How long to "chill"?

[gig]

I've had Bowie (4 mos. old red belly) 5 days now and for the most part I just hang out near his cage singing, talking or just being there - on my laptop, etc. When I do open the cage he often backs away from me and when I try to give him a treat he flings it. Only once did he eat it (a raisin) and I haven't been able to repeat that event since. Today I sat down near him to eat my oatmeal and I offered him some from a spoon and he tossed that, too. I was able to get him to step up onto a small perch a few times, but when I move it he flies off (or tries to fly) down away from me and then I have to towel him to get him back into the cage, so I've stopped doing that. In the cage he seems to be adjusting well - he's started playing with his toys and is learning to travel via climbing around on the bars. How long does it generally take for them to start seeing their caretaker as a "flockmate"? I so want him to be my friend so we can play and snuggle together!

 

[Remy]

It sounds like the place you got him from didn't socialize him very well. It could take a while. Just do what he is comfortable with, and don't push his boundaries too much, and that'll help him warm up to you faster. He could also still be freaked out from the change of environment too. It might take a while for him to get used to you, especially if he wasn't socialized well previously.

 

[mandolynn]

A baby shouldn't be so skiddish, even in a new environment. Remys right, they must not have socialized him well. All birds have different adjustment periods, some a week, some months or years. But, usually babies who have been handfed and well socialized are more outgoing than adults. Did you buy him from a store? Could the employees or you handle him there?

 

[gig]

A baby shouldn't be so skiddish, even in a new environment. Remys right, they must not have socialized him well. All birds have different adjustment periods, some a week, some months or years. But, usually babies who have been handfed and well socialized are more outgoing than adults. Did you buy him from a store? Could the employees or you handle him there?

I got him from an aviary that supplies a store and they told me that he wasn't warming up to people like their babies usually do so they were selling him at a discounted price. They said that he would sit and be petted when toweled, which I've done, but he sort of has no choice when he's toweled! They also said he gave their handlers kisses - it sounded like he could be handled by them, but got very shy when others approached. Babies should love to be fed by hand by anyone, shouldn't they?

 

[mandolynn]

Usually, Ive had breeders tell me that a specific baby just doesn't like to be handled and doesn't like people even though they've tried, and after I worked with them a while, anywhere from a week to a few months, they've always turned into sweethearts. The problem is usually that the breeders didn't give the attention and time the bird needed, some need more. That's probably your birds issue as well. Have you had parrots before? Even if you haven't, he will come around, so don't give up on him as a lost cause, I don't believe in lost cause pets. The biggest thing will be patience. Don't even try to get him out of the cage until he isn't frightened of you while hes in it. The things you are doing sound like a good start. Just be near him, talk, read, or sing to him. Once hes used to you, leave the cage door open alot, even try putting special treats outside the cage to entice him out. Once he comes out on his own then you can begin trying to handle him. Toweling isnt a good way to bond with them, especially if it scares them. Practice stepping up, have him out as much as possible, and try having him grasp your shirt and snuggle on your chest. I have found that carrying them around on my chest is the best way to bond with a bird. Give him treats and praise when hes out and for good behavior. I cant tell you how long it will take, could be months, but.he will come out of his shell. He just needs understanding, time, and affection. Since hes so young, it probably wont take longer than a month or two if you are persistant with socializing him. I'm glad you.got him, otherwise the aviary may have decided to use him as a breeder because of his temperament, and that's such a waste of what could be an excellent pet.

 

[cdog]

I have nothing to say, mandolynn got it all. Speak the truth mandolynn!!

 

[Remy]

Also.... we love pictures!! :-D

 

[MikeyTN]

I do disagree with mandolynn just a tad....Some babies really don't care for other people, I've had babies I've raised that flies to someone else other then me once they're weaned even though some do stick by me and don't want anyone else. And I work with them everyday! The thing is they don't get to see other people when the handler is the only person they've ever known since they were babies. I try to get my partner to join in and sometimes I make my partner do it. But my partner don't like doing it because of attachment issue....Which I do understand, but they really do need to be socialized with variety of people and sometimes it really depends on the individual baby. A few of the babies I've raised were a little pain even with me, but once they meet the right person, everything changes. You can not always blame the handler, but most of the time it's true. It just depends....With all the different breeders folks on here, I'm sure some would agree with me every so often you'll get a stubborn baby....

 

[mtdoramike]

I would also like to add here that toweling isn't a good idea. It scares the bird, puts them on the defense and then to the offense and will bite at anything. Vets & bird groomers have to do this in order to do what they need to do with the bird and the bird associates this with bad news.

This bird will take a lot of time to socialize him. Fortunately, he's only 4 months old. Now is the time to act. Get that bird out of his cage even if you have to get a pair of those thicker latex gloves that are natural in color if your afraid of getting bit. But some where down the line, your going to have to take that chance of getting bit in order to hand tame him. Yes, the bite will hurt, but you have to show the bird that your not intimidated by him. So if he bites you, try not to re-act in a negative way like yelling OUCH, or snatching your hand back. This is the reaction that he is looking for.

