IndianRingNeck.com

Hi there , I'm new to this so please be patient . We have had rocco our irn for 3 weeks now and he won't settle down he seems scared
Of any interactions . He is 4 months old and every time we let him out of his cage he goes behind the sofa and stays there . How long does it take for them to get used to new surroundings and what's the best way to start handling him . I'd hate to see him caged up all the time .

This is our first bird so any help would be appreciated !

Hi. I think most likely Rocco is afraid of you, and that's why he won't settle down and hides when he gets the chance. You will have to make friends with him. It helps a lot with this if you view him as an individual with whom you want to have a relationship. It will help you approach things with compassion and thought.

A lot has been written about taming your bird, some of it by me. InTheAir has provided some great links. Many others have addressed it as well. You should use the SEARCH function to look for this information. There is a sticky on using the SEARCH function at the start of one of the sections. You may want to look into clicker training. I hear results are fast and (maybe) easy.

My last thought is that since he seems comfortable behind the sofa, maybe you can make that space bird-friendly for a while. Hiding behind the sofa is no reason to confine him to the cage, so don't worry about that. Keep letting him out and customize your expectations to the reality you have today. Tomorrow's reality may be closer to your ideal, but tomorrow has not come yet.

Best wishes.