Irn support.

[cookie1211]

I have an Indian ringneck which is around 5 months old, i have had it since it was 2 months It used to step and and not be afraid of my hand but I gave the parrot a bath and it won't step up any more. When I ask it to step up it will attack from the cage. But if I offer it seedtreats or the pellets it eats, it will eat it out of my hand but still won't step up. It was stepping up 30 minutes before I gave it the bath. PLEASE HELP ME.

 

[cookie1211]

I got him out the cage somehow but he acted fine, once i put him back in the cage he went ballistic. He started to attack my fingers, wont step up or listen to what i say. May this be the bluffing stage?. If so how do i go through it? Not sure about the gender of the bird.

 

[WallyLoopey]

I'm just guessing he didn't like the bath. Did he seem to enjoy it?
Some birds won't step up from in their cage. Let him come out on his own first and then try to get him to step up. If he doesn't, just walk away. When he does step up, make a big deal about it and offer him treats.
Don't act scared..
Also, think about what happens when you put him in the cage...do you walk away? What's the bird left to do?
Make sure when you put him in he has something to do..good food he enjoys or a favorite toy. You want him to see the cage as a positive thing, not 'oh, he's putting me in and leaving me all alone now.'
I personally don't leave food in the birds cages all day. They get veggies/chop a few times a day, nuts directly from my hand, and once they go into their cages in the late afternoon they get pellets/dry mix.

Don't worry so much-even the tamest most friendly birds have days where they nip and don't want to come out. Just don't force it.

 

[Monica]

Contrary to popular belief, parrots *DO NOT* bluff. I would recommend removing the term "bluffing" from your repertoire.

Barbara's Force Free Animal Training Talk: Do Animals Bluff?



How do you ask your IRN to step up?

How do you remove him from the cage?

How did you give him a bath?

 

[cookie1211]

How do you ask your IRN to step up?
Just put my hand in the cage and ask the bird to step up

How do you remove him from the cage?
Just softly put my hand behind the bird while it is still stepped up

How did you give him a bath?
I put the bird on the sink but the bird flew away so I put the bird back again, it flew away I put the bird there for the last time and it flew again so when I put the bird back in the cage it started to bite and lunging at me.

 

[Monica]

When you put your hand in the cage, does he step up willingly?


I can see how you lost trust in your bird due to trying to bath him. Birds should want to bathe willingly, not be forced into it. You should give your bird some rest and start back at square one.

 

[cookie1211]

When you put your hand in the cage, does he step up willingly?

I am slowly getting closer, my IRN loves apples i mean the bird loves them so much i have been giving the bird a long piece of the apple to distract it then i put my finger under it and say step up, this makes it harder for it to bite me because it will not drop the apples from its mouth no matter what, it gets up and i put it inside the house. Once it goes in the house it acts normal. It waves when told to it steps up and other tricks, but once it goes in its cage it changes don't know why.

 

[Monica]

Rather than putting your finger under him, why not ask him to step up on his own and if he doesn't, leave him be and try again later? If he wants to step up, then offer him the apple for making any progress towards stepping up on his own.


Here is an example of teaching a parrot to step up without putting your hand underneath them. No force is involved.

 

[cookie1211]

Thanks for the help.