Joined: Oct 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 15 Location: Adelaide, SA Karma: 0
IRN - Is this normal behaviour « Thread Started on Oct 30, 2009, 7:13pm »
Hi everyone, hoping for some input from those out there who have experience of IRNs.
Ive read back through posts talking about IRN behaviour and have learned alot but still have a few questions.
I was given a lutino hen about 6 weeks ago. The lady who had her before rather foolishly put her in with nesting canaries. One dead canary and alot of destroyed nests later she rang me. She found the bird in her yard 3 years ago and kept it in a bell shaped cocky cage. When she moved house last year she put it in with the canaries through lack of space.
After being here a week I put it in a much bigger cage with toys and things to do. But the bird doesnt seem to know how to play or even fiddle with things. Is this normal? I read they like to chew so I put a chewy toy in with her and she pecked at it like she was terrified so I took it out.
This bird is of unknown age, but it must be, at least, hand tame because she steps up very well. She has taken to me very well but started attacking everyone else, flying at their faces. Although I hated to do it I did clip her wings as she has quite a beak on her, and I dont want to see what damage that could do to someones face, and I didnt want to confine her to her cage.
The clipping which I did about a week ago seems to have calmed her down a bit, but she still lunges at people who pass her cage. I gave her an old shoe box and she has chewed the top off and lurks in it most of the day. I hate to see a bird doing so little, but perhaps that is just their nature?
She likes to have a bath and she certainly like food, she will try and snatch what ever you are eating and run off with it.
I could put her in an outside aviary by herself but I dont know how happy she would be on her own. Any tips on how to get her to play or be nicer to other people? Any answers would be appreciated. I think she was rather neglected in her previous home and would like to try and do the right thing by her, if possible. I take her out to be with me a least twice a day and she seems to enjoy this, but I think she spends most of her time looking for 'nesting hollows' around the house.
Re: IRN - Is this normal behaviour « Reply #1 on Oct 30, 2009, 9:34pm »
Lol to me she sounds like a normal irn , with one love in life you others have to feed her and show her who is boss. toys sticks with bark on them and anything to chew mine will eat or chew whatever they get hold off. j
Laraine Global Moderator V.I.P Member member is offline
Joined: Feb 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 1,477 Location: Sydney, Australia Karma: 14
Re: IRN - Is this normal behaviour « Reply #2 on Nov 1, 2009, 12:26am »
I dont know if this is any help, but I have a female IRN and for the past few weeks she has been living in the breeding box. Maybe she feels secure hiding in the shoe box or it is a hormonal thing at this time of year. If she has been neglected for a few years in a cage with no stimulation, maybe it will take a while for her to come out of her shell.
Joined: Aug 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 9,818 Location: Central Queensland Karma: 52
Re: IRN - Is this normal behaviour « Reply #3 on Nov 2, 2009, 9:35pm »
IRN need a lot of personal time spent on them to keep them as lovely pets. Females can be extremely territorial too (as I imagin males can be too). I owned a lution IRN and I was the only person who was "brave" enough to get her out of her cage so she could interact with us. She was so territorial of her cage but once out she wasn't too bad. She was handraised too but not by me. They love to chew.....so mabye just put some big branches in with her and some big wooden chew toys. She might like little balls too.....although they probably wouldn't last long with her beak. lol She might like a swing or boing??? You have not had her very long so her true personality probably has not emerged yet......... oops just re read you have had her 6 weeks now.
I would just keep putting things in her cage and seeing if she does eventually find some favs. Keep handling her too and she should make a lovely pet.
Joined: Oct 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 15 Location: Adelaide, SA Karma: 0
Re: IRN - Is this normal behaviour « Reply #4 on Nov 14, 2009, 11:34am »
thanks for the replys, Ill try out your suggestions. I did wonder if it was hormonal. She has become quieter in the last week (noise wise) and doesnt seem to spend so much time lurking in her box. She seems happier to sit and watch the goings on with us and the other birds. I dont have her out quite as much as I did and she seems to have accepted that. Fingers crossed it only improves from here.
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