Percys Thread!

[HannahandSunny]

Poor Percy hasn’t had an update since I got him a little brother.. whom stole the limelight and all my time!
Percy is still Mr scaredy-cat. But I really haven’t tried taming him at all lately I’ve just left him be. He’s in the busiest room so hopefully he’s still learning that we’re not going to kill him. But he does still flap around crazily on the odd occasion when I change his water or food.
I’m quite out of my depth about how to settle and help him become friendly so I have an online video consultation with a parrot behaviourist from ParrotLife Australia, next Friday! I’m really looking forward to it and I hope it will be a great stepping stone into a relationship with Percy
I bought him a seed mate today! Hope he isn’t too scared to use it. Will try it over the weekend.

 

[Anansi]

VERRRRRRRY late to this party, but congratulations on Mr. Percy! Just read through the entire thread, so some of what I have to say will be a bit outdated. Sorry about that.

A few questions. How old is he? Has he always been fully flighted? Was he hand raised? Do you free feed?

In the video, I did see some fear. But I also saw a display to make you back off. He's protecting his home. The times he landed on the floor of the cage close to your hand weren't panicked falls. It was him building up the courage to challenge your hand from approaching HIS dish.

I have a suggestion or two. First, I'd recommend having defined meal times if you don't already. Doing this will help in two ways. For one, there will be more motivation between meals for offered treats. And second, if you do let him out of the cage, you can make sure to do so relatively near one of his mealtimes. That way, he'll be motivated to return to his cage of his own accord. (The first time trying this will likely be the trickiest. You may have quite a wait ahead of you. But he'll eventually go back.)

One of the things that I've done to break the ice with cockatiels specifically (they tend to be very on edge when they don't trust you, yet) is to offer a treat I know they like between the bars of the cage and close to a perch... using my fingers. Speaking soothingly to him the whole time. And here's the tough part. I find a way to make this comfortable for myself and just hold said treat there. For anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour.

Yeah, I know. Kinda nuts. But it works! Not necessarily on the first try. Or even the second. But the more motionless you can keep your hand while attempting this, the better. The goal is to get him to the point that he stops viewing your hand as a threat. And if you do this maybe an hour or so before his next meal, chances are he'll be feeling a little hungry and he'll be willing to try it. (Just to be clear, this isn't withholding food to force a behavior. If he doesn't comes to your hand by the time his mealtime comes around, you serve out his meal at the assigned time anyway. The pre-determined meal times are inviolable.)

Once he starts getting a bit more relaxed around your hand, you can move on to target training and such. Here's a link to target training if you are unfamiliar: [ame="https://youtu.be/HaOicTtwIZo"]Beginners guide to target training parrots - YouTube[/ame]

I've successfully tamed three cockatiels this way. Only one of which was my own, Suzie. it does work. It just takes a lot of patience. And make sure to allow a good amount of time between sessions.

As for the covering of the cage, none of my birds have ever liked it. I do, however turn off the lights to the family room (where they stay) at night when it's time for bed. As you describe it, however, they are in direct line of sight with the tv. And you usually continue watching past their bedtime. In this case, considering that he seems to hate covers, I would recommend turning the volume lower than you would during the day and perhaps buying a screen that you could place in front of the cage. This way, he could get the level of darkness he needs. And the sound would be subdued enough that it could just fade into the background and allow him to sleep.

 

[Scott]

Totally understandable, Hannah. Pip required immense time and care and you performed a miracle! I'd like to believe there'd be a bit of halo effect with Percy watching you interact with Pip.

 

[T00tsyd]

Fab set up congratulations. It might be a red herring but do you change your clothes and colours. Wear your hair differently. You will usually find me in black but for months and even now after a 3 years Syd will be very wary if I suddenly appear in something different. In the early days I suddenly realised what was setting him off so stuck to the same colour for a long time. He would only be convinced it was me when I talked to him.

 

[HannahandSunny]

VERRRRRRRY late to this party, but congratulations on Mr. Percy! Just read through the entire thread, so some of what I have to say will be a bit outdated. Sorry about that.

A few questions. How old is he? Has he always been fully flighted? Was he hand raised? Do you free feed?

I don’t know his age, the pet shop knew nothing about him, he’s roughly about 1-2 years old. Yes fully flighted, been a breeding aviary bird so no wasn’t hand raised, he’s never been handled.

In the video, I did see some fear. But I also saw a display to make you back off. He's protecting his home. The times he landed on the floor of the cage close to your hand weren't panicked falls. It was him building up the courage to challenge your hand from approaching HIS dish.

Yes it’s fear and protection is his cage. I don’t believe he was challenging my hand, he felt he had no where to go so was just trying to find somewhere to escape even if my hand was there. He also occasionally flies down like that in a panic even when I’m outside his cage or changing his seed which I access from the side door.

I have a suggestion or two. First, I'd recommend having defined meal times if you don't already. Doing this will help in two ways. For one, there will be more motivation between meals for offered treats. And second, if you do let him out of the cage, you can make sure to do so relatively near one of his mealtimes. That way, he'll be motivated to return to his cage of his own accord. (The first time trying this will likely be the trickiest. You may have quite a wait ahead of you. But he'll eventually go back.)


One of the things that I've done to break the ice with cockatiels specifically (they tend to be very on edge when they don't trust you, yet) is to offer a treat I know they like between the bars of the cage and close to a perch... using my fingers. Speaking soothingly to him the whole time. And here's the tough part. I find a way to make this comfortable for myself and just hold said treat there. For anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour.

I give him food a pretty much the same time everyday. He doesn’t like treats, and only occasionally will peck halfheartedly at a piece of kale or broccoli. But he wouldn’t bother if my hand was there. There’s nothing that would tempt him to come near my hand. I can’t let him out the cage yet, he’s kill himself.


Yeah, I know. Kinda nuts. But it works! Not necessarily on the first try. Or even the second. But the more motionless you can keep your hand while attempting this, the better. The goal is to get him to the point that he stops viewing your hand as a threat. And if you do this maybe an hour or so before his next meal, chances are he'll be feeling a little hungry and he'll be willing to try it. (Just to be clear, this isn't withholding food to force a behavior. If he doesn't comes to your hand by the time his mealtime comes around, you serve out his meal at the assigned time anyway. The pre-determined meal times are inviolable.)

Once he starts getting a bit more relaxed around your hand, you can move on to target training and such. Here's a link to target training if you are unfamiliar: Beginners guide to target training parrots - YouTube

I've successfully tamed three cockatiels this way. Only one of which was my own, Suzie. it does work. It just takes a lot of patience. And make sure to allow a good amount of time between sessions.

As for the covering of the cage, none of my birds have ever liked it. I do, however turn off the lights to the family room (where they stay) at night when it's time for bed. As you describe it, however, they are in direct line of sight with the tv. And you usually continue watching past their bedtime. In this case, considering that he seems to hate covers, I would recommend turning the volume lower than you would during the day and perhaps buying a screen that you could place in front of the cage. This way, he could get the level of darkness he needs. And the sound would be subdued enough that it could just fade into the background and allow him to sleep.

Thanks for all your advice, I’ve answered most of it in blue. Sorry I haven’t been able to say much more I’m going to be late for work