Stronger bond if hand-raised as babies?

[akijoy]

I read everywhere that a bird that is older (even 6 months) will bond to you just as closely as one that you raise from 6 weeks. Most breeders won't let you take an unweaned bird.

But in my experience, I have seen a drastic difference between the bonding of a bird I've raised from 6 weeks to one raised from 6 months. For example, I never had to "teach" recall with the babies I've raised. It was just a given, and food was never used. There's a closeness there that can't be denied. The older birds are very tame, and come when called and all, but the intensity of the relationship is definitely different.

What''s been your experience?

 

[chompie_puppy]

The only bird I've handraised to adulthood has been a Swallow, not a parrot. However, we did have a very close bond and recall training was also a given, not something that was taught.

Then again, I got Dende when he was about 12 weeks old and I didn't even give him comfort feedings (if only I knew!).

He has bonded with me completely. He is my little shadow. Recall training was also a given with him. I just adore this little cheeky butt!

I got Clopin when she was almost 2 years old. It has taken a really, really long time to earn her trust, but now that I have it we share an incredible bond! I almost feel like it is even more precious than a "baby bond" because I had to work so hard for it. She will also fly to me and seek me out whenever she can.

So I guess I have not really seen a big difference between getting a bird before it was weaned or when it was older. Except, of course, it takes more effort and time to create a bond with an older bird. Once you have it though, it is like they have always been there for you and I've not really seen a difference in the intensity of a bond between the two.

 

[love4birds]

I think that one really depends on the bird.

In my understanding, young birds often don't stick around the parents much after maturity (of course this would depend on the species, too).

So the bird could grow up always seeing you as the "parent" and, well, dumping you some day (possibly), or the bird's relationship with you could change and he could see you as a flockmate or mate (as with any bird).

My only experience with keeping a baby that I've raised is with Monkee, my sister's pearly conure who is almost two years old now. Pretty much right after she weaned, she stopped liking me. She went from a cuddly little girl who would let me scritch her and play with her, to a bird who absolutely hates me. Granted, the fact that I've had to medicate her for a recurring yeast infection could play a part in that, but she strongly disliked me far before the medicating.

As for other babies I've raised and still see from time to time (but not on a regular basis like my birds), they're all different. Nalani the female lutino IRN sees me as her mate and dislikes everyone else. She is three years old and still hasn't found a home because of this But she has always been kind of odd, even from a young baby. Magellan the jenday conure always recognizes me, but seems indifferent. Luce, Nalani's big brother, is the same as Magellan. Before he passed away, Shorty the lovie always favoured me when he saw me and was like velcro

 

[Birdiemarie]

Very interesting thread. I don't feel the age bonding begins really makes a difference from everything I've read and people I've spoken with. Hormonal changes can delete a bond with some birds that were raised and nurtured by the one owner. Then there are the stories of rehomed birds who have bonded very closely to their new parront contrary to their non-bonding with their previous owners who were also very loving and attentive. I adopted Ruby when she was one year's old and we have a very close bond even after the hormones hit. There are many stories of disappointed owners who raised their fid from a young age to have it turn away from them and attach themselves to their spouse or someone else in the family even when the family member did not actively try to bond with it. I think it's entirely up to the individual bird and not what age it was when the parront began to bond.

 

[Holiday]

Very interesting thread. I don't feel the age bonding begins really makes a difference from everything I've read and people I've spoken with. Hormonal changes can delete a bond with some birds that were raised and nurtured by the one owner. Then there are the stories of rehomed birds who have bonded very closely to their new parront contrary to their non-bonding with their previous owners who were also very loving and attentive. I adopted Ruby when she was one year's old and we have a very close bond even after the hormones hit. There are many stories of disappointed owners who raised their fid from a young age to have it turn away from them and attach themselves to their spouse or someone else in the family even when the family member did not actively try to bond with it. I think it's entirely up to the individual bird and not what age it was when the parront began to bond.

Totally agree. It's all about the bird and the owner. I don't see a big difference between my bond with Max, whom I got as a baby, and my bond with Elvis, who was five years old and a hormonal rehome when I got her.

