Alexander
07-11-2010, 06:33 PM
...and it is NOT as easy as it was with my first bird Arthur. Well...
Day 1
Ikaros was brought home from the breeder at about 2 pm, and he was put in the cage, that is going to be his home for the next month before he is introduced to Arthur. There he has food and water and a perch (natural of course) to sit on. I wanted to keep it very simple with as few distractions as possible. He sat on the same spot for the rest of the day.
Day 2
I uncovered him two hours before uncovering Arthur in the other room so that I would have some time alone with him before having to be in the living room with Arthur who usually starts calling, when I leave the room. Today I sat down and started reading to him for about 20 minutes. I tried to put my hand in the cage, and he didn't seem to mind. But then I became too eager and tried to touch him (IT'S HARD NOT TO!!!) And he became scared and started to fly around in the cage. I decided that was a bad idea and just kept my hand steady a couple of inches away from him. That was ok for both of us. I left him and waited for half an hour and read to him for 10 minutes, waited half an hour and then read to him for 20 minutes, before leaving him there. He seemed quite relaxed but not off guard, that's for sure. He wasn't chirping or moving anywhere.
Day 3
Today I followed the same procedure as the day before, but stupid as I was, I tried to touch him again. Same result. I think the reason why I had so much trouble understanding, that he is really NOT ready for touching yet is, that Arthur was cuddling already from day 2. But as I have learned, every bird is different. Speaking of Arthur, today he called for me, when I left the room, and then Ikaros answered. They repeated their callings a couple of times until I got it under control = returned to the living room. Ikaros was still fine with my hand resting an inch away from him AND he finally moved around in the cage by his own free will, when I wasn't in the room yay! :) He is not eatng or drinking yet, though :(
I am a bit worried, that the fact, that Ikaros is aware that there is another bird present in the appartment, will make it a lot harder to tame him. Am I correct?
Day 4
Today Ikaros sat and preened himself with my hand in the cage. Progress
Day 5
He has been eating overnight. Progress. Still, he is still skittish around my hand in the cage though. But he ate a little bit from a millet spray, that I held in my hand. Progress.
Day 6
Ikaros has been eating overnight and it now seems like he has gotten into a routine regarding eating at least. I don't know about drinking, but I can only hope. He still tends to fly around, the first time I put my hand into his cage for the first morning session. For the following sessions, he seems more calm and allows my hand to move SLOWlY around inside the cage. He sits on the highest part of the branch, observing from what he considers safe distance though ;) But none the less he doesn't fly frantically around. He ate millet from my hand again today. For about a minute or so. Though I offered him millet again in the following session, he didn't want it. So I guess enough was enough for now :)
Day 7
He seems more calm when I change his food and water. Although he flyes off, if he sits just wjere I have to put my hand to change it. But not in a frantic way, more like "ok if you mean your hand is supposed to be here right now, I'm taking off!". He ate from the end of the millet spray, that I helt in the other end.
Day 8
Pretty much the same as yesterday, although he seemed to be willing to follow the millet spray for a step or two along the perch. So he is willing to leave his "safe spot" to get millet now. I think that is progress.
Day 9
He didn't fly away when I changed food or water, which was good. Although he waited until the evening session to eat millet from my hand. But then I was actually allowed to move my fingers so far up the straw, that I was only a fingers width away from his beak. So progress afterall :)
Day 10
He flew away once I took the food out of the cage this morning, but not when I put it back. Although he was very close :) Ate some millet from my hand.
Day 11
It turns out that Ikaros is 6 months older than I was first told. Therefore he will be returned to the breeder in exchange for another bird. Besides, he also seems to be a girl. He is turning brown on the cere. So the breeder must have had an off day.
Day 1
Ikaros was brought home from the breeder at about 2 pm, and he was put in the cage, that is going to be his home for the next month before he is introduced to Arthur. There he has food and water and a perch (natural of course) to sit on. I wanted to keep it very simple with as few distractions as possible. He sat on the same spot for the rest of the day.
Day 2
I uncovered him two hours before uncovering Arthur in the other room so that I would have some time alone with him before having to be in the living room with Arthur who usually starts calling, when I leave the room. Today I sat down and started reading to him for about 20 minutes. I tried to put my hand in the cage, and he didn't seem to mind. But then I became too eager and tried to touch him (IT'S HARD NOT TO!!!) And he became scared and started to fly around in the cage. I decided that was a bad idea and just kept my hand steady a couple of inches away from him. That was ok for both of us. I left him and waited for half an hour and read to him for 10 minutes, waited half an hour and then read to him for 20 minutes, before leaving him there. He seemed quite relaxed but not off guard, that's for sure. He wasn't chirping or moving anywhere.
Day 3
Today I followed the same procedure as the day before, but stupid as I was, I tried to touch him again. Same result. I think the reason why I had so much trouble understanding, that he is really NOT ready for touching yet is, that Arthur was cuddling already from day 2. But as I have learned, every bird is different. Speaking of Arthur, today he called for me, when I left the room, and then Ikaros answered. They repeated their callings a couple of times until I got it under control = returned to the living room. Ikaros was still fine with my hand resting an inch away from him AND he finally moved around in the cage by his own free will, when I wasn't in the room yay! :) He is not eatng or drinking yet, though :(
I am a bit worried, that the fact, that Ikaros is aware that there is another bird present in the appartment, will make it a lot harder to tame him. Am I correct?
Day 4
Today Ikaros sat and preened himself with my hand in the cage. Progress
Day 5
He has been eating overnight. Progress. Still, he is still skittish around my hand in the cage though. But he ate a little bit from a millet spray, that I held in my hand. Progress.
Day 6
Ikaros has been eating overnight and it now seems like he has gotten into a routine regarding eating at least. I don't know about drinking, but I can only hope. He still tends to fly around, the first time I put my hand into his cage for the first morning session. For the following sessions, he seems more calm and allows my hand to move SLOWlY around inside the cage. He sits on the highest part of the branch, observing from what he considers safe distance though ;) But none the less he doesn't fly frantically around. He ate millet from my hand again today. For about a minute or so. Though I offered him millet again in the following session, he didn't want it. So I guess enough was enough for now :)
Day 7
He seems more calm when I change his food and water. Although he flyes off, if he sits just wjere I have to put my hand to change it. But not in a frantic way, more like "ok if you mean your hand is supposed to be here right now, I'm taking off!". He ate from the end of the millet spray, that I helt in the other end.
Day 8
Pretty much the same as yesterday, although he seemed to be willing to follow the millet spray for a step or two along the perch. So he is willing to leave his "safe spot" to get millet now. I think that is progress.
Day 9
He didn't fly away when I changed food or water, which was good. Although he waited until the evening session to eat millet from my hand. But then I was actually allowed to move my fingers so far up the straw, that I was only a fingers width away from his beak. So progress afterall :)
Day 10
He flew away once I took the food out of the cage this morning, but not when I put it back. Although he was very close :) Ate some millet from my hand.
Day 11
It turns out that Ikaros is 6 months older than I was first told. Therefore he will be returned to the breeder in exchange for another bird. Besides, he also seems to be a girl. He is turning brown on the cere. So the breeder must have had an off day.