Taming troubles please help

[Jay_and_apple]

Hi I am a new owner of an Indian ringneck
His name is apple his green an 2 yrs old, i got him from a person that sold birds untamed only feed
He shared a cage with a female

I did make a newbie mistake and left him out he was a bit scared but he settled down
The first night I could sit half a meter away I got closer and closer in the next four days I can put my hand in his cage. I kind of fought him to step up but I'm sure iv down it wrong, he use to take sunflower seeds(his fav) out of my fingers but he got more interested in my fingers so I clenched my hand and put the seed on the bake and he took it so that's how I give him treats. I can get my hand close to him bat it has to be 4-5 inches away other wise he tries to bite me, I've read that you should give them your arm I tried but he bit me hard.

I have no idea what to do now

[MissK]

Hi. Just continue what works and when that is reliable, you can start asking for more. Make sure that when you ask for more it's in baby steps, don't rush, don't push. You want to be inviting, not commanding.

-MissK

[Skyes_crew]

Only one of my birds will step up when offered my arm. It's the preference of the bird really. Just keep trying different things to see what works for you and your bird. You have a good starting point and you are heading in the right direction by altering the way you offer your bird treats. Soon you will be able to read your birds mood before he reacts. When that happens you will be able to adjust before a bite can occur. Keep up the good work

[Jay_and_apple]

Thank you both for good replies
I will keep trying thank you

[Dean0]

You might try putting your finger or hand right on the end of the perch, then offer a treat with the other hand gradually luring him a little further onto your hand. Maybe at first just get him to reach over your hand. Be patient, you may want to chop those nuts so he won't fill up before you make progress, also it takes longer to eat the treat between try's.

[Jay_and_apple]

I never thought of that thanks


Later today I also just clenched my fist, put the treat higher up my Hand and lifted it up a bit so he would make contact with me and it worked I actualy touched him
Yay

[Dean0]

Each small step forward is building confidence in your bird.

[Jay_and_apple]

I have one more question

How can I hand tame him when he dislikes my fingers
He's okay with my fist and arm but he won't step up or even when he out?

[MissK]

My bird is also afraid of fingers. He will currently stand on the shoulder, arm, or wrist, and will walk briefly and cautiously along the finger for a very good treat. This is actually great progress. When he first came with me, he was afraid of most parts of humans. He's come a long way, and I have every confidence he will eventually be very comfortable on the finger. If he never progresses any further, this will be OK.

You must understand when you take an animal, you get exactly what you get. Every bird has potential, but that potential is not realized in every bird. It is wonderful to have goals and aspirations, but if you can find a way to take your time and truly appreciate what you already have, it will be easier on you. These words are really for everyone who struggles to get the bird to do more for them than it does now.

That said, the method I am using is to have the bird in a comfortable (for him) situation on the wrist, hand closed. I then extend one finger as far as he will tolerate and lure him along it with food. He goes just far enough to get the food and then retreats to eat it. This is a classic behaviour for a Ringneck trying to overcome perceived danger to get the food. When he ceases retreating to eat, that is when I extend the finger farther. Once he masters one finger, I will start on a different finger, or two at a time. If the bird would not come onto the wrist, I would be doing this with him standing on a perch next to my hand.


I freely admit that I do not often ask the bird to work on this. I think he is perfect as he is at every stage, and walking on my hand is not that important to me. However, sufficient repetitions of this exercise, combined with raising the criteria (how far he must go to get the treat) in tiny increments as the previous goal is mastered, will, in time, get the bird onto the fingers without a care. Have fun with it!

Best wishes for you and your bird.
-MissK

[Jay_and_apple]

Thank you for that reply I will try that thankyou
But I should of added most of the time he's comfortable with my and closed and wrist near un it he won't step onto it I have tried some ways but they ah kinda failed he just stretches really far to get the teat or he finds a shorter way to get to it
So how can I get him from his perch to my wrist ?

[Jay_and_apple]

Oh and also this has nothing to do with it but when I talk to him he kind slowly blinks his eyes and he does it repeatedly and I don't know what it means

[MissK]

Rocky was doing well with the following method until I cheated and just let him learn by watching another bird do it.

I placed my hand flat on the top of the cage where Rocky likes to hang out. I lured him closer and closer to the hand, eventually to the point where he had to step on the hand to reach the food. He was going along quite well with this, but he did need to test my fingers each time before getting to close. The testing hurt! I decided I was a wussy, and I needed the excuse to have a Budgie. So I bought a Budgie, trained it to step up, and Rocky did the rest all by himself.

This does not mean you should go out and buy a Budgie, but if you do have a friend with a handtame bird, it wouldn't hurt to have it come over once an day and model the behaviour.

-MissK

[Hakaishin]

Why rush things? The baby is 2 years old. You've to remember, this species of bird can very well live beyond 30 years, and with the utmost care, 40-50. If we were to equate that to a human, capable of living to 100 with the utmost care with the average lifespan of 60-80, that would put that bird at the pre-K age. Barely over a toddler.

Why force it? You've got time.

When I first brought my Kota home, she was skittish as well... she came from an inexperienced conure breeder, who was really only trying to make a quick buck.

My solution was simple. She'd have 2 food bowls in her cage, with 1 water bowl (1 food bowl generally had pellets as I wanted to keep her nutrients up, not sure what the breeder was feeding her and I didn't trust her), with the other holding a mix of fresh cut apples, strawberries, bannanas, brocolli, and celery, to be changed out every few hours.

