Advice needed on adult Eastern Rosella behavior and taming

[OgY]

Hello everyone, I'm new on this forum, and new as a rosella parrot owner. On the pet shop I "felt in love at the first sight" and bought mature rosella, approcimately 2,5-3 years old. He is in excellent condition, eat fresh vegetable, fruits, communicate, but.. He is very scared, avoiding phisical contact. Please for some advice how to deserve his friendship and trust. Rosella has been with our family for three weeks and has not been allowed to fly yet.
Regards,

 

[Cottonoid]

Welcome to the forum!!

I think rosellas are absolutely beautiful and yours has the prettiest coloring! I'd have fallen in love, too! The wing patterns just blow my mind 😍😍

From what I remember reading about them before I got my ringneck last spring, Rosellas do tend to be a little more timid with people at first and might take longer to earn trust.

How does he act when you approach the cage? Does he panic and flap/fly to get away? Is there a point where he will stay in the same spot even though he is nervous (flat feathers, wings tight to his body, ready to move away)? Is there a distance where he seems to stay calm when you are around him?

My parrot is still very hands off and walks away from me if I approach, but he now can be out of his cage all day and goes back in on his own at bedtime, and he is way more relaxed in general when I'm around - so I've been where you are

I'm on my phone at the moment but if nobody beats me to it before I get on a computer, I'll link some good posts here with ideas for how to build trust step by step.

I think you're off to an amazing start so far with diet and having the right mindset, so from here it's just patience and taking things day by day on you parrot's timeline

 

[Cottonoid]

This is a great post that explains how to use space to help teach your rosella to be calm when you approach.

Tips for Bonding and Building Trust

Here's a thread on clicker training - for some parrots, starting to target train while they're still inside the cage can work really well even if they're still nervous about people.

Clicker & Target Training

This thread is about a new Indian Ringneck, but I think the behavior and advice could apply to your Rosella, too. I think there are a couple of really good descriptions of what to look for behavior-wise as progress in this thread.

IRN Bluffing & Handling?

 

[OgY]

Thanks for your reply and questions.
Sometimes, when I'm around the cage, he turns his back. But if I start talking to him quietly even though I'm next to the cage, he gradually turns towards me, looking me in the eye and listening to me.

When I give him food and open the cage door, he has a ritual - he climbs sideways on the cage, looks at me, makes low chattering noises and when the food is put in and my hand is out, he gradually approaches me, looking in the my eyes . .and goes to the food to eat.

Sometimes, when he's tired at night, I can take out the food scraps and his dishes without him going sideways on the cage.

But he is very afraid of new things - a seed bar, a new drinking bowl... when I put them in the first moment he panicked, then he calmed down.

However, he knows when I give him extra food, (besides parrot mix) and he probably hasn't had a chance to eat fresh fruits and vegetables at the store, and then he's very interested. And every time he gradually approaches, he sees me. When we meet across the cage, the distance is approximately 40 cm.

Sometimes when I talk to him, I blow into his feathers from the outside and he doesn't run away, he looks at me.

I haven't tried letting him out. The owner of the shop told me that he has been with him for about a year, and before that he was with the breeder for so long. In the shop, they do not pay attention to so many parrots and do not take them out to fly.

I'm afraid if I just let him go out on his own, he might get confused and not know how to come back.

Greeting,

 

[Cottonoid]

Oh it sounds like he's doing wonderfully so far! It's really great that he's interested in you and stays calm when you're at the cage and giving him food

I've read before that it can be a good idea to let new parrots get used to their new home and routines while staying in the cage. Then after a couple of weeks, let them out to explore. By then they'll know their meal times and bedtime - and most birds will go back in to their cage at bedtime on their own. I think you can wait and see how he does, too, since he isn't used to flying around yet. It won't hurt him to wait a little longer until he trusts you enough to step onto a perch by you.

If he's scared of new things inside his cage, you could always let the new item sit right outside for a day so he can get used to what it looks like, then put it in his cage.

I'm so happy for you - he's doing great for having been in a shop and a breeder so long!

 

[OgY]

Oh it sounds like he's doing wonderfully so far! It's really great that he's interested in you and stays calm when you're at the cage and giving him food

I've read before that it can be a good idea to let new parrots get used to their new home and routines while staying in the cage. Then after a couple of weeks, let them out to explore. By then they'll know their meal times and bedtime - and most birds will go back in to their cage at bedtime on their own. I think you can wait and see how he does, too, since he isn't used to flying around yet. It won't hurt him to wait a little longer until he trusts you enough to step onto a perch by you.

If he's scared of new things inside his cage, you could always let the new item sit right outside for a day so he can get used to what it looks like, then put it in his cage.

I'm so happy for you - he's doing great for having been in a shop and a breeder so long!

You are so kind, a few more questions please..

1. What does a parrot's body language mean when it is in a cage and spreads its wings a little, spreads its tail, moves on the cage bar, chirps and occasionally stretches its head, right, or lifts her up.. Without external provocation. It seems to me that these are positive signs of movement and joy. Usually, after fresh food, he does them, although it is not a rule, ...
.. and...

2. Can a parrot be overeating? I leave a mixture of grains available to him throughout the day, and I give him various fruits and vegetables, at least 2-3 different ones a day. My logic is that domesticated and previously wild animals have regulation in their diet, they make choices, but they cannot overeat and gain weight. Am I right ? My family tells me (somewhat jokingly) that the parrot is fatter during those 3,5 weeks. Every time I bring him new food it is a ritual of both play and pleasure, she seems to me. Please for opinion and experience.
Greetings,

 

[wrench13]

Just be aware that letting him out to fly around could mean that he won;t return to his cage when its time to put him to bed, and you will wind up chasing him around and THAT is a big trust breaker. Since he is so shy, I would wait until there is a firm bond with him, meaning he will step up from the cage to your hand, and is very comfortable around you and the family. With parrots its all about the trust. Its like a bank, you build up interest in the trust bank and if you make a withdrawal, you have less. Think of every interaction like that - is this going to make him trust me more or less? Being consistent helps a lot. They like that. Sounds like he is zero tame, so this might take a few months - Be Patient!

 

[OgY]

Just be aware that letting him out to fly around could mean that he won;t return to his cage when its time to put him to bed, and you will wind up chasing him around and THAT is a big trust breaker. Since he is so shy, I would wait until there is a firm bond with him, meaning he will step up from the cage to your hand, and is very comfortable around you and the family. With parrots its all about the trust. Its like a bank, you build up interest in the trust bank and if you make a withdrawal, you have less. Think of every interaction like that - is this going to make him trust me more or less? Being consistent helps a lot. They like that. Sounds like he is zero tame, so this might take a few months - Be Patient!

Тhank you very much, I have carefully read your reply and opinion, I absolutely agree that there is no need for rush, I will analyze the indicated links as well. King regards,