first time here!

[Melissa]

hi all,

i've been viewing this website ever since i got my first irn Fred last year but this is my first time on after joining! i have two baby boys - max the senegal and fred the irn and i love them so! max is my teddy bear and the more recent addition to the family - we've only had him for about 2 months. fred is my little green chicken ( my boyfriend and i think he had a not-so-bird-friendly-home before we bought him) and he is afraid of EVERYTHING. when i first got him you could not look his direction without a drama filled crash landing as he made a desperate escape but he is now ok with very light petting on his body and top of his head when you're sitting still and he's in a good mood! i've found it very difficult to try and bond with a bird who is more terrified than interested in treats, toys, humans, max and pretty much anything you can think of. although he has gotten much better since i've gotten him by keeping him in a routine i wish i could build up more trust. i've bought all the parrot books and tried all the games fred could handle..... does anyone have any suggestions on more i could do to bond with my scaredy bird? sorry so long..... just wanted to give you a picture!

[Bird crazy]

Take a look at clicker training. Might work to help him overcome some fears.

[kyria]

Welcome to the site Melissa and the family.

A non hand raised bird can be a real challenge and without really knowing his background its hard to know exactly how to deal with taming him. Time will have him learn to trust you and bond with you as his new flock. I think just plenty of interaction, rewards, love and attention will work just fine, it may be a case of he never quite loses that wild nature that had began in him.

I know there is a big difference between our Kai we purchased as an aviary bird at 11 months and tamed and our hand raised baby Jordan from a breeder and then again to Pickle the baby I hand raised myself, each have different levels of trust and bonding. It sounds like you have done plenty of research so you would already have some great ideas. If there is any particular issue you would like help with ask away.

Good luck and would love to see pics

[Melissa]

thanks, i needed the encouragment! i consider myself pretty patient but it starts to hurt your feelings after so long! trying not to take it personally and let him go at his own pace without pushing..... one step foward and 10 panicked flaps back (i keep his flight feathers clipped but he's a very strong flier he's very cocky when he can fly)

i have been taking him on day trips to some "safe" places like my parents house to try and let him build his trust in me. i guess i just have to keep going like i am!

[kyria]

Yep and don't ever take it personally. They are birds and only understand interaction with other birds, even when really tame, they forget that it hurts you to nibble at your nose or to bite at your toes, sometimes they hurt you simply because they tried to preen you. They forget you have skin and not feathers, that you have a nose and not a hard beak, get the picture. They communicate with calls and bites , they use their beak alot to communicate, its all they have and know.

Believe me they get better day by day and before you know it you will be like alot of us and unable to gethim off you, he'll be steeling food as you eat it, messing up things around the house, annoying you with his chatter and just being way too "in your face" lol.

[Lauren]

Hello Melissa and welcome to the flock here!

Don't take anything too personally. You are new to Fred and hes probebly just checking you out. IRNs can be moody little boogers sometimes too!
They also learn from other birds quickly so having another bird may be a good thing. Fred might see you handling Max and think 'your alright!'.

Angies right. Avairy birds can be a real challenge! When I got Jibby in 2000 he was quite easy to handle and wasnt really that scared of humans, I believe he was hand raised. But last November I picked up Yoda from an avairy. Yoda was terrified of everything and us. Yoda is only just getting used to us. Everyday he seems more interested in getting to know me. It takes a little time. But with enough love and handling everyday, you'll get there. Even seeing little changes everyday. Little steps with patience. Goodluck!

[Melissa]

i'll keep trying!!!well he may never be a cuddle bug but i love him all the same!!! can only hope for the day he's a "fresh" and demanding of attention as max!

thanks again!!!

[Ohana]

Melissa I also just acquired an IRN that I don't know the gender, age or true background on. I have had her for almost a month.

I know what you are feeling, I have a Quaker that is my snuggle bug and the IRN which is my challenge right now.

Like everyone else said, don't take it personal. Not knowing the history means that you don't know what this bird has been through. So their attacks, fear and reactions are based on things in their past. These are smart animals and they don't forget easily. Just because you are different doesn't mean you are different from what they have known. At least not in their mind.

What I would do is if you think you are going slow enough and you have scared reactions, go just a little slower. Talk slowly but intelligently to this bird. Don't discount it's intelligence.

I constantly tell my little IRN, Mojito, every day. "You are home, you will never leave here. I love you no matter what. If you don't ever want me to touch you I respect that. Please know that I am not going to hurt you and I will provide for you all your needs to the best of my abilities." Saying this to her helps remind ME of my job in rehabilitating this bird.

In doing so and not putting any expectations on the bird (which they are always aware of) she has managed to come around and I was actually able to get her to step up with out lunging and attacking my hand.

Be very observant to what the bird is telling you. For instance, I thought that I would need to use a towel to contain Mojito, well turns out SHE HATES TOWELS! So I thought I would try teaching her to step up with a stick, well TERRIFIED OF THE STICK. So instead of pushing things on her that she is afraid of I just kept trying..... So gloved hand (gloves are flesh colored and I slept with them in my pillow for a week so they would smell like me). That didn't work either, So I had to put faith and trust in her that she knew what she was doing. That is when I tried just a straight hand.

This she can deal with. So it not only is about getting them to trust you, but you have to figure out what they are going through and read their cues and really adapt for them. Once I did this, she Bluffs a little but I stand firm push into the bluff and she gives in.

We are both learning.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[swanwillow]

wow Ohana, a MONTH! goodness... I hadn't thought it was THAT long!

I found for treats, mine LOVE fruits.. namely, strawberries. I'm now using a dehydrator to make snacks for my fids (for when its out of season) My male will easily take things out of my fingers when it involves a strawberry. The female needed to be worked with more, but now she'll take one, after she sees Relish take one.

Maybe have another tame FID in eyesight, and feed that one something DELICIOUS then try giving yours the same thing.


and good luck!

[Ohana]

Yes I think about 3 or 4 weeks, I can't really remember anymore

[kyria]

Great advice ohana .. looking for the birds comfort zones and niches(if I can use that word) will be invaluable.

[Elizabeth]

you really notice how excellent their eyesight is when they notice a packet of crisps/chips in your hand. Wherever theres food an IRN usually follows. It turns into Army Cadets.