Hi I have an Indian Ringneck and we think she’s about 1-2 yrs old she came from a very loud and uncomfortable place I have had her for about 8months she will take food out of my hand and will come to me if I have food she showers with me and is part of my daily life but she won’t stop biting me and I can’t get her to trust my hands she will step up on a stick but I’m really lost on what to do next please help
Hi Hannah,
Indian Ringnecks have the tendency to be hand shy anyway. Even hand fed birds will get hand shy once they are weaned. It’s just the nature of some of them. Many never accept hands but are happy to interact in other ways and will take food like your bird. Since parrots are prey animals, they are naturally wary of anything that reaches for them. They feel like a predator is trying to catch them. Some species seem more sensitive than others, and IRN’s are one of those species. All you can do is be patient with her and see if she eventually comes around. If she’s biting because you try to touch her, then don’t try to touch her. She doesn’t want to be touched. I’ll give you the links to our behavior and training pages to give you more information. Since parrots are an exotic species, they can’t be trained like a dog, for example. You are dealing with instinct, and her fight or flight instinct is strong. It doesn’t mean she will never fully accept your hands, but it will be on her time table, not yours. Each time you do something that you know causes her to bite, this causes her to lose some trust in you. Keep doing what she likes, and make progress that way.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
