IndianRingNeck.com

Hi all,
I've had my urns for 3 months now. There feeding through cage but take a while to come to me and not me go to them, about 10min ago I tried my hand in cage with a hand full of sunflower seeds, I had my hand in for around 5 main before my blue male (jacko) came first, he seemed quite happy to stay after he took his first. My yellow female (Minnie) came a little after, but she made me a little uncomfortable as she had her mouth wide open and seemed to be going for my sleeve and not towards the seeds. I must of startled her somehow as they both flew at the back of the cage.

How long and how often should I keep doing it, or is she angry at me. Not sure what I should do next.

Thanks for reading

The cage is their terriotory, try and coax them out before you hand feed them, just be patient it takes time for them to adjust to you.
AJPeter

I let them out every day, but with it being Christmas I'm worried they will get caught in the ceiling decorations so they haven't been out for a while. When we first started letting them out then go back in when there hungry, so I'd then close them up for the night, but latley when there going back to there food as soon as they see you coming they'll fly out and we cat get them back in, I want them to know who's boss and not have to try and catch them with a blanket.

It's great your birds are flying around and getting exercise.

Parrots don't have a dominance based social structure, so they do not understand the concept of being "shown who is the boss". That kind of attitude is only going to lead to further deterioration of the relationship.

The best way to get a parrot to do what you want it to do is to provide reward based incentive for it to comply. The cage needs to be a safe, rewarding place that the parrot wants to spend time in.
I would not put my hands in the cage unless the bird has invited me to (if you pay attention you soon learn what they want, it's all in the eyes).

Try searching this forum, taming and getting a bird to go to it's cage has been discussed a lot.
I also recommend checking out the websites http://www.goodbirdinc.com and http://www.behaviorworks.org to learn about the principles of training birds, especially scared birds.


Regards,
Claire

I give them apples as a reward, they love them. I will def look into links. Thanks

Rebecca,

I think you have been given some very reasonable advice here, and I'd like to put in my own 2 cents.

I understand the dilemma you face in letting them out. You can't let them out and expect not to towel them if they won't go back in - sort of. There is sure to be a motivator for them, but you have not found it yet. I agree they can't be out with the Christmas stuff unless they are closely supervised. You might be able to get them to go in the cage and stay in with something super, like peanut butter. If you are successful, you should immediately give them a second, larger helping so they are still enjoying that super treat after the door has closed and you have walked away. It should go without saying they should only get this treat in the cage with the door shut, once you have them in there.

I'm not quite so respectful as Claire and AJ, with regards to hands in cage, and it has worked well for me. I do feel you should probably hold off reaching in if the birds are clearly not wanting you. However, I feel it is encouraging that your male came to you and stayed. Do not mistake that for tameness- at this stage it is not. Perhaps, if the birds seem not against it, you can open the door and put your hand with seeds just inside, with your wrist resting on the frame. Unless your cage is very small (and if it is, please trade up) the birds should be able to choose to approach or not. Make absolutely certain your action could not be interpreted as any kind of chasing. If you choose this compromise, please let us know how it goes.

Missk, the trick is inducing them to invite you into their cage whenever you want

InTheAir wrote:Missk, the trick is inducing them to invite you into their cage whenever you want

The trouble is that the cage is not big enough for both us at the same time.

AJPeter

AJPeter wrote:

InTheAir wrote:Missk, the trick is inducing them to invite you into their cage whenever you want

The trouble is that the cage is not big enough for both us at the same time.

AJPeter

Aj: nothing a bigger cage won't fix. there may be photos somewhere on this forum of my boyfriend and Nila sharing a cage

Hi guys some greate replies thanks. Im gratefull for then all. Im not going to let them out with the christmas decorations up. Id rather them be locked up and safe than get hurt and tangled up in the decs. But i will deff keep putting my hand in and rested on the door frame. But never chase them i just wait paintantly till they come to me then. When im ready to take my hand away i leave some apple in there cage as a reward which they love. I try to keep apples as a reward so they know when they done something good they got apples for doing so

It might help if you eat your meals next to cage with the door open, birds are very sociable and will eat their meals wtih you, when they are out sit lower than their top perch these makes them feel good, if you have decorations up can they have a room without decoration becasue even well trained birds could get entangled.

Try and have a set routine about meals and bed time, once they accept this l hope you will not have any difficulty in getting them back in. I personally think patience is the best approach in training. But people who have had IRN and Alexandrines for longer than l have different and proved ways of training and it is always best to look at what is bing offered.

AJPeter