If and when he bites you, push your finger or hand into him while saying in a stern voice NO, this puts him off balance and this is not the reaction he was expecting. Then if he sits on your finger or hand for a short period of time without trying to rip your arm off and beat you with it, offer him a treat like a sun flower seed or a peanut, which is a little larger.

Also to minimize the biting on the initial stepping up is to distract him with one hand while slipping the other hand up behind and underneath him. You have to realize that the older he gets, the harder he will be able to bite. So this is the time to teach him that biting you or someone else isn't a good thing.

 

[roxynoodle]

I think Mandolynn pretty much summed up how I would go about working with him.

I would sing to him as well; most birds really like it and don't care if you don't sing well

Try some silly games. A good one for a shy bird is "blink". Give a long slow blink and see if he returns it. Or wait until you see him do it. Pete and I play this game all the time just because he likes it. Rowdy and I play "wiggle your tongue" at each other. Most of them like peek a boo, too. Hide under a blanket or behind the furniture to do it. Later when he is coming out, hide under the kitchen table while he is on top of it. They will learn to run to the edge and peak under it at you and say, "Peek!"

 

[BillsBirds]

I didn't add anything because others have covered pretty much everything.

 

[gig]

Sorry it took me so long to reply, but I had a very busy weekend (conference in NYC, training for volunteer job with a wild bird rescue, whew - I'm still tired!). I have Bowie stepping up onto a handheld perch - with some minor coaxing (like a hand behind him) and can take him out of the cage this way as long as I keep him far enough away from other perches to grab onto! I put him onto his playgym and after a while he got pretty comfy up there - preening and checking out his toys. I sang to him for a long time and when it came to putting him away - he still backs away from me when I come towards him. I took it very slow - only taking a step when he relaxed his posture. Eventually I got to the playgym and had him step up onto the little perch and very slowly walked towards the cage and put him away. I have to move extremely slowly and talk to him the whole time he's on the "travel" perch - or he flies down from it. I think if i'm slow and persistant - he'll get better. He seems to like the playgym - one of the toys has a coconut shell "dish" that I put his favorite food in. One problem is - he still won't take treats from anyone! This makes rewarding him very difficult. I praise him a lot, but I'm not sure he can tell much of a difference between praise and talking. If I'm too exuberant, I feel like it may scare him. I tried "step up" onto my finger today and he did bite me but with warning and very gently. I didn't make a big deal out of it - I kept my finger there - and he finally did a one foot step up - which I gratefully accepted! Bowie is just a work in progress! Thank you all for the tips. I will keep you posted!

 

[Remy]

Hooray! It sounds like you are doing great! He looks happy on his play gym!

You can try talking more exuberantly to him, and see how he likes it. Most parrots love enthusiastic praise.

 

[gig]

Thank you for the vote of confidence! Today was another busy one for me, but I was determined to give Bowie some playgym time. He stepped up onto the little T perch very nicely, but jumped off it on the way to the gym! I got down on the floor and after following him around for a bit (he still walks away from me - but in a relaxed pace - it's like he's thinking "I'm not afraid of you, I just don't want to be caught!") I put the perch in front of him and said step up - and he did it immediately! It was the quickest step up ever and I didn't even need to put a hand behind him. I put him on the gym for only about 10 minutes or so and then had him step up again to go back - and he jumped off the little T perch again! Maybe he just likes walking around on the carpet? Who knows. Anyway, when I got the perch in front of him, he stepped up again, very quickly and nicely. My husband was actually impressed! This time we made it to the cage. Oh, when he is on either the playgym perch or the little T perch I use for moving him out of cage, with a slow approach and talking to him I can very gently pet his little belly! He is more open to this than to a head scratch - I think my hand behind him still scares him because he can't see what I'm going to do. When I try to go behind his head for a pet, he just keeps turning and looking at the approaching hand - with a slightly open beak - so that's when I tried the belly and it worked! Baby steps...

 

[Remy]

Hooray! I think he just needed some extra patience.

If he keeps watching your hand with his beak slightly open, he might just be waiting to try beaking it. If he's not looking scared or aggressive, you could try letting him nibble your fingers. Puck looooooooves to chew on my fingers.

 

[mandolynn]

It sounds like you are doing an amazing job and he is responding so fast! I know to you it doesn't feel like hes making.leaps and bounds of advances, but he is. Even stepping on the perch is huge! Ive had birds take months to do that. Good job and keep it up! He will only improve from here in the training. And yes baby steps. Patience and persistance. Keep us updated!

 

[gig]

You all make me feel so much better. I was getting frustrated especially about not taking treats. I'm learning to accept that slow and steady wins the game. I have to earn Bowie's trust-he is not going to instantly love everyone. He needs a reason to love and I'm determined to give him that reason - even if it takes forever(lol)!