starting to worry..

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JACKx55
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:53 pm

starting to worry..

Post by JACKx55 »

Hi, im a new ringneck owner.
ive owned conures before but when the last one passed away i wanted a change.
chappie arrived around a month ago and appears to be making no progress when it comes to gaining confidence around me.
when i change his food bowls or try to clean his cage he panics, tries to fly away and squawks.
im starting to worry because surely he should at least be starting to do this less and im worried he hurts himself on the side of his cage or something.
any help would be amazing
thanks everyone :)
sanjays mummi
Posts: 2050
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 12:07 pm
Location: Bedfordshire UK

Re: starting to worry..

Post by sanjays mummi »

You don't say how old he is, or whether he was aviary bred/parent reared. Sanjay was, and eight weeks old when I got him.
He displayed exactly the same behaviour whenever I put my hands in his cage, and it lasted quite a while. The breakthrough came when he began accepting treats through the bars, and then "kisses".
Just have patience, sit next to the cage, talk and sing to him, and don't pull away from his scaredy behaviour, just calmly get on with what you are doing, get it done and then let him have his own space with you in close proximity. It won't last forever. You cannot compare one species against another, because you don't know what his previous environment was like.
JACKx55
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:53 pm

Re: starting to worry..

Post by JACKx55 »

he's only a few months old and was bred in an aviary.
thats great it was just that its been a while now and he's not showed much progress if any.
thanks for the help, im sure he'll be fine. :)
Babsi
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2016 5:07 am

Re: starting to worry..

Post by Babsi »

They all have a mind of their own. However popular the belief of letting your ringneck run and hide without disruption, I've found that only reinforces their fears. Bluffing does exist, even with my hand raised baby. After going through it, I am a firm believer in this stage. But to gradually torment him with the thing (hands) he fears the most for weeks and MONTHS on end, seems counter productive and a bit like torture.

For Ex. If you were afraid of snakes, would you take MONTHS to tangle a snake around your hand bringing it closer.......and CLOSER and CLOSER for months on end?? until they rid of the fear? Or would you just let them hold the harmless snake to get over your
(their) fear in a timely fashion and be rid of it?


I would do the later. I simply scoop him up, saying reassuring words, and cradle him in my arms for headscratches and comfort. He used to be afraid, but now he welcomes it, coos and enjoys. He's an active participate on my shoulder each day and I take that much needed "window" while he's young to let him learn new words, and the meaning of his world, instead of losing out on interaction & intelligence by being "afraid of the dreaded dailey slowly incoming hand".

Instead of months of the "creepy hand" he can then focus on the world around him, and not just my fingers. Give it a try.
%%- Happily sharing my life with Ronan, my new blue, male ringneck %%-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpgS0tqOMMk
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