I never had to "teach" recall with the babies I've raised. It was just a given, and food was never used. There's a closeness there that can't be denied. The older birds are very tame, and come when called and all, but the intensity of the relationship is definitely different.

What''s been your experience?

I do use food for training, but that is separate from the bond I have with the birds. It would be sad indeed if Max said "I love you" because he wanted a pine nut. He doesn't. And Elvis doesn't yell "C'mere, c'mere!!" because she wants her dish filled either. There's a bond, but there is also a method to show them what is preferred behavior. I see those as separate issues. But, I do think it's easier to build an emotional bond with a rehome if the bird knows what to expect, and positive reinforcement training is a valuable method to show them this. They are bewildered and scared when they come into your home. Teaching them with food and treats doesn't taint your relationship; it builds trust and a stable routine that soothes the bird and allows it to start to feel good feelings toward you. I don't think that makes the relationship "less" though. Like most macaws, my Elvis wears her heart on her sleeve, and it's a big, beautiful heart, full of love.

 

[Birdasaurus]

I've never raised a baby, but we did get Honu as soon as he was weaned and we didn't have to work hard at all for a relationship with him. However, Tango and Cosmo both have a really strong bond with me and my husband respectively, and they are both rehomes, one at 6 years old and the other at 2. We had to work much harder at that and be more patient, but the bond is still there. I think Tango and I actually have the strongest bond out of all.

 

[Renae]

I have a strong bond with a Cockatiel that was raised by her parents and kept in an aviary. It took a lot of work to get her comfortable with me and being handled, but she's really tame now compared to when I first got her, she was youngish when she was bought, but she was still very skittish and "wild". That aside, she's a dear little girl that I feel to have a very good and strong bond with, you wouldn't think now that she was a parent-raised bird - she loves cuddles, scratches, sitting on my shoulder and being close by.

I'm working with another Cockatiel that's an adult, he's parent-raised and one of the wildest birds I have (more wild then Leo was) I'm able to touch his crest and touch his beak without him 'crying' and hissing, we haven't got that bond yet, but with time, I'm hoping that might change, I'd love for him to be able to be comfortable around me.

As for hand-raised babies, I've hand-raised many baby birds, 3 baby Cockatiels for example, all 3 I formed, and still have a strong bond with, but I think that strong bond is no stronger then the bond I have with Leo who I didn't even hand-raise.

I think a bird that hasn't been hand-raised can still be just as tame as a bird that has been hand-raised, a lot of birds that haven't been hand-raised are left behind because people think a bird that's not been hand-raised will never become a "tame" bird when in fact that's false, if you're willing to work with the bird and have the time and patience to help the bird form a bond with you and become tame, it CAN happen.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Although the "bond" from a 6week old baby and a 12 month old baby is no different if they are truly bonded to you. I however have to say that if you handraise them at a younger age you can teach them behaviors like recall training (because it coensides with fledging) and handfeed it great and get it onto a great diet early on.

Bokka my 15 y.o male U2 is STRONGLY bonded to me, STRONGLY. And I never handraised him, infact he is a rescue.

Gra my scarlet macaw, when I got her at 1.5 months of age, it took a while(1 week), but she quickly bonded very very closely to me (however she was social birdie) like as though I handraised her as a baby.

And you have to remember that even if you handraise them at a young age they can TURN on you once sexual maturity occurs, or hormones.

WITH THIS SAID. Even if you did NOT handraise your bird, COMFORT FEEDINGS help you bond with a bird like as though its a baby, no matter what the age. It can be a neonatal baby needing to be handfed or a 20+y.o rescue bird. Comfort feedings WIN them over!!!!

 

[Saemma]

Maybe it depends on the temperment of the species or the individual parrot. I have a much "stronger" bond with Emma than I do Sachi. Emma is more needy, Sachi is more aloof. I met them both at 10 weeks old. Sachi was also my ONLY parrot for 15 months. Sachi and I are still very close, yet she is more reserved than Emma and doesn't necessarily want the same type of closeness either. Jme

 

[Patrick]

I've never raised a baby bird. All of mine were grown when I got them. However, Emma(who was 12 when I got her, now 14) and I have a very close bond. Maybe it's because I put the time into earning her trust but I don't think our relationship can get any closer.

