I just need a little reassurance with our lca!

Ok, I know that I have posted almost every step we have taken with or rescue lca Kiwi. However I think I just need reassurance! Will she ever want to come out of her cage? I have been reading books on parrot behavior, and one thing keeps sticking out to me, they all say that a bird that is scared/shy is very hard to gain trust. They all say this is one of the most difficult behaviors to change. I have been handfeeding Kiwi since Monday, she will take food from my hand (although she is picky!) However everytime I try to pick her up she runs from my hand. On the few occasions that she has been away from her cage I can hold her, she does step ups etc. However I cannot get her out of her cage. The other times have been when she had to get out of her cage (vet, changing into her new cage) What do you think? Is she ever going to want to step up for me and allow me to take her out? She also doesn't play with her toys, I know that she hasn't been here that long but she seems to just sit in one place all day. What should I do to encourage her to play to come out? Help, I feel like she is not "thriving" the way she should. For those that haven't read any of our other posts, her background is that she is from a bad/neglectful situation. She had no toys when we adopted her and she is 15. She doesn perk up and get very animated verbally when my 14 year old or 11 year old daughters sit by her cage and talk to her. Other than that she is a very quiet girl! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

She has probably been a cage bound bird for 15 years. She is not going to change behaviors in 1 week. Just keep up w/what you are doing. I would not offer my hands unless absolutely necessary. She seems like she is afraid of hands. Just be patient. Her talking to your daughters is big. Her own pace...

As you stated, she didn't have any toys before, she doesn't know what she is supposed to do with them. She didn't have them until now. This is a huge adjustment for her, give her time and patience.

kerry said:

As you stated, she didn't have any toys before, she doesn't know what she is supposed to do with them. She didn't have them until now. This is a huge adjustment for her, give her time and patience.

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Oh, I know! Is there anyway I can help her learn to play? I am just wondering how to show her that toys are fun!

Maybe you could play with them yourself in front of her. Puck seems to like to grab at the things I'm using.

I'll second the playing in front of her. That's how I get Boo acclimated to new toys for his cage. He also doesn't like change, and he's slow to trust people. He's gotten very confident in his own place, but he's been here for nearly 8 years.

When I first got him, he spent quite a while just sitting in his cage. He also wouldn't play or talk. It took some time, but he adapted. Just don't try to rush it. What you do now will set the tone for the rest of the time you have together, and if you're pushing her and scaring her, she's not going to trust you.