lizardsmells
New member
At the rescue there's a Yellow Nape there, Kazi, that I'm fairly certain I'm going to end up bringing home. Kazi's story is sad, he was locked in a cage for 5 years, no toys, no interaction beyond basic food and water. So Kazi picked and mutilated and came to the rescue nearly bald on his chest and wings and with a rather large chest wound from his self-mutilation. After a couple months at the rescue his downy feathers have come back and a few green ones too and you can hardly see his wound anymore. So the physical signs of his neglect are vanishing, but the emotional and mental signs are still there.
As a result Kazi is *very* shy. He's only stepped up on me once and that was to be rescued and moved back to his cage (I figured the fact he picked me over all the volunteers that day was a good sign). He usually won't take treats from my hands or eat them while I'm watching. He's not a biter, even when I've pushed him to step up he merely squawks and backs up. He will get right up in my face when the rescue is calm and I stand and talk to him for a while. He also really seems to like it when I sit near the cage and play on my phone. For some reason my smart phone interests him more than almonds! He's clearly interested in human companionship, but he's afraid.
I'm no bird behaviorist, but I've done a fair bit of work with shy, neglected dogs and I imagine the end goal is about the same - instill some confidence and learn to communicate - both of which can be accomplished by training.
My question to the forum is what is the best approach here when Kazi comes home? We also have 4 cats and 3 dogs that we'll need to introduce the bird to under extremely controlled circumstances. Kazi will have his own room for sleeping/cage living when I'm not home (which is rarely - I'm self-employed and work from home, so I'm always here!) and play stands in the various rooms of the house so he can be out with the family if he wants to be.
Should I keep Kazi in his room for the first few days/weeks until he's more confident and then introduce the dogs and cats or should I just treat him as I would if he were an established member of the house hold and bring him out (assuming I can) on his play stands so he can be in the thick of the activity of the house pretty much from the get go?
If this were a dog I'd just bring them into the house and go about my normal business, no special treatment, just love and training. Kazi's not a dog, though, and I don't want to mess his little head up anymore than his previous owners did. So any advice or suggestions you can offer would be most appreciated!
Here's a pic of the little guy, too!
As a result Kazi is *very* shy. He's only stepped up on me once and that was to be rescued and moved back to his cage (I figured the fact he picked me over all the volunteers that day was a good sign). He usually won't take treats from my hands or eat them while I'm watching. He's not a biter, even when I've pushed him to step up he merely squawks and backs up. He will get right up in my face when the rescue is calm and I stand and talk to him for a while. He also really seems to like it when I sit near the cage and play on my phone. For some reason my smart phone interests him more than almonds! He's clearly interested in human companionship, but he's afraid.
I'm no bird behaviorist, but I've done a fair bit of work with shy, neglected dogs and I imagine the end goal is about the same - instill some confidence and learn to communicate - both of which can be accomplished by training.
My question to the forum is what is the best approach here when Kazi comes home? We also have 4 cats and 3 dogs that we'll need to introduce the bird to under extremely controlled circumstances. Kazi will have his own room for sleeping/cage living when I'm not home (which is rarely - I'm self-employed and work from home, so I'm always here!) and play stands in the various rooms of the house so he can be out with the family if he wants to be.
Should I keep Kazi in his room for the first few days/weeks until he's more confident and then introduce the dogs and cats or should I just treat him as I would if he were an established member of the house hold and bring him out (assuming I can) on his play stands so he can be in the thick of the activity of the house pretty much from the get go?
If this were a dog I'd just bring them into the house and go about my normal business, no special treatment, just love and training. Kazi's not a dog, though, and I don't want to mess his little head up anymore than his previous owners did. So any advice or suggestions you can offer would be most appreciated!
Here's a pic of the little guy, too!
It sounds like he would have a very loving home with you and im sure with plenty of love and care, he will learn to trust again.
