I was not expecting this...or is it normal?

Ahsan

New member
Dec 23, 2020
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Hello,

i am from Pakistan and this is my first post here :)

so i have recently adopted an Alex.(pic attached) and previous owner did not provide any history except age which he said is around 18 months. (IDK). according to my knowledge a parrot will take its time to settle in and adjust in the new environment but surprisingly he is not afraid of me or my family, accepts foods from our hand, very calm. gives a very soft bite when we try to touch him so no stepping up for now.

i am giving him as much time as he needs to adjust and accept us and let us touch him. my kids spend most of their time with him while he is in the cage.

so i wanted to ask if i should open the cage door and let him come out or wait a little more and then do it.

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Laurasea

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Aug 2, 2018
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Welcome to the forum.
Congratulations on your wonderful handsome new bird.

O would let him out. Make sure no ceiling fans in, and all windows and doors closed. There is no rule, or need to keep them in the cage. If he is interested, and calm, let him out. I set up tips and sides of cage either perches snd places to hang out.

Read up on target training, works well with parrots. Just keep trying very short, just 2-3 times, then yiu can repeat inn25 min or later. Short session work best.
 

chris-md

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Feb 6, 2010
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Yes, let him out. The whole "give them several days" is inaccurate; the advice is "move at their pace".

My eclectus came to me with me believing i shouldn't interact with him for several days, based on the internet advice I read at the time. But he clearly wanted to interact from day 1, so I did. And it was the right thing to do.

If your bird is showing signs that hes interested in interacting with you, interact! Every bird will adapt differently and settle at their own pace, just like some humans are more gregarious and easy going in new environments than others.
 

noodles123

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Jul 11, 2018
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
If you let him out, I would block off the space by shutting doors etc so that that he has fewer places to hide/escape to (also, make sure everyone knows that you are doing this so that no one day anything stupid, like swinging the door open or deciding to come in with the vacuum running etc). I would be particularly careful to block off any shadowy nooks that he could hide in because then he will be difficult to supervise and may be more inclined to stay hidden there etc. Make sure your kids know not to mess with him or move suddenly during these initial times out of the cage...Make sure you do not let him out near the kitchen where he could accidentally fly into something hot etc.

You don't want to have to towel him to get him back in so you really should do this when you have time, because he may not want to go back in right away, and the last thing you should do is chase of catch him. Cover mirrors and windows as well for safety and do not remove him from the cage yourself. If you do it, open the door and let him walk out on his own. If he sits there and doesn't exit, leave the door open for a while and just let him investigate. If he does come out, keep calm and try not to get in his face or startle him. The goal is for them to eventually be comfortable coming and going from the cage without feeling like they will get locked up each time, so if he does go back in to eat or something, don't immediately lock him back up or you will be teaching him that he gets locked up whenever he goes back into his cage (and you don't want him to avoid his cage).

Generally, they will go back to their cage to eat or to roost in the evening, so you might have better luck doing this a few hours before bed. Again though, it can be a major waiting game, so much sure you have the time to wait without getting impatient an toweling him. If it gets really late and he still won't go back, you can try dimming the lights slightly and placing a light by his cage along with favorite treats.

Chasing/catching destroys trust and should only be done in the event that it is absolutely necessary for safety, as it can set back your bonding process.
 
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greytness

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Sep 11, 2015
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All good advice provided.

If you can replace the metal dowel perch that will help his feet over time. Natural untreated branches are a great choice. ie: pine, dragon wood, myrtlewood etc.

Do you have access to bird related toys, or can you create some natural wood blocks strung onto a stainless steel chain that he could chew on? They love to have things to do.
 
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Ahsan

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Dec 23, 2020
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Thank you, so i opened the cage door today, and placed food bowls on top of the cage. First he seemed a bit confused but after 3..4 minutes came out, had a little snack, looked around and explored the room a bit. After 7..8 minutes i placed the bowls inside and he went in peacefully.

First attempt went well.

How often should i repeat this?
 

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clark_conure

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Jul 14, 2017
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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
How often should i repeat this?



Several times a day.......
 

noodles123

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Jul 11, 2018
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Yeah- let him out and just leave his cage door open for as long as you are able to hang out--- Keeping in mind the fact that he will likely get braver at some point and venture elsewhere.


Again- when the bird goes back into the cage, remember not to shut the door each time (you want to get him comfortable with going in and out)


For example- if he comes out and then goes back in to eat, let him come in and out a few more times before locking it if you are able. I say this because eventually he's going to feel more comfortable and prefer outside to being in his cage. If going into his cage means getting locked up (treat or not) he is likely going to start avoiding it once he notices a pattern.


I don't know your home's setup, but they are super social, flock animals, so most of the time it's best to keep them in the part of the house where people spend most time (excluding the kitchen). I understand if you have him in a smaller space early on because you are afraid he my fly off in a larger area, but it's a good idea to try and get him familiar with what is normal in your home to some extent.
 
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