Will I traumatize my bird?

Seems like most of what I've read about bringing home a new bird is basically to let them chill out for a few days and slowly let them get used to you before moving in closer etc. Is that right, even for a hand fed baby bird? I mean, he's already being handled at the store and I've had him perched on my hand so it's not like hands should freak him out when he comes home about 6 weeks from now.

I don't presume to know as much as experienced bird people, but it seems like if the bird doesn't know anything about what's normal or not, why start him off slowly? Wouldn't it be just as healthy to bring him home to a situation of "being played with and handled" as it would to "be in a cage all alone and we'll see about being friends later"? In the wild, I'd assume the flock does as it does, and the babies get used to that behavior from day one right? Why bring them in to one new arrangement and then work on changing it over time?

I certainly don't want to traumatize my baby by rushing things but I also don't want to teach him to be timid or shy in his new home. Get in there birdy and mix it up with the fam, is what I'm thinking...

I always liked to handle a bird as soon as it would allow me to handle it.

And I basically tried to set up a new routine from day 1.

I never really bought into that whole let them sit for a few days thing.

The birds that are nervous and skittish, maybe.

Pluckers, definitely.

Everyone else?! Nah.

Kiwi rode home on my shoulder, with his head tucked under my chin.

The minute his crate came in from the airport, I opened it and handled him...

Sweepea rode home from the breeders on my shoulder.

I don't know who made up these rules, but I don't think I agree with them.

Depends entirely on what the bird has been through.

Peppy stayed in his cage for less than 24 and at that point he showed me he wanted to come out yesterday was his second day home and he ended up jumping in my sink while it was on and taking a bath. Today he is conquering the mountain that is my bed. Are you visiting him while he's still at the breeder/store?

I did lots of research on that too, and many people say give the bird/animal two to three days to "get settled". But I could not help it, so I held my cockatiel, Penelope for the first time, and it was amazing! And after that, she was fine. She needed some training (she would make the largest cockatiel jumps to my shoulder), but other then that, she was a really good bird.

Yep! I visit but unfortunately the store is 40 minutes away so I only see him once a week. Also I feel kind of weird hanging around the store for too long so I only stay for about 30 minutes. I probably should try to get over there twice a week and stay a bit longer... I think I'll plan on Wednesday and Saturday next week instead of just Saturday.
I start work at noon and the store opens at 10:00 AM so I really could hang around there for an hour or so. I guess they can always try to shoo me out if they think I'm hanging around too much, lol

TexasWade said:

Yep! I visit but unfortunately the store is 40 minutes away so I only see him once a week. Also I feel kind of weird hanging around the store for too long so I only stay for about 30 minutes. I probably should try to get over there twice a week and stay a bit longer... I think I'll plan on Wednesday and Saturday next week instead of just Saturday.
I start work at noon and the store opens at 10:00 AM so I really could hang around there for an hour or so. I guess they can always try to shoo me out if they think I'm hanging around too much, lol

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Sounds like a plan. Let us know how it goes

Christinenc2000 said:

TexasWade said:

Yep! I visit but unfortunately the store is 40 minutes away so I only see him once a week. Also I feel kind of weird hanging around the store for too long so I only stay for about 30 minutes. I probably should try to get over there twice a week and stay a bit longer... I think I'll plan on Wednesday and Saturday next week instead of just Saturday.
I start work at noon and the store opens at 10:00 AM so I really could hang around there for an hour or so. I guess they can always try to shoo me out if they think I'm hanging around too much, lol

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Sounds like a plan. Let us know how it goes

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Oh yeah, to be sure! I hope you don't mind twice the pics on my "New parront" thread

When I got Peppy I visited him a few times a week for usually at least and hour. As long as he knows you and has had more than a few encounters it should be fine taking him out the next day after.

Great questions with some great answers already! I think you'll have to judge the bird if they want to step up right away, but I say no reason not to start interacting and building trust the first day, no matter the temperament. Though, I doubt a hand fed baby bird you've already handled and visited multiple times will be much of an issue for you. Probably just a little testing at worst and more than likely will want to get into everything right away!

Our amazon was not handleable when we brought him home, but was brazen as all get out and totally fearless. We started interacting with him the moment we got him out of the travel cage by talking to him and offering food. I had to entice him back into the travel cage the Monday after we got him as he was clearly sick and needed to see a vet. That was not fun! Even a bird like him adapted easily enough to a routine. I'm not sure letting him stew for a couple days after bringing him home would have helped anything but I am pretty certain that laying down the law early in regards to routine and the hierarchy of the home set us on a good path with him, even though he did make us earn his trust and needed to be taught how to step up (among other things).

I think that cool down period is just the rule of thumb for first-time bird owners. New environment, new faces, it can be really overwhelming for a bird. You may want to give your bird some time to get used to their cage and surroundings, but if they express interest in being handled, then don't feel like you have to ignore that! As long as you are keeping your fid's best interest in mind, you can take things as quickly or slowly as you'd like.

I like that. I'll try to be sensitive to what he wants and won't try to push for too much all at once. Make perfect sense :smile049:

GracelynNBirds said:

I did lots of research on that too, and many people say give the bird/animal two to three days to "get settled". But I could not help it, so I held my cockatiel, Penelope for the first time, and it was amazing! And after that, she was fine. She needed some training (she would make the largest cockatiel jumps to my shoulder), but other then that, she was a really good bird.

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We did just the same. We were prepared to let the bird get used to her new house for some days, but when we arrived to the breeder house she told us we could hold the birds, so we did. And when we arrived home with Maya, I took her inside while my husband parked the car, open the travel box (she didn't like the trip at all), and she climbed to my finger right away! In a couple of days she adopted us as her flock, she is the sweetest girl.