will my ringneck ever be hand tame.

[ravenfern]

I have a female blue ringneck called Dotty. I have had her about 3 weeks and she around 2 years old.
She comes out of her cage everyday and flys around the room stopping to sit on her play stand i made her or on the cockatiel/budgie cage for a look at the neighbors. She will step up but only onto the wooden ladder she came with, she runs around her cage or flys away if you try step up with a stick.
She will let you stroke her beak but wont let you touch any other part of her, she would rather fly away then bite you and when she tries to bite its more of a dont do that way than aggressive. She has never bitten me just warned me if you see what i mean.
She isnt really interested in toys and only seems to like the willow ball things that she can destroy.
How can i get her to step up onto something other than her ladder. Will i ever be able to get her to step up onto my finger and enjoy being made a fuss of.
Below is a picture of my brother who is braver and taller than me, he has a male blue ringneck. I took this picture of him and Dotty a couple of days after we got her.

[fluffy_stitch]

three weeks isnt very long,it could take months or longer for her to trust you,i have my ringneck for a year and she still is nervous,she will sit on my hand or shoulder for a while but she wont be stroked or scritched at all.

[Cpip]

by the looks of that picture.. it looks like you are doing just fine!

[jenseits]

For only having been in your home for three weeks, it sounds like she's already doing really well. Parrots can take a long time to fully trust new people -- start with clicker training (I recommend Melinda Johnson's book) to get him to associate you with wonderful things, and get him to start coming to you on his own.

[Kathy]

Millet and green apple were the only things my IRN wanted so bad- that he eventually got brave enough to trust me to step up.

His first step up was for my son on a stick. I will never forget the day. I was in the kitchen and my son walked in with Tawheed on a 3 foot stick.

I was in shock. I had 'trained' with him daily. It took almost 2-3 months! However, once this hurdle past- he started trusting more and with in a week hopped on our fingers.

He is now 5 and it was only recently and with hesitation does he allow us to give him scritches. (He also has to have his mirror with him) However, he has enjoyed nose rubbing with us for a couple of years now.

[babycakes122972]

I have to agree with the other post........ I currently have 5 IRN's.... they are all hand tame, my female/male set will rub my nose but dont touch em..... I also have 2 females(green and blue.......) they were rescues with a rough life.........missing many feathers but beautiful just as well... they will step up and give kisses but dont pet me............ I just got a new one on Thursday, he will step up and perch with you all day if you let him, he will also kiss and let you pet one or two strokes and he is done.......... I have seen many who love attention, mine are getting better but it all takes time and devotion...............Patience hun

[ravenfern]

Hi thanks for all the help, i dont mind waiting and putting in the work and i will love her just the same if she stays the way she is.
I havent managed to find anything she likes to eat that much, she likes things but after a couple of bites shes done. My brothers ringneck Deli is crazy for bell pepper, i sometimes wonder if boys are greedier than girls, the first cockatiel i ever tamed was won over with food.
Is there away i can get her to play more, like i said shes not really interested in toys and she acts older than her years very serious. After seeing pictures of all your birds playing i want her to have fun too.

[Aces Wild]

I think you will form a bond with Dotty, its going to take some work but as long as you stay persistant, I think things are going to be okay!

IRNs love destroying things, so get some stuff she can tear apart. You said she has something that she likes to destroy right now... well get some more! If that is what she likes, then go for it!

As for food, just keep introducing new things. Once she is more settled she may come around or she may be just looking for that one treat she likes. Some birds are more picky than others, don't let that discourage you.

Good luck!

[red192]

I have a 2 IRN's and Scarley is my demon of the two. Took me 2 years to tame her and due to my long work hours she's becoming a demon once again. But I can still get love from her when she says it's ok. It takes time be patient and she will come around.

[Courtzrocks]

have you tried sunflower kernals? My alex will do anything for them and i tamed my green cheek conure using them. see if dotty will take them from your hand and then try make her walk down her perch to you and put your hand at the end like it is part of the perch. Give her a treat everytime she gets near your hand and then when she touches it and gradually pull the treat further away so she has to stand on your hand, once she does that give her a big treat. it'll take time though. Also my alexandrine hates her feathers being touched, i can touch them if i have a treat but otherwise its a no go zone, just the way she is.