Baby Alexandrine

[samnabz]

Hey i just got a baby Alex yesterday morning and while the breeder was here it was fine with us, then as soon as he left you could tell it got upset and it was a bit bitey..
Today it is much more trusting and i have been trying to teach it the basic UP and DOWN command, which it does for corn but it still decides to bite me for unknown reason??....especially if i say UP (bird hops on fingers) and give it corn, but when it finishes the corn if i don't give it another it will bite me, and HARD.
Was just wondering if this was normal and he just needs more time? And if i am doing the right thing to earn his trust...?
Any information would be greatly appreciated, i know it is very early on but i have never owned this species and was just wondering if anyone could give me some pointers.

Cheers, Sam.

[Robyn]

Hi Sam,

I think maybe your moving to fast for him. I would give him at least a week to get used to his new home before you start with the training. He needs to at least trust you, at the moment your a predator & he is scared.

Offer him a fist to the up command that way he can't bite a finger. You will have to learn his body language. A bird will warn you to back off before it bites. If you keep doing what you have been warned not to then he'll bite. As soon as he bites either put him back into the cage or on a stand & let him be. Once he has settled down try again.

From my own experiences with my own birds, if a bird bites it's usually my fault, I haven't taken any notice of how my bird may be feeling or for what ever reason. My Eclectus will growl so i know i have gone to far. Time to stop & let them settle down.

Did you check out the thread on "What do you do when your bird bites you".

For every action there is a reaction. So when bird bites, human goes ouch, bird thinks that is a fun game, therefore it has learned a negative behavior. I know it hard not to react. If there is one thing i hate is being bitten so i avoid it at all costs. I can tell you honestly i don't get bitten very often these day's.

Cheers,

Robyn.

[samnabz]

Yeah i thought i was moving too fast, so by leaving him be for a week, you mean not to pay attention to him or just don't pick him up or do tricks?

The bites really hurt but i don't flinch or let him know it hurts.

Thanks a lot for your help, he is fine with me picking him up but after about 10mins or so i think he gets annoyed or over it. So should i hold out on picking him up and giving him treats etc. for the week or just trying to get him commands??

[Robyn]

Sam, if he is OK for 10 minutes being handled, then just time him, when he gets restless put him down, just don't force the issue. Lots of talking to calm him. Take baby steps with him. It may only take a couple of days for him to settle.

It's so different for me because i do the hand rearing as well so my birds are taught to step up before they are fully feathered. Most of my eckie baby's are already saying hello before they go to their new home.

Sam i am sure given time he will be ok. But i can tell by his pic in your intro that he is one little scared Ronnie.

Robyn.

[samnabz]

Thanks a lot for the replies Robyn, you've been very helpful mate. I have been taking it easy today, whenever he seems cheery he will want to play then when he gets agitated i put him back, only time will tell how we will go but so far so good

Also when the breeder was here he would say "HOP UP" and it did, it also did it with us when he was still here but when he left it just kind of backed off a bit which is understandable, gotta' get used to it's new surroundings and the new faces, I don't mind waiting, definitely won't be giving up on him any time soon.

Cheers.

[Robyn]

Sam, don't worry to much once he gets used of you it will be so much easier. Sounds like things have improved already.

Honestly by this time next week you will wonder what all the fuss was about.

I have H/R a lot of Alex's over the years. They do make great pets, but i am bias & i love the Eclectus Parrots. Their pretty much my favorite.

Robyn.

PS: Will be waiting to hear your progress with Ronnie as well.

[samnabz]

Hey all thanks for the advice, Ronnie is coming along really well, he's much more comfortable, still gives the occasional nibble but nothing like before. He craves attention and seems a lot more chirpy and happy.

So once again thanks everyone my brother has begun teaching him the UP/DOWN command, but slowly so that we don't annoy or anger him lol.

Cheers.

[Robyn]

Great news Sam keep up the good work,

Robyn.

[vankarhi]

Hello Sam and welcome and sorry for not coming on before.........things have been hectic at home.

Robyn has given you excellent advise ;D

I tend to be a bit different though and I do let my birds settle in for a few days but by the third day i am handling them. Yes they do bite or can bite a bit because they are used to their "human" parent being someone else and now you are the parent.......as babies they need to trust us.

Even with my baby ekkies that I have I always tell anyone that comes near them ......... be careful as they don't know you and to them I am mum.

I am actually taming down a parent raised alex at the moment. I let the parents raise the two this year but one ended up with scissor beak ....... long story but she ended up dead from being attacked by my ekkies through the wire. So I took this fellow out ...... but he was 9 weeks old and had just fledged but not weaned ......... not a good time to take a baby out of the aviary. So I had to force him to eat from a syringe for a week or so until I was sure he was eating well enough on his own. I have sold him cheap because he is parent raised but the guy can't take him home until just before xmas (present for his wife and his wife is scared of birds so I told him I would get the bird stepping up at least). He said he will handle him until he is tame but seeing as I have him here for a while I am just teaching him to step up. I have not had to tame a parent raised bird for probably about 25 years........

It is a challenge actually as he doesn't like me due to me having to force feed him........but he is much better now and I hope he will be even better by next week.

I normally only handle them for a few mins at a time but many times a day. Then as they get more used to me i handle them longer then when I can trust them not to bite me I put them on my shoulder and then I can have them with me for longer.

Good luck and it seems like your little fellow will be a great companion.

[vankarhi]

Well an update on my parent raised guy. He is stepping up for me now even in his cage.....after a short complain and when he jumps off me I can get him to step up again. He hasn't bitten me hard yet. A little nip but nothing really. I am happy with his progress so far.