Taking Care Of Middle Age Ring Necks

kathryn k

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Hoping that I can get some tips on taking care of my ring neck who's already 18 years old. He's spent his life primarily with a man who has had to reluctantly rehome him.
I recently became housebound so thought it would be a good idea as he has constant(almost) companionship so I'm doing my best to make him feel at home. He has a definite preference for males so how can I bring him round. I'm thinking patience is the only way, any suggestions, apart from spoiling him rotten!
 
:welcome: so pleased you found us and have kindly given a home to this IRN. I expect our members will be along with some advice @Michael Reynolds @Wakizashi21 @Roz and anyone one else ???
Can you post us up a photo of him please, also what is his name.:thumbsup:
 
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Really good to hear you have given him home with you.

Indian Ringneck’s are very clever and adopt to many situations regardless of age. It can take time to be able to gain the trust, but once you have, they are very compassionate and caring.

When i got my IRNs, for few weeks atleast my aim to as to not startle them or scare them so i just let them get used to my presence by reading a book near them. I also didn’t let them out as much as mine could fly and last thing i wanted was to catch them with a towel. Gentle is the key.

Its sticking to a good routine that helps. I feed my flock early morning at 8. After a while they become used to it and sit on the perches waiting for food. It takes time...so if you have the patience then this will work.


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:welcome: Kathryn! What is your Ringneck's name? Sorry you have become housebound.

Great advice already from Wakizashi!

Yep, patience and spoiling him rotten is definitely the way to go! :biggrin: ie. pairing yourself with as many good experiences as possible, but at the same time being careful not to reinforce unwanted behaviour (like screaming to get you to go to him). The good experiences maybe food items to start with, after he's got used to your presence around the cage as Waki suggested. Notice what he picks out of the food bowl first and then see if you can hand him some of those pieces through the cage bars. You might want to start with big items like a slice of apple so that your hands are well away from his beak, both for your benefit (so that he doesn't bite) and for his benefit (he might be wary of hands).

If he prefers male humans, you might find you make more progress with no male humans around at least in the early days.

As Wakizashi said, routine is key. Parrots like routine especially to begin with in a new home. Once he knows when his food bowl is going to be slotted in, that's when you can think of letting him out of his cage maybe an hour beforehand (by just opening the door and allowing him to make the decision of whether to come out) so that he goes back in himself when he's hungry. This maybe a few weeks down the line depending on the bird.

I don't know how far you have got with introducing yourself to him, but this thread might help:

https://theparrotclub.co.uk/communi...-and-parrots-who-are-fearful-of-humans.29148/
 
Hi and welcome from me and my gang
Well done on taking on an older bird in need :)
 
At 18 he is still like a spring chicken, it sound like this bird has had good experiences with humans so its more a matter of making him fill very secure around you. I do not believe in a bird being more male preference than female as its more of a case of the individual and how they get on. The ringneck is special and they can become the most loyal of birds. The intelligence too survive and adapt have made these birds the most wide speed of all the parrot species. I am sorry to hear that you are now house bound nut the positive side is that your new companion and you will keep each other company. Ringnecks are flock birds and he will need you as much as you may need him. this can be a positive situation for both of you. Ok its not in my opinion a matter of training him but more off doing your best not to frighten him. try to either keep to a routine or make every day different. most birds prefer a routine that they can settle in to. the ringneck needs to know he will be safe and fed and a member of your family so not so particular in need for a routine. call him often and repeatedly. if he calls always answer and never ignore him. as trust builds he will start taking food from you mine just love there grapes and apples. well I am pleased you have joined us we are a friendly lot and I welcome you and hope to hear more of you and your companion.
 
I do not believe in a bird being more male preference than female as its more of a case of the individual and how they get on.
Dare you to pop over here and tell my Alfie (blue front ammie) that :risas3: unless you're a blonde woman your heading to A&E with multiple injuries :pancarta:
 
I would love to meet Alfie and will he attack me well most likely. Amazons can be stubborn and take time for trust to build especially if it has bonded to one person. either male or female can find it hard to gain the birds trust in this situation. the other situation is if a bird hates all humans then apart from gaining a understanding it may never want to be close to any human.
 
