A soft voice, a gentle touch and your presence and paticnce.

[Ray P]

If you plan to rehome or rescue a parrot for what ever reason there are four things needed to build a good relationship.

Ok a proper cage and a good diet is needed for the body, but it`s the mental health of the parrot that is just as important when you rehome a parrot. OK IMHO.

When we rehomed cricket her first day back in Ohio after we put her in a much larger cage I put a stool next to her cage and every time walked by her cage and as many times a day as I could I would sit on my stool and talk to her in a soft voice and just tell what a good girl she was and soon she would come over by me and just sit there and I would have a snack and after a short time we would share that snack.

One day when we were sharing a snack she put her head down and I took my finger and gently touched her head and she pulled back. At our next sitting she put her head down again and I gently touched her head again and this time for 3 to 5 sec. and the next time longer and so on.

For this to happen your presence is needed and you need paticnce and to enjoy each step and do not rush to the next step but enjoy each step as it comes.

Cricket always let me know when she was ready and if the truth be known she was always ready before I was.

[Talon]

Wonderful 'sticky' thread! Thank you for a glimps into the patience needed for a successful bonding.

[katana600]

Ray, you just know how to say it all in just one little headline. I have taken all your advice to heart with Gilbert. The patience part comes in handy when we have a quiet moment. I don't want it to end, but I walk away long before either of us want to stop just to be sure it ends on a positive note. I love that our little charge is able to speak not just with body language but first with his plaintive "wanna go back" which we always immediately responded with giving him the security of his cage, and now with his "hey" to ask for more time out.

[DawL]

I agree with every word of this post Ray. It does take a lot of patience, and a lot of dedication as well.

[Gwen]

Ray: Just went back & was reading a few threads... This one is too good to drop off & disappear !!! I'm glad it's a sticky but you are so on the money with your advice... I spent the first few months sitting outside Roscoe's cage talking, singing, whispering & just watching his body language.. He never put his head near the bars for me to touch him. I'm certain he had never had human contact after the breeder let him go. It breaks my heart to think of 10 years w/ no love!!!

I opened the door after the first few days & he would come out & sit on top of it. Whenever I offered the back of my hand or arm -- he would bite & laugh or say "ooch". That was the beginning of our "games"...

 

Indeed, pull up a stool, every day for as long as you have time, talk softly, eat a snack & your off on an adventure of a lifetime !!!

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

To add to that.... play some games in front of the cage with your kids. I suggest the game " TROUBLE". They can't resist the popping the bubble. All my birds eventually learned to " stepup", to each of our family members, thru a simple game, I went thru at least four games of Trouble. They also learned to love to be read too. Their favorite " The Cat In The Hat!" Sophie will pretend to read, when I read a book. Nancy