Hello from Zazu! Any help would be appreciated!

[kayla_jarvis]

Hello! I'm new to the world of IRNs, and I thought this would be the proper forum in which to get some good advice as I've already consulted the site numerous times without joining! haha I've worked at a pet store the past 3 years and have tamed vicious quakers, cranky conures, and grouchy senegals so I thought I was up for the challenge of a ringneck as my first bird.

Zazu is a 12 week old male blue indian ringneck! He's fully weaned but the breeder I bought him from told me to continue to hand wean him til 13 weeks. Out of his cage he is very calm. I'm not sure if its because hes scared or just a sweetheart. In the week that I've had him, he hasnt made a single sound except a little bit of clicking. Im finding that hes very cage territorial both when im trying to get him out and as soon as I go to change his food. He wont take treats from my hand or step up very willingly and he often shys away then hisses and lunges at me and tries to attack my hand when I go to get him. Fortunately for now his bites are pathetic and dont hurt at all. Im wondering if it is him starting to go through bluffing? I've flicked his beak a couple times but it seems to just piss him off more so I've stopped that. I just pet his beak when he tries to bite me and I make sure he comes out after so he knows that he isnt the ruler of the roost. Am I doing the right thing, or should i just leave him in there? Ive read a lot of stuff saying they can get aggressive quickly if theyre not taken out of their cage on a daily basis.

Any general advice on this and any other subject for a first time ringneck owner would be much appreciated! Thanks!
(Also how do you attach a picture? I've never posted in the forum before haha)

[ellieelectrons]

Hi Kayla

You'll find information on posting pictures here:
http://www.indianringneck.com/forum/vie ... =4&t=15060


Ellie.

[ellieelectrons]

He wont take treats from my hand

I would recommend your first step is getting your bird to take treats from your hand. Find out your birds fav foods by giving him a bowl full of different foods and watching which foods he takes first. Withdraw the fav foods from his regular diet and only give them is treats. Try offering it through the cage bars first. If he won't take it initially, put it in his regular bowl (making sure he sees you doing it). Eventually, you should be able to get him taking it from your hand although it may take a while. Hopefully over time, he will be less scared.

Also, try eating in front of your bird and offering him something birdie safe from your meal. Kimijean also makes a great suggestion, try offering your bird some food but look away when offering them.

Also, give your bird plenty of time to observe you during the day without him being the centre of attention. Eg. put his cage where he see you work at the computer, cook a meal, watch tv, etc.

Fortunately for now his bites are pathetic and dont hurt at all.

When your bird bites you, regardless of whether it hurts or not, your bird is trying to communicate with you. Your aim should be to not get bitten - which may sound very obvious and straight forward... but it isn't always that easy to do.... you have try to figure out what is causing the biting and change your behaviour accordingly. So if your bird is always biting you when you want him to step up, then don't keep trying to get him to step up the same way - change your approach.

This blog entry could help you:
http://goodbirdinc.blogspot.com.au/2009 ... up_28.html

The other thing that you need to know is that all birds and especially young birds will seemingly bite a prospective perch as a way of testing it to see if it's sturdy and safe. This sort of behaviour is not the same as a lunge and an aggressive bite - it's just a way to explore the new "perch".


I would work on getting your bird to take treats from your hand before training him to step up.

Ellie.

[shonnaboyd]

Ellie,

Thank you for your post! Im new to the board as well, and wanted to see if the question was already answered. I have a slate male IRN hes so cheeky and sweet! but has strted his bluffing stage as well. When he does try to bite i slowly pull my finger away and then try getting him to come to me another way(Im glad im doing that part right!) I will usualy put my shoulder up to his cage and he will walk right onto it.

maybe s/he doesnt feel your finger is strudy enough? are you holding out you at least 2 fingers to get him/her to make the base a bit more sturdy?

Micah does reach out to "bite" when he steps up but hes not biting he is only getting his grip on my fingers so he can step.

what kind of treats are you giving your bird? If its fruit have you tried cutting it a different way? some birds are very tempramental! Micah used to only eat cut up fruit, but I started putting a mix of cut strawberrys and smaller non cut up strawberries and now he accepts everything, which is easier for me when im enjoy the treat and he wants some..(which he always does!) He is finally starting to lose his bluffing stage.

Ive also ready that once they leave the breeder they can start a bluffing stage until they get to know you well enough it can last days weeks or months, But dont give up or give in! keep at it and im sure he/she will become a great friend !

Shonna

[kayla_jarvis]

thanks for all the advice! now he isnt territorial about his food and he'll try to take food from me but just likes to throw it around and drop it haha. i think hes too young to grab it with his hands. i believe hes going through his bluffing stage as far as his cage aggression/lunging. i just keep loving him up and am patiently waiting for him to come around haha