IndianRingNeck.com

Back again.........

Now my IRN WILL NOT step up at all.

He will step up to a perch on the table but NO PHYSICAL CONTACT.
Unless you count biting viciously.

HELP!!!

If your IRN is young, it could be what is popularly known as the bluffing stage. Do a search for it within this forum. It will try your patience, but stick with him. It won't last forever.

No, he is 20 years old and has just come thru THE most horrible Hormonal Breeding Behavior for 4 months! and then went right into Moulting. He's very lethargic and just wants to be left alone. Which I respect.

He came from the Gabriel Foundation. a bird rescue (there for 4 years). I know he is still fearful but after being with us for almost 6 months, shouldn't he be coming thru it?

He' such a treasure in so many ways, but we really want to have a closer relationship with him.

I'm so sorry. Your bird was lucky to be rescued by you unfortunately 6months is not a long time to a fearful IRN. Was he hand tamed at the rescue?

Yes, he has wonderful foraging skills, smart as a whip, obeys just about anything we want him to do with the offer of a treat and did step up to us when we were interviewing him at the aviary but only for a few seconds and then took off. I would bet he knows very well how to do it but is still very fearful and mistrusting. I think we just have to keep working with him. I know I'm in just too big of a hurry.

Sounds like he's fearful of hand contact. That seems to be the most common issue with ringnecks. It's going to take time and a whole lot of patience. Do a search within the forum for scared IRN. The following is good thread because it discusses methods that work. Don't work, and ones that are still arguable.

http://www.indianringneck.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=16302

There are many many others under Behavior and Taming.