Ringneck is stuck in quarantine, any advice is very welcome please!

[FlockOf18]

As I’m not new to birds, just to Indian Ringnecks, I’m guessing it’s just going to be all about time, patience and on his terms…I have budgies, cockatiels and parrotlets already!
I feel I’ve made so many errors with this one though
I’ve had my IRN Lucky, since the beginning of February, initially I took him upstairs in the small cage I brought him home in, let him settle/get used to his new surroundings etc, during this time, I put his new massive cage upstairs (1st mistake).
Whilst changing his food, he got out which isn’t an issue as I’ve made it all safe, but my problem is, 1, he won’t get in his cage & if he does he flies back out so fast when he hears me approaching.
So he’s now had free flight in my room for over 2 months!!
Then 2, he won’t stay on me. He must’ve been parent raised however I’ve managed to get him to step up for food and he’ll also fly to me and land on my hand for a slice of apple or monkey nut…..but then as soon as he’s finished he’s off.
I really want him to stay on my hand so I can take him downstairs to socialise him! I feel like he’s lonely and currently not getting enough attention upstairs he really doesn’t know what he’s missing in my front room! Sorry, bird room lol.
I don’t mind if he just sleeps upstairs but he needs to come out of my room during the day and he won’t even do that for his favourite treats?!
Really sorry for the long post, I’d be so grateful for any ideas!

Thanks in advance,
Rachel x

 

[Cottonoid]

Cotton would have done the exact same thing! I got lucky that I got him first so he was already in the main room!

Have you tried target training with him yet? It can be a slow process with ringnecks but once you're both successful at it, it can be super useful for getting him to go places you want him to, like in his travel carrier.

I'm at the dentist haha but I'll try to look up links to target training when I'm done

 

[FlockOf18]

Cotton would have done the exact same thing! I got lucky that I got him first so he was already in the main room!

Have you tried target training with him yet? It can be a slow process with ringnecks but once you're both successful at it, it can be super useful for getting him to go places you want him to, like in his travel carrier.

I'm at the dentist haha but I'll try to look up links to target training when I'm done

Aww bless you thank you! I hope all went well at the dentist
Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly anyway!
I’ve been on youtube and watched lots of videos on target training but he’s afraid of the clicker and the stick bless him so I muffled the clicker sound in my pocket which was fine but he wouldn’t go anywhere near the stick. He’d fly around screaming for a few seconds until I put it down!
He’ll come to anywhere I am in the room if I shake a monkey nut haha but just not outside the room.
Here’s me thinking he’d be trying to escape out not stay in
I guess I’ll give it another try now he has been with me a bit longer.
I see lots of questions about taming birds and I think to myself or comment “it’s just time and patience” I just don’t take my own advice
Thanks so much again

 

[Cottonoid]

I've had to verrrrrry slowly introduce mine to the stick, and I just say "yes" instead of clicking.

Or you could try getting him to target your finger instead. Then try target to the small cage, lots of treats if he goes in it, and work up to him going into it when you ask, then use that for transport.

Or if he's reliable at stepping up you could just plop him in the small cage with lots of treats and take him downstairs

Are you planning to have his big cage downstairs? I have had to catch my ringneck in a towel twice for vet visits. It wasn't fun, he ran around screaming like I was going to eat him, and holy crap he can run fast lol - but it didn't seem to hurt our relationship more than a few days. I wouldn't recommend doing that daily of course, but if you needed to in order to make the room switch, once shouldn't set you back too badly.

I've definitely learned that patience patience patience is the way with ringnecks Mine is only now becoming desensitized to a target stick, after a year They are so much better at playing the long game and winning than I am hahaha

 

[FlockOf18]

I've had to verrrrrry slowly introduce mine to the stick, and I just say "yes" instead of clicking.

Or you could try getting him to target your finger instead. Then try target to the small cage, lots of treats if he goes in it, and work up to him going into it when you ask, then use that for transport.

Or if he's reliable at stepping up you could just plop him in the small cage with lots of treats and take him downstairs

Are you planning to have his big cage downstairs? I have had to catch my ringneck in a towel twice for vet visits. It wasn't fun, he ran around screaming like I was going to eat him, and holy crap he can run fast lol - but it didn't seem to hurt our relationship more than a few days. I wouldn't recommend doing that daily of course, but if you needed to in order to make the room switch, once shouldn't set you back too badly.

I've definitely learned that patience patience patience is the way with ringnecks Mine is only now becoming desensitized to a target stick, after a year They are so much better at playing the long game and winning than I am hahaha

Hi Denise,

Thank you so much for this and Happy Easter to you and everyone!

So, I tried again with the target training as you suggested now he’s used to me more, the first few attempts he flew off, then jackpot he did it!! I was sooo excited
I went and bought some chopsticks instead of just using a piece of hay and with very slow movement and your idea of saying Yes instead of the clicker has worked!!

Now like you say, it’s patience, I’ll keep repeating it then get him in to a small transporter cage to take him downstairs

At the moment, he’ll step up for food but flies off once he’s eaten it so putting him in myself isn’t yet an option. Also I can’t even catch him in a towel as he’s too fast!!

I think I might sell the huge cage in my room and just get him a medium/large cage perhaps as he will hardly be in it. Or maybe store it for once he’s tame.
I want him to sleep upstairs so he gets some one and one time with me, then have some of the day with my flock (supervised!). But the huge cage is just that, and in the way really at the moment!

Anyway, sorry, I do go on and on haha!

I’ll keep you posted with his progress

Thanks so so much again!

Ps I have another addition now since yesterday, an 8 week old adorable baby budgie! Because obviously 10 isn’t enough haha. Long story

 

[Cottonoid]

What great progress! How exciting!

And congratulations on your newest baby too

 

[FlockOf18]

What great progress! How exciting!

And congratulations on your newest baby too

Thank you!