Really need advice really stressed

[SunnyTheConure]

So for the first few months of my Indian ringneck being with me he was fine cuddled never lunged or bite then he jolted when he was around one and didn't like being cuddled and still didny bite. Hes around 2 now and is still very aggressive and lunges and bites I'm very stressed and dont know how to make him calm.

 

[noodles123]

It's like comparing an infant to an 18-year-old. Babies are easy and always very sweet in comparison to their more adult counterparts with fully formed personalities.

Start by making sure an avian vet has checked him (personality change should trigger vet visit, even if it is probably hormonal).
You shouldn't pet anywhere other than the head or neck.
Remove access to huts/shadowy spaces/boxes/bedding/under furniture.
Provide at least 10 hours sleep on a set schedule nightly.
ensure you never partially cover the cage-- if you cover, do it fully and only when sleeping. **I noticed you are covering the top part of your cage in an old post in hopes of letting parakeets out..This should be stopped, as a partially covered cage messes with their hormones, light cycles and immune system)
Ensure the cage is large (what are the dimensions?)
Provide plenty of enrichment and foraging with different toys.
Make sure diet is appropriate.


BUILD TRUST and start over or try to touch less if you are getting aggressive vibes. Some birds don't like being touched much.
IRNs do need a lot of interaction to stay social.


You have to make sure you aren't triggering hormones or missing out on attending to basic enrichment, cage-size, dietary or sleep concerns before addressing behavior specifically (as they can trigger it).

 

[SunnyTheConure]

It's a liberta flight cage and he doesnt let me touch him at all. He lunges at my hands whenever they go near him this has been happening essentially since he moulted. He takes food from my hand but if it's small he bites my hand hes very cage aggressive and only steps up on the stick when hes scared otherwise he runs up the stick to bite my hand. Thank you for the advice. I think it's my fault for a few months I couldnt spend as much time with him cause of uni and I think this is what triggered the change I need to know what to do so he doesnt bite. I no longer cover his/her cage.

 

[noodles123]

How much time have you spent just letting him come in and out of his own cage without you helping (other than supervision)?


I know you say he will step onto the stick etc, but if there is biting etc accompanying that, it may be that it is harming trust or agitating him (even if he chooses to run up it, it could be upsetting him or causing you to be associated with high-stress/tense activities).


Don't try to pet him if he doesn't want it.


They can become much more cage aggressive if hormones are involved at all, which is why I say take extreme caution against shadowy spaces and at least 10 hours sleep on a set schedule.

 

[wrench13]

Hi !

IMHO, the lack of interaction while you were involved with school could be the beginning of this. As my friend Noodles pointed out, IRNs need a lot of interaction with people in order to remain tame. Ringnecks are famous for this, returning back to an almost wild state if they are not played with and interacted with almost daily. The other factors mentioned could also be exacerbating this. Most IRNs HATE being touched. A lot have fear of hands. Of course, these are generalizations, and if nothing else, all parrots are individuals with their own personalities, likes and dislikes.

Start from scratch, as if you just got him as an adult bird. Spend a lot of time just sitting as close to his cage as you can ( without upsetting him), and read out loud to him in a soft soothing voice. Parrots love being read to. A good thing to read is the "I Love Amazons" thread over on the Amazon forum, at the top. TOns and tons of great info, and applicable to ALL parrots. another thing to do is to drop a small treat in his food bowl EVERYTIME you pass his cage, maybe even have a special small bowl just for that.

Parrots accept change slowly, at an almost glacial pace, especially when compared to our quick adaptable monkey brains. Patience is the key word. You can explore target training with him, in cage at first. Look that up online and here on the forums.

Assure yourself that the other conditions mentioned above by Noodles have been addressed.

 

[Cstone01]

Ringnecks are notorious for having a bad bluffing period. The woman we bought our alexandrine from was absolutely terrified of him- he wasn’t the same sweet baby bird she bought. She even said “well if he comes out of the cage you can buy him”. She had 0 control of him and wouldn’t get near him or touch him.

Their behavior should improve after they get used to the hormonal changes somewhat but still need a lot of socializing. I’m not 100% sure on the timeframe of a IRN vs an alexandrine but our bird started to come out of it around 3.5 years old and was generally more even mannered so we could work on socializing him. 2 years on he is an absolutely wonderful bird to all members of our family.

 

[SailBoat]

Truly great advice above.

As a restatement: Your baby has grown-up but you have not /did not change the way you interacted with your 'now' adult Parrot.

Starting over is never easy, but it is required.

Only good things happen with Humans are around!

Change your vantage point:
-It is never the fault of the Parrot!
-It is always the fault of the Human!
The quicker you change your vantage point the quicker you will see what you are doing wrong and correct it.

Parrots have not natural reason to trust Humans! Everyday, we need to provide them a reason to trust us.

 

[noodles123]

I think somebody said this already (wrench?) but of all birds, they are one of the species that reverts back to their old ways very quickly without daily handling. You will have to start at square 1, but make sure he is getting out daily if at all possible. It won't be as easy as when he was a baby, but try not to put a time-frame on it based on your own (human) expectations, as parrots are notoriously slow moving in comparison when it comes to bonding/trust.