IndianRingNeck.com

I'm sure you all have seen this type of post before but I really do need help, I got a 3 yr old male IRN from a pet shop on Halloween day when I first got him I let him out of the box in my car and he went right to me and on top of my head. But when I got home he ran from me tried to bite me he will only get on my arm (not even my hand) if he is on the ground other then that he will run from me I cant even train him to step up because he will not take a treat from my hand or come close to it. I can only get him on my arm if he is on the ground away from his cage. Also the lady at the bird store wrapped him in a towel and pet him and when he would try to bite she would squirt him with a bottle it seemed to worked he didnt bite her anymore she told me to do this several times a day to earn his trust and to make him stop bitting me but I cant seem to do it I feel like it will make things worst and he will be more afraid of me. I heard clicker training works but as I said I can not get him to take food treats from my hand. He is getting better and better where he will get closer to me if I stand next to his cage. I am wondering what are good ways to earn my birds trust? And how can I get us to bond where he will let me pet him and we will be best buds? I have studied IRNS for 2 months but did not know it would be this difficult I thought they were all friendly. I will not give up on this bird I love him but I really wanna know what to do to make him trust me and love me?? He screams when I leave the room its like he wants my attention but is scared I cant pet him hold him or anything!!! HELLLLPPP he is a playful bird and quite funny he meows like a cat. I dont know if he was hand fed or handled by humans or anything I think the lady said he was used for breeding? But he will come up on my arm and he flew to me in the car sat on my lap then got on my head the whole 20 min ride home.

Hi there,

Firstly, can I say, I feel your pain! We also have a mature (3+yo) second hand IRN, who I believe had recently come from an aviary situation, but had obviously been tame early on in life, and now is not. After 2 months, and ALOT of effort and patience, Skittles will now accept treats (as small as sunflower seeds) from us, we've expanded his vocabulary a little bit, and taught him a few new tricks, like playing "Ker-Plunk" (a game where you pull out coloured sticks from a rocket shaped container and marbles fall through and out the bottom, he 'drops' the marble for us and we give him a treat ). But we absolutely CAN NOT touch him And we may never be able to......

So, your bird is 3yo, possibly never been hand-raised, and lived in an aviary with other birds, (possibly even had a mate?)..... you have your work cut out for you - but it's not impossible! I've read other stories of people taming mature ringnecks before, and having success. You just need to realise that this could take a very long time, and lots of effort on your behalf. I think your first step should be to persist with trying to get him to take treats from your hand, or from between your thumb and finger (Skittles prefers this to an open palm). Try to find out what his most fave food is, and only give it to him as a treat, (small pieces of apple worked for us, then we progressed to smaller treats, pieces of millet, then sunflower seeds ) If he tries to bite, don't flinch away, turn your hand so the back of your fist is presented, (they can't get a good grip this way), if he gets a hold of you, gently push toward him, he should, hopefully, back off. I personally wouldn't recommend squirting him with a bottle when he bites....he will associate this with punishment, (we use a squirty bottle to give Skittles a 'bath' a couple of times a week, and when it's hot). You definitely need to make sure he doesn't see you 'react' to his biting, as this will just reinforce it.

Other than that, I can only recommend you spend lots of time with him, talk to him constantly, don't stare him down (you'll look like a predator!), but rather avert your gaze when you are near him, keep persisting, but know when to give him 'alone time', make sure he get's a decent nights sleep, (most birds go down when the sun does), give him lots of interactive toys and foraging options to play with, IRNs get very bored very easily, and never be afraid to ask a question, no matter how silly you think it is There a lots of helpful and experienced people on this forum, and someone will always be able to help out.

Good luck, and please let us know how you get on

We have had our 7 yr old IRN since August. She would step up on my hand at first and now doesn't care to. I have an extra perch that I use to have her step up on and she is totally okay with that. I have been working with Tessa to step onto my hand occasionally in between using the perch. She has gone back to using my hand more often now. I am not a fan of squirting either....think it's just cruel. Some days Tessa just doesn't want to play and that's okay....she'll squawk and chirp and eye me up from her cage the next day and I know that she is ready to be friends again. Good luck!