talk some don't, my bird Billis does not talk except for last year when she reapeated "Hallo" a couple of times. They tend to talk when the are alone or bored, you will soon get to know what Jackie is saying. It is unlikely to be a deformity, just setling in nerves.
Raw Carrot is very good for Jackie
Raw Carrot is very good for Jackie
Re: Hello world!
jackieggn
Use this method to show the bird you want to be their friend and have no intention to harm and food is a great motivator.
Do not stick your hand into their cage. This is an invasion of their territory, big no no. Also watch the eyes if the eyes are pinned then I would not put my hand near the bird as the bird could be over excited or aggressive either way you will most likely be bitten.
Anyway, first you need to find out what your Alexandrine favorite food is. I suggest that you put around five different foods on a plate.
these can be a couple of sun flower seeds, pumpkin seeds, corn kernels, pine seeds and a couple balls of millet. watching, see which one she eats first. this will be her favorite food. now that you know, you use this food as a training treat and you use it only for training.
I gather the bird is caged inside the house and probably in the living room. This is the method I used on my aviary bred IRN with great results. You will need a clicker. Once you have accomplish this method you will need to interact as much as possible with your bird.
Stage one: When the bird is in the cage, enter the room and go to the furthest point from the cage with the clicker in your hand.
Approach the cage until the bird shows signs of being alert and/or frighten.
Stop and just stand there and wait until the bird relaxes.
Then click the clicker once and take two to three steps back. Wait two to three minutes.
Then approach the cage again until the bird shows signs of being alert and/or frighten.
But make sure you get a little closer.
Stop and just stand there until the bird relaxes then click the clicker once and take two to three steps back.
Repeat this method until you are standing next to the cage.
This will take about 15 minutes to do.
Then walk away. Wait for around 20 to 30 minutes and repeat this method until you can walk up to the cage without the bird being scared.
This could take 7 to 9 times. Once you have done this. With the clicker sit next to the cage and eat some food and have a spray of millet with you. When the bird shows interest and approaches you offer the millet and wait. When the bird takes some of the millet click the clicker once.
Once the bird gets use to taking the millet replace it with training treat. Feed the bird through the cage. This can be done in one day. Remember to click the clicker once every time the bird take the training treat.
Stage two: start by feeding the bird through cage. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes then wait 20 to 30 minutes. Open the cage door and offer training treats at the cage entrance. Be patient and remember to click the clicker once every time the bird take food. Do this for at least 7 to 8 times that day with 20 to 30 minutes breaks between.
Stage three: open the cage door and get the bird to the entrance with training treats and remember to click the clicker once every time the bird take food.
Now instead of using training treats you go back to the spray of millet.
With the clicker and millet in the same hand and with your other hand make it into a pistol.
Focus the birds attention onto the millet and bring the pistol hand up very slowly to the feet of the bird.
Your finger must be parallel to the perch and level with the bird's feet.
Do not touch the bird.
Don't remove your pistol hand from this position. Now move the millet so it out of reach of the bird.
The bird will have to step forward to get to the millet. Therefore stepping up onto finger. at first don't expect the bird to step up onto and/or stay on your finger at first and there is a possibility you could get bitten then again you might not.
Do this for 10 to 15 minutes then wait 20 to 30 minutes and repeat this method again at least 7 to 8 times that day. You will need to continue doing this daily to reinforce the behaviour of stepping up.
Remember not to force the bird. The idea is to train the bird to do what you want without force.
after 3 to 6 months there is no valid reason to still get bitten. if this is happening then you should re-evaluate your training methods. I think people who quote patience after months and months of training and are still getting bitten are deluding themselves.
Use this method to show the bird you want to be their friend and have no intention to harm and food is a great motivator.
Do not stick your hand into their cage. This is an invasion of their territory, big no no. Also watch the eyes if the eyes are pinned then I would not put my hand near the bird as the bird could be over excited or aggressive either way you will most likely be bitten.
Anyway, first you need to find out what your Alexandrine favorite food is. I suggest that you put around five different foods on a plate.
these can be a couple of sun flower seeds, pumpkin seeds, corn kernels, pine seeds and a couple balls of millet. watching, see which one she eats first. this will be her favorite food. now that you know, you use this food as a training treat and you use it only for training.
I gather the bird is caged inside the house and probably in the living room. This is the method I used on my aviary bred IRN with great results. You will need a clicker. Once you have accomplish this method you will need to interact as much as possible with your bird.
Stage one: When the bird is in the cage, enter the room and go to the furthest point from the cage with the clicker in your hand.
Approach the cage until the bird shows signs of being alert and/or frighten.
Stop and just stand there and wait until the bird relaxes.
Then click the clicker once and take two to three steps back. Wait two to three minutes.
Then approach the cage again until the bird shows signs of being alert and/or frighten.
But make sure you get a little closer.
Stop and just stand there until the bird relaxes then click the clicker once and take two to three steps back.
Repeat this method until you are standing next to the cage.
This will take about 15 minutes to do.
Then walk away. Wait for around 20 to 30 minutes and repeat this method until you can walk up to the cage without the bird being scared.
This could take 7 to 9 times. Once you have done this. With the clicker sit next to the cage and eat some food and have a spray of millet with you. When the bird shows interest and approaches you offer the millet and wait. When the bird takes some of the millet click the clicker once.
Once the bird gets use to taking the millet replace it with training treat. Feed the bird through the cage. This can be done in one day. Remember to click the clicker once every time the bird take the training treat.
Stage two: start by feeding the bird through cage. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes then wait 20 to 30 minutes. Open the cage door and offer training treats at the cage entrance. Be patient and remember to click the clicker once every time the bird take food. Do this for at least 7 to 8 times that day with 20 to 30 minutes breaks between.
Stage three: open the cage door and get the bird to the entrance with training treats and remember to click the clicker once every time the bird take food.
Now instead of using training treats you go back to the spray of millet.
With the clicker and millet in the same hand and with your other hand make it into a pistol.
Focus the birds attention onto the millet and bring the pistol hand up very slowly to the feet of the bird.
Your finger must be parallel to the perch and level with the bird's feet.
Do not touch the bird.
Don't remove your pistol hand from this position. Now move the millet so it out of reach of the bird.
The bird will have to step forward to get to the millet. Therefore stepping up onto finger. at first don't expect the bird to step up onto and/or stay on your finger at first and there is a possibility you could get bitten then again you might not.
Do this for 10 to 15 minutes then wait 20 to 30 minutes and repeat this method again at least 7 to 8 times that day. You will need to continue doing this daily to reinforce the behaviour of stepping up.
Remember not to force the bird. The idea is to train the bird to do what you want without force.
after 3 to 6 months there is no valid reason to still get bitten. if this is happening then you should re-evaluate your training methods. I think people who quote patience after months and months of training and are still getting bitten are deluding themselves.