I have a Question about Goffin's please.

[KelnKritters]

My sister just got a male Goffin Too that she know nothing about. It apparently is not a tame bird, could be a breeder. Is is possible to tame a bird that was a breeder or will it always stay semi- wild. She has only had it one day and it is very scared but when it jumped in the floor she was able to pick it up on her hand but then it jumped away again. It will readily step up on to a perch, and it likes human food. Just wodering if she will be able to tame him with time and patience or will he need to go into a breeding situation to be truely happy. Thanks for your help, Kelly

[Beaks]

Originally Posted by KelnKritters

My sister just got a male Goffin Too that she know nothing about. It apparently is not a tame bird, could be a breeder. Is is possible to tame a bird that was a breeder or will it always stay semi- wild. She has only had it one day and it is very scared but when it jumped in the floor she was able to pick it up on her hand but then it jumped away again. It will readily step up on to a perch, and it likes human food. Just wodering if she will be able to tame him with time and patience or will he need to go into a breeding situation to be truely happy. Thanks for your help, Kelly

If she has only had the bird 1 day and it will let her get close enough to touch without taking off a finger then it is a pet and just needs time to get to know and trust her.

Any bird can be tamed it's just a matter of time (some take longer than others) As you have said the bird will already step up from the floor but is just too afraid to stay on her hand for very long, as the bird learns to trust her it will become more outgoing and start to show interest in petting, cuddling and more contact time with the selected human or humans.

It would be like a stranger just picking you up and expecting you to not run(ya see what i mean?)
It will take some time and i dont mean 3 or 4 days just tell her to put herself in the birds place and think of how she would feel in that situation and go from there.

John

[KelnKritters]

Thanks, that is what we were hoping to hear. She is leaving him alone to get adjusted to the new invirroment, just talking to him from a distance and feeding him etc. Thanks again, Kelly

[KimBear]

Any parrot can be worked with, no matter how old, how "mean", or how afraid. The issue will most often be how long it will take, and for some parrots, the amount of time and effort it may take to see some progress might be too much for some people to want to invest. Plus, there can be a limit as to just how "tame" you can expect some birds to get. Not all will end up super cuddly and looking at people as their best friends, but they may at least get to the point where they are no longer fearful and can at least tolerate some attention from a person. I usually recommend that only the most patient folks undertake the really tough cases, and having some prior experience helps, too.

That being said, the good news for you is that the bird you're describing sounds as if he has a good chance of becoming a good companion, with the right approach to his training. Taking things slowly by just hanging out near his cage, having him step onto and off of a perch, and offering food treats with her fingers would probably be a good way for your sister to start. She should become very observant of this bird and learn his moods, his likes and his dislikes as far as toys, activities, and so on. For example, if he really seems to like a bath, that could be a good bonding activity.

I suggest several small sessions throughout the day, if possible, rather than trying to work with the bird for an hour at a time. Have your sister pay close attention when working with the bird so that she can end any session just BEFORE the bird becomes bored or anxious. The idea is too push just a bit, but not too much.

Hopefully your sister will be patient, consistant, and committed. If she's willing to invest the time and energy, she should do pretty well.

Please keep us posted on things. If she hits any stumbling blocks, you might want to refer her to me or another consultant so she can get some one-on-one help.