Best way to start bonding with new babies

[amb4693]

Hello I'm very new to the forum but even newer to IRNs, I just got two new babies, now the breeder I got them from hand fed them and they were somewhat tame, she even sent me a video of her holding these birds and snuggling with them, my issue is I can't get near them at all without them running to the farthest place in there cage as they can get, she had suggested taking them out wrapped in a soft washcloth and talking to them for a few minutes and singing to them, of which I would love to do, but I can't get them near me, and I feel that reaching in the cage and chasing them around then grabbing them in a washcloth would totally freak them out even more, anyone agree with me? Now I put them in separate cages yesterday, we got them late Thursday night shipped it was a 10 hour ordeal for them, they are eating great and playing in the cages great, I just can't touch them at all, we took them and got wings clipped to make this easier, should I leave them alone and let them adjust or try to force them to let me handle them?? I'm used to a grey who lives being held by all of us, they are about 14 weeks old and 12 weeks old. HELP anyone please, I just want to snuggle these little beauties!!!
Thank you all so much
Ann

[kimijean]

Don't do either. Don't chase them around their cages but also don't leave them alone. Just talk to them often and offer treats. If they won't take the treat through the bars put it in the food dish but make sure they see you do it. My first IRN was the same way. I found that she would take a treat from me if I wasn't looking at her when offering it. It will most likely take a long time but eventually they will take treats from you even when you are looking at them.

I have 2 now. I weaned my 5 month old creamino girl Goose and I'm weaning Caboose now (not DNA'd yet). Because of this I have not had to deal with the "fear" issue.

Kim

[amb4693]

I knew I could count on you kim for advice, so tell me, should I not try to handle them at all? Just let them warm up to me in there time? They are so darn cute I just wanna snuggle them.....thank you for reply.
Ann

[kimijean]

The best thing would be to not handle them at all. :O( So you'll just have to love on your grey even more. Also aren't you going to be getting a third (green?) IRN? Any chance you could get him/her before completely weaned?

Kim

[amb4693]

We actually picked him up today and he loves to be handled, so at least we have we can hold for now!!
He is weaned already, and is very easy to handle!!!

[amb4693]

Now today the green one is acting like he is petrified of. E, I go near the cage and he flys all o er to get away from me....these birds are little boogers for sure!!! I guess for now I will Judy enjoy them from a distance!!! Urgggg so frustrating!!!

[kimijean]

My very first IRN was a blue girl. I got her just after weaned. Her breeder brought several babies over to my place and she's the one I chose because she was the sweetest. She was fine while her breeder was here but after that she was terrified of me. I wasn't a member of the forum then and I got very frustrated and gave up on her. I traded her for a discount on Goose, my creamino girl. From the start I regretted doing that to her. Then I found this forum and even more I really wish I had kept her. I love Goose and Caboose but I feel really bad over my failure with Little Lucy. :O(

Kim

[amb4693]

Awww I'm sorry, but perhaps it just wasn't ment to be, I had some really good progress with all the little darlings today, so am not as frustrated as yesterday and tomorrow will be even better!!! I just know it!!! They are so darn cute!!! How's the grey adjusting???

[kimijean]

I'm glad things have gotten even a little better for you and your new birds. What does your grey seem to think? Goose (IRN) is very interested in Xandir. I got some pictures of them on Xandir's sleep cage today.

Xandir is wonderful!! He is such a lover, but now I have 3 babies. I'm still hand feeding/weaning Caboose IRN), and when I brought Xandir home I also brought a little male green Parrotlet that is still being fed/weaned. He's for a friend. And I have now hand fed Xandie twice because he begs for it, lol! I figure it's emotional so I want to make sure he knows that he can trust me to provide for him.

Kim

[amb4693]

My grey could really care less, he's not bothered or disturbed by the new babies, I've discovered that the oldest, Larry the yellow boy is very aggressive and passive over the food dish, we put him and the green one together at first but he had the green one so bullied he won't come off the high perch! Soooooo we put the yellow one back in with the blue one, which is the one he came with o they kno each other, but now same thing as soon as blu goes for the food, Larry chances him away, what am I on a do???? Separate all three? Will they ever get along????
Ann

[kimijean]

One option is to have several places for them to eat, as far apart as possible. If that doesn't help then 3 cages. :O(

Kim

[amb4693]

It's all good now, just an adjust period kim, two in one cage and one is alone, how's everything with your flock of feathered friends???

[kimijean]

Glad the birds are working it all out Ann.

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with the craziness right now. I'm hand feeding a baby Parrotlet for a friend, Caboose (my younger IRN) still begs to be fed every chance s/he gets, and Xandir (CAG) begs to be fed even though he's 18 weeks old today. LOL Thank goodness all my other birds are "normal".

Kim

[amb4693]

All????? Good golly miss Molly, how many do you have???? Quincy, my CAG, loved oatmeal, every night I fed him a teaspoon or so of cooked warm oatmeal for almost a year, he loved it and stopped begging during the day! The IRNs are coming along just fine I guess, I'm just used to Quincy who came home in my hands and these little guys won't let me hold them yet, I have gotten blu on a stick pretty good he gets better each day, I won't and dont chance him around the cage I open it and wait for him or them to fly out , it works just fine, Larry is gonna be my talker, he's somewhat vocal, and very responsive to my voice, the other two have not made a peep yet, they are a few weeks younger!! Willow my green one likes to be held and petted, but I thinks it's mainly cause he's alone in the cage!!! But all in all I feel I've made a little progress!!

[kimijean]

I have 8 right now but I'm getting 2 more. If I'm lucky I'll be able to double up on a couple of cages; if the birds decide they like each other. They range from completely "wild" hands off (canary) to very tame hands on (CAG). But not all can be out at the same time so it can be a challenge at times. And I tend to be lazy and procrastinate so I don't clean as often as I should; therefore my place is a mess. It's me, my 16 yr old son, a dog, 2 cats, and the birds in a 2 bedroom apartment.

Kim

[JD Sounds]

Hi there ,just got a 12 week old blue ringneck n it's lovely , I think it's a girl. She was scared at first and clung on to cage but now she on her perch so we left her as she was quiet. She still hasn't eaten after 6 hours although I've tried her. She is not as scared as she was as she lets me put my hand in cage more now. Has anyone got any basic info they can share with me regarding taming her as I wanna get to point I'll leave her cage open so she can do what she likes. Thanks people , jd