Escaped and recaptured Blue Indian Ringneck with different personality

[prmm]

Hi Everyone, My ten-year old female Indian Ringneck escaped last June for nine days and is now back but very different. She doesn't do her mating dance anymore combined with the wolf and attention whistle that I taught her. She seemed to have teamed up with some Rosellas and a cocky and now she sounds like a Rosella when she whistles. When we let her out of her cage she flies as high as possible inside and before would sit on the TV or my laptop when I was working on it. She wasn't hand-reared so not real tame but used to get quite close to us to take food from us. Has anyone else had this issue after their parrot escaped? We thought she'd have settled by now and have taken her to the vet for a checkup and she's fine. It's taken me this long to work out the platform. I have photos of her before she escaped and some now so I'll post them next time.
Many Thanks.

 

[Summerwint]

For me, it wasn't an IRN but, my Jardine was lost and I got him back about 2 weeks later. He was really playful and loved to dance kind of bird but after coming back, he acted like scrooge. He would grumble weird noises, get feisty if I try to either touch him or pet him,(same as your IRN) and fly as close to the ceiling before landing to one of the perches the TVs. Eventually, he was back to normal: it took him about 3 months. I don't know where he learned it from but he still has weird gestures. However, other than that, he is fine.
Just a question though, did your IRN had a leg ring?

 

[wrench13]

THe whole escape and recapture thing has to be traumatic for a parrot, I can easily see this altering their psyche, at least for awhile. They are smart, emotionally complex creatures.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Thank goodness. You have her back.
What Wrenchie said.
God luck.
Thanks for sharing. What a great joy to retrieve your darling.

 

[prmm]

For me, it wasn't an IRN but, my Jardine was lost and I got him back about 2 weeks later. He was really playful and loved to dance kind of bird but after coming back, he acted like scrooge. He would grumble weird noises, get feisty if I try to either touch him or pet him,(same as your IRN) and fly as close to the ceiling before landing to one of the perches the TVs. Eventually, he was back to normal: it took him about 3 months. I don't know where he learned it from but he still has weird gestures. However, other than that, he is fine.
Just a question though, did your IRN had a leg ring?

Hi There, Thanks so much for getting back to me. No unfortunately he hasn't got a leg ring. We got her back by putting her cage in the person's front garden with fruit in it and a string attached to the door and when she went in we pulled the door shut while sitting by the kerb in the car and holding onto the string then pulling it when she went in. I'm thinking it must be her as she'd recognize her cage. It's just that she's so different but you said Jardine was much the same. I've heard of this happening before and also that IRN's can turn wild quickly. I've been leaving music on and it seems to settle her. These are her before the escape and the second is after. Colour is just enhanced in the first. As you can see there's virtually no difference so too hard to tell.