 

[myakando]

I think that one really depends on the bird.

In my understanding, young birds often don't stick around the parents much after maturity (of course this would depend on the species, too).

So the bird could grow up always seeing you as the "parent" and, well, dumping you some day (possibly), or the bird's relationship with you could change and he could see you as a flockmate or mate (as with any bird).

My only experience with keeping a baby that I've raised is with Monkee, my sister's pearly conure who is almost two years old now. Pretty much right after she weaned, she stopped liking me. She went from a cuddly little girl who would let me scritch her and play with her, to a bird who absolutely hates me. Granted, the fact that I've had to medicate her for a recurring yeast infection could play a part in that, but she strongly disliked me far before the medicating.

As for other babies I've raised and still see from time to time (but not on a regular basis like my birds), they're all different. Nalani the female lutino IRN sees me as her mate and dislikes everyone else. She is three years old and still hasn't found a home because of this But she has always been kind of odd, even from a young baby. Magellan the jenday conure always recognizes me, but seems indifferent. Luce, Nalani's big brother, is the same as Magellan. Before he passed away, Shorty the lovie always favoured me when he saw me and was like velcro

I've always thought that if one raised a baby from a hatchling, it would form a stronger bond with its human, however, in investigating this issue further, I've come across a few articles that state that a baby will grow to greatly dislike its human caregiver and bond with another family member, or worse, if the human is single, it will just hate the human all together and thus become a bird that cannot be touched by the caretaker at all. If you think about it, it kinda makes sense. Birds in the wild are not going to stick around the parents all of his/her life. It will eventually 'branch out' in search for its own mate/family. I guess every species and individual is different of course but if I were to get a baby, I definitely wouldn't want to be the one rearing it right from the get go. With my luck, it would probably grow up and begin to plot ways to get 'rid' of me this is my personal opinion anyway

 

[KimKimWilliamson]

Although the "bond" from a 6week old baby and a 12 month old baby is no different if they are truly bonded to you. I however have to say that if you handraise them at a younger age you can teach them behaviors like recall training (because it coensides with fledging) and handfeed it great and get it onto a great diet early on.

Bokka my 15 y.o male U2 is STRONGLY bonded to me, STRONGLY. And I never handraised him, infact he is a rescue.

Gra my scarlet macaw, when I got her at 1.5 months of age, it took a while(1 week), but she quickly bonded very very closely to me (however she was social birdie) like as though I handraised her as a baby.

And you have to remember that even if you handraise them at a young age they can TURN on you once sexual maturity occurs, or hormones.

WITH THIS SAID. Even if you did NOT handraise your bird, COMFORT FEEDINGS help you bond with a bird like as though its a baby, no matter what the age. It can be a neonatal baby needing to be handfed or a 20+y.o rescue bird. Comfort feedings WIN them over!!!!

Id love to hear more about these "Comfort Feedings" you all speak of. (Not to highjack your thread )
I may need all the help I can get with Pru.

 

[Gen120]

I raised Cookie and Pumpkin from when they were 3 weeks old. I have a close bond with them and they both love me, I raised Mango from 5 weeks old and Pepper from 11 weeks old. They all have strong bonds with me, and they all love me. Sammy was a rehome that was abused in the past, and she and I have a very tight bond, we are practically inseparable. (she wants to spend as much time with me as possible and same applies to me).

 

[Saemma]

Interesting info regarding the handfeedings. Emma is spoon fed twice a day, Sachi looks at a spoon as if "Are you out of your mind"
I had not thought about the handfeedings at all.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Comfort feeding is giving them handfeeding or a cooked birdie mash that they can take from a spoon or syringe, they dont "need" this feeding to survive, but its given to help them settle in. It can be given to any age. It helps the bird become adjusted to its new home, and form a very close bond, and makes them feel good. It relaxes the bird and makes them feel taken care of and loved (like the feeling of their parents feeding them) even if they are older birds. It can be given to them whenever you want to, and can be fed every day!

