Lack of attention

[jillbeme65]

I have 2 feather babies. One RB2 and One IRN. I had the IRN first. He wasn't very vocal and still really isn't. I have had him about 5 weeks. He lets me hand feed him but wants nothing to do with being touched. When he is being held he is constantly flapping his wings. I talk to him and he is only in his cage when I'm at work for 5 hrs and to sleep. He will talk some but just doesn't want the human interaction. He is 2years old. Both birds are in my living room and the tv is on while I'm gone so they at least have noise. It just makes me sad that he won't allow us to bond. Any ideas?

 

[SilverSage]

Most Ringnecks are pretty hands off. My two "most snugly" Irns allow head scritches but ONLY on their terms and it's pretty rare for them to want it. They want to be on and with us but they are not cuddle bugs. It just isn't who most of them are. As for wing flapping depending on his cage setup he may just be stretching. Or if he is trying to get away it's likely because you insist on trying to pet him which he doesn't like.

Try a new approach; instead of trying to get him to do what you want, try observing what he likes and doing those things.


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[Theone]

Well I got to say I am really lucky about my pair. Both of them love head scratches and cuddles and both of them are lovely. They even sit on my head and even if I do anything to them they won't bite or get aggressive. They are almost 4 months old now. A good way to make your bird cuddle from the beginning is I guess you need to give them feeling of your hand daily since they are chicks. It worked in my case I used to pick them up and pet them and spend some time with them daily. Now that they have grown big they still need petting and cuddling everyday. I would suggest you to give them treats and have patience with them. They will eventually bond with you and start playing with you. Don't do anything which they don't like and let them outside for few hours everyday. I keep my birds outside of the cage whenever I am at home so that they can fly and exercise a bit.
Ring necks can be really lovely if you give them a little bit attention and love.

 

[SilverSage]

You are fortunate that you have sweet ones, but you also have BABIES. They will likely be like that until they are about a year. With constant handling they MIGHT stay pretty tolerant of cuddling. Taking a similar approach with an adult bird would not be wise as it would likely lead to increased fear and resentment.

But not being "cuddly" doesn't at all mean you can't have an incredibly deep, loving, and strong relationship. Irns are my favorite species. I have several and I wouldn't trade them for the world. They are incredibly affectionate IN THEIR OWN WAY, that way just happens to be completely different from species like conures and cockatoos.

You just have to be willing to love them for who they are. Also, 5 weeks is really not long in terms of bonding. Give him time, love, patience, and a lot of treats and and mental stimulation.

I have found that my birds love to preen and groom me even when they prefer me not to return the favor.

They also love to get in the way of everyday life. They want to interfere in everything

Also I find a lot of our bonding takes place just by having new experiences together. They have huge brains and love to use them. Just like any friendship it's important to find things to do together that you both enjoy, and respect each other's boundaries.

And of course... treats...

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