Help Please

michelle999 · Post by **michelle999** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 3:16 pm

Hi All,
I am feeling very depressed and defeated by Ringo, have to chase him all around his cage to go on playstand to step up, he steps up but jumps straigt back off again, tried on the floor, he would rather be on the floor...tried with treats, would rather not have any, i do not know what else to do, he has not yet bitten me, he threatens but when he puts his beak on my hand he just touches it. He is 1 year old this month, he still does not make any noises..... i have spent all my time in the eveinings with him for the past 4 months and i honestly think he does not like me. I cannot pass training onto my husband as Ringo hates him more....
I do not want to find him another home as my pets are my family and i could not bear thinking that someone took him and did not look after him...

Do i persevere????????

darkcloudchild · Post by **darkcloudchild** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 3:37 pm

Well, my 2 babies never made much for noises till they were about 16 months or so. He'll start eventually, don't be in a rush for it, before you know it he'll probably end up like Loki and never shut up. :wink:

I had times when trying to train Kozmo and Loki both that had me very upset with them and myself. I got depressed over it, ect. I look back at it now and chuckle about how I let it get to me. It took us the better part of over a year to get them both to come to us on command, and I still have trouble with Loki sometimes. (They will turn 3 in April). He loves to run from my hand (he hates them except to step-up on) so it takes him a few times scurrying from it to realize I just want him to step up. Sometimes I give up on him with my hand and put my shoulder where he can get to from the cage and tell him "come-on" or "up" and he'll hop right on it, no trouble. You may just need to find out what Ringo is comfortable with and compromise a little.

Also I would try taking him with you into a room that he's not familiar with and just let him hang out on you. If he doesn't have a safer place to run to, and he knows you enough, you become the safe place. He needs to feel like he's safe with you and then he'll be more willing to come to you.

Under no circumstances though, should you think that Ringo hates you. Think what a child acts like when they're made to do something they don't want or like to do. They hate it for you then, but deep down (and once they're older) they thank you for it. At least that's what our 10-year old is like. It is no different with these hard-headed fids of ours.

You've kept working with him this long, don't give up on him. You both will become comfortable enough with each other in time, and things will start to work out.

Mazziemom · Post by **Mazziemom** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 5:09 pm

How old was the bird when you brought it home?

I'm guessing, from the post, about 8 months. So, those first 8 months were wasted to you.

Mike and I always say that it takes twice as long to undo damage than it took to create it.

It takes a real spirit of commitment to do that, but the pay off is well worth the wait.

Also, if your getting stressed, the bird knows it. Try to take a break and try again when you are calm and relaxed. Your body language and postures are key to the bird understanding where you are.

Athena

julie · Post by **julie** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 1:47 pm

when indie tried to hop of we did the thing where you put your other hand up higher like he was going up a ladder so he got used to hands.but you might have to clip the wings if not clipped so they rely on you more.

elaine · Post by **elaine** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 2:13 pm

Even though I am new to IRNs this is what I have found and was advised to do. Take the bird to another room where you are the safe place to be (just like his cage or playground). Mine will sit on my shoulder for ages when i am in the kitchen or at my computer. As soon as I am near his cage or playground, however, he gets all fidgety and funny and just wants off. I am starting to make progress that I can walk past his cage without him trying to get off me but if I hang around there too long he literally fights me to leave me. I have been told in time he will sit with me near his cage.

michelle999 · Post by **michelle999** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 3:26 pm

Well i have got to the stage where Ringo steps up onto my hand from the playstand NOT from his cage, then he will walk up my arm and sit on it or my shoulder, he seems happy enough to do it now although if i try to walk around he will flutter off my shoulder or climb on my head!!!!!, i try to go slowly, will he eventually stay on??????????

julie · Post by **julie** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 4:34 pm

elaine when you walk past or near cage he might think you are going to put him in their.indie does that if hes not ready to back in he takes off.

sooty · Post by **sooty** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 4:46 pm

About the not making noise, is your houshold reasonably quiet? He might not want to draw attention to himself. I have an increadbly noisy household, and its impossible to make the birds be quiet. Try leaving the radio on and randomly launching into song and dance just for the sheer pleasure of being alive :shock:

My kds and birds love this (their favourite is bluegrass music.......yes, my neighbours probably hate me lol)

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 5:30 am

A noisy house is a happy house! My husband disagrees, thinks it should be like a damn funeral home.

I say open those blinds, open those cage doors, open those mouths and let the sun shine in and the happiness out! Can I get a hell yeah :?:

I cant believe I married a damn yankee. Yeah, I said it.

Neokireina · Post by **Neokireina** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 6:41 am

tisk tisk no american bashing... I'd be too temped to slam my ex >.<

But I agree, Birds sometimes have a need to be very vocal it means they are happy.

Unless you are in a very queit house and have a cockatoo open it's wings and that big black beak and scream like something out of a horror movie.

--> The story.. Sulpher Crested Cockatoo got hit by a car. I pulled over in front of it and blocked traffic. We put it in one of those green Shopping bags, got the vet to check it.

Wasnt sure if it was tame or not but I figured after it screamed and hissed at me all night I guessed it wasnt. I so wanted one too, but no ffing way now. I shooed it out of the cage and kicked it's fluffy white **** out the front door.

No joke within two seconds another cockatoo flew down to keep him company. He went and climbed a tree and a second cockatoo showed up. So they all hung out together for a while before buggering off. We have sulphers hanging around here alot, So I figured he wanted to do the whole meet and greet thing. So yeah.. no cockatoo for me.

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 6:46 am

Neo? For real punkin? They are THAT loud?

To the point YOU put one out, although you want one?

Damn, I might as well give up on the cockatoo thing. I'd chock that chicken, no pun intended. Ok, Ok, hehe. Pun was intended. Sorry, God. Im like a youngen when it comes to some words and sayings... just have terrets and HAVE to say it.

Like cock *giggle* still cant say that without giggling. Im a very mature person, really. Just some things get to my funny bone.

Neokireina · Post by **Neokireina** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 6:40 pm

It actually scared me. I felt chills run down my spine. It was a very angry bird. Much louder than sunnies. Well it had screamed before and I'm like ok, thats loud. But that one time, the house was quiet and it was like out of NOWHERE and right in my face. It was pretty intimidating

I'm sure if it was a pet It would have been ok. I mean getting your hands into those feathers for a big scritch would be worth it. But I also worry about my other birds, they could never be together Its just too big.

For a bird that big I would want a nice massive outdoor aviary so it could chomp away on whatever is in there and not my furnature and I could go sit with it and stuff. I'm sure it's wingspan was too big for indoors so I had to kick it outisde to see if it could fly.