Hi all. I have just purchased an IRN, Sky, from a private seller about a week and a bit ago. The seller assured me he had been hand reared and was friendly and tame. He is a sweet bird, but I think he is stressed / depressed. I took him to the vet a few days after I collected him and he was put on antibiotics for a very bad bacterial infection in his mouth. I have had to give home oral antibiotics for a week. He hates me now. This has not been a good start to our relationship and I really want him to trust me. His previous owners did not handle him, just opened the cage door in the morning, and he just went in and out when he liked. Is it too soon after his move to attempt training him? I have had experience with a friends IRN fledglings and loved it, but as I don't know how old Sky really is, will training him be more difficult? He steps up and down and gives kisses, unless he is Mr Cranky Pants, then he nips and bites. Any advice is appreciated. Please help.
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- Thread starter Tbear56
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- Shannan
Sounds like your new friend needs some time to adjust. He probably hasn't been feeling great due to his infection and all this new is likely adding to his stress. Be patient with Sky and yourself. Your relationship will grow over time. In the meantime spend a lot of time observing and getting to know his habits, likes and dislikes, routines, preferences in food, toys, etc. You can use that to your advantage as your relationship develops. Congratulations on a very pretty bird.
Thank you Shannan. He is gorgeous and I already feel very connected to him. When he is calm, he does step up / down and gives kisses. I do give him some out of cage time, which I think he likes, but if I go near the cage when he is on it, he flies off. Today he flew into my screen door trying to escape. He goes back in when he wants, but I am concerned that he is fiercely I dependant and will not bond with me. I watch him all the time and have concluded that he is a bit of a wierdo, which I totally identify with lol he does this circular swaying thing with one of his hanging toys, and then lunges and strikes at it. His pupils expand and contract the whole time, and at first I thought he had a neurological problem that was affecting his balance and vision focus. Does your bird do wierd stuff like that?
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Yes, Walter loves to fling his hanging toys and then try to dodge them. He also flings them around and then places his head so that the toy rubs against his head. (giving himself head scratches). My bird has mellowed over the year (He is almost 39 years old) but in his youth he was quite adventurous. As far as him flying off, see if you can figure out how close you can get without him leaving and then hang there and see if eventually curiosity gets the better of him and he approaches you. The more interesting things you do (like play with bird toys, eat yummy foods, drink, etc. the more he will want to approach. He will get there and the good news is that you likely have a long time to get there. Don't worry about the age. I have trained both old birds and youngsters and they all mostly get there. Being independent likely will mean that he will gain confidence easier and like cats, being independent does not mean that the won't DEMAND your attention, just likely on their terms. I think the independent ones are fun because you never know what mischief they will be into. Enjoy the ride!
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You will do great! Babies are cuddly but they are a handful. Once Sky gets to know you he may become very cuddly too. I have a Timneh African Gray. I have had him since he was about 1 years old so I am the only owner he has known since he was a youngster at a pet store. I have had a few other parrots that have come and gone but Walter and I have been together through thick and thin. When I first got him I knew nothing. I had raised a starling and that was my total experience with birds. We both learned as we went along. Here on the forum you have so many great people to provide you with advice and experience. I think for me the biggest fear has been giving him something to eat that is bad for him and not noticing when he is sick. ( I almost lost him about 2 years ago) but I also think overall I am very relaxed about him now and am confident in my abilities to meet his needs. (especially now that I have a good avian vet).
Thanks Shannan. This is very encouraging news and I feel better about mine and sky's future together. I considered an African grey because of their extensive vocab. IRN's have good verbal skills, and Sky is chatty, but my bird talk interpreter seems broken and I don't understand a word. He seems to mutter alot (like an old Jewish grandma) and I find that endearing, and when he is hanging upside down with his 'wot you lookin at' face. Its also amusing watching him do his boxer move (the circling sway and strike). I have ordered a xylophone toy for him and can't wait to see if he learns to play it I'm sure I'll post if he does. Thank you for chatting and telling me about Walter. He sounds amazing.
Hey Shannan, just thought you'd enjoy this chuckle. I was describing my ringnecks funny behaviour to my neighbour; she breeds ringnecks and has a soul mate lutino Baby; and she told me it is his sexy dance. I did some reading about male displays, and apparently my boy is 'displaying' at his toys, his feeders, his calcium perch...... even the outside corner of his cage when he's out for flight time. It's hilarious how elaborate the whole dance is. I think he's even started to imitate my laugh because he's hearing it so often due to his weirdo behaviour. I can't seem to capture the dance because, as soon as I move to get closer, he stops and moves away from my approach *sigh*. Hope this brightens your day a tiny bit. Theresa
