Am I doing this right....

Hello everyone
Would be grateful for any advice
Sidney is my new IRN. I bought him from a "specialist" shop but he was in with a load of others and unhandled. I think he's probably 6 months old. They were adamant he would be fine to train and would be easier than a Quaker. I trusted them because they are well known.
He is very frightened. I have had him 2 weeks. He is in a cage with toys (removed the mirror straightaway as I was getting nowehere with that in there) and is being fed on seeds and a mix. He has a cuttlefish, mineral block and fresh water.
He runs away from me and has now started squawking quite defensively but does come down and eat in front of me sitting next to him as long as I don't make sudden movements.
He will lunge and take apple or fresh veg from me a few times a day now. When he goes for it I hold it steady because initially he is biting it but then discovers its apple and comes back to take it (quite savagely might I add).
I can keep up this routine but my question is: when do I let him out!
Cant be good for him being in but don't want to have to use a towel as I am sure the man catching him with a big leather glove and putting him in a box caused untold damage.
If I let him out will he go back in himself?
Am I better trying to train him more out?
Help.
Thanks in advance

Hi and welcome.

A link for you FYI Feeding Your Indian Ringneck or Asiatic Parrot | IndianRingneck.com

I must admit I am a little suspicious that this bird is six months old. If you are able to gain more info from before you bought him home that could be useful. Was he in a cage on his own/with others or in an aviary with other birds? Certainly if it is the case that he is older I would definitely recommend a health check by a Avian Veterinarian.

Start by building trust http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html. You have made a start so that is good.

Although it is tempting to say let him out, this could potentially cause you more problems at the moment because if he just decides to go high you are stuck. As he is nervy also there is the risk of injury.

Have you named him, if not, do so and use it, talk to him as you move round the house, all sorts of rubbish said in the right way is soothing to them. When you approach his cage use soft eye contact as direct can be thought of as threatening and will spook him. (Is he a definite HE?)

What happened with the mirror? I hope this suffices until we have a member with an IRN to help you more?

Thank you for coming back to me
He was in with about 15 others. I went against my better judgment on it really because the chap was telling me that he would be easy to tame and was young enough to do so.
He was in a cage with enough room to fly.
He was obsessed with the mirror and wouldn't leave it alone and was less approachable than he is now so I googled it and people seemed to be saying no to mirrors.
Yes, he's called Sid and I talk to him non stop. He is making progress but seems very very frightened and then defensive.
I have thought about going back to the seller to see what they say.

PLease provide some pics as maybe it will be easier to determine, although I am unsure as have a 'too not an IRN.

Keep talking to him, telling him its all OK. Reward if he is a brave boy and comes to you lots of praise (calm) and a treat or two.

Personally I wouldnt go back to the seller for anything other than information on the birds history. Not advice. It seems like they sold you an parent fed bird as a hand fed bird and said everything will be fine and dandy when that is not the case, and if they told you to put him on a seed diet, then in my opinion theyre way too stupid to work in an avian specialty shop.
With that said, dont get down - he can come aroumd, but it will take time, love amd patiemce, lots of it! Keep going amd read those links provided above!

No I wouldn't recommend going back to the seller for advice and indeed have only mentioned them in terms of gaining more history relating to 'Sid'. I didn't pick up that the OP would even consider doing that as he/she has come here.

My concerns are that it is an older parrot that is being sold off.

I had no idea about the diet - completely contradicts what they told me.
That's the first thing I will change as I bet that's causing him to be pent up.
Will get pics...
Thanks for the advice so far!

Opinions please
(and no, wont be going back to the seller)

He looks sweet, just been reading some more of the link I posted earlier and this Socializing A Young Ringneck Parrot | IndianRingneck.com is very interesting.

Can you tell us approx how big Sid's cage is? Probably how the pic is but it doesn't look very deep?

With time and patience you should gain a feathered friend.

Hi, he's on the bottom perch there and he has two perches above and it opens up into a perch on the top and its about 2 feet deep? he's sat right in the corner. I was hoping to have him tame enough to be mostly free range but he hates me lol. Well, he hates everyone but hates me slightly less than everyone else. I take comfort in that lol!

