How easy to tame a ringneck?

[Staysee]

Only my other half had his heart set on a ringneck but the shop owner said they were raised in an aviary so had not had human contact, not hand reared or anything.

Could a bird with very little contact be tamed to go to the hand eventually?

Neither of us have had to tame a bird before, so help please XD

 

[itchyfeet]

Hi Staysee
How well do you know ringnecks? I know you haven't had to 'tame' a bird before, but have you had birds before?
Would you consider a ringneck from a breeder, or are you eyeing up one directly from the shop. If so, how old are they?

 

[Staysee]

I've only had a budgie and worked with birds of prey and my other half was brought up with chickens, ducks, turkeys etc but has been around love birds and African greys once older but never owned his own.

We can't find a local breeder, I have looked but none near and I don't drive. So it's from a local shop, its family run and they also breed and hand rear half of their birds.

I know some of her ringnecks have already got their "ringneck" whereas some don't yet.

Just worries me that if they've had no human contact, can we work with them? I have endless patience and my other half has alot of time to give a bird....but is it possible?

 

[itchyfeet]

Possible, yes, but probably not too probable. They really are finicky birds, and you have to work hard to be able to reach a mutual understanding I guess, as opposed to winning them over. I wouldn't try with an aviary bred mature bird. If they were under six months it could work...but then what if it doesn't? It really does pay to go hand reared for IRN's

 

[Crayfish066]

My IRN was originally kept in an aviary and I don't believe it was hand fed.
He was 3 months old when I got him and he didn't want anything to do with me.
He's now almost 5 months old and I can tell he has gained some fondness for me
because he'll usually spend the majority of his time near me when he's outside of
his cage, whereas before he'd spend it at the top of the curtain rail on the opposite
side of my room.

He'll also go crazy when I leave a room even if it's just very briefly to go to the bathroom.
I gave him food from my hands multiple times a day and I feel this was a big contributor in his trust in me growing.
He still bites but from what I've experienced so far the pain nothing to worry about and hopefully he'll grow out of this.

This is just my annecdotal experience and it might be different for other people and birds.
I spend the majority of my time a few feet away from his cage too, so it's possible it could take longer to bond if you don't see as much of your IRN.

 

[LordTriggs]

Only my other half had his heart set on a ringneck but the shop owner said they were raised in an aviary so had not had human contact, not hand reared or anything.

Could a bird with very little contact be tamed to go to the hand eventually?

Neither of us have had to tame a bird before, so help please XD

there's no worries in that. Over here in the UK the norm is to aviary breed. My Green Cheek was Aviary bred and he was awesome, no less affectionate than a hand-bred bird it just took a bit of time and effort and his only interaction with humans before were this: picked up to get fit with a ring, grabbed from his parents to get put in a cage, grabbed from the cage to go into a box to come home with me.

it may take a little longer to do but taming is exactly the same process with a hand-bred bird. Hand-bred are just less fearful of humans as we're already associated with food. Slow movements, shameless bribery with treats, and patience. when they decide you're friend they'll be more than willing to see you. Rio for example decided I was friend and recall trained himself before he was trained to step up.

 

[itchyfeet]

Only my other half had his heart set on a ringneck but the shop owner said they were raised in an aviary so had not had human contact, not hand reared or anything.

Could a bird with very little contact be tamed to go to the hand eventually?

Neither of us have had to tame a bird before, so help please XD

there's no worries in that. Over here in the UK the norm is to aviary breed. My Green Cheek was Aviary bred and he was awesome, no less affectionate than a hand-bred bird it just took a bit of time and effort and his only interaction with humans before were this: picked up to get fit with a ring, grabbed from his parents to get put in a cage, grabbed from the cage to go into a box to come home with me.

it may take a little longer to do but taming is exactly the same process with a hand-bred bird. Hand-bred are just less fearful of humans as we're already associated with food. Slow movements, shameless bribery with treats, and patience. when they decide you're friend they'll be more than willing to see you. Rio for example decided I was friend and recall trained himself before he was trained to step up.

Not with ringnecks. Different ball game. Especially if you haven't done it before.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Wow its a shame you live so far away! We have a member in the cockatiel part of this forum who just rescued/found a young,very pretty,well cared for lost/escaped/or thrown away ring neck and may be looking for a new parront.. ( she is trying her darndest to locate the birds family with no luck!




Jim