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I Need help with my IRN not leaving the cage.

cookie1211

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I have a 5 month old IndianRingneck, but it just won't leave the cage. Threats' get the bird to step up on my hand in the cage here and then so I can put him inside, but if I don't have a treat or anything to distract it and stick my hand in the cage and ask it to step up it will try to lunges at my fingers. But once i take bird inside the house, it acts normal follows all commands when told to such as step up, wave ETC. The bird was never like this, this has been going on for almost 2 weeks now. I also can't leave the cage open and wait for the bird to come out because the cage is outside and it is quite a big cage to move from one place to another. Nothing has changed in the environment, same food same toys same cage. Please help.
 

Tiel Feathers

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Can you try target training while he is in the cage? Then, once the bird knows how to target, you can try to get him to target to a perch or platform right outside the door. Then maybe you can get him to target to your arm so you can bring him inside.
 

BeeBop

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How long have you had him? Is it possible he is hormonal?
 

BeeBop

Sprinting down the street
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So about 3 months? Has he always been this way or is this new?
 

BeeBop

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Parrots bite because they feel afraid and/or threatened. Make sure when you approach the cage and talks to the bird that you do so calmly. No sudden movements. It seems like you need to earn your parrots trust, which can take time. Don't force them onto your hand as this will brake any trust already established. If using treats is what works then use treats. Put some treats in your hand and just leave your hand in the cage until they relax and come onto your hand. Do this everyday multiple times a day. Then start just putting your hand in. Likely they will see your hand as a reward. When they come to your hand, then offer them the treat. Gradually day by day slowly start taking your hand out of the cage and reward them if they stay on your hand. Remember this is a gradual process. Eventually you will earn their trust building on small excercies like this. You might have to start from the beginning a few times, but keep trying because it takes time to earn a parrots trust.
 

cookie1211

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
2/17/17
Messages
17
Parrots bite because they feel afraid and/or threatened. Make sure when you approach the cage and talks to the bird that you do so calmly. No sudden movements. It seems like you need to earn your parrots trust, which can take time. Don't force them onto your hand as this will brake any trust already established. If using treats is what works then use treats. Put some treats in your hand and just leave your hand in the cage until they relax and come onto your hand. Do this everyday multiple times a day. Then start just putting your hand in. Likely they will see your hand as a reward. When they come to your hand, then offer them the treat. Gradually day by day slowly start taking your hand out of the cage and reward them if they stay on your hand. Remember this is a gradual process. Eventually you will earn their trust building on small excercies like this. You might have to start from the beginning a few times, but keep trying because it takes time to earn a parrots trust.
Can you try target training while he is in the cage? Then, once the bird knows how to target, you can try to get him to target to a perch or platform right outside the door. Then maybe you can get him to target to your arm so you can bring him inside.
My IRN and I have made lots of progress today. I did get a few bites here and there at the beginning, but after not reacting not so every it gave up on biting. I used a whole apple as the treat which made it want to take a bite out of the apple because my IRN loves apples. I kept the apple at a distance and my hand near its perch and it stepped up in the cage when told to which was amazing. I used lots of positive reinforcement when the bird stepped up within the cage, the bird is good with stepping up and all that within the house, but within the cage its scared but I think it has overcome the fear of leaving the cage and having my hands near its cage. At the moment my bird is doing well with leaving the cage and stepping up in the cage which is a huge improvement compared to past few weeks.
 
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Monica

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Getting bitten, then not reacting to the bites, is not positive reinforcement training. Please make sure you aren't teaching learned helplessness... that is, regardless of the outcome, the parrot has no choice in the matter.
 
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