Hi. A little background before I get to my question. I recently started working at a petstore where an Indian Ringneck had been living in an aviary for several years. I felt sorry for him as he hadn't been getting any attention so I got him out to try to tame him. He had been hand reared but he'd been ignored for so long he was very unfriendly. As soon as I got him out I checked his wings, and found that one had been cut brutally short. The outside two feathers were much, much too short, and even though he'd apparently been trimmed years ago, they were still bleeding!! Anyway, long story short, I've been taking care of him for two months now. For the first few weeks he bit me hundreds of times, but he's been very good since, only biting if he's scared. He sits on my shoulder and goes everywhere with me. I take him home and he sleeps in my room. He's rarely alone because I suspect that he picks at his mutilated wing more when he's ignored. He's started to chat, mostly to his mirror, but I think he's very close to responding to me when I whistle. Even though he still doesn't show any sort of affection, he's a hundred times better than he was before I got him out of his aviary (but whenever he's with me at work, he seems desperate to get back in. It breaks my heart).
I'd welcome any advice on how to rehabilitate him, and especially how to heal his wing (despite my best efforts, it still bleeds sometimes), but the reason I came to this site is - since last night he's grown black feathers between his beak and his eyes (or the green feathers changed colour). I don't know whether this is a normal part of development or it's a sign of discontent or illness. He already has his black and orange ring, and he's at least two years old. Any information will help. Thanks!
Please Help
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Re: Please Help
Beka42,
Wow, sounds like you got a lot going on there. It’s great that you decided to tame him and I’m sure he’ll love you for it once the process is complete. As far as I can see you have made wonderful progress already and your little monster is starting to relax with you. Before I get into helping you tame him more—let’s talk about his health.
I will say that a ringneck who picks at his feathers is usually tied to a bacterial infection or allergy. Indian Ringnecks in particular are not feather pickers, so I would take your bird to the vet asap to rule out any infections. I know it’s probably the answer you did not want to hear—but I would get it checked
. Especially because you had mentioned the wings were clipped years ago and still bleed 
. It could be a damaged wing.
As far as the taming is concerned, start by offering him treats from your hand. When he is out with you, offer him something you know he likes. At first he may not want to take it from your hand and that’s ok. He just needs time to adjust to you. It could take a few days, weeks, or months. Just let me set the pace and be ready to reward him with treats. To help entice him, you can offer a treat on his cage then back away for a bit. Gradually start to make your presence known as he consumes the treats. Once this is accomplished, give yourself a pat on the back as you done a lot of hard work.
Continue this process as you move him around the house with you. Once he is firmly eating treats from your hand start positive reinforcement training—such a waving, turning around, or climbing. Though I will not get into details about how to begin this training, it’s well worth the effort (research online ). The more tricks you get under your belt the more your parrot will become tame. It will eventually get to the point where your little bird will start to crave your interaction. Just be patient and gentile and don’t rush things. I believe you said your ringneck was only about 2 years old—you still have another 20 or more years to go.
Hope this helps and please keep us updated !
Wishing you the best my friend,
IMRAN-C
Wow, sounds like you got a lot going on there. It’s great that you decided to tame him and I’m sure he’ll love you for it once the process is complete. As far as I can see you have made wonderful progress already and your little monster is starting to relax with you. Before I get into helping you tame him more—let’s talk about his health.
I will say that a ringneck who picks at his feathers is usually tied to a bacterial infection or allergy. Indian Ringnecks in particular are not feather pickers, so I would take your bird to the vet asap to rule out any infections. I know it’s probably the answer you did not want to hear—but I would get it checked
. Especially because you had mentioned the wings were clipped years ago and still bleed . It could be a damaged wing.As far as the taming is concerned, start by offering him treats from your hand. When he is out with you, offer him something you know he likes. At first he may not want to take it from your hand and that’s ok. He just needs time to adjust to you. It could take a few days, weeks, or months. Just let me set the pace and be ready to reward him with treats. To help entice him, you can offer a treat on his cage then back away for a bit. Gradually start to make your presence known as he consumes the treats. Once this is accomplished, give yourself a pat on the back as you done a lot of hard work.
