Hello, two days ago I bought a 2 year old ringneck and am worried about doing things wrong. If I go near her cage she panics and flys about and I worry she could hurt herself!! Also I would like to clean her out but dont want to distress her if anyone could give me some tips so that she understands I dont want to hurt her???
Thanks Jamie
2 year old untame new IR
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Re: 2 year old untame new IR
Hiya! My advice would be to just let her settle... Give her a week to get used to you (and your family) and the new environment.
After a week, sit with her, next to her cage and hum softly or talk to her.. If she panics with you sitting next to her sit 5ft away, if she is still nervous go a little further away, gradually over a week get closer to the cage until you are as close as possible.
Do this for about 4 days..
After that it's time to introduce her to your hands... Place your hand on the outside of her cage the farthest away from where she is, hold it there for 5 minutes talking/humming softly to her, then move it to another location, watch your birds body, if you see her eyes pin or her feathers go slick to her body and she looks like she's about to launch into flight, slowly move your hand back to the starting position where you know she was comfortable. If this doesn't work, repeat step one.
After you have gained her trust and she allows you to place your hand closer and closer to her to where she is almost right next to your hand it's time to take the next step and go INSIDE the cage (no, not literally hehe) Open the cage door, sit with your hand on the door and hum softly/talk softly.. make sure you spread this activity out over a week or so.. Gradually over the next few days move your hand closer inside the cage, let her know you aren't going to move until she is comfortable and not stressed.. If she panics, go back to the previous step and try again...
Now that she is used to your hands being around her, it's time to offer her some treats, the best way to do this is to place them in her food dish and sit with the door closed and let her come to the food dish to eat it.. Don't make any sudden movements to startle her... Eating is a birds vulnerability, it shows great trust when a bird is comfortable eating in front of you. Gradually over time, hold treats through the bars over her food dish, she should eventually come to your hands to get them.. The next step is to have her eat the treats from the bowl with the cage door open.. It's almost like you have two sets of training, one with the door shut, and one with it open... Get her used to eating with your hands inside the cage, then hold them out over her food dish.. she will know...
Eventually you will be able to have her go to your hands knowing you will give her a treat.. The next step is to have her come out of the cage, if your birds wings aren't clipped, do this in a small room like a bathroom or study. If they are clipped do it where the birds cage usually sits.. Lure her out with the treats (following your hand around the cage) once she steps out, get her to step back in, then out, then in. Then leave it for the day...
The next day do the same thing but get her to step onto a perch to get the treat. Do this on and off on and off repeating ''step up'' do it for a few days...
Then have her step on the perch and lift the perch up, place it down have her step off, then repeat.
Next replace the perch with your hand.
I hope this helped, this is how i gained the trust with my IRN, it is a long process but it is very rewarding when they finally give in and take the treat
Eventually your bird will want to race out to get the treat off you lol.
Good luck!!
After a week, sit with her, next to her cage and hum softly or talk to her.. If she panics with you sitting next to her sit 5ft away, if she is still nervous go a little further away, gradually over a week get closer to the cage until you are as close as possible.
Do this for about 4 days..
After that it's time to introduce her to your hands... Place your hand on the outside of her cage the farthest away from where she is, hold it there for 5 minutes talking/humming softly to her, then move it to another location, watch your birds body, if you see her eyes pin or her feathers go slick to her body and she looks like she's about to launch into flight, slowly move your hand back to the starting position where you know she was comfortable. If this doesn't work, repeat step one.
After you have gained her trust and she allows you to place your hand closer and closer to her to where she is almost right next to your hand it's time to take the next step and go INSIDE the cage (no, not literally hehe) Open the cage door, sit with your hand on the door and hum softly/talk softly.. make sure you spread this activity out over a week or so.. Gradually over the next few days move your hand closer inside the cage, let her know you aren't going to move until she is comfortable and not stressed.. If she panics, go back to the previous step and try again...
Now that she is used to your hands being around her, it's time to offer her some treats, the best way to do this is to place them in her food dish and sit with the door closed and let her come to the food dish to eat it.. Don't make any sudden movements to startle her... Eating is a birds vulnerability, it shows great trust when a bird is comfortable eating in front of you. Gradually over time, hold treats through the bars over her food dish, she should eventually come to your hands to get them.. The next step is to have her eat the treats from the bowl with the cage door open.. It's almost like you have two sets of training, one with the door shut, and one with it open... Get her used to eating with your hands inside the cage, then hold them out over her food dish.. she will know...
Eventually you will be able to have her go to your hands knowing you will give her a treat.. The next step is to have her come out of the cage, if your birds wings aren't clipped, do this in a small room like a bathroom or study. If they are clipped do it where the birds cage usually sits.. Lure her out with the treats (following your hand around the cage) once she steps out, get her to step back in, then out, then in. Then leave it for the day...
The next day do the same thing but get her to step onto a perch to get the treat. Do this on and off on and off repeating ''step up'' do it for a few days...
Then have her step on the perch and lift the perch up, place it down have her step off, then repeat.
Next replace the perch with your hand.
I hope this helped, this is how i gained the trust with my IRN, it is a long process but it is very rewarding when they finally give in and take the treat
Eventually your bird will want to race out to get the treat off you lol.Good luck!!
Re: 2 year old untame new IR
Thanks alot im sure it will be a big help. Do you have any recommendations for treats? I give her fresh fruit and seeds
Re: 2 year old untame new IR
Hmm, not sure. I found it easy to put fruits etc into the food bowl (not when doing the taming etc just when normally feeding) and see which ones they eat more of, so maybe put some sunflower seeds and apple etc a few different fruits etc and see which ones she likes more.. Good luck
P.S I use the nut trail mix packets from the supermarket, they have dried fruits and seeds and nuts in them (Make sure you look at the sugar and salt though as some prepackaged foods are high in bad stuff for your bird!!!!)
P.S I use the nut trail mix packets from the supermarket, they have dried fruits and seeds and nuts in them
(Make sure you look at the sugar and salt though as some prepackaged foods are high in bad stuff for your bird!!!!)