Parrotlet Problems

beachbirdhouse

New member
Feb 8, 2011
17
0
Coastal NC
Parrots
Parrotlet, Quaker
Hi,

I recently inherited a Parrotlet from a friend who thought it was a lovebird. I'm not sure how old he is. I believe he is a Pacific or Specaled breed and not older than one year, but I'm unsure. The people that I got him from said that he was a male and they were keeping him with another male. Because they were unable to handle him, they decided to give him to me. I haven't had a real biting problem. He has nipped, but not hard as I've heard they can. He just seems very scared. I can put my face or body up to him and he is fine, but when I introduce my hand twords him, he starts freaking out. I've spent the last two weeks with him 24/7. I've bought him a birdie mansion, treats, toys, you name it. He seems to like me more than anyone else as he as really bitten down hard on my husband and his friend. Although he will come to me when I call him, he still will not willingly step onto my hand or a perch. When I remove him from his cage, I have to cup him in my hands. Am I doing something wrong? or does it just take a longer adjust period, because he is not used to much human contact?
 

suebee

New member
Jan 13, 2011
2,394
3
nope sounds like your doin everything right :) his comfortable with you but is still un-sure?

vet visit for breed and a overall check up is always good

you've not mentioned where your hands are to him?? try not to put them into his cage, put a perch on his door so he can stand on that an then onto your hands

do you leave him with his cage door open?? so he can check out his surroundings better?? or just sit on his cage to watch you??

also instead of your husband handling him for now, he just needs to be a bout, sat reading an occassionally chatting to him, makeing eye contact for now, not too close to cage to start with and then getting closer as the bird seems more relaxed with him
 

MikeyTN

New member
Feb 1, 2011
13,296
17
Antioch, TN
Parrots
"Willie"&"Lola"B&G Macaw,
"Dixie"LSC2, and "Nico" Scarlet Macaw.
From the sound of it your doing fine. Especially with a bird that haven't had much human contact except with another bird. Sometimes when there's more then one or a pair, it's harder to train them to be friendly. I've done it before when I had lots of time in my hands when I used to breed them. But with me working all the time now, I don't have that kind of luxury to do so. Out of all 8 of my birds, only one is NOT friendly at all, Max the Cockatiel, that WILL bite the heck out of me. The parakeets bites, but not too bad. Parakeets can give a pretty nasty bite, but I think mine knows that I rescued them so they tolerate me. I can still get them to step up if they got out of their aviary while I'm cleaning, not Max though....It's harder to train when they can fly, it's best to have them clipped during training. I know I probably should train Max some more but he's gotten worse ever since I moved him into the Aviary and he got a girlfriend now, I can not handle him at all. He freaks out IF I use a perch. He's a lost cause. So I just let him be in the Aviary. My partner wanted me to trade him off when I gotten 3 back in fall, I got two for someone else. I kept him because he's so pretty, I guess it comes with a price with him being so pretty.
 
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beachbirdhouse

beachbirdhouse

New member
Feb 8, 2011
17
0
Coastal NC
Parrots
Parrotlet, Quaker
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
Thanks so much for the advise. I loved the tip about the perch. I'm totally going to do that. I've been leaving his door open and he's been coming up to me, but when I try to put my hand up, he runs. Today, I was just sitting by the door reading and he came out on his own and hopped over to my jacket and climbed up on my shoulder. I was so relieved and over joyed. I was so happy but scared to do anything to upset him at the same time. He still doesn't like my hand but seemed content on my shoulder hanging out in my hair. He has to climb around on the wire of the cage to get out right now, so a perch makes so much sense. I've been sitting with him everyday for a few hours and it finally seems like it's starting to pay off. Hooray for progress, however slow, it's so worth it.
 

MikeyTN

New member
Feb 1, 2011
13,296
17
Antioch, TN
Parrots
"Willie"&"Lola"B&G Macaw,
"Dixie"LSC2, and "Nico" Scarlet Macaw.
Glad to hear your making progress!!! Soon enough he'll be coming up your hands. :)
 

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