Hi I'm New
- Thread starter Rhys1992
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I can imagine it may be difficult to get him to go back in, many people suggest not to feed outside the cage so the bird goes back in for it's food especially any treats. Although it is early days yet. Have a look under the training & Behaviour thread there are many useful tips there, also I am sure other members will be along with advice @Michael Reynolds @Roz anyone please.
Thank you will have a browse through only other problem is biting. Was meant to be semi tame but wife said when I went to the car he just grabbed him out the cage with a glove and towel
Michael Reynolds
Regular Member
Hello and welcome, What is your birds name? I will say if he had to be towled and the person had to wear gloves then not much tanning has been done but please do not use the same method if you want to gain trust (unless its an emergancy and you have no other choice) Diana is correct that yo should not feed your bird out of the cage, he/sge will have to go back on at some stage, once he learns to go in the cage himself tgrn you can feed him out sidei
Michael Reynolds
Regular Member
the cage is his safe place and when he goes in make a little fuss and givr him treats. it is his home and should be respected, what rver you do dont chase your bird, its the quickist way of loosing trust, Ir is very early days and he needs to settle and get to know you and your family plus his new home.
cazimodo
Regular Member
Hi and welcome from me and my two scalliwags. I need to get two birds in the same cage at night, but it is no problem as they know they get their favourite treat (pine nuts) for going in. I use the variable treat method as well. Some nights it might be just one but each, others a couple and on bonanza nights they might get three or four. They never know when it's going to be bonanza night so they always head in straight away when it's bedtime. It takes some time and patience, and lots of praise (Ziggy, .my female, responds more to the lavish praise than to treats sometimes I think).
As @Michael said, I wouldn't recommend handling your bird with gloves or towelling him unless absolutely necessary - it breaks down the trust between you. If he bites hands remove them from the equation for now and try to teach him to step up onto a stick instead. I'm sure if you read @Roz's stuff in the training section you'll find it very helpful.
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As @Michael said, I wouldn't recommend handling your bird with gloves or towelling him unless absolutely necessary - it breaks down the trust between you. If he bites hands remove them from the equation for now and try to teach him to step up onto a stick instead. I'm sure if you read @Roz's stuff in the training section you'll find it very helpful.
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Welcome
Congrats on your young Alexandrine!
Personally I would leave a new bird in his cage for a couple of days so that he can settle down, explore his new house and get to know the food routine. Then when you think the time is right, open the door so that he can come out himself if he wants to, an hour or two before you are due to slot the food bowl in. Before breakfast is a good time as he will take himself back in when he is hungry. No need to touch him at all. That's how I worked it with my untame Orange-winged Amazon - I still don't touch him to get him in and out of the cage.
If you are having to chase him or towel him to get him in, you are pairing yourself with aversives (something the bird doesn't like) which is not conducive to gaining the bird's trust.
You want to be pairing yourselves with wonderful experiences for him wherever possible so that he looks forward to interaction with you. Notice what he picks out of the food bowl first - these will be his favourite items. I would work on seeing if he will take the food/treat from your fingers. Then you can also reinforce his going back into his cage with a treat.
Biting is a way of communication when the human ignores the very obvious (to the bird!
) body language that says "no!" So watch his body language carefully and respect it. That way there is no need to teach the bird to bite. If you want him to do something, positively reinforce it. However, with a new bird, there will be very few reinforcers you can use. Food is a good one because all birds have to eat. So for now, just gently work on getting him to take treats from you. Start with offering big items so he doesn't have to get too close to your fingers. If he likes apple, start by offering a whole slice then gradually you can make the slice smaller and smaller. I noticed that my Amazon used to go for cashew nuts first in his bowl, so I started by offering him a whole one.... then after some days half a one.... then after more days, quarter of one etc. You might find you have more success offering food through the bars of the cage where the bars offer him more security.
It is so exciting working with an untame bird and it sounds like you are enjoying his company enormously already.
Personally I would leave a new bird in his cage for a couple of days so that he can settle down, explore his new house and get to know the food routine. Then when you think the time is right, open the door so that he can come out himself if he wants to, an hour or two before you are due to slot the food bowl in. Before breakfast is a good time as he will take himself back in when he is hungry. No need to touch him at all. That's how I worked it with my untame Orange-winged Amazon - I still don't touch him to get him in and out of the cage.
