Hello and congrats on your new baby. What a BEAUTIFUL boy? If only they bred cool colors down here. I don't trust the shipping and the prices are out of control! Anyways just warning you now, this is going to be a long post. I got my male IRN Kiwi about 6 months ago. He was 7 months old. (Now 1 year, 1 month) He is a normal green and starting to get a shadow ring! I have never owned a larger parrot and was warned a million times about IRN's as first big birds. My first thought was GCC and I had one all picked out from a breeder nearby, sadly they sold before I got my housemates to agree to another bird. I had always wanted an IRN but thought they were very complicated birds, too complicating for my liking. But when I saw a couple young IRN's and a sun conure in need of help, I decided to help out and take one of the little green boys. Kiwi is the fastest learner I have ever met. Although he hated skin for the longest time, usually I can get him to step up onto fingers without complications. In the beginning he was a bit of a disappointment for my high standards. His previous owner had lied, he was not hand tamed, no wings clipped (not that I wanted them clipped) and may have been abused in his past. He bit me with a vengeance but once I earned his trust he was a charm, and easy to train. It has been a mere 6 months and he steps up, takes treats gently, hangs upside down, lays on his back (if he is on a bed) and gives me loving kisses. If I am in the room, he won't leave my side. He loves to please and will go to anyone, with some coaxing. I have had the best experiences with him. Now he does have his problems, such as screaming all day if I want to take my other birds out. I now have to cover him when they are out, which I hate to do but it is a must. He has never liked my other birds and nips and scares them every time I have tried to get them together. I suggest that you read the good, the bad, and the ugly about IRN's. I would love to chat more especially once you get your baby. Feel free to message me with questions or just to chat about the birds.
~Sophia~