Daily schedule

[MissMac]

Hi all. Could anyone share with me their daily routine with their IRN please? The time in and out of the cage for them, feeding schedule, where what and how much, bathing and anything else I've either forgotten about or need to know? It might help too if you let me know if you can work in and around your feathered family without them getting involved with what you are doing. Missy is... well where I am and what I am doing is where she is and what she is doing. I'm trying to make toys for her but she seems only to be interested in what I am doing in my hands. If I put whatever down and go onto something else... she does too... back to my hands.
She had been allowed out all day with me. I'm retired and apart from visiting the toilet - she tracks me down there too, we share the same space so she is never, unsupervised. Now I find out that she shouldn't be out all day and trying to get her to go happily and stay happy to and within her cage, is a battle I fear I am losing.
I've only ever had tame grown parrots in the past so Missy is a new experience for me. She is now 12 weeks old and I feel like I am going in circles.

 

[IcyWinteRose]

Hello! I am new too but where did you read not to let them out all the time during the day? From what I've read its good for them. Have you tried clicker training? Rewarding her extra for staying on her play stand or playing with toys. Maybe use her fav treats in the foraging toys you make? Also baby birds from my understanding are more needy then adults. I hope I was somewhat helpful, maybe someone more experienced can come along and give us both some pointers. I'll be getting my first ring neck in the spring

 

[Laurasea]

Parrots are flock creatures, its a hardwired instinct, stay with flock. So I feel including them in your daily home life and having them out all the time you are home or as much as possible is best. Some of that time should be indirect, tgey are out but foraging and doing their own thing.

Question for Everyone

How often in the day or how many total hours do you spend on one on one time with your feathered friends? Is it once for a good amount of time and then let them be? Or is it more incremental throughout the day? Is it just cuddling or interacting in other ways? Feel free to share your schedules...

www.parrotforums.com

 

[ctwo]

Everyone's bird is different, just like people...and your is very young with a lot of time yet to develop.

I've had mine about 3 years - acquired as a partially trained 5-year-old adult. It took time to get him to stop biting and lunging at the cage. The shelter in-place orders allowed me almost two years at home full time, and we were about half way into our developing relationship, which changed quite drastically over the next year or so. When home, I never closed his cage (he's housed with the cockatiel you see in my avatar). Since I was up too early, I'd leave him alone until he either called, where I would go talk to him, and/or he flew to me, which eventually became a daily thing.

He would then spend most of his day on my shoulder as I worked on the computer, wandering around the back of my chair, occasionally flying around the house, playing or sleeping on/in his cage or separate perch stand near the window. He's always been interested in watching what I'm working on, handling, or looking at when he's with me, and he had a good spell where he wanted to stand on my hand and 'help' with the keyboard or mouse work - not so much if I was tinkering on random objects.

I always have a large dish on top of his cage for baths, almost the diameter of his wingspan. He'll take one almost daily. I usually give him fresh food on top of his cage in a heavy bowl, because coffee cups or light bowls will be tossed to the ground. He always has seed dishes, but I don't fill them all the time and I'll blow out the shells to expose the seeds he less fond of and wait for him to work those down before filling again. He has toys on his play perch and on/in his cage.

Now I'm back in the office daily so I don't see him in the morning, and I have to lock his cage at bedtime. The afternoon routine is about the same. I try to give fresh food that will last through the next day so he can pick at it during the evening, and have something the next day until I get home.

BTW, I use coffee cups with a cork through the handle to hold them onto the cage bars, so food goes in one of those before bedtime.

He interacts with me a little less now. Some evenings he will not want to come out of his cage and sometimes will resist getting on my hand, and sometimes he'll get on my shoulder and refuse to get off by pushing my hand away. I just go with what he wants and he seems happy enough.

I can detect about 4 different inflections in his screams. One is calling me or his cage mate and it sounds very urgent, another is like a yes and is quieter - might happen after I ask him if he wants a nut and may repeat, another is like a loud HEY to get my attention to do something (for example he'll walk to the nearest part of cage to me from his usual sleeping spot and issue this one at night when I've left the room door open and the light on past his bedtime - just one firm HEY as he stares at me and waits patiently for something to happen). Another I'm not really sure what it means - it might happen while he paces back and forth and seems to want something - it will go on for a couple minutes. He has a scolding chatter that he does when I or someone else does something wrong. It sounds quite distinct. He has a guttural kind of happy sound he makes, sometimes led or followed up with a quick WEE - often when I run water to wash my hands or when he's eating something good, or enjoying a good preen. A chak chak kind of sound when he's grooming himself or I'm rubbing his neck and it's hit the spot, and he'll say hello or uh huh when he wants pets as he bows his head. He will sometimes go off like a bawling dog mixed with arcade or starwars laser fire noises, and this can go on for several minutes. And finally there is a hard knocking noise he makes, like a hard billiard ball bouncing on a hard floor, about 5 quick knocks. I have no idea where he picked up some of these sounds. They have not changed since I've had him. The ear piercing screams are the most common though, but they're quick.

