PROBLEM WITH MY RING NECK

Question
QUESTION: We found a male ringneck in our garden and have adopted him. He does talk a bit and will sit on your hand. the problem is is that the bird seems to be detaching itself from us over the last week. he wont sit with us and he is so scared of us. we keep him wherever we are so that he can get used to us and i have put a parrot calming tonic in his water. but non of this has worked, the minute we let him out of his cage he flys behinde the curtain and he sits there the whole night. pls help. we would love this adopted bird to become part of the family and not to be scared of us but a loving bird

ANSWER: -- First, throw away whatever you're putting in the water.   Please, never, never EVER put junk in their water no matter what the claim.   There are two exceptions:  If a qualified avian vet prescribes it or if it's a few drops of natural lemon juice or natural apple cider vinegar (used to treat mild yeast infections).  That's it.  Otherwise it's very likely useless junk made to take your money, and it's always potentially toxic since there are NO rules of safety in animal products.  None.  

As for taming and interaction, check here and look under the 'biting and screaming' part.   It applies for all sorts of behavioral issues

  http://www.4AnimalCare.org/birds



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hi there

i have read link regarding biting and screaming, and we already do all of those things. just to give you a bit more insight into our home. We bought him a big cage with things inside for intertainment. Every moring when we wake up the kids (2yrs and 4yrs)sit next to him and ready him a book for about 15 min before we leave for school. when we get home they take him out his cage. he does step up on to my hand and if i put him on my shoulder within 30 seconds he flies up to the curtain railing and hides behind the curtain. then when we go and bath we take him with us, and he will sit on the towel rack while we bath. then we bring him down again. i try and keep him on my hand for as long as possible but as soon as we are downstairs and he sees the curtain he flies to the railing and then he hides behind the curtain. when we have supper, he will sometimes come down to me and see what he can get on my plate or i will give him a biscut. but then he takes the food and goes behind the curtain with it. when the kids go to bed my husband and i will either watch tv or play games ie computer and tv games. so i will go and fetch him from behind the curtain and put him on my shoulder so that he can sit with me while im on the computer. (my games dont make any noises, i play sims) with in 30 seconds again he flies off my shoulder and goes an hides behind the curtain. i go and fetch him about 4 times and then i just give up, because he keeps flying off my hand or shoulder and then hides behind the curtain.we do this everyday, and i thought with time he would stop being so scared, i handle him everyday and we really take him where ever we go in the house to keep him with us but he just flies straight back to the curtain and he hides. i have heard that parrots are "one person bird" and that once they have bonded with one person they will not bond with anyone else. i was thinking that maybe he is missing his previous owner. he is not a baby bird. i would guess that he is about 1 year old. all the things you have said in the "biting and taming" i do do everyday, but it does not seem to be working. please help

Answer
-- A 1 year old Ringneck is still a 'baby'.  And so far this baby is learning how to head up your family.   With your permission.   You see, as long as you allow the behavior, you are encouraging more of it.  

First:  Keep in mind that I rescue some pretty badly treated and much, much older birds.  Some in their 30's!  Birds, no matter what their age, are willing and able to adjust to whatever they have to adjust to.  It is how they've survived for billions of years and how they'll go on long after we go extinct.  

With that said, change the pattern to change the behavior.   A new bird should be 'trimmed'.  He might be able to be allowed to fly later on, but for now, a little wing trim is wise.  

He should be able to gently glide to the ground without injury, but not get any real distance or lift on his own.  

This makes him more dependent on you and encourages that bond.

Keep him away from the window/curtains and give him another option, one that you want.

But limit his flight options (or what he THINKS are his options)until you have more of a bond and he knows who is the flock leader in this house