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New parrotlet

finchly

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An HOUR! You have much patience, my friend! Good job.

I also held my hand in my little boy’s cage today. Probably for at least 2 minutes! HAHAHA. But he’s not even interested in millet. Maybe he would try a banana. That’s a thought.

He did step up a few minutes later. And we were able to have a nice time together.
 

Kampy

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I got Gracey to sit in my hand and eat again today. I am going to try only hand feeding him. I’ll make sure to do it numerous times a day to be sure he has enough. I want him to associate my hand with good things. My plan is that hopefully by the end of the week I will be able to have both hands in the cage and still have him be comfortable. Then to see if I can get him to step up. Does this sound like a good plan? Doable?
 

finchly

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Great plan! Ambitious... but I think it'll work. Could you maybe modify a little, put the food in if you're leaving the house or at bedtime, just in case he needs more?

About him stepping up, maybe you could put a perch on the door (If you said what your cage looks like, I forgot) and see if he'll step on that. Or step onto the threshhold of the door if it's a slide-up door. Then offer your finger or hand for a step-up. Does that make sense?

The reason I'm suggesting that is later when he is a typical bitey p'let and territorial of his cage, he will already know to step up outside it. Maybe you were going to transition. :D I don't know.
 

fashionfobie

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Neptune has a short perch on the door of his cage. When it is open he will fly there for scritches :)

A threshold is a great idea!
 

Kampy

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Yes, thank you. I will definitely put more food in his dish after he has eaten from my hand. I wish I knew more. Th person who gave him to me, and has 4 birds of his own, keeps telling me I have to handle Gracey. That I should be holding him every day so he gets used to me. But I don’t ever want to grab him again. So trying to hand feed him seemed more gentle to me. His cage door opens out and down. So would I put a perch from the door to the opposite side of the cage? I am so new to this. I want to have a sweet relationship with him based on mutual trust. So I am open to all your advice! Thank you!
 

fashionfobie

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I will send you a picture of Neptune's set-up in a little bit. Only 5:56 am here so waiting for him to wake up :)
 

finchly

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@Kampy I understand your confusion, the breeder is saying one thing and we are saying another. So you have to decide your way. It sounds like you've selected the gentle way :cantwait:it is slower but you and your bird will be happier in the long run.

I'd had 2 parrotlets before Skittles, and knew they could be nervous if not handled well, and I really wanted a tame one (mine were very tame). So I paid a TON for him because he was "hand fed and tame". When I met the people, the lady kind of grabbed him but we were all crammed in the back of their van - very weird - and he did crawl on her and things. I took him but not on my finger, she had me cup my hands around him and when I loosened up he flew back to her. So I thought okay he's nervous, we're all nervous, it'll be okay.
He is still afraid of hands. That my friend is because she grabbed/held him. They are still all over the Internet advertising their hand tame birds and maybe some are but you can't prove it by me.

It sounds like your cage door drops downward? So you'd put a perch on the outside, over to the side - and your bird would climb out and onto it and step up from there. Am I making this all too complicated? LOL I like for mine to feel like they have a choice. Come out on your perch, and you get scritches and treats.
 

fashionfobie

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Please forgive the sloppiness of these photos, but it gives you the idea. This was saying good morning to my little blue pear today :)

IMG_6332.JPG IMG_6333.JPG IMG_6335.JPG
 

Kampy

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Oh I see... the perch goes on the OUTside of the cage. Thank you for the pix! Yikes, Gracey has never been outside his cage. Is that awful? It will be two weeks tomorrow that I have him. f I do let him out... how will I ever get him back in?

And no, you are not making it complicated at all! Yes for sure I definitely want to use the gentle way with Gracey. It fits my personality and his too. The two parrotlets you had before Skittles, how did you get them to be tame? It’s reassuring to have you say it’s ok to go the slow, gentle route as I am being led to believe by the breeder that I am missing my opportunity to have a tame bird I can play with. If I ever get to hold him, and I hope I do, I want it to be on his terms. I want him to be with me feeling safe. To have him hop onto my hand to eat is the most delicious feeling!!
 