Continue this process as you move him around the house with you. Once he is firmly eating treats from your hand start positive reinforcement training—such a waving, turning around, or climbing. Though I will not get into details about how to begin this training, it’s well worth the effort (research online
). The more tricks you get under your belt the more your parrot will become tame. It will eventually get to the point where your little bird will start to crave your interaction. Just be patient and gentile and don’t rush things. I believe you said your ringneck was only about 2 years old—you still have another 20 or more years to go.Hope this helps and please keep us updated
!Wishing you the best my friend,
IMRAN-C
Re: Please Help
Thanks for the quick response 
Indy (I know, unimaginative, but at work I try not to name things because I get too attached, and in my defence, it's short for Indiana Jones) is already taking treats from my hand, and sometimes from my mouth (pizza!). He loves apples and dried fruits, and he'll let me come pretty close to give it to him. He'll also step up almost every time, though he'll still give me a good nip sometimes, and he won't stay on my hand; he goes straight for my shoulder.
I haven't tried any tricks yet. I know some of the basics (I trained quakers before Indy) but I wanted to focus on his general behaviour first. Do you think training him would help?
I hadn't even thought of infection, I'll see if I can get him to a vet. The wing is cut so short I'm worried there may be nerve damage and I'm afraid that he's in constant pain. I know he's probably just grumpy because of his failed upbringing and he's probably also going through puberty, but I really hope this isn't going to be be his normal personality. I love birds, and it's hard to see him so obviously unhappy.
As for the black feathers on his beak, I may have just over-reacted. They were definitely there this morning (making little frowny eyebrows above his normal black lines) but now they're gone. I think it must've been just how he was puffed up.
Indy (I know, unimaginative, but at work I try not to name things because I get too attached, and in my defence, it's short for Indiana Jones) is already taking treats from my hand, and sometimes from my mouth (pizza!). He loves apples and dried fruits, and he'll let me come pretty close to give it to him. He'll also step up almost every time, though he'll still give me a good nip sometimes, and he won't stay on my hand; he goes straight for my shoulder.
I haven't tried any tricks yet. I know some of the basics (I trained quakers before Indy) but I wanted to focus on his general behaviour first. Do you think training him would help?
I hadn't even thought of infection, I'll see if I can get him to a vet. The wing is cut so short I'm worried there may be nerve damage and I'm afraid that he's in constant pain. I know he's probably just grumpy because of his failed upbringing and he's probably also going through puberty, but I really hope this isn't going to be be his normal personality. I love birds, and it's hard to see him so obviously unhappy.
As for the black feathers on his beak, I may have just over-reacted. They were definitely there this morning (making little frowny eyebrows above his normal black lines) but now they're gone. I think it must've been just how he was puffed up.
Re: Please Help
Hi again,
I'm still having problems with the IRN I'm looking after. He is more friendly with other people, which is understandable, because I think he associates me with the fear and pain I put him through by getting him out of his cage and looking after his wing. I really want to sell him because I think I've taken him as far as I can by myself, but as I only work 3 days a week (stupid economy) and because I daren't put him back in his cage for the four days I'm not there, he's been really hard to sell.
Anyway, that was beside the point, but I just needed to vent.
I've started him on a probiotic as well as psittavet (?) in case of an infection, but whenever he gets scared and flaps too hard, his wing starts bleeding all over again!
I honestly don't know what else I can do. He's gotten so much better since I first got him out, but I know he's still not happy, and I don't know how I can make him happy. I've resorted to playing youtube videos of happy IRNs for him. I see other birds so happy in their cages, sometimes I think maybe he'd be better off going back into his aviary and taking his chances with an owner who may or may not continue his rehabilitation. Or should I keep him with me and hope to hell he'll finally start to trust me?
