Parrot has new home, help

[redbellied]

Here is the story...
My friend bought a Red Bellied Parrot at the beginning of the year from a breeder. He is moving and cannot bring it with him. He gave me the bird and cage. I am up for the challenge.
I have the bird set up by a window. His cage is not large but seems to be big enough for him. He rarely makes noise.
My problem is he wants nothing to do with human contact. If you get close to his cage he freaks out and moves as far away as possible from you. Its like he is always on guard. I bought him two new toys but he does not even acknowledge their presence in his cage.
He eats just fine. My buddy was giving him seeds and peanuts. I've switched him to fresh fruits and veggies and pellets recommended by a local shop.
I've only had him for three days so things could get better.

I talked to the previous owner about this behavior. He said he never had time to deal with him but the only traumatic experience that has occurred was a time the bird got out of the cage and chased around the house to be caught. Its not like he was being physically abused, just left alone.

Is there anything I can do to build trust with this bird? Any tips?
I've heard starting with the step up game is good but that is impossible with this bird. If you put your hand in the cage he will do anything and everything to get away.

[sodakat]

I think it is wonderful that you are giving this bird a home, and especially great that you are taking the time to ask for help! You will receive many great ideas from this forum.

I suggest you take it slow. He needs to get used to being in his new home as well as get used to you. Something you can do that works for me, is place a comfortable chair right next to his cage and spend a lot of time just sitting there reading, working on laptop, anything that can be done in a chair including and especially EATING. Birds are very social when it comes to eating. Always offer him some of your food. If you are eating an apple, you can hold the apple up to his cage and ask if he wants some. Obviously he won't approach right away, but eventually he will. It may work better to leave the cage door open so he can climb out and then work his way closer to you when he is more comfortable. If he is flighted he may even fly onto your head or lap when you have food. Just move slowly and let him see you are no threat. Since you cannot handle him yet, you may want to let him out later in the day, because when dusk comes, he will return to his perch himself, to go to sleep, and then you'll be able to close the cage up.
--Kathy

[RubyMuse]

Well, first move the cage away from the window. This will reduce hypervigilance. Better to have the cage against a wall so he relaxes a bit. You should also consider partially covering the cage with a sheet or a towel so that he can hide a bit until he gains more confidence.

Step up is something that should be attempted after you build a relationship with an animal. You don't want to push past the fear but at the same time you want him to build confidence and trust you. Try just giving treats and try letting him come out of his cage on his own.

Talk softly, do not stare, move slowly and be reassuring - he will learn to trust you.

[redbellied]

Originally Posted by RubyMuse

Well, first move the cage away from the window. This will reduce hypervigilance. Better to have the cage against a wall so he relaxes a bit. You should also consider partially covering the cage with a sheet or a towel so that he can hide a bit until he gains more confidence.

Step up is something that should be attempted after you build a relationship with an animal. You don't want to push past the fear but at the same time you want him to build confidence and trust you. Try just giving treats and try letting him come out of his cage on his own.

Talk softly, do not stare, move slowly and be reassuring - he will learn to trust you.

So move the cage away from the window? I was told by a bird owner that the parrot would benefit from being by natural sunlight.

I ate dinner right next to his cage last night. He is still agitated but I will keep doing this and hopefully see some improvement. He bit me last night. I was hand feeding him an apple. He seemed to be enjoying it but chose my finger instead of that apple at one point.

[sofie2meg]

hi

i also bought a bird recently but she attacked all of us, we went to fast for her, so i sat with her as often as possible had my food next to her cage talked very quiet to her offered my food and then came the time to let her out, i opened her cage and let her come out on her own so she didn't feel threatened with the hand going into her cage, and she let me pick her up very gently and she is fine with all the family now, everyone had to sit and talk to her all the time when they came into the room and she has excepted everyone now, it is so lovely when you gain there trust it is really rewarding, i hope everything goes well for you also, you will get there it is really worth the energy and time that you put in.

[leelf1]

My first thought was also to move your bird's cage away from the window. It will feel vulnerable if it is in full view. Do you have somewhere nearby where the bird can look outside but still feel protected by a wall or a partial covering on its cage?

The fact that you are handfeeding is already a step in the right direction in terms of interaction. (Too bad about the bite though!) Do take things slowly --- building trust takes time! Good luck!!!

[sadisticotaku]

You could try stick training to build trust too. Slowly put a stick through the bars next to the bird, and if he touches it with his beak, click w/ a dog clicker, and give him a treat/sunflower seed. Do it a couple times, until it associates touching the stick w/ the beak, and you'll be able to lure him out of the cage after a couple days (if everything goes smoothly!)

[RubyMuse]

Originally Posted by redbellied

So move the cage away from the window? I was told by a bird owner that the parrot would benefit from being by natural sunlight.

I ate dinner right next to his cage last night. He is still agitated but I will keep doing this and hopefully see some improvement. He bit me last night. I was hand feeding him an apple. He seemed to be enjoying it but chose my finger instead of that apple at one point.

I know, birds do benefit from sunlight but in this case you first need to help this bird build comfort and avoid a fear response at all costs. Hypervigilance is what occurs in birds that can not "hide" or camoflage as they would in the wild. An exposed bird would be a dead bird in short order. The bird trys to watch in a 360 degree area everything going on and this can be exhausting. Also, a single bird will experience this because they do not have the saftey of a flock to warn them and help them watch for danger in all directions.

So with a fearful animal it is advisable to let them do what comes naturally aka: gaining height and having a closed off side of the cage that they can back up to and look out from with no danger of something unseen behind them. You will reduce the anxiety considerably by doing this - if it is too hard to move then you can drape a sheet over the back half and this will help the bird feel safe.

Besides, sunlight through windows is minimal - it does not really allow for the kind that is useful anyway.

Regarding the biting - back up one step to simply placing apple in a bowl each night and backing up. Once the bird relaxes, progress to hand feeding. The bite signals the steps occurred too rapidly. You are on the right track, though.

[Jag]

I am currently working with a pair of bonded males that I took in as re-homes 20 days ago today. They were SUPER aggressive when I first brought them home. They would lunge, attack, and run off... they would scream non-stop just at the sight of me. I had them in a bedroom (empty for the time), where they could just 'be'... and I went in several times a day. Each time I went in, I brought treats. I would talk softly to them even though they were screaming. I dropped the treats into their bowl, and sat several feet away, talking softly for about 2 minutes at a time to begin with. I watched their body language... watched for the 'puffing up' and the shaking to decrease. Papi would do this very rapid side to side movement that was just raw aggression. He would always step in front of Angel, and push Angel further away from me. I gradually increased the amount of time that I sat with them.

When they started to calm a little, I then offered them a treat (that was longer... like a french fry cut apple piece) so they didn't have to come very close to take it. I did not open their cage door... I just put it through the bars. They would stretch out as far as they could... snatch it, and run back to where they were. Eventually they stopped screaming at the sight of me, and realized that I always gave them treats. Tonight, they actually ate out of my hand for the first time! (open palm)

Take it very slow. No reason to rush...my boys have made a HUGE amount of progress in 20 days!! I keep the cover for their cage to the very back... and if they get over stimulated or whatever I just cover part of the cage.. and they calm right down. I then uncover that part again, and we start new. So far I have only let them come out twice. Reason is they are terrified of my using a dowel to have them step up, and they are also afraid of hands. I'd rather they didn't come out as much yet than to be traumatized by the process of returning them to their cage. I simply got them a bigger cage! Good luck!!