Training a 5 yr-old Meyer?

[maryyy361]

Hello All,
I just created my account here and have a question that I hope someone can help me out with.

I am currently talking to a woman looking to sell a 5 yr-old Meyers Parrot. The owner says he/she can step up and is fairly comfortable with hands. I have been looking for a Meyer in my price range for quite some time now and would really love to add this little guy to my family but I am worried that being 5, the parrot may not adapt well to me or may be difficult to train. I was originally lookin for a bird that was under a year.

Any advice is appreciated!!

 

[Julianna]

I wouldn't worry about him/her being older. I think parrots are fairy similar to dogs in this respect. They're very, very trainable when they're young, and they're more open to new things. If you want to get them well socialized and trained, then you do it when they're young. However, they can certainly still be trained when they're older as well, just as an older dog can still learn a new trick. It may take a little longer to train/socialize him/her, but it's absolutely still possible. Just be prepared to take a little extra time and have a little extra patience. Good luck!

 

[ShellyBorg]

Meyers can life to be 30 to 50 years old and are know for being laid back. At 5 you are getting past the teen rebel age and if the bird is easy going training and working with it will be a breeze! I work with parrots everyday, my own and others and I find that the older birds will learn faster because they can concentrate better.

 

[MonicaMc]

I've now cared for/owned 3 conures.... with the youngest being 3 years old and I've had her for approximately 3 months now. She's surprisingly doing better than in her foster home of 6 months! Still a long ways to go, but we're getting there.

I got Charlie when he was 12 years old. He didn't like me when in his foster home, but after taking him home he's been stuck by my side ever since!

Noel was estimated to be 9-11 years old when I got him, but he was probably older. It took several months before I could handle him, but he did not have the best of pasts and he had multiple health issues. Miss him so much.