Big Laar

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i was gifted with a beautiful 8 week old pacific parrotlet. I have been reading everything I can to learn about her care and to be sure I am a good mama to her. Sadly, I was told by a bird owner to handle her right away. To reach in and grab her. I should have listened to my gut as it didn’t feel right. It is did it twice. It felt so awful to me so I knew it felt worse to her. A week has gone by and I have been sitting near her cage, singing to her, calmly talking to her. She seems a little less startled now when I change the paper on the bottom of her cage. I have read to let her trust my hand. I pray I can do that. Poor little thing. Today she let me change the paper in her cage and she just watched so I’m hoping we are on a better track now. I’ve only had her a week but I love her already. I got her a cuddle bone and a rope perch. I only put the cuddle bone in for now as I didn’t want to startle her with two new things in her cage. If you are able to guide me to where she will sit on my finger and shoulder I would be so happy. I know it will take a while but I will give her all the time she needs. Thank you in advance for all your help.
 

fashionfobie

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Oh I see... the perch goes on the OUTside of the cage. Thank you for the pix! Yikes, Gracey has never been outside his cage. Is that awful? It will be two weeks tomorrow that I have him. f I do let him out... how will I ever get him back in?
The perch is in the cage when the door is closed so he can be comfortable with it. When the cage is open it is at the outside of the cage. It becomes a very welcome area for him to fly to to interact with me. Warning:: You must always use caution closing the door, parrotlets are easy to accidentally crush if you rush anything.

Gracey should return to the cage on his own. Bird proof the room and let him out in the morning before breakfast or in the even before bed. He will naturally return for food or rest. Also you may find it easier interacting with him out of the cage. He will learn you are the treat provider. Sometimes birds are more worrisome in their cage because it is their space. They can be territorial of it and can also be more fearful of a hand reaching in to the space..a sort of trapped feeling. When Gracey has the opprotunity to adventure and fly to you, he has more control to do it on his terms. This will help his confidence.

I know it seems like a far off dream when you want to bond, but have patience. It will come and when Neptune first flew to me on his own I felt such an amazing warmth and joy. He decided to hang out with me. It was awesome! It took him a little more than a month to fly to me in this way. Ever since that moment we became fast friends. :)
 

finchly

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The two parrotlets you had before Skittles, how did you get them to be tame?
They were tame when I got them!

I’m doing the slow route with 2 budgies right now. Putting my hand in the cage was too scary, so now they eat millet through the bars. To be babies, they are REALLY nervous of people. And I do sort of feel like I am losing some good cuddle time, but I want them to make the decision to like me.

Skittles’ cage mate is Sunshine, and she is people crazy. (I think she believes she’s a person) So when I open the door she comes right out and gets on me. So Skittles does too, usually on my head. I let him fly around as he wants to. He lands on my head or shoulder usually. Because Sunshine likes to eat things from my hands, he is accepting them too. :) It’s all a process, but very rewarding!
 

Kampy

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I can’t thank you both enough for all this advice. Perhaps it is time to see if Gracey wants to come out of his cage. What you are saying all makes sense. I’ll get a perch on the outside of his cage too. I will get some millet and maybe have that be his special treat. Or maybe I shouldn’t feed him outside the cage?? I’ll start to bird proof a room tomorrow. I’m excited and Nervous all at the same time...
 

Kampy

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Gracy is sitting on his perch with his feathers puffed. He is chirping softly so I believe all is well. But I read that puffed feathers can indicate sickness. Just want to be sure he is ok. Are there other signs of sickness I should look for? He ate breakfast and drank water. So fingers crossed I am just being over protective
 

Beasley

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With puffed up feathers and happy chirps it’s likely he’s contented, these are my little happy poofs

67B43B4E-818B-4A5F-A219-5F35D5FE17B7.jpeg

If they’re listless and fluffed up that’s cause for concern.
 

Beasley

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Maus (the blue one) puffs up and happily chatters to himself quietly while he naps during the day.
 
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