 

[MissMac]

Hello! I am new too but where did you read not to let them out all the time during the day? From what I've read its good for them. Have you tried clicker training? Rewarding her extra for staying on her play stand or playing with toys. Maybe use her fav treats in the foraging toys you make? Also baby birds from my understanding are more needy then adults. I hope I was somewhat helpful, maybe someone more experienced can come along and give us both some pointers. I'll be getting my first ring neck in the spring

I got some training details from BirdTricks on YouTube and they don't recommend them staying out all day although they have one of their birds out all day. I am waiting to get my clicker - ordered it but still waiting.
I am finding it hard to get anything done (much like a new mum would) I do hope she will grow out of being so needy. I am making her toys but she will play with it while I am making it and as soon as I am done, she too, is done with it..

Everyone's bird is different, just like people...and your is very young with a lot of time yet to develop.

I've had mine about 3 years - acquired as a partially trained 5-year-old adult. It took time to get him to stop biting and lunging at the cage. The shelter in-place orders allowed me almost two years at home full time, and we were about half way into our developing relationship, which changed quite drastically over the next year or so. When home, I never closed his cage (he's housed with the cockatiel you see in my avatar). Since I was up too early, I'd leave him alone until he either called, where I would go talk to him, and/or he flew to me, which eventually became a daily thing.

He would then spend most of his day on my shoulder as I worked on the computer, wandering around the back of my chair, occasionally flying around the house, playing or sleeping on/in his cage or separate perch stand near the window. He's always been interested in watching what I'm working on, handling, or looking at when he's with me, and he had a good spell where he wanted to stand on my hand and 'help' with the keyboard or mouse work - not so much if I was tinkering on random objects.

I always have a large dish on top of his cage for baths, almost the diameter of his wingspan. He'll take one almost daily. I usually give him fresh food on top of his cage in a heavy bowl, because coffee cups or light bowls will be tossed to the ground. He always has seed dishes, but I don't fill them all the time and I'll blow out the shells to expose the seeds he less fond of and wait for him to work those down before filling again. He has toys on his play perch and on/in his cage.

Now I'm back in the office daily so I don't see him in the morning, and I have to lock his cage at bedtime. The afternoon routine is about the same. I try to give fresh food that will last through the next day so he can pick at it during the evening, and have something the next day until I get home.

BTW, I use coffee cups with a cork through the handle to hold them onto the cage bars, so food goes in one of those before bedtime.

He interacts with me a little less now. Some evenings he will not want to come out of his cage and sometimes will resist getting on my hand, and sometimes he'll get on my shoulder and refuse to get off by pushing my hand away. I just go with what he wants and he seems happy enough.

I can detect about 4 different inflections in his screams. One is calling me or his cage mate and it sounds very urgent, another is like a yes and is quieter - might happen after I ask him if he wants a nut and may repeat, another is like a loud HEY to get my attention to do something (for example he'll walk to the nearest part of cage to me from his usual sleeping spot and issue this one at night when I've left the room door open and the light on past his bedtime - just one firm HEY as he stares at me and waits patiently for something to happen). Another I'm not really sure what it means - it might happen while he paces back and forth and seems to want something - it will go on for a couple minutes. He has a scolding chatter that he does when I or someone else does something wrong. It sounds quite distinct. He has a guttural kind of happy sound he makes, sometimes led or followed up with a quick WEE - often when I run water to wash my hands or when he's eating something good, or enjoying a good preen. A chak chak kind of sound when he's grooming himself or I'm rubbing his neck and it's hit the spot, and he'll say hello or uh huh when he wants pets as he bows his head. He will sometimes go off like a bawling dog mixed with arcade or starwars laser fire noises, and this can go on for several minutes. And finally there is a hard knocking noise he makes, like a hard billiard ball bouncing on a hard floor, about 5 quick knocks. I have no idea where he picked up some of these sounds. They have not changed since I've had him. The ear piercing screams are the most common though, but they're quick.

Everyone's bird is different, just like people...and your is very young with a lot of time yet to develop.

I've had mine about 3 years - acquired as a partially trained 5-year-old adult. It took time to get him to stop biting and lunging at the cage. The shelter in-place orders allowed me almost two years at home full time, and we were about half way into our developing relationship, which changed quite drastically over the next year or so. When home, I never closed his cage (he's housed with the cockatiel you see in my avatar). Since I was up too early, I'd leave him alone until he either called, where I would go talk to him, and/or he flew to me, which eventually became a daily thing.

He would then spend most of his day on my shoulder as I worked on the computer, wandering around the back of my chair, occasionally flying around the house, playing or sleeping on/in his cage or separate perch stand near the window. He's always been interested in watching what I'm working on, handling, or looking at when he's with me, and he had a good spell where he wanted to stand on my hand and 'help' with the keyboard or mouse work - not so much if I was tinkering on random objects.

