experienced bird owners,, I need your help!

Hi all!, I have recently just bought a 6 year old senegal 3 weeks ago and im really worried he is too old to train? He will just about take treats from me with the cage shut, butbas soon as I o9en it he rushes tomthe opposite side!? Im startkng to think he might of been badly looked after kn previous years. Would really appreciate any help.

thnks Newboy and charley!

He's not too old to train. He just needs to learn to trust you.

Some others will chime in on things you can do, but it's going to take time and patience.

A senegal could live for 30 years. Three weeks isn't a long time!

Jayde, my new conure (3 yrs old), wanted to spend time with me when I first got her but was also insecure and afraid, so she too would rush to the back of the cage. I often just left the cage door open when I was home and allowed her to go in and out as she pleased. I even wheeled the cage around the house so she could be "with" me without having to be on me.

One day while sitting next to her cage, she climbed down to investigate me. After climbing up and down the sides of her cage she finally ventured onto my shoulder. From there, I placed a perch on the outside of her cage that she could climb onto so she could be closer to me and if she wanted to, she could climb to my shoulder. She didn't like hands or arms and would bite to draw blood or at least inflict a lot of pain! So only way to remove her from her cage was to offer my shoulder.

It was over 3 months of having her before she got comfortable enough to step up onto hands and arms. At first, she was unsure and hesitant, but as her confidence level increased, she became more willing to use my hands and arms as a method to get to my shoulder. She's now been with me for 4 months.


Through all of this, I tried to avoid getting bitten. I'd rather not teach her that I wont listen to her, therefore she must resort to biting to try and communicate with me. If she understands she doesn't have to bite and I wont force her to do something she doesn't want to, then there is no reason for her to bite.

Mine took a while to trust me when I got her. It took months before I could handle her inside her cage, and I mean 6+. Just spend a lot of time close to her, she'll give you signs when she's curious.

I once retrained a 60+ y.o. MALE Double Yellow Headed amazon...

So, no, they are never to old to re-train.

3 weeks is not enough time. It could take months or even a year for him to completely trust you. Give him time. Talk to him everyday, see how he responds. Don't try and rush it otherwise it might take even longer. Eventually he will respond to something and then you will feel like you won the lottery.

Thankyou all soo much for the help, just today he let me give him a treat inside HIS cage and give him a treat! Still no biting but I am expecting it! Ha ha

newboy said:

Thankyou all soo much for the help, just today he let me give him a treat inside HIS cage and give him a treat! Still no biting but I am expecting it! Ha ha

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Why?! These are fairly docile, good natured parrots.

What you have to understand is that you are overriding this bird's natural instinct. In the wild you would never in a million years get close enough to touch. This bird is quite literally trusting you with it's life...

When was the last time you trusted anyone with yours?

The more he is able to trust you, the more docile and trustworthy he will be.

It's all about how you approach the bird at this stage, and taking it at the bird's pace.... so that trust is established.

Thankyou birdman you really do sound you're experienced and I appreciate all your help, I will keep you posted with my progress!

my Safari is incredibly docile and I go with his easy going nature.i never push him to do something he doesn't want, therefore I never get bit.

just recently I finally got Safari to step up on a perch, he was afraid of them, and I've had him 9 months. now mind you I was only working with him just a few times and he realized I was not going to hurt him with it, he trusted me enough to step up.
birds are not like cats or dogs with time constraints, birds will teach you patience.

Sennie's also have 'TUDE! AND LOTS OF IT!

You get bit when they get mad and give you a dose of Sennie-tude...

Sennie's are one of the best trick birds out there, and they seem to enjoy and respond to the interaction. It's a learning/bonding experience for both of you, and it's fun!

Hi all, not much improvement to share, but ive never had charlie out of his cage, I have left the door open many times so he can venture out and exercise a little bit. I have keft his favourite treat out but still nothing, I dont want to force him but I wondered wgat your secret tactic was ? Thankyou all for the help

Reece and charlie boy