Merlin has stopped taking food from me??
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Merlin has stopped taking food from me??
Hi bird lovers. my 5 month indian ringneck took two peanuts from me last week then he took one again the next day, sinse then has hasnt taken anything from me although he calls me and jumps from his perce to his food bowl. he even found his voice yesterday and im sure he said hello. he wanted a grape. but i refuse to give him anything unless he takes it from my hand again. having said that now and then i put things in his bowl. he doesnt come near me as much either im going backwards!?
Re: Merlin has stopped taking food from me??
Try eating your meals next to his cage this will encourage him, do not force Merlin to do what only you want, but go along with him react and enjoy being with him
Re: Merlin has stopped taking food from me??
Hi Tjgosling,
You will gain a lot more trust if you don't force him to take treats from you, if you drop them into his bowl he will still be associating you and your actions with the yummy treat.
I think you will achieve way better results by accepting what your bird is trying to tell you. He probably has a reason behind why he doesn't want to take treats from your hand right now. If you go back to square one in taming and gain his acceptance again it will probably be easier than the first time. Be mindful of everything you are doing to ensure that you notice anything you are doing that frightens him or make him nervous, so you can adjust your approach.
I think if you act like it is a competition to see who gives in first, you will probably strengthen his resolve to avoid you. ..
You will gain a lot more trust if you don't force him to take treats from you, if you drop them into his bowl he will still be associating you and your actions with the yummy treat.
I think you will achieve way better results by accepting what your bird is trying to tell you. He probably has a reason behind why he doesn't want to take treats from your hand right now. If you go back to square one in taming and gain his acceptance again it will probably be easier than the first time. Be mindful of everything you are doing to ensure that you notice anything you are doing that frightens him or make him nervous, so you can adjust your approach.
I think if you act like it is a competition to see who gives in first, you will probably strengthen his resolve to avoid you. ..
Re: Merlin has stopped taking food from me??
TJ,
Consider that last week he may have felt particularly bold, or since then you may have inadvertently shaken his confidence. In either case, don't expect him to take a grape if last time it was a peanut. He just may like peanuts better. Cut him some slack; he's just a little birdie and you're supposed to be his friend.
Try using your fingernail to split your peanut into little bits. Gently drop half of a second peanut into the bowl and wait for him to take it. After that, start dropping the bits in. Drop a bit, he eats, drop another bit, he eats, etc. Now and then offer him the other big half peanut through the bars from your fingers. Do not drop it if he makes no attempt to take it; just go back to dropping in bits. Sooner or later he should figure out you have the better nut.
It's your call, but if he makes a real attempt to take the big nut, I would let him have it the first time. Carry on the routine, and after that get stingier with that half nut. Make sure he is really trying to take it from you. On one hand, you risk training him to make half-attempts to get the nut, but on the other hand, you can raise the criteria later to require more sincere attempts, or more attempts. Remember to make the increment in your demands dependent on his success at the prior level, and don't make the steps too big.
At the end, don't forget to give him some treats just because he's fantastic. He *is* fantastic, isn't he?
Consider that last week he may have felt particularly bold, or since then you may have inadvertently shaken his confidence. In either case, don't expect him to take a grape if last time it was a peanut. He just may like peanuts better. Cut him some slack; he's just a little birdie and you're supposed to be his friend.
Try using your fingernail to split your peanut into little bits. Gently drop half of a second peanut into the bowl and wait for him to take it. After that, start dropping the bits in. Drop a bit, he eats, drop another bit, he eats, etc. Now and then offer him the other big half peanut through the bars from your fingers. Do not drop it if he makes no attempt to take it; just go back to dropping in bits. Sooner or later he should figure out you have the better nut.
It's your call, but if he makes a real attempt to take the big nut, I would let him have it the first time. Carry on the routine, and after that get stingier with that half nut. Make sure he is really trying to take it from you. On one hand, you risk training him to make half-attempts to get the nut, but on the other hand, you can raise the criteria later to require more sincere attempts, or more attempts. Remember to make the increment in your demands dependent on his success at the prior level, and don't make the steps too big.
At the end, don't forget to give him some treats just because he's fantastic. He *is* fantastic, isn't he?
-MissK