The First Step

[marce61]

I have a baby IRN, Threio, and he is still very nervous around me after 5 days together, so I was wondering when and what would be a good start date for Step Up training.

At this point, he is moving away in his cage, and luckily I have a side door on the cage that he exits when I do any type of maintenance in the cage. So he can get some play time and explore out of his cage. He's adjusting well, eating, drinking water, etc....but....

I am a reasonably big man, and clumsy (LOL), I am leary of grabbing my baby with my hands, so I use an old cage top to pick him up off the floor. But at some point this has to stop!

I have experience with Parrotlets but most of them I trained by using the jump/climb onto arm method passing the cage. Parrotlets are so small there is plenty of retreat room on my sleeve. IRN is a totally different matter!

I have heard that I should wait 10 days, and my new baby should be comfortable with the new surroundings and use to seeing me by then as a non-threat and some of Threio's nervousness will go away, and my instincts will take over what to do next.....I'm not so sure...LOL

Sorry for the long post, I would like a few suggestions, so I make this as less stressfull for the both of us.

Here is a pic of Threio in his cage: http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l8...eio-IRN016.jpg

[catschair]

I would give him a few weeks to settle in -- just spend time talking to him and getting him comfortable with your presence. You may want to start training him with a stick, but if he is not uncomfortable with your hands, just offer him a finger (yes, he may take a nibble). He is a beauty! What fun.

[marce61]

thanks for responding, I just couldn't remmeber how long it took before with my P'Let and Cockitiel. My Quaker was as an adult when I got him so, its been a while. again thank you.