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Hello, I recently got my new buddy. A Blue Indian Ringneck, and it's love! lol

My question is this: The people who had him were calling him " Blue ". I find this boring, or something youd call him if you had a flock of diff. colors lol. Anyways, we were wanting to change his name to Dexter. Would this be easily done? I've done it easily with dogs in the past but I know birds seem more complex. lol. FYI he doesn't really respond to the name BLUE either.

Hi BmDubb

If your IRN doesn't respond to his existing name, it probably won't hurt to change it.

Good luck!

Ellie.
P.S. By the way, in Australia, we would name a red bird "blue".

What would be the best way to teach him his name

There is no magic formula that I am aware of... you just keep calling him by his name when you talk to him. Eventually, their head will turn towards you when you call his name. Our two are Janey (blue) & Charlie (lutino). Janey seems to think that her name is a signal to call us.... so when she is looking for us in the house sometimes, she will get on the floor, wander around and call out "Janey! Janey!"

Charlie is younger and sometimes looks up when you call his name... I'm not sure that he quite gets it yet.

It definitely takes time.

When I do tricks with them, I say "Janey's turn" or "Charlie's turn" to indicate which bird I want to respond. I think they are starting to get it.

... but it's really just repitition and association.

Ellie.

i had the same thing when i got my first blue irn his name was bluey i thought the same as you & changed his name to kieron
what i did as i had another bird (riku) who knew his name well was i sat with the 2 of them with heaps of apple pieces and as i would offer them to each bird i would say " apple for riku" then "apple for kieron"
kieron picked up his name real quick this way

Thanks so much. I will give this method a shot as well!