Hai there.

Natoru · Post by **Natoru** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 2:29 am

Hello, I just purchased my first bird today! *Excited* I have been wanting a bird for awhile.. I had a cage bought and sitting in my room.. the plan was to get a baby cockatiel and I had done a heap of research on them on the internet.

But we saw an add for baby indian ringnecks in the paper cheap so went to check it out.. unfortunately there were no babys left.. I had to choice of some 1 year old birds.. I picked a beautiful male, a 1 year old bird probably wasn't the best choice for a beginner, but I had to have him.. I had also researched them when I saw them in the paper. They seem like pretty cool birds to have as pets.

I still haven't chosen a name for him.. I'm not good with names. ><

But anyway..

I'm looking for advice on taming and raising a 1 year old. I brought him home and he was quiet and just sat in his high perch in the cage.. I gave him food and water.. He didn't seem interested when I offered it to him.
I've been talking to him all afternoon.. and he's been sitting in his spot, lol.

I also gave him a bit of apple earlier.. he ate some from my hand, trying to get a nip at my fingers now and then.. but he seems friendly. He didn't eat much of it.

He's only just recently started to climb about the cage. he's climbing around the same spot atm, watching me on the computer hehe.

I can also tell he knows about the seed and has been at it.. (It's all over my floor xD)

I'm planning on giving him the rest of the night to get used to the cage then I'll let him out in the morning. I've also got a pair of gloves there hehe.

Soo.. what advice can you give me? I'm only a beginner., and google only get's me so far.

Thanks!

pinkdevil · Post by **pinkdevil** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 4:26 am

Hmmm..depending on if your bird was handraised or handtamed I would let him settle into his new home for a few days and just talk to him and let him get used to you. Once he has settled in and feels comfortable he should wander around his cage and eat more. Sometimes it takes a couple of days for birds to feel at ease in their new surroundings.
I would not try and rush things too soon, after all you have many years of happy times ahead.
I personally don't use gloves. I find the birds are scared of them, but other people here might have a different opinion.
I would try food treats as reward when he does something good like allow you to touch him or he steps up onto you hand. But I would take things slow. Let him tell you through body language when he has trusted you enough. Hope this helps & good luck.

Keep us updated

Natoru · Post by **Natoru** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:39 pm

pinkdevil wrote:Hmmm..depending on if your bird was handraised or handtamed I would let him settle into his new home for a few days and just talk to him and let him get used to you. Once he has settled in and feels comfortable he should wander around his cage and eat more. Sometimes it takes a couple of days for birds to feel at ease in their new surroundings.
I would not try and rush things too soon, after all you have many years of happy times ahead.
I personally don't use gloves. I find the birds are scared of them, but other people here might have a different opinion.
I would try food treats as reward when he does something good like allow you to touch him or he steps up onto you hand. But I would take things slow. Let him tell you through body language when he has trusted you enough. Hope this helps & good luck.

Keep us updated

Thanks Pinkdevil, I think anyones advice would be along those lines.. and yes I will give him another day or two to get used to his new cage. I think you might be right with the gloves.. I tested that when I was giving him some apple.. he was eating it from my hands but as soon as the gloves went on he started biting them more. I guess it will be no gloves then.. this will be fun hehe :3

He didn't seem to overly mind me stroking him with the end of a pen ><, he bit at it a few times. I'll continue getting him used to being touched.

Natoru · Post by **Natoru** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 4:25 am

He didn't like the pen stroking him.. so I stopped with it, I tryed another way.. I've been slowly just getting my hand close to him.. letting it stay for awhile then withdrawing it.. and I've been having talk sessions with him, though he won't talk back yet.

So far is really good.. I can get my hand right up close, and he lets me stroke his belly with nearly no fuss.. I've been getting up and down, giving him a quick stroke.. I'll do that for a bit.. then after he trusts me a bit more, try to get him to step up..

I've been looking up a method by wrapping them in a towel, giving them a talk and pet session in the towel, them put them on the ground and try to get them to step up.. Is this a good method?

By the way.. his name is Kiba. ^^
and here is a picture of my beautiful Kiba:
http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/3711/kibabh9.jpg

pinkdevil · Post by **pinkdevil** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 12:58 pm

Good to hear some progress is being made

I am not sure about the towel theory. I have never used it. I don't think I would use it especially as you have begun to gain Kibas trust. The towel thing may break that and you would have to start all over again. But that is just MY opinion. Does anyone else have experience using the towel???
I would probably just suggest continuing as you have been, seems to be working for you and Kiba

I think the important thing is not to push to much and let him take it at his own pace.
Sounds like you doing great so far.

Kiba is to cute!!