Unwanted IRN

Hey guys,

I have just got myself a beautiful blue IRN who we think was born October 2016 time.

My husband works with someone who's kids wanted a bird, asked my husband for advise (knowing we are animal lovers and have a zoo at home), and my husband advised his colleague against it.

Anyways, long story short, he ignored my husband, got the kids a bird for Christmas, kids got bored cuz he's not talking, were gong to stick him in the local RSPCA (which is a truly horrible place!!), so we've ended up with him.

To be fair, they got him a lovely big cage (I hope its big enough...as its this), please let me know if this is ok.

I know a little bit about IRN's as a few years ago I looked into getting one, but with lack of experience with birds, decided against it and got a canary and a couple of budgies. I have since brushed up on reading about them as I want to give the best possible home I can for this sweet little bird...like I do all my pets that we share our home with.

The thing I'm most concerned with at the moment is, how can I gain his trust? He's seems to be settling in slowly, he's finding his voice and we let him out daily, as much as we can so he can have a fly, stretch his wings. He doesn't like us going near him and soon flies away, so I'd like for him to be able to "step up" on an offered perch, and eventually our fingers/hands. This is the main goal we'd like for him. To feel and know he is loved and wanted.

I would like him to talk, that's my second goal. I've called him Ziggy Stardust (his name was Polly...the kids named him in his previous home ), and I have been saying things like "Hello Ziggy" to him while he's in his cage, out of his cage, whenever. I also say things like "Whatcha doin'?", "Hiya" and "Pretty boy", things I think may be easy for him to learn. And just repeating over and over to him. He seems to be listening, sometimes tilts his head to the side but I'm not sure. I realise there's no guarantee's that he will ever talk, but I'd like to give it a go.

Also....I believe him to be a boy, as he has a light grey ring around his neck and light grey lines between his eyes to his beak, so hopefully I've got that right. Here's a picture, any advice would be great as to whether he is a boy or girl...


I have him on a mix of budgie seed and sunflower seeds, this is what he was on, I hope this is correct? I plan on getting him some pellets also, am looking at Zupreem or Tops Organic Pellets...can anyone advise on that? I've also tried him with a little bit of Spring Greens, but he doesn't seem interested in that at the moment. Hopefully in time.

Can anybody give me tips, more so on how to help him settling in and begin to feel confident with us, that is the most important to me.

Welcome back! It looks like you need to update your Status to include all you Parrots.

Everything you are looking for regarding interaction is very possible and with time will come forth. Understand what life must have been like for this guy over the last several months! Why would he trust a Human? With your care and loving attention he will quickly develop a trust and the relationship will build from there.

In working with Parrots, always remember this rule: It is NEVER the fault of the Parrot! It is ALWAYS the fault of the Human. When working with your Parrot, if you always work from this vantage point, you will more quickly understand what you are doing wrong and correct it. Also, work at the pace of your Parrot. No reason to push, the relationships will develop.

Thank-you, both for taking this IRN into your home, he will fill it quickly. Keep doing what you are doing and remember to Socialize your Parrot.

FYI: Check-out the Parrot Food, Recipes and Diet Forum for additional information on feeding. Use Sunflower Seeds as an occasional treat and not part of the overall diet.


NOTE: May need to change your Title, seems this IRN has a very loving home now!

Thanks for adopting this beautiful bird! Yes, the cage seems appropriate with proper bar-spacing.

Diet is extremely important and the current seed mixture is less than ideal. Pellets are better, while fresh vegetables and fruits are best. I am unfamiliar with IRNs, but many members have them as companions.

Some links you may find of interest!

