New Red Belly

[miles5000]

Last week wednesday I purchased a 4 mnth old red belly parrot from a breeder who hand feed her. Once the bird was weaned she was put into a cage next to a bunch of fluttering cockatiels and I guess reverted to being not so tame. She is really shy and wont let a hand get close to her. I have pretty much been letting her be in her cage and just talking to her and she seems to be calming down some I can now change the water and food without her having a freak out. I have been reading alot about taming a parrot and a lot of people suggest the towel method but it just seems like this would freak her out more...Can anyone suggest how to get this bird tame? I have been trying to feed her thru the bars and today she finally took a cherry from my fingers after holding it there for about 20 mins.

[AAX]

First of all: I am retired, I have a lot of time. I am single and live by myself.
Bachelors appartment: Large mainroom, separate bathroom and kitchen.
Beginning of April the breeder delivered my little senegal girl.
My setup for her is a large sheet of plywood over 2 coffee tables.Cage on
one corner of the plywood Bowls of food, water, treatdish in front of the
cage. A few chewtoys and shredders laying around.
My little girl had quite forgotten her training. For the first week or so, I would
open the cage in the morning and just waited to see what she'd do.
She'd come out,eat, drink etc. She would use the toys climb all over the
cage and generally get to know her area. The cage stays open when I'm
home. If I have to go out, she goes in her cage until I get back, it is open again. Catching her was by "scoop and grab" or thrown towel.So it went for
the first 10 days.

Sometimes you have to impose yourself on them. When they have forgotten
their training 'You gotta get their attention first'. I made a training area,out
of sight of the cage. Made it just large enough for me to sit down and for
her to have about a foot or two,but well in arms reach. I had already found
out that she didnot bite hard, never even drew blood,so I worked bare hand.
First the "step-up" command. Nothin' doin for a long time.Just squawk,
screech and run.I had time so I had patience, and kept at it.
Then,I'll never forget it,on sunday afternoon 20 april I had her in again and
got settled and put my finger down.She looked at me and something like
a "spark" went between us,and we both knew it. She turned and stepped up
on my finger, sweet and gentle. We bonded at that moment and as time goes
by, it just gets stronger. I have a little ladder from the table(plywood) to
the floor-she glides down but has no lift- and showed,guided her about
3 times how to go up and she had it,doesn't use her beak anymore.
I assume you have no other birds or I'm preaching to the choir.
Get a weigh scale that reads in grams and weigh her every day.Best peace
of mind you can get for yourself. Buy the"Guide to the Senegal Parrot
and it's Family" by MattieSue Athan Publisher Barron's $14.
Google for more info on the web, there is lots of it. Learn about behavior
training-Positive reinforcement. Lots of time with her,lots of play,lots of love,
lots of out of cage time and you will have life experience with her.You will
wonder how you ever lived without her.

I wish you all the best with your new friend/companion.

Anton V.