# Got my first ever parrot. He's untame and I am going to try and tame him



## AraCyanea (May 30, 2011)

So, as title explains, I finally got my first parrot on Saturday. He's an almost 5 year old Meyer Parrot named Kermit.
Apparently was hand-tame at one point, but isn't anymore. He talks, dances and you could scratch his head when he was talking and dancing and all, that's what I got told. He apparently came out now and then, but I am not sure if he did as he's not come out here yet, but I guess it's not been a week yet lol. When I got him home, I tried to feed him through the side of cage, he tried biting me multiple times. If I put my hand in his cage at all, or started opening it, he's go mad and start flying around his cage and climb to the top. 

I am going to document my progress.

When I got him home, none of this was possible for me, obviously him being new to the place and all, he was scared and needs to adapt to his surroundings.
He came with his cage, it's around 50x50x60. I know it's small for him, I plan to make a bigger cage soon enough, till then, I need to get him hand tamed again and train him to actually let me handle him.

First day after I got him, as I got him about 8:30 in afternoon, so soon after he got back, it was sleep time. Either way, first day after, I sat near the cage all day, talking to him feeding him treats. Later on, I opened the cage and fed him treats through the door via hand. He will only take a single treat when you directly give it to him, he will cower away and get away if you put your hand out with a few treats for him to pick.

I have been doing this till yesterday. I still can't even touch him, if I go to try and touch him, he goes bat crazy.

Yesterday, I went and got a clicker and some treats and 2 new toys. I was trying to teach him that a click, obviously meant a treat or reward. Every time I gave him the reward though, he'd just drop it. I have got walnut pieces, sweet and normal almonds for now. Either way, doing that all of yesterday, it got him use to the clicker and it means something.

Today, I used a technique I have watched on Youtube. Power Pause technique. Within about half hour of trying this, I went from when my hand went in the cage without a treat, him going mad - to the point now, where my hand can be around an inch away before he tries to bite me, though I have touched him once with ease, another time after that, he went mad.

I am documenting this to see and show how well I progress to myself and others.

This is my first ever parrot, so wish me luck :2thumb:


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## AraCyanea (May 30, 2011)

Here two pictures of him:


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## Joe4 (Mar 12, 2010)

I will follow this thread with interest. Good luck :2thumb:


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## VixxieandTrixxie (Mar 20, 2012)

Aww bless good luck!!


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## 1930sam (Sep 12, 2011)

Hes looking great, Meyers are full of feisty! 
Ive sent you a PM, with some info that might help you


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## AraCyanea (May 30, 2011)

Thank you for the confidence 
Like mentioned, he is my first ever bird, so this could be fun to do. 

I will try to update every few days at least, unless things go well and I actually have something good to say, then it could be every night.

Who knows, if this goes well, I would possibly even consider adopting one or two more, but, let's not get too far ahead of myself.

Well, here starts my adventure into feathery friends, here I go


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

Hi,

I had a hand reared meyers for years, great little fellas, until the mating season....then be careful. Mine was called Max which he said very loudly and with a massive lisp: victory: so cool! 

For training tips ann from START HERE: Great Relationships with Happy & Healthy Parrots | The Bird School by Ann Castro has loads of info. There are books and DVDs and all sorts of training and health tips. She has a series of books on clicker training for parrots. Her Facebook is cool also.

Don't forget it is the "Think Parrots" show this Sunday in Woking. Think Parrots 2012

It's the biggest parrot only show this year.


Good luck!

John


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## Nel5on (Aug 24, 2010)

it took me about 4 months to get the trust of my meyers i got her when she was about 2 years old, now she is the tamest bird you could ever wish to own, but she is only tame to wards me, she will launc herself at anybody who goes near her cage, im tryign to get her to accept other people now.

i wish you all the luck with him, he is a little stunner


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## PrincessRiot (Apr 26, 2012)

He's well cute  good luck x


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## AraCyanea (May 30, 2011)

Okay, so two days past, tried touching him using the 'Power Pause', and every time I did, he'd go to bite me.

So, I got a perch for outside the cage and decided, I am going to attempted to towel him. I didn't want to, but I thought once he is out and calmed down in a towel, put him on the perch, and I may be able to progress more.

This didn't go to plan, at all. I got all the perch set up and went to finally do it, he ended up flying and all around his cage screaming in fear, and then for a few seconds, I took the towel out of the cage, and he flew out of the cage. Ended up him out of the cage for a good 2 hours, and then finally managed to get hold of him in the towel, and instead of keeping him in it, I just put him back in his cage, and I am now leaving him a day or two to calm down and get use to things again.

I am slightly worried about him though, as since he has been back in the cage, he hasn't made any noises like he usually would. Also, him sleeping, is very weird, last night, he decided to sleep like a bat, lol.

Anyway, will repost in a few days again to let you know how things go.


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

Any news?

I have tamed lots of parrot type for the trade over the years. I have always followed the same method. Wait till night time. Dim the lights and approach the cage very gently talking to the bird all the time. It is a flocking thing they are always communicating. You can then sit by the cage and continue to talk. I then over the first 10mins brung my hands into view, communicating all the time. Keep going and slowly but firmly open the cage. If the bird starts to blunder just stop moving but keep re-assuring the bird. When settled open the door and place you hand with a food item in the doorway. Constantly communicating had reassuring the bird. Always stop if it reacts negatively. But carry on when it is settled.

Re-do this at the same time everyday for a week or two. Over this time you should be able to move your hands nearer and nearer the bird everyday. Eventually it should take the food. You can then start on "stepping up"

Just do everything gently but with purpose, they hate it if you fumbel the door and make a big noise.

Toweling is good as you are less likely to get a bite or harm the bird but it is traumatic,so I advise only towelling if it is the only way.

Keep going and eventually the bird should settle down.

In my expericance meters like shiney things like keys so watch what you leave lying about:whistling2:

Good luck!!

John



John.


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## AraCyanea (May 30, 2011)

Sorry for the wait people.

He's getting much more use to me. Though the other day when I put a chop stick near the cage, which I planned to use for trick training, but he went absolutely mental. He is scared of anything new, so when I can find my damn clicker, I am going to use the power pause technique, that I used for him to let me get so close to him, so I can get him on to trick training.

He's much quieter, which I don't know if that's good or bad, he doesn't wake me up at 6/7am every morning now, only some lol, when he feels like it, but that may be due to my curtains being shut more than they use to be.

ArcadiaJohn, I will try that, I normally stay next to him and talk to him all day, and whistle and talk with him and the rest. I can feed him with food in my hand already, using a different way, he doesn't mind the cage door being opened and fed a treat at a time. 

He can have anything in my rooms that's shiney if he can find them lol.


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