I always have a large dish on top of his cage for baths, almost the diameter of his wingspan. He'll take one almost daily. I usually give him fresh food on top of his cage in a heavy bowl, because coffee cups or light bowls will be tossed to the ground. He always has seed dishes, but I don't fill them all the time and I'll blow out the shells to expose the seeds he less fond of and wait for him to work those down before filling again. He has toys on his play perch and on/in his cage.

Now I'm back in the office daily so I don't see him in the morning, and I have to lock his cage at bedtime. The afternoon routine is about the same. I try to give fresh food that will last through the next day so he can pick at it during the evening, and have something the next day until I get home.

BTW, I use coffee cups with a cork through the handle to hold them onto the cage bars, so food goes in one of those before bedtime.

He interacts with me a little less now. Some evenings he will not want to come out of his cage and sometimes will resist getting on my hand, and sometimes he'll get on my shoulder and refuse to get off by pushing my hand away. I just go with what he wants and he seems happy enough.

I can detect about 4 different inflections in his screams. One is calling me or his cage mate and it sounds very urgent, another is like a yes and is quieter - might happen after I ask him if he wants a nut and may repeat, another is like a loud HEY to get my attention to do something (for example he'll walk to the nearest part of cage to me from his usual sleeping spot and issue this one at night when I've left the room door open and the light on past his bedtime - just one firm HEY as he stares at me and waits patiently for something to happen). Another I'm not really sure what it means - it might happen while he paces back and forth and seems to want something - it will go on for a couple minutes. He has a scolding chatter that he does when I or someone else does something wrong. It sounds quite distinct. He has a guttural kind of happy sound he makes, sometimes led or followed up with a quick WEE - often when I run water to wash my hands or when he's eating something good, or enjoying a good preen. A chak chak kind of sound when he's grooming himself or I'm rubbing his neck and it's hit the spot, and he'll say hello or uh huh when he wants pets as he bows his head. He will sometimes go off like a bawling dog mixed with arcade or starwars laser fire noises, and this can go on for several minutes. And finally there is a hard knocking noise he makes, like a hard billiard ball bouncing on a hard floor, about 5 quick knocks. I have no idea where he picked up some of these sounds. They have not changed since I've had him. The ear piercing screams are the most common though, but they're quick.

Thank you so much. Being new to the hand rearing thing is so different to having one already trained in some way or another. Other birds I had were of an older age when I got them.
She has just started to do that beak grinding thing when I let her out of the cage or she wants to settle on me... when she's happy, and not just a going to sleep thing.
I might have to Missy proof her cage as she is starting to raise the doors used for the food bowls. She hasn't learnt to go thru them yet but I am sure that in time she will... that'll be fun.
I'm still learning about the food. How much, when, what etc. And not knowing how long weaning takes or... well, a lot of things, so I appreciate you sharing your routine with me. It gives me the ability to plan and to understand them more. Thank you.

 

[Emeral]

I don't have a routine with IRN, but additional routines, that is in accordance with bird's nature might be useful.
Birds biological clock means, she is active early morning and before sunset. Since birds get sleepy after a meal and especially in the afternoon. Here are strategies to take a time off to unwind.

1)Give a recall training in the morning and evening. This is essential for many reasons and flying will also deplete most of her energy.

2) . Set Boundaries. Allow feeding in one place only, that is in her cage. When she is hungry or thirsty, she will know where to get replenished. And the door close after, so she can nap after her snacks. Or if you have already bird proof a room, let her roam free in that room. Limited access to another room where you rest.

3) Sit next to her cage. Birds crave attention. So why not give her while she is in her territory and before she asked. Putting variety of toys in her cage, bright colors, jingle bells 🔔, preening toys
If you observe her playing, you can also better guess which one maybe the next big hit.

4) When she is in her cage, walk by to say hello. Or surprise her by taking her out so that she will learn that cage isn't all bad. Cage has food, toys, favorite perch and she still can come out to play randomly. But You are the only one making the decision, not her. if she is on good behavior, she is still allowed indoor free flight. Funny thing is when she feels comfortable in her cage, she may refused to come out when called if she is sleepy 😴

5) sleepy kiddo in the afternoon must not be allowed to be grumpy around. Let her play with her toys till she fall asleep in her cage.

6) teach her simple commands so that she can understand and learn to cooperate. Basic ones are potty training, stay and yummy.

Basic Good Behavior for Birds - Cascade Kennels

Read this informative article from The Center for Bird and Exotic Medicine to learn more about basic parrot commands including step up, stay and go home.

www.cascadekennels.com

7) use short, simple words repeatedly in the same situation. I say good night every night. So I can put Emerald in her cage on Sunday afternoon, saying good night. She doesn't resist, went in to play and later took a nap.

8) To prevent tragic accident, never allow her to nap on you under your blanket in bed.

Set boundaries that is safe and comfortable to both of you before teenager phase start. Otherwise, biting to gain dominance may start.

Hope this helps