Thank you for your kind replies I do have other questions if anyone can help. Firstly, my little chaps name is Einstein. Does he recognise his name or can I change it! He doesnt fly and I dont know if he ever has. He spent a while at my younger sons house before I took him and only climbed on his cage or walked on the floor. I leave his cage door open most of the time and he'll come out for a while but not for very long, should I put toys on the floor for him? I read about the exercises to strengthen his wings but if I offer him my hand to stand on I'm more than likely to get bitten! Do these birds react with the same sounds as each other as he makes a range of sounds but it would be nice to know what they mean. Sorry this is going on so long but really believe if you take a pet you should do your best for it. He'll take food from me depending what it is or he'll take and throw it on the bottom of the cage so I don't think we're doing too bad. last question for today. He sticks his tongue out sometimes and flicks it about. I even rang a vet to make sure it wasnt anything bad but vet said it was probably a trick someone taught him when he was young and it just stuck Anybody else with an IRP that does the same thing. i'll post a photo as soon as my granddaughter teaches me how!
 
You ask away Kathryn we all started somewhere :)
IF he makes no attempt to fly it doesn't mean he cannot but there could be a reason why he can't but you won't know that unless he visits a good avian vet for a check up.
Sometimes like one of my African Grey's Little Henni she was in too small a cage for too many years without getting out and her wing joints are no longer able to open to full stretch so she wouldn't be able to fly even if she wanted too. My Blue Fronted Amazon Alfie is a lazy beggar and he would rather I carried him everywhere he can fly perfectly well but has this idea that why fly if I don't have too? If I sit in the other room to him while he's out and am eating an apple and he wants it he will shout the house down in the vain hope I will get fed up of listening and come and offer him a piece. This strategy works only sometimes when he realises I am not coming he will fly over and take a chunk and then fly back and eat it whilst teling me how annoyed he is with me for making him actually fly over!
Each species of bird has their own way of communication via vocals but add to that things like a particular tilt of the head or a couple of raised feathers or perhaps a wide eye being shown they can have slightly different meanings. Some things like alarm calls are sort of international bird speak calls and tell everybody to watch out for something scary.
Sticking his tongue out and flicking it around definitely sounds like a trick he's been taught. Try doing it back to him :p
 
Hello and welcome, patience is the key, although I'm very bad at it and get remained by a little feathered member of my family quite often!!! I hope you enjoy your time in the forum!!! ;)
 
I am having to go out shortly but will answer your questions tomorrow. I have never changed a birds name if I new it or if he repeatedly uses a name in his speaking then I will revert to that name. if I call any member of my ring necks they will reply with two chirps then a short gap then another two chirps so they do recognise there name and even Bella that has not long joined my flock will reply like this when her name is called
 
Sorry for the delay in answering the rest of your questions, you have not seen him fly. this dose not mean he cannot fly, If you look back to the posts of me and Beryl you will see that Beryl could fly but most of the time walked. I will put toys on the out side of the cage to encourage him to be out longer and have toys around the floor. Ok the sounds a ringneck makes. most will have the basic calls they use in the wild but many captive birds will o learnt other sounds and even speech. there are at least three distress calls and calls for attention or to attract other ringnecks, ringnecks do call whilst they are flying these are normally a series of three chirps then a gap and three chirps again but they also will call a single or double chirp at a second interval. I have said about how they acknowledge there name in my previous reply. if a bird is not happy with a situation for example another ringneck taking its food it will be more of a dull croaking chirp. You may get this if your bird is frightened of you approaching him if you do step back or slow down so your bird will settle. I will agree with your vet as far as the tong sticking out, it is a thing they have learnt, well it also shows me a little of the birds past life and that it has had a lot of attention from humans. I would say he has been around children as this is a common thing for three to seven year olds will do. I hope this answers most of your questions but one thing is your bird is not going to bite you hard if you approach it in a way that it dose not fill frightened. if he is unhappy with you getting close he will give a warning nip or distress call so just back up and talk to him gently. watch his eyes they can tell you a lot about there moods. be free to ask more questions
 
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