Hi group;
I am new here, my name is Denice and I recently purchased "Moto" an African Ringneck from the Finch Farm. The folks at the Finch Farm recommended your forum.
Moto is 6 months old, and was not hand raised. We have had him here about 3 weeks. He is very skittish and nervous. We are taking things very slow with him. I say "he" but I am not sure of his sex yet.
I have had a green cheek conure and a parakeet in the past, both were hand tame and sweet birds. But they were hand raised, so this is all new to me with basically a wild bird.
I will tell you about what we are doing and if you think I need to tweek something please feel free to advise.
We have him in a Prevue cage that is: 31-Inch long, 20-1/2-inch wide, 53-inch high with 1/2-inch wire spacing. He has toys, dishes and several different size perches, he prefers a wood branch and his large rope hoop.
He is against a wall on one side and gets direct sun from a nearby window. I feed him the parakeet seed that Finch Farm was giving him mixed with Tops small pellets, he also gets once a day kale, with some fresh herbs ( thyme or oregano which I grow) and either sweet potato (cooked) apple, and or pear. He loves his sweet potato and fruit, and he is eating his pellets and seeds and pretty much cleaning them up daily. So far he mainly plays with the kale and herbs, but he might be tasting them I find bits on the bottom of his cage. Every other day weather permitting (we are in Florida) I roll his cage outside so he can get some fresh air and sun while I clean his cage pan. If it is at least 80 degrees I spritz him with warm water so he can get a bath, I keep the mist very fine and let him dry in the sun. His bed time is 8pm every night and I cover his cage and keep the room dark and quiet. I uncover him at 7:30 to 8am every morning. I am retired and home all day so I talk to him on and off throughout the day. I put my palm on the outside of the cage and talk gently but he scurries to the other side of the cage. I have also tried placing my hand very still near where I put his food dishes and just leaving it there still for 5 minutes or so making no effort to touch him.
He is eating well but not in front of me, he waits for me to leave the room, I have observed him from a distance around the corner eating though.
I should mention that when he arrived in his shipping box I had to gently cup him take him out with my hands to get him to the cage it was the only way, I hope that did not traumatize him too much.
Well thank you for letting me join and I go do some reading on here.
I am new here, my name is Denice and I recently purchased "Moto" an African Ringneck from the Finch Farm. The folks at the Finch Farm recommended your forum.
Moto is 6 months old, and was not hand raised. We have had him here about 3 weeks. He is very skittish and nervous. We are taking things very slow with him. I say "he" but I am not sure of his sex yet.
I have had a green cheek conure and a parakeet in the past, both were hand tame and sweet birds. But they were hand raised, so this is all new to me with basically a wild bird.
I will tell you about what we are doing and if you think I need to tweek something please feel free to advise.
We have him in a Prevue cage that is: 31-Inch long, 20-1/2-inch wide, 53-inch high with 1/2-inch wire spacing. He has toys, dishes and several different size perches, he prefers a wood branch and his large rope hoop.
He is against a wall on one side and gets direct sun from a nearby window. I feed him the parakeet seed that Finch Farm was giving him mixed with Tops small pellets, he also gets once a day kale, with some fresh herbs ( thyme or oregano which I grow) and either sweet potato (cooked) apple, and or pear. He loves his sweet potato and fruit, and he is eating his pellets and seeds and pretty much cleaning them up daily. So far he mainly plays with the kale and herbs, but he might be tasting them I find bits on the bottom of his cage. Every other day weather permitting (we are in Florida) I roll his cage outside so he can get some fresh air and sun while I clean his cage pan. If it is at least 80 degrees I spritz him with warm water so he can get a bath, I keep the mist very fine and let him dry in the sun. His bed time is 8pm every night and I cover his cage and keep the room dark and quiet. I uncover him at 7:30 to 8am every morning. I am retired and home all day so I talk to him on and off throughout the day. I put my palm on the outside of the cage and talk gently but he scurries to the other side of the cage. I have also tried placing my hand very still near where I put his food dishes and just leaving it there still for 5 minutes or so making no effort to touch him.
He is eating well but not in front of me, he waits for me to leave the room, I have observed him from a distance around the corner eating though.
I should mention that when he arrived in his shipping box I had to gently cup him take him out with my hands to get him to the cage it was the only way, I hope that did not traumatize him too much.
Well thank you for letting me join and I go do some reading on here.
