New IRN owner - love him, but the feeling ain't mutual

[Featherma]

Hey all,

I'm the Aussie owner of a beautiful blue male IRN - Barney. We got him from a crowded, noisy pet shop...rescued him really.

We love this little guy so much and have had him for 2 months. He spends most days playing on top of his cage with various toys and ladders and shrieks up a storm
He sleeps in his cage but mostly has run of the house during the day - no other pets or kids to contend with.

Barney is still quite timid and easily frightened. He will step onto a stick but is terrified of hands and has flown or bitten when we've tried. We have a t-stand that we can feed him nuts on from hands but that's the closest a hand can get.

Any tips on helping Barney to get over his hand fears? We are patient and will do anything to help the little guy settle and relax in his new home.

Featherma

[sanjays mummi]

If Barney was aviary hatched and parent reared, like mine, he is semi feral, he would have been grabbed from the aviary, and even though my little one is almost 8 yrs old, she is still quite hand shy. The only time I can scritch and tickle is when she crouches and clucks.
You Can lessen his fear a little by offering treats through the bars, walnut pieces are a favourite, but ultimately you may have to accept the fact, he may Never step up, shoulder ride, etc, because being manhandled is a trauma they Never get over or forget. He will eventually trust you and bond with you, he will call when you're in another room and greet you when you come in, just let him do things at his own pace, and don't try to coerce him into doing things he is uncomfortable with. It worked for me.