Getting to be that time!!!

[jbready]

I am thrilled to say I will be picking up my 13 week old male YNA Captain Jack this weekend! I have all his affairs in order! I am so nervous because I don't want to make any mistakes that set him or myself back! Once I get him home, how long should I wait until I start socializing? What steps should I take to begin socializing? Take him out and about with me? I have permission to take him literally anywhere I go but I don't want to rush into it or wait too long? HELP me with this Thank you, everyone really, you have been my main source of information, help, and support and I know you will continue to be on this journey with my first zon!

 

[LordTriggs]

I'd say the first day just leave him in his cage, don't stare even though you want to observe as it'll be scary for him. Then you can go on to getting him used to your voice and slowly getting your hand on the cage. Then after that inside the cage.

You need to work at his pace is the answer, if he starts getting frightened then back off a bit. You need to essentially get him used to the idea that he's not your lunch!

There's many pinned posts here about taming and bonding along with the basics of training such as stepping up. Also make sure to find out his treat food, there's a post about that too. The really hard part is when they are out of the cage for the first few times! That's when you find out what items have been deemed scary and must be removed

 

[wrench13]

It all depends on the particular parrot. SOme like time to 'settle in' and get used to the new cage and toys, and some will want to jump right in and meet the family, and every shade in between. I am sure you have read the stickies at the top of the Amazon sub forum ( if not, get started now ). Read the a few times in fact. good way to introduce yourself, is to sit next to Jacks cage and read aloud all the information in those stickies to Jack, in a nice, friendly tone. Amazons love being read to. And find out what his all time favorite treat is. Thats your key to unlocking Jacks inner birdie. Amazons are ruled by their belies ( well crops) and judicious use of those treats will get the taming process moving right along. I would teach him the step up command first, as that is the one command that should be an automatic response to your request. Lots of pics of the new member of your family would be nice. I;d suggest you start a Cap'n Jack thread, to document his journey with you, like a journal. Good luck

 

[jbready]

Yea I will have to feel it out and see how he's taking everything. I've been down a few times to meet the breeder as well as the bird and hand fed him once. I'll be hand feeding once a day until fully weaned. I just want to make sure everything is right for him

 

[Kiwibird]

I'd play it by ear. As others have said, some birds need time to adjust, may be a bit timid etc... and others are ready to explore and play ASAP. You won't know until you get the baby home and have had him with you a few days. As he is unweaned, you will need to be confident in your technique hand feeding and he needs to be comfortable enough with you to allow for hand feeding. You also need to be prepared to bring him back to the breeder if he's refusing to eat from you until he is fully weaned. There is no difference in how strong of a bond you'll form having weaned the bird VS bringing them home fully weaned.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Right...depends on the birdie.. Amy was eating on her own when she came home with me,but the breeder suggested I give her a night feeding just before her bed time for two weeks to help bonding,and it worked.

She was very inquisitive from the get go..didn't take long at all to get accustomed to her new home and family. At the time it was me and mom and my brother..mom would do the night feeding if I was on the road at the time and Smokey was here so amy had another feathered friend.

I took Amy outside with me as soon as the weather permitted and just started to take her places and meet new people. She is well behaved and enjoys her outtings 28 years later.


Jim

 

[jbready]

So here is a question, if he needs time to adjust and get acclimated in cage, how do I give him handfeeding? Put arm and syringe in cage or coax him out?

 

[LordTriggs]

There is no difference in how strong of a bond you'll form having weaned the bird VS bringing them home fully weaned.

My understanding of this is there's potential they could have a strong bond but then it would go as they would see you as "mama" and of course a birds instincts tell them they need to leave their parents at some point

probably complete nonsense spewing from me but it at least makes some form of sense to me

 

[jbready]

I have heard that too but handfeeding once a day for a week isn't a bad idea to build trust but I still would love some input on the question I asked above! Getting Capn Jack tomorrow morning!!!

 

[Ladyhawk]

I have heard that too but handfeeding once a day for a week isn't a bad idea to build trust but I still would love some input on the question I asked above! Getting Capn Jack tomorrow morning!!!

What I've read: It doesn't matter. Even an owner who receives a weaned baby stands in as the bird's parent until the hormones start flowing and then it may start looking for an unrelated mate. If it can't, the urge to bond is so strong, it will probably choose the primary caretaker anyway.

I'm not sure any of these claims are true. Show me some scientific studies or at least a ton of anecdotal evidence. Does such evidence exist? If so, there should be a protocol for a hormonal bird who may switch his or her bond to another person.

It used to be said that if you didn't hand-feed the bird it wouldn't bond with you. That's definitely not true. I suspect it was made up by exhausted hand-feeders who didn't want to finish the job. Hand-feeding and weaning a baby parrot is time-consuming and stressful.

I got Gabby when he was about four months old. He bonded with me immediately and his bond never wavered throughout the nearly thirty-one years of his life. Anecdotal date point of one, but I'll say it anyway: Gabby stayed bonded to me. I think it was because I was the one person available who cared about him and worked with him every day.

 

[jbready]

So here is a question, if he needs time to adjust and get acclimated in cage, how do I give him handfeeding? Put arm and syringe in cage or coax him out?

Okay ladies and gentslet me rephrase, I understand it's it's not necessary to handfeed to bond. I am getting my bird tomorrow who who is still handfeeding once a day. Now that's out the of the way. Please give me responses on the quoted question. Thank you. Once again I'm past the not needing to wean to bond. I am choosing to do so.