He's literally never in his cage, though he always has access to it. He has fresh and dried fruit every day, pellets and seed, and heaps of toys he doesn't play with. His normal routine is to sit on a wire clothes hanger outside his cage and wait for me to get up, demand to come downstairs with me and then demand to go onto his playgym, which is up on a tall cabinet with a branch going up even higher. Occasionally he'll climb down the branch and go over to a glass and metal coffee table which he'll climb up, make some noises and whack the glass with his beak.
Obviously I'm an amateur with IRNs, so any ideas, please?!
I'm still having problems with the IRN I'm looking after. He is more friendly with other people, which is understandable, because I think he associates me with the fear and pain I put him through by getting him out of his cage and looking after his wing. I really want to sell him because I think I've taken him as far as I can by myself, but as I only work 3 days a week (stupid economy) and because I daren't put him back in his cage for the four days I'm not there, he's been really hard to sell.
Anyway, that was beside the point, but I just needed to vent.
I've started him on a probiotic as well as psittavet (?) in case of an infection, but whenever he gets scared and flaps too hard, his wing starts bleeding all over again!
I honestly don't know what else I can do. He's gotten so much better since I first got him out, but I know he's still not happy, and I don't know how I can make him happy. I've resorted to playing youtube videos of happy IRNs for him. I see other birds so happy in their cages, sometimes I think maybe he'd be better off going back into his aviary and taking his chances with an owner who may or may not continue his rehabilitation. Or should I keep him with me and hope to hell he'll finally start to trust me?
He's literally never in his cage, though he always has access to it. He has fresh and dried fruit every day, pellets and seed, and heaps of toys he doesn't play with. His normal routine is to sit on a wire clothes hanger outside his cage and wait for me to get up, demand to come downstairs with me and then demand to go onto his playgym, which is up on a tall cabinet with a branch going up even higher. Occasionally he'll climb down the branch and go over to a glass and metal coffee table which he'll climb up, make some noises and whack the glass with his beak.
Obviously I'm an amateur with IRNs, so any ideas, please?!
Re: Please Help
Aw, i think you need to backup a bit and give him time . Believe me, i have re-homed so many birds from very bad situations 
. It's very disheartening. I wish i could house all of them, but i cannot. People seem to think birds are so disposable and you have made the right choice to accept him into your home. Maybe he'll never be the bird you expected, or maybe he'll never be the bird you wanted; however, through hard work, love, and patience you'll develop a strong bond with him. Accept him for who he is.
You said you take him with you everyday to work--that's a wonderful start. You interact with him, right on! You should pat yourself on the back as you have already enriched his life--though he may not see it right now. You have to remember birds are cautious by nature and it does take time to change their behaviors. They are pray animals and find it very hard to accept change--besides--the bird came from a bad situation already.
Give him time my friend and don't lose hope. Believe me, you have many wonderful years to spend together and one day you'll be amazed at how far you have come along with your little friend!
Best of luck and don't lose lose sight !
IMRAN-C
. Believe me, i have re-homed so many birds from very bad situations . It's very disheartening. I wish i could house all of them, but i cannot. People seem to think birds are so disposable and you have made the right choice to accept him into your home. Maybe he'll never be the bird you expected, or maybe he'll never be the bird you wanted; however, through hard work, love, and patience you'll develop a strong bond with him. Accept him for who he is. You said you take him with you everyday to work--that's a wonderful start. You interact with him, right on! You should pat yourself on the back as you have already enriched his life--though he may not see it right now. You have to remember birds are cautious by nature and it does take time to change their behaviors. They are pray animals and find it very hard to accept change--besides--the bird came from a bad situation already.
Give him time my friend and don't lose hope. Believe me, you have many wonderful years to spend together and one day you'll be amazed at how far you have come along with your little friend!
Best of luck and don't lose lose sight
! IMRAN-C