Help, Bonding with someone else's parrot

[amidsbs]

Hi!

My girlfriend owns a four year old Quaker parrot and ever since I met him I been reading up on parrot behavior and how to establish a relationship with them. Now what I wanted to ask you, according to your experience, is it possible that the bird ever becomes fond of me? I go to her house about once a week, and so far whenever he sees me he screams and quakes, and he looks scared of me. Whenever her brother had him on his shoulder and I would try to approach slowly it would show signs of trying to bite. The bird is not trained, spends most of his time in his cage, has over bonded with her brother and is very aggressive towards my girlfriend and scared of people he doesn't know. Any attempt at trying to talk to him while in his cage ends with him screaming or biting the cage bars.

Should I keep trying, or because I don't see him much he'll always be scared of me? Is there anything I can do so it won't go nuts whenever I'm around in the house and so it wouldn't suffer my presence?

 

[wrench13]

Yes there is help. But it takes time and patience.
Stand or sit in the room with the bird. move closer. At the point he starts screaming or biting bars, take 2 steps back. stay there for oh 1/2 hour , no eye contact at all.
Do that for a few days. Now, move 1 step closer. 1/2 hr a day for a few days. now 1 step closer, 1/2hr a day for a few days. Always no eye contact. You get my drift. once you are right by the cage you can offer little treats to the parrot thru the bars. Now you can sit next to the cage and read out loud in a soft voice to the bird, no eye contact. Doesnt matter what you read, just relaxed and soft voice. after a week or 2, with reading and treats, you may be at the point here the parrot will sit on your shoulder. Key is patience and consistency. Bravo to you for trying this.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Wonderful advice from Mr. Wrench.

For more reading...
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html
General Parrot Information - Parrot Forum - Parrot Owner's Community

And sometimes, birds just love whom they love. Mysterious chemistry. Birds can be like that!

 

[MonicaMc]

Any time you walk by the cage, offer the quaker a favorite treat that he loves. You don't need to stand and wait for him to take it, just drop the treat into a designated treat cup and keep moving!


The majority of my birds have been second hand, plus, rehomes. This meant that some were bonded to other people before they came to me. Charlie, my conure, did learn to trust someone else while with me, although that person is no longer in my life. He is kind of learning to trust someone else. He's not a one person bird, he just doesn't care for strangers. Somehow got lucky with him as he does not lunge or bite other people, he just avoids them - until he learns to trust them. Not many are willing to take the time it requires to gain his trust though...