When does it become home?

[chezron]

Pancho has been with us a few weeks. He is still very skittish and wary. I hope he settles in and begins to enjoy himself. I know it depends on the bird, but how long could it take? Months, years? Maybe never?

Thanks

[judygram]

If I am not mistaken this is an older bird so it may take some time for him to settle into his new home, longer being an adult bird versus a baby so be patient and allow him time, remember Janet, aka Luvparrots has a rehomed amazon who is still not fully trusting of her so yes it can take years but it will be well worth it, ask Ray, he knows.

[Luvparrots]

I have had Louie, BF zon, since September 2010. He still will not let me touch him without trying to nip at me. BUT, he is very smart and he and I have an understanding. I show him what I want and he tries very hard to comply. He now goes back into his cage with a "nite, nite, Louie, get in your cage" and a tap on the door. I can now also from his cage get him into his travel carrier so I can take him outside for some sun. Louie is a very active zon and really wants to trust me so I will wait until he is ready. I have every belief that with time and more patience Louie will grow to trust me and I will be able to some day handle him.

 

On another note, I am very excited!!!! Louie today, on his own, left the bird room and came into my office to be with me. He played on his bungee and seemed to be enjoying himself. When it got towards evening he flew back to the bird room and upon my request got back into his cage. So we are working out a schedule and system that will work for the two of us. He is so very comical and a joy to watch so I really don't mind the wait.

[Ray P]

Cricket is a blue front zon and is about 15 years old now and is a rehome. She has been with us for 2 1/2 years.

When she came to us she had many issues but we won`t go into that now.

What worked for me and Cricket is first we put her into a larger cage and changed her diet. She had lived in a cage that was 16 in. x 16 in. x 24 in. for many years and was on a all seed diet

At first we did not let her out of her cage because she had a aggression issues but every day and many times during the day I would sit and talk to Cricket. I had a stool next to her cage that I sat on and talked to her and I would eat a carrot or other vege and I would offer her some After two or three days or so when I sat on the stool she would always come over and take a treat. After about three weeks when ever she saw me she would run over to the side of her cage where my stool was and wait for to come over and give her a treat. At that point I opened her door and let her come out on her own and climb to the plat top on her cage. At first she went to the other side of the cage top but I sat on my stool with a treat and she came over. To get her back into the cage I took my arm and would guide her to the door to go in and I would always have a treat in her cage. This went on for about a week or so.

One day when she was on top of her cage I left my stool to do something on the other side of the room and she flue after me but she was still very over weight and went right to the floor. At this point I had never held her and when I bent over to pick her up I was ready for a bad bite. I bent over and said step up and she did.

That was the day I lost my fear of a zon. That was the day we became best friends. That was the day I will always remember.

Edited July 7, 2011 by Ray P

[tODDski]

Some good stories in here. I started my GF with handling rescues. She had all the confidence (I didn't tell her otherwise) in the world and would ask any bird to come to her. She took bites that made me cringe but I always acted indifferent. I also started to realize a lot of rescue birds like having my GF and I together. By myself I couldn't get some birds to even get close to the cage. Bring in my GF later in the week and the birds would run to be petted. Last night at my breeder I bonded with what she said was her most aggressive bird. That bird talked to me, let me pet it how I wanted and I finally got the nerve to put my hand in there...he stepped up without reserve. My breeder couldn't believe what she was seeing. The bird is so mean (I guess) that its favorite phrase is "what's your problem?"

 

In the end, my point is, I took my GF who was scared of birds and put her right into the mix of rescues. I didn't warn her, explain how rescues have issues most likely or how bad a bite can hurt, therefore, she never hesitated. She was braver than I and we've made three trips so far. Later on after the second trip I had to be quizzical. I asked her, how are you not afraid of those birds? You were braver than I...totally cool girl. She responds "have you seen our dogs? It's just one beak but our dogs teeth are bigger and there's more of them. But that Macaw creeps me out, it's huge!"

 

A positive attitude and solid state of mind go really, really far in life. It's up to you to apply that principle.

[chezron]

Good stories! Great to hear all of your experiences, thanks!

[Ray P]

chezran Cricket`s bonding to me was very quick, but it took over two years before she would play much with her toys and about the same amount of time before she would fly much.

She still comes up with new stuff all the time. She does say some words but she is a clown and fun to watch.

Our bonding took less that 2 1/2 months.