Early bonding questions

[Marc_G]

I’ve recently welcomed a 4 month old Alexandrine into my home, and I’m starting the long journey to form a bond with him. He is a parent raised bird, so this is going to take a lot of time and patience!

I have a few questions I thought I’d ask, as I’m not certain I’m doing the right thing. Ill start with a few about the cage.

Hector’s cage is placed in the lounge as the busiest room where he will get used to me and my partner. At about 20.00 Hector climbs to a high perch and makes grinding noises with his beak. I’ve taken this to indicate time to sleep and cover the cage to reduce the amount of light. We don’t go to bed for a couple of hours and have the TV on low. Is it OK to leave the cage where it is, or would it be better if I wheeled him into a quieter darker room?

I have not let Hector out of the cage, as I don’t know if he would go back in by himself, and I don’t want to have to chase or force him back in. Whats the thinking on him Is it OK for staying in the cage until we have progressed with stepping up?

I have identified the type of treat that he likes (pistachio, almonds, sunflower seeds), but these are tiny items, and he’s not ready to come that close to accept them from my hand, although he often comes to the side of the cage to look at what I am doing.I’m not certain whether he likes millet enough to be tempted by long strands of that or maybe I just need to be persistent with that treat. He has taken it from a long strand once.

Any advice on these would gladly received

 

[4 way borbs]

I’ve recently welcomed a 4 month old Alexandrine into my home, and I’m starting the long journey to form a bond with him. He is a parent raised bird, so this is going to take a lot of time and patience!

I have a few questions I thought I’d ask, as I’m not certain I’m doing the right thing. Ill start with a few about the cage.

Hector’s cage is placed in the lounge as the busiest room where he will get used to me and my partner. At about 20.00 Hector climbs to a high perch and makes grinding noises with his beak. I’ve taken this to indicate time to sleep and cover the cage to reduce the amount of light. We don’t go to bed for a couple of hours and have the TV on low. Is it OK to leave the cage where it is, or would it be better if I wheeled him into a quieter darker room?

I have not let Hector out of the cage, as I don’t know if he would go back in by himself, and I don’t want to have to chase or force him back in. Whats the thinking on him Is it OK for staying in the cage until we have progressed with stepping up?

I have identified the type of treat that he likes (pistachio, almonds, sunflower seeds), but these are tiny items, and he’s not ready to come that close to accept them from my hand, although he often comes to the side of the cage to look at what I am doing.I’m not certain whether he likes millet enough to be tempted by long strands of that or maybe I just need to be persistent with that treat. He has taken it from a long strand once.

Any advice on these would gladly received

you got all the intelligence toys right? they make alexandrine parakeets super happy and smarter as well, training early is super important! also my parakeets will go back in their cage when they are tired and/or hungry so i mainly expect them to be in the cage if i come back late at night

 

[Jcas]

Sounds like you’re doing a great job! Continue learning his cues and behaviors as this will really help him learn to trust you and help prevent bad behaviors from forming. Show him one of his favorite treats and then place it where he can reach it. Most likely, he will soon start to gain confidence and come closer to your hand when you have a treat, eventually taking it from your hand. Always be patient, birds take time to learn to trust. Some people find it easier to start teaching “step up” using a hand perch ( any kind of appropriately sized stick that you can hold) rather than their actual hand, which might seem more scary to a bird. Keeping him in his cage for now is fine; as he’s settling in to a new home, he will feel safer in his cage right now anyhow. The tv on low is ok. It can act like white noise and help the bird settle down. I turn my air purifier in high at night and that noise cues the birds that it’s sleep time! Best wishes to you on your bird keeping journey!

 

[Marc_G]

you got all the intelligence toys right? they make alexandrine parakeets super happy and smarter ass well, training early is super important! also my parakeets will go back in their cage when they are tired and/or hungry so i mainly expect them to be in the cage if i come back late at night

The cage has got various toys that he can bite, pull and swing on,

 

[Marc_G]

…and I’ve got some foraging toys on order to make feeding time more challenging and interesting.

 

[4 way borbs]

The cage has got various toys that he can bite, pull and swing on,

Pardon about the mistake cuss word