I given comfort feedings every day of the week right before bed time. Their dinner is a birdie mash I make. It consists of; oatmeal, sweet potatoe, blended veggies and crushed flax seeds (very healthy), heated up to 102-110F and the consistency of oatmeal. I spoon feed it to them. They LOVE it.

And since your baby will be young you can offer comfort feedings and your baby will most likely take right to it (because of her age!). Providing cooked foods for your baby every day for the first month or two will help you form a great bond, and help develope a very happy go lucky, willing happy bird.

 

[Lex123]

I got KeeWee a year ago when he was five years old. He wasn't very tame at the time. He and I have a very special relationship, I love him so much, and I feel the love coming back from him

 

[JLcribber]

I read everywhere that a bird that is older (even 6 months) will bond to you just as closely as one that you raise from 6 weeks. Most breeders won't let you take an unweaned bird.

But in my experience, I have seen a drastic difference between the bonding of a bird I've raised from 6 weeks to one raised from 6 months. For example, I never had to "teach" recall with the babies I've raised. It was just a given, and food was never used. There's a closeness there that can't be denied. The older birds are very tame, and come when called and all, but the intensity of the relationship is definitely different.

What''s been your experience?

That has more to do with the fact that the breeder did not take the time or make the same effort you did to raise that bird like it was your child which it is.

The breeder is more than likely raising many birds at once. Does not have the emotional attachment to it like you do or the time to give that individual bird the attention/training/interaction that it needs to become as you described. He's raising it to get it out the door. If he did raise it like you he would get the same results. JMHO

 

[akijoy]

Thanks for all your replies!

John, what you said really makes sense. If they have been nurtured by humans before, than if they come to you at a later date, they still have that capacity and desire to bond with people. I know Ollie (my ekkie) came from a home where he was dearly loved and cared for as a baby, and he has turned out great. Sam Mealy has taken more time. She probably was just caged most of her life before I got her without much handling, but she is great now, but the relationship is different. I guess the species has a lot to do with it too.

I've always been concerned about the "switching bonds" at a later date. I can't imagine that happening with Gertie, but yáll will be the first to know if it happens! I've read and heard often of conures turning their allegiance, and it happened to me too with my daughter's bird. Very strange thing to experience....they love you one day, and the next day you're despised.

I do comfort feed still all three of my birds. I'm convinced that Sam Mealy has come around because of this ritual. She waits to eat from me (which is not necessarily a good thing) but it has made a tremendous difference to our relationship.

 

[Lotsa Birds]

In my case they both bond (baby to older bird) just differently. I have many birds, but can use 2 as examples. Glory, my TAG I got at 6 weeks, I raised the whole clutch. All the babies were very sweet, but she was the one that came to me always, when the others came out of their cage and played together or on a playstand. She always would seek me out, so she was the one I picked to keep. She and I have a very close bond. She can be a little stinker (as I'm sure you know with your own TAG) but loves me now as much as she did when she was a baby. She has never attempted to bite me, but she is just coming up on 3 years old.

Rolly, one of my CAG's was a older rescue bird I fostered. She was known to like woman, but quickly picked my husband and he was not a bird person (though she changed that). I took care of her, but respected and cared for her at a distance. It took over a year before I could handle her well. We are now bonded very strongly. I think this is because of the time it took us both to trust each other and the rewards I got and lessons I learned because of her.

I love them both in different ways. Glory loved me because she was a baby, but Rolly and I grew together, and that means the world to me. I don't trust fast either and she has given me so much now that we have bonded and understand each other. Will she bite me.......... heck ya if I don't read her body language. But I love her cocky moody ways and would know it would be my fault for messing with her when she doesn't want to be messed with. If I lost her today, I would say she was the "bird of my heart" because of all we went through together. She means so much to me and I am so thankful I gave a rescue a chance.

Sandy

 

[marian]

My timneh sadie i raised from 3 days old..we had a very strong bond.Then Hiram cameinto our life and he was over 2 years old.It didn't takeme long to form just as good a bond as sadie and I had.I think its all about the bird, owner and time spent getting that bond.It might take alittle more of time to get it but its so rewarding.,