I put her cage in the corner of the living room, where 2/4 sides were covered by the wall (so she wouldn't have to worry so much about being snuck up on), with the other two sides facing out into the room and the family. We'd just go about our day, occasionally spending a few moments to talk to her from outside the cage (always at eye level) though otherwise, just let her take all the time she needed to get used to us.

A few days later, she apparently noticed what the cage door lock was, and was beaking at it. We let her out, and she would stand on top of her cage, this time in the open, observing us. She was still very skittish, but seemed more curious now. We didn't pet or handle her yet - we weren't in any hurry.

Eventually, when she was ready, the family had just had dinner together and we were all on the living room sofa watching TV together with Kota behind us, and she decided she wanted in on the family unit on her own. She "flew" (her wings were semi-clipped - she could technically fly, but could not gain altitude - only glide horizontally) and landed on my shoulder.

She just snuggled a bit against my cheek and we calmly watched TV together for a bit.

Gradually, using similar tactics, she warmed up more and more. She first would step up/down usually without even needing the command - just seeing your hand in the "step up position" was enough. She would kiss, both voluntarily and on command. She would wave, dance, and after some time was completely inseparable from the family.

Your IRN may take longer to adjust, but I'd recommend similar tactics. Now... I am no bird expert... Kota was my first bird, and she's dead thanks to a car accident... but this seemed to have worked.

[Jay_and_apple]

Thanks both of you for replying and I'm sorry to hear^

[Jay_and_apple]

I just read something on beak clicking he does this when I'm near the cage or my hands in it and apparently he's being territorial and what should I do?

[MissK]

Does beak clicking bother you so much? The cage is really his territory. Unless he's going out of his way to physically defend it from you, do nothing. I would also advise you to identify his sleeping perch and never bother him there. Everybody needs a place to go where they can frrl secure.

-MissK

[Jay_and_apple]

Nah it doesn't bother me but I was just wandering and thanks I have identified his perch thanks

[Jay_and_apple]

I've recently started click training and its going good
But ah he won't come out of his cage ive left his door open hoping he will come out on his own but he hasn't when I was changing his water he came out I think cause he got frightened but ever since the he won't come out I also got his wings clipped a 2 weeks ago befor he came out.
Any ideas to get him out of his cage?

[MissK]

Hi Jay,

I am putting my response to your email here, so everything can be in one place.

It seems as though you are letting your other bird model step ups and I think that's great. However, Apple will not step up, despite taking food from your hand, and he either bites or flies away. You have had him 2 or 3 months. You are looking for taming help and instruction.

I am pleased to hear that, despite his wing clipping, he is able to fly away. When Apple is uneasy about his situation, he has two primary methods of protecting himself. The first is flying away and the second is biting. If flight is not an option, biting is all that's left, along with a bad feeling of being trapped. I personally advise no clipping in most situations.

2-3 months is not much time to expect an untame bird to become tame. The Ringneck is not a domesticated species. There is not a great deal of difference between your bird, my bird, and the wild birds that are stolen from the nest in their homeland. That he eats from the hand is a really great achievement at this stage. My own bird took EIGHT MONTHS to brave up and step onto my wrist. I had invited him many times, but never pushed. When he saw the Budgie made it OK, he made up his own mind to do it, and from there it was a solid behaviour. No maybe yes, maybe no. I show him a seed and he follows it.

Since you have Cuddles, I would suggest you put a comfy chair next to Apple's cage and spend a lot of time gently sitting there and handling Cuddles. From time to time you can reach over and give Apple a great treat. **Do not allow either bird ever to perch on the other bird's cage - to do so would be to invite toe injury.** At your own discretion, you might eventually open the door of Apple's cage and let him investigate, though not too closely. You may find him climbing on your body. Do not allow his face close to yours, to protect yourself from a bite. Also, since Cuddles is so tame (AND a Lovebird) don't give him any chances to bite Apple. Also of note, do not try to reach out and touch Apple. When he wants you, he will come. Until he places his face on you, assume he doesn't want to be touched. Carry on like that for a month and then let me know how it goes.

Best wishes. Try to not be impatient. You've got, gods willing, then next 20 or 30 years to work on this, and in the meantime you can get your snuggles from Cuddles.

-MissK

[Jay_and_apple]

Thank you so much at the moment when his doors close he come up to the perch that's about 4 inches away from the door and placed his Food bowls closer to where I sit to talk him and so he gets used to comming towards me.

I'll let you now if he progresses further

Thank you again

[Jay_and_apple]

I have got some great news and results, (I got bit quite a lot but its worth it)
For a while I was getting nowhere but the past few days I have been awesome.
Yesterday I took apple to the bathroom that's quite small I stayed for about 20 mins in their, at first I'd let him walk around then I'd put my hand closer and he'd run away so I would slightly conner him and leave a gap so he could run past I did that a few times then I'd try touching him and try a bit more each time.
But today I discovered my secret weapon the curtain net, I've noticed he likes to chew it and undo the stitching, at first I'd try stop him but today I used it to my advantage while he was busy with the curtain I would pat him and stop when he looked like he'd bite and continue to pat him.
Now in small spaces I can probably touch him and give him a couple of scratches then I thought while he's got his mind on the curtain ill rap the curtain around my have and pick him up in it and it worked but some time he got nippy and bit me a few times. I watched a YouTube video and she said to slightly wobble your hand when he goes to bite and it takes he's mind of your hand and I tried it and it works.
So now I'm reducing the curtain and getting their. It's some of he's progress but has a bit more
I work with him twice a day for 20 mins.
Just thought it might help others

I think this worked because he has his wings clipped but still able to fly away if chosen and also because I could get quite close to him to.

Jay and apple:)