I Just got my pacific parrotlet on sunday but shes not very social. what can i do to make her more socia?

Question

Shes around a year old and not very social. whenever i try to take her out of her cage she flies away from me. her wings are only half clipped and she has plenty of toys. what can i do to make her more social?

Answer 1

Remember that she's just undergone a really big life change and is naturally frightened.  Right now I'd spend a lot of time near her, watching television, reading and talking to her softly.  Let her get used to your presence before you ask her to get used to your hand.

As she becomes more comfortable around you, you might offer her treats from your hand.  Babies usually love millet but my older parrotlets aren't really crazy about it anymore.  If she like it though, hold a spray of millet in your hand with your hand just at the cage door.  Let her get brave enough to nibble from the end of it.  As she becomes more comfortable you can gradually shorten the millet spray so she gets closer and closer (and finally ON) your hand.  

If she doesn't like millet, try other treats that she might like.  Freeze-dried blueberries and raspberries from the Just Tomatoes Company are big hits here.

Remember that *trust* is the basis for any good relationship.  Since your bird is not a baby it may take awhile for you to get her to trust you but with time and patience on your part, your bird can become a wonderful little companion.

ParrotletsPlus is a Yahoo Group that's dedicated to the tiny 4" parrotlet.  We discuss nutrition, housing, training, medical care and all other issues relating to parrotlets (including how much we love them :-)  We'd love to have you join us.

Colette

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Parro...

Answer 2

Ok, since you only got her on Sunday, she's probably still a bit stressed with her new home. Give her about 2 weeks to settle in, get to know her new cage, and make sure that you don't move the location of the cage for about a month, so she can get to know her surroundings (unless it's an emergency or the position is really bad for her).

Every time you approach her cage to change her food, water, etc., talk to her - about anything.it can be about your dailse slow movements. Don't change your voice a lot (ie. one day you talk to her deeply and slowly, the next day you're all soft and whispery and high). This is so that she gets to know you, her owner.

Spend some time with her, chat, make sure she gets to know your hand.

After a few weeks, once she's used to you, you can try taming her a bit. See how closer you can get your hand to her every week. If you don't have a lot of time to spend with her, getting another parrot may help. Once she's used to her surrounding, cage, and owner, she will open up a lot more, and you can attempt taming her, so that eventually, she will sit on your shoulder.

If you want to know HOW to tame her, go on the internet.

Answer 3

Give her time to settle in and adjust to all the new thing's in her life.

Talk to her alot and often and move slowly so as not to scare her.

New home, new people and lot's of new to her items in the home that may take her time to get use to. After a week of talking to her and sitting beside her cage try offering her a bite of apple or grape.

When she takes it means you are making progress in trust with her.

You should have her flight's trimmed for safety reason's by a good avian groomer. Don't let them clip too much though.

Answer 4

She just needs to learn that you are a source of having fun and stimulus.

Here are some good tips on socializing;

http://jamiesparrothelp.wordpress.com/ca...

And here are some goods tips on training as they both go hand in hand;

http://jamiesparrothelp.wordpress.com/ca...

You can use the method of "touch training" (also called target training in those blogs) to teach your bird to come out, how to learn and the purpose of a clicker so he has fun with training which means he has fun with you.

Trick training can be really fun for birds and if your bird likes to fly - flight training is perfect!