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html

http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html

http://www.parrotforums.com/general...species-precautions-emergency-procedures.html

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/449-toxic-list-our-birds.html

He/she is a beautiful little birdie, thank you for taking him in and not getting him in the vicious cycle of adoption facilities. It's difficult to tell gender in IRN until they decide to grow a more solid ring, which can take as many as 3 years. My RN is an African ringneck but the theories are similar. I recommend switching to a fortified pellet such as Zupreem, Harrison's, or Lafeber (sp?). Seed is generally not good for birds except as a treat. The cage looks good - the bigger, the better, but this looks similar to my Pax's cage. My RN is mostly a solitary bird - he loves to sit on his cage and just talk nonsense, and isn't too cuddly like my GCC or sun, but that of course varies from bird to bird. Congratulations and thank you again - please let us know if you need anything else.

There is one thing actually....Ziggy was making this strange noise yesterday and I'm not sure what it means or why he did it. If anyone can advise?

https://www.facebook.com/corinne.hickman/videos/10154343819341373/

Hope you can hear it....Apologies for the background noise, we have a marine tank...but it almost sounds like a ripping noise or a throat gurgle that he was making.

Could be practicing a contact call or what you are saying.

I'm trying to get Ziggy use to a perch I want to use for him to sit on so I can be closer to him, and put him back in his cage, but he seems petrified. I tried just holding the perch in his cage, but he just flew around a lot, I talked in a soothing voice and he settled a little, but not much, still didn't want to be near it, or me.

I've let him out for his daily flight around the room and he's piercing my ear drums with his squeaky squawk :18:

I swear he's doing it cuz I'm not showing him attention, as he shuts up when I talk to him, like he's listening. I just wish he would begin to trust me. He'll fly and sit on the curtain rail above my chair and look at me and squawk if I don't talk to him lol. I don't want to give him attention when he's squawking repeatedly cuz I don't want him to think he can get attention that way!

Glad you're doing some more research! Parrots do great on a varied diet. You can feed your canary, budgies and new IRN fresh fruits and veggies! A lot of parrots thrive on a diet with these included. Many members here make a bird 'chop', which is a mix of fruits, veggies, legumes, grains chopped up and served to them. I recently made a thread about how I made my last batch, check it out if you want It's great because many foods are safe and nutritious for birds. My birds used to be on an all seed and pellet diet, which is ok, but now they enjoy some daily chop mixed in! Yum!

Be sure to avoid these foods... avocado, rhubarb, onion, garlic, dairy products, alcohol and chocolate.

Ok, I think Ziggy is definitely getting a few steps closer to talking. He does this little routine, and he's pin pointing his pupils also when he does it (I noticed him doing this this morning).

https://www.facebook.com/corinne.hickman/videos/10154353637696373/

Still no closer to getting near him though....so I'm just thinking he needs time and to come around on his own.

I also noticed yesterday morning he was pacing up and down his perch....I think it was because my husband didn't let him out for a wing stretch on his two days off prior (I was working all day as I'm a carer so have long full days) I've explained he must come out every day to help with mental health as well as physical!!

As much as he loves and feels safe in his cage, and spends most of his time sitting on it while he's out of it, I hate the thought of him not being able to stretch his wings, and he fly's about so happily when he's out.

However, sometimes getting him back in can be a challenge if we need to go out urgently. Does anybody have any tips? We have had to bring in a net to help get him in, which I HATE using because I feel this could be the reason he doesn't want to get too close. Most of the time, he goes in of his own accord when he's hungry so we can quickly shut the door.

Oh and forgot to say, have mixed in some pellet food as the Zupreem arrived yesterday

I've brought Ziggy some pellet food, but he doesn't touch it! He only wants seed....any ideas on what I can do?

Everything with a parrot is about patience and time. Every day add a dozen pellets to his food bowl. Strat to slowly reduce the amount of seeds. Like 5 seeds less every day. Once you see that he is at least showing some interest in the pellets, slowly transition him. My Salty at first only liked pellets soaked with some water. You can try that. Salty still enjoys a meal of soft pellets, but he eats a lot of stuff during a day.

I mixed the pellets into a chop of favoured veges and we were off.
Congratulations on the new arrival, they're great birds!