He doesn't hate you, just afraid you are planning to eat him!

Take comfort in you will get there it's just that this journey is goin' to be a little longer than planned, OK?

Re cage, please invest in some different types of perches

If we can get an IRN parront on here that would be good. I am sorely tempted to say take him for a AV check, know he is OK to start with? Things like nails can be filed also.

Hi, I have some sandpaper on part of one perch that he likes to rub his beak on and a branch for another.
He goes mad when I go to cover him too so I haven't... he just goes to sleep.
He stands on one leg and grinds his beak.
Yes, will bear in mind he thinks I am going to eat him. He likes me more than my partner or my son - may be he likes the ladies

Sidneybirdface said:

Hi, I have some sandpaper on part of one perch that he likes to rub his beak on and a branch for another.
He goes mad when I go to cover him too so I haven't... he just goes to sleep.
He stands on one leg and grinds his beak.
Yes, will bear in mind he thinks I am going to eat him. He likes me more than my partner or my son - may be he likes the ladies

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It's a start and something to work on

For perches, simple bird safe tree branches are free and easy! The round dowels get quite uncomfortable for them. I also have PVC wrapped in twine. No mounting hardware, just jammed into the cage, if needed, a tywrap or two.
As for cage covering, some do hate it! Our Tango was also terrified if we covered her!
Bird; Birds: Safe, Toxic Trees, Woods. Safe Tree Wood. Parrots. Parrot cages.

First, you bird does not hate you.

You have to look at it from his perspective:

1. He is smart enough to know he is on the dinner menu for all predators. HUMANS ARE VERY LARGE PREDATORS.

2. He is "trapped" in a cage, and does not have a flock for protection or comfort. He's alone, disoriented, and probably feeling frightened and vulnerable most of the time.
UNTIL HE FEELS COMPLETELY SAFE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE COMPANION ANIMAL YOU WANT.

3. He was never socialized properly and simply doesn't know what to do around humans. His natural instinct says you are in extreme danger around humans it's "fight or flight."
Since he can't "flight" he has to "fight." Hence the defensive biting reactions.

4. In the wild you would never in a million years get close enough to a wild IRN to pick him up or touch. They'd be GONE long before you got to that point. Bye-bye. Not a chance.

5. In order to allow you to touch, the bird quite literally is ENTRUSTING IT'S LIFE TO YOU, KNOWING YOU COULD KILL HIM ON A WHIM AT ANY TIME. THAT'S A LOT OF TRUST... !!!

Your bird has trust issues. Work on gaining his trust, and giving him confidence with you. Slow down and go back to basics.

Interaction is LEARNED. And this bird hasn't learned ANY of it.

Approach this as if this were a wild caught bird, and you were trying to tame it down. (BECAUSE HE ISN'T ALL THAT FAR FROM IT.)

GO SLOW! Deliberate exercises. Make progress every few days. The goal here is to get the bird to TRUST, and not violating that trust.

Don't force the interaction. Sit next to the cage and talk to him.

Hands that bring favorite treats are much less scary than hands that try to grab or touch. In fact, birds usually willingly perch on their food bowls...

If nothing bad happens... then hands quickly become something not to be afraid of. In fact, these are good (ie bringing) things. And the bird eventually becomes happy, and even excited to see them.

When he learns that you are not a threat, then you can try touching exercises. Basic step up. Step down. Touch training. Target training. TOO SOON AND YOU DESTROY THE TRUST YOU ARE TRYING TO CREATE.

From their, teach this bird games.

In two weeks, he'll be stepping up. In a month or two, he'll be allowing touching all over. Then after target training, etc. He'll be interactive.

IRN's are one of the best trick birds out there.

Okay well the food link has worked wonders... he's sat next to me for an hour eating his sweet potato mash and grindIn and only moving if someone else comes in. Happy bird. He's never been this brave. Happy mum

Sidneybirdface said:

Okay well the food link has worked wonders... he's sat next to me for an hour eating his sweet potato mash and grindIn and only moving if someone else comes in. Happy bird. He's never been this brave. Happy mum

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Good news