Socializing baby

[Pampa]

I posted this in another forum with no response so will give it a try here.
I followed my heart and bought, yes from a pet store, Nanday Conure. In my defense I am rural with little choice and the closest rescues being 5 plus hours drive away. I’ve waited two months and still haven’t been accepted at an all volunteer rescue. I’m inpatient, but really two months? I was interviewed a month ago and awaiting my home visit via Skype.
Back to my new baby. So far I think I probably made a mistake buying from Petco with no background information. I figure she is sort of a rescue. How do I do it right going forward. Any pointers specific to babies that have a limited understanding of household activities. I sit in the room with her and after screeching “intruder “ she is relaxed. She is eating right now with me just being a foot away. I’ve let the dogs into the quarantine room and she hasn’t freaked out. Any big movement on my part gets her fluttering about, like picking something up to drink or opening the treat container. I’ll go with my instincts but figure my instincts are more relevant to mammals. I’ve read and studied. What I am wondering is if there is something specific to babies vs bringing home an adult bird. Hmmm actually I recently raised a budgie with my granddaughter and they are doing fine. Other then they are finger tame and friendly with my granddaughter and not so much me. I put in the foundation and she is reaping the rewards.

 

[MMARC234]

Fair Warning: long and possibly rambly.

I not sure how much help I’ll be but...

Both of my quakers are from ‘local’ (+40 minutes east (Avi) and west (Bluebell)) Petcos. If I could have rescued/adopted like I had with Leo I would have but I had fallen for both of them, and that was that.

When I first brought Blue home I was a bit terrified because he was my first ‘official’ bird, and I had no clue what sort of behavioral issues/neuroses he could have had. So I just did the same thing I had done with Leo. Bluebell liked people thankfully, so I quickly set myself up as the food giver and started cautiously showing affection over the next few days. Soon after he saw me as ‘his’, so I started teaching basic manners (step up, biting boundaries, where he could and couldn’t go in the house). After that I just treated him the exact same as I would Leo... but he did have issues adjusting to the house because he had been at Petco for at least 4 months.

He was jumpy about me moving too quick so I had to consciously slow my movements down. He also disliked unexpected loud noises, but I was already used to that with Leo. So I just took it slow again and constantly described everything I was doing so he could hopefully start to recognize certain things (me leaving the house, putting him in his house, washing the dishes, bed time). And if he started to get agitated during desensitization or training I stopped whatever we were doing and did something he enjoyed instead (peekaboo is a big hit). As for other things; he has issues with me taking his food dish without me telling him what I’m doing with it, and he occasionally guards his toys a bit intensely, but all in all he’s fairly well adjusted.

Avocado... I witnessed first hand what they did with him, which was nothing good. He has a big fear of hands, and the same food insecurity, but unlike my other two boys he isn’t afraid of the house noises which kinda makes me wonder what in the **** those people did to him but at least he has a good home with us now. As for the fear of hands I’m just taking it a day at a time. In the few weeks ( where did the time go?) that I’ve had him he’ll now willingly take food and toys from me. He also actually came and sat on me today, which is huge.

Don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying that adopting from petco is bad, but it is, as you said, a mystery. The best thing you can do is just provide for them the best you can and try to show them that you’re not going to hurt them. Eventually they’ll understand, get curious, and reach out to where you’re waiting for them.

 

[Laurasea]

Congratulations! Your new one is lucky to have you! Takes time, you know this, you'll get there! These links are good
https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/stress-reduction-for-parrot-companions/
http://go.skimresources.com/?id=162...tz=300&xuuid=7a17697a7fd0c7e04cb8c23a8c712ab9
https://www.windycityparrot.com/blog/2010/04/13/flight-important-parrots/#ixzz62HloSvKV
https://blogpamelaclarkonline.com/2018/06/19/teaching-a-fearful-parrot-to-step-up/

 

[Pampa]

MMARC234 thank you thank you thank you. Your post is very helpful. I’m just feeling insecure since my first two birds came to me totally tame and socialized. She is doing well and I hope to raise a well adjusted friendly parrot. Again thank you.

Laurasea thank you, your post are always supportive and informative. I am looking forward to researching the articles you linked.

I am leaning toward naming my baby Korbin, which is supposed to be little crow in old French.

 

[RemiBird]

I also consider getting Remi as really "rescuing" him from the pet store where he was being sold. It was not a nice place at all, and he had been returned several times etc. So, yeah, we rescued him. We paid $325 for him but it was worth it.
It took the entire first year to make him feel loved and secure again, and he still bites for all sorts of reasons, although not as much as before. Like you said, who knows what various people did to him in the past... We will never know but we can try and make them feel secure and loved going forward.
Petey came completely different to me. She spent the first five years of her life with a family that clearly loved her and it shows. She is not a biter and she is not as moody as Remi is.

 

[18WheelsOfSteel]

Nothing wrong with Petco, except for that poor half crazed cockatiel I saw in there the other day, that was upsetting, but my budgies both came from Petco, and between them and Petsmart I am able to keep my birds in toys, food perches etc. Besides, you are rescuing them from that little cage they live in, your bird will thank you in time.

 

[Pampa]

I think my local Petco does an okay job with the birds. I do think they try and care. I would have preferred a rescue is all. And I don’t know my babies background, how she was weaned, where she has traveled. Petco employees don’t know. They were helpful and offered up as much information as they could find. They told me they will get birds that are being evacuated from stores where there are disasters happening, which I found interesting, and that’s a good thing. It Just makes me wonder about Korbin, and like most rescues their past are a mystery.

 

[Laurasea]

My Ta-dah is A pet smart birdie! And she is sweet and sassy