Biter help

[RACR_rescue]

Hi. I run a rescue and yesterday we had a male ringneck come in.

I do not know his age as the owners didn't.. All I know when I collected him was he was in a dark empty outdoor aivory and never been handled or interacted with It was really sad to see tbh. He does have the ring round his neck. The woman was scared of him so I had to catch him which I tried doing as stress free as possible for him, which isn't easy when they are flapping about scared Anyhow I caught him and he latched on to my hand not letting go for a while. I placed him the carrier and got him back straight away. To make things worse his leg ring was on to tight and cutting into his leg so we had to remove it asap Once done I put him straight into a cage in a quiet room with toys, food and water and left him to calm and settle. I have him indoors in a seperate room from the other animals.

Now in the past, birds that have come in have really been tame already (apart from the owls and wildlife which tbh I haven't really had and biting ones of them either lol) I have read and searched through behaviour on here best I can time permitting as I am so busy running the rescue (singled handed) I wanted to know as a mature adult will Charlie (I have named him) be able to be tamed up a bit and how likely is it to stop his biting from where he latches on hard? I have know it takes time with fearful animals (spent months rehabilitating animals and still currently am with some) and I am totaly commited to time and dedication, if I wasn't I would be no good working and running a rescue lol. I basicaly just want to know what the chances are of taming him or at least to get him to step up and stop biting

Just to add, biting animals dont bother me at all. I have been bitten so many times over the years by various animals I think I am immune to the pain of it lol. The worse bites I have ever had are off one rat where I needed stitches and ferrets..

I hope all the above information is clear and understandable. I went to bed at 1am and was up at 4.50am so pretty tired lol.

[hockey18]

I have been in similar situations with birds and have always approached the same way. The bird will propbably freak out anytime you're attempting to hold him. Think about, who wouldn't after what he's been through?


Start off by keeping him in the cage, pull up a comfortable chair and start reading or using the laptop. Use it for at least an hour and talk to the bird while you're in there. Do not attempt to touch or handle the bird.

Few days of the same process, open the cage door or remove the top of the cage. Do not handle the bird, and continue as you always have (read or use laptop and give company to the bird). When the bird climbs to the top and his out of the cage, you're closer to being able to handle the bird.. but not yet.

Once the bird is comfortable to climb out of cage and you have given several days of company and never attempted to handle the bird, you have built a trust. Now you'll be at a fork in the road, either - 1, introduce someone else into the picture and do not handle the bird. Two of you will now do as you have been doing for the next few days (this will tame the bird to be around other people while out of the cage - the trust will be built towards humans, not you solely); - 2, introduce treats to the bird by hand feeding first, if the bird withdraws, leave the treat pinned between the bar of the cage (inside and out). Do not handle the bird.


Follow these steps and you will build a trust so as long as it lasts for a while (maybe a month or two). From that point, you possibly could follow the standard training methods. Or the bird may have reached a breaking point and will need to build a trust for a much longer time.


At no point force the bird to become tame, that will make things worse. Do not handle the bird for at least another month, but spend time with the bird and nurture it.

[rod038]

Some birds are just aviary birds and arent used to being handled, but they generally settle down once they get used to the new aviary. He is a Mature bird by the sound of it over 2 years old. I always wear gloves when I handle my birds which are also aviary birds because they do bite and they can latch on. They flap around when I try to catch them but settle down once they get into there Aviary again.

[RACR_rescue]

Hi.. Thank you for the advice, that is some great info to work on there.. Can I ask one thing though.. Once I get to the opening cage door/top of cage won't he be tempted to climbo out and fly? It is this point I worry for if he flys out, how do I get him back in the cage without stressing him?

[hockey18]

I am picturing you being in a small closed off office or bedroom. I should have asked. If the bird does fly out, the less the bird sees, the less stressful the situation (at least this is what I've been taught). If the lights are dim while you're in the room the bird may be less tempted to fly out of the cage. Also, arrange the door to be facing you. It wont be until the bird is trusting enough to fly towards you that it does fly out of the cage. At this point, the situation shouldn't be as stressful as if the bird left the cage now. If the bird does fly out, capture as normal.

I don't know your experience with birds, but using the the proper technique can limit the pain if you get bit. I can update another post if you need advice.

[RACR_rescue]

Hi. Yes he is in the office with me.. We have had birds in before but they have been tame/semi tame so this is a new one to me.. The only we could get him in the cage was to towel him.. But the other day he he did evantualy fly back in on his own accord.. What would you say the proper technic is? He has only bit and latched on once and that was the day I went to pick him up. ive tried keeping everything stress free. Now today he has been alot better and sat on the front perch and not gone into a flap..