If you are having to chase him or towel him to get him in, you are pairing yourself with aversives (something the bird doesn't like) which is not conducive to gaining the bird's trust.
You want to be pairing yourselves with wonderful experiences for him wherever possible so that he looks forward to interaction with you. Notice what he picks out of the food bowl first - these will be his favourite items. I would work on seeing if he will take the food/treat from your fingers. Then you can also reinforce his going back into his cage with a treat.
Biting is a way of communication when the human ignores the very obvious (to the bird!
) body language that says "no!" So watch his body language carefully and respect it. That way there is no need to teach the bird to bite. If you want him to do something, positively reinforce it. However, with a new bird, there will be very few reinforcers you can use. Food is a good one because all birds have to eat. So for now, just gently work on getting him to take treats from you. Start with offering big items so he doesn't have to get too close to your fingers. If he likes apple, start by offering a whole slice then gradually you can make the slice smaller and smaller. I noticed that my Amazon used to go for cashew nuts first in his bowl, so I started by offering him a whole one.... then after some days half a one.... then after more days, quarter of one etc. You might find you have more success offering food through the bars of the cage where the bars offer him more security. It is so exciting working with an untame bird and it sounds like you are enjoying his company enormously already.
Misses called him Pete the parrot . Yeah he loves being out don't think he's experienced it alot. He flaps his wings but take 15/20seconds to take off. He flys short bursts. He seems to be getting there. He went back in about 11.30 but went in on his own. I think he was just enjoying being out.
Yeah enjoying it alot hes been taking food out my hand since yesterday morning lol. He's fine coming out first time he went back in on his own the other he took a bit longer. Trying to work out if he's being aggressive or just curious don't think he's seen a hand to many times. It's going to be a long process but will get there eventually. Give me a unruly burmese python and I'm fine but parrots are a whole different ball game . He's taken sunflower seeds off me, but of blueberry, some cucumber. Thank you for the helpCongrats on your young Alexandrine!
Personally I would leave a new bird in his cage for a couple of days so that he can settle down, explore his new house and get to know the food routine. Then when you think the time is right, open the door so that he can come out himself if he wants to, an hour or two before you are due to slot the food bowl in. Before breakfast is a good time as he will take himself back in when he is hungry. No need to touch him at all. That's how I worked it with my untame Orange-winged Amazon - I still don't touch him to get him in and out of the cage.
If you are having to chase him or towel him to get him in, you are pairing yourself with aversives (something the bird doesn't like) which is not conducive to gaining the bird's trust.
You want to be pairing yourselves with wonderful experiences for him wherever possible so that he looks forward to interaction with you. Notice what he picks out of the food bowl first - these will be his favourite items. I would work on seeing if he will take the food/treat from your fingers. Then you can also reinforce his going back into his cage with a treat.
Biting is a way of communication when the human ignores the very obvious (to the bird!
It is so exciting working with an untame bird and it sounds like you are enjoying his company enormously already.
Thank you. Yeah I had a good read through. Certain comments don't show up for a while for some reason. He's fascinating me more and more as time goes on lol
Wendy Cooper-Wolfe
Regular Member
Welcome and well done as it sounds that you are on the right track. A lot of patience, rewards and learning his body language are all key to success.
Thank you everyone. Question time he come out this evening went back in fine. He's gone like he's got no energy what so ever and making a weird noise. He's awake but sounds like he's grinding his beak. Not noticed this before. So worrying about it. I've covered his cage for the night and hoping and praying it is just beak grinding which I've read about online. If he's no better in morning will take him to the vet
Kendra
Regular Member
Grinding their beaks is mainly a sign of contentment. If this out of cage time is relatively new to him he could just have tired himself out, I would not panic yet. See how he is in the morning after a good night sleep and re-assess him them. He is young and in my experience young males can be rather silly in many things but oh so much fun!.
Yeah this is what I'm reading online. All I do is research lol. He's gone to sleep within minutes of covering his cage. I don't think he had seen much fruit, and in my opinion cage was to small. Don't think he would of been able to spread his wings. He's coming along nicely and seems more happy. He don't fly from his cage alot he stays around the top but has the odd flight across the room and back. Agreed I've loved every minute with him