What challenges have you faced with your re-homed or rescued companion?

Most of my rescues are small birds, so the main challenge is to get them used to having lots of other birds around, not to panic with the cats across the room, and to "upgrade" their diet a bit. Most of them have adapted pretty quickly (which is probably why I keep getting more <g>)

I had never owned a bird before acquiring my first, a Greenwing. I think the initial fear for Kady and I was mutual. We were both scared to death of each other.

When I think back to those first few weeks, I can laugh now. We both have have come a long way. It paved the way to make Kita's transition to her new home here much easier.

Karen, it was the same way with Jerry and me. He wasn't really a rescue, he came from a pet store - but he was completely untame and also my first bird.

We were both so scared of each other. He was scared of people, hands, fast movements, etc. I was scared of what a bite felt like and was even nervous about how those tiny feet felt on my finger.

We worked for almost two months on getting him used to people and hands. It was literally inch by inch every day, and from within the cage. I started with my hand on the opposite side of the cage and day by day we got closer and closer til my finger was right up next to that little blue belly.

We started on "step up" and it was......one foot on my finger, one foot still on perch.....couple days later, two feet on finger but run right off reeeaaaal quick .....couple days later, two feet on and stay put for a few minutes.

That first day out of his cage, both of us huddled in the bathroom, was a day I'll never forget. I think we were both so proud of each other.

I'm a believer in moving at the bird's pace, as of yet I don't believe that the "tough love" method is the way to go. I never pushed Jerry beyond his comfort level and I think that has paid off. He's my best little bud now, and I wouldn't have changed anything about how we got here.

Sarah, I share your sentiment. I feel it's important to move slow and not rush. It takes longer but the payoff is BIG!!

Danny & Prinny were re-homes and I guess rescues too, they were living with a mean, nasty man who didn't take care of them. From what I know Danny was living in a rusty dog kennel with no perches or toys, he was allowed to rome around on his "cage" the majority of the day. When we picked him up we saw the man yell at him and hit his cage, he was scary to me so I can imagine how scared Danny & Prinny must have been. Prinny I think they were nicer too, that was his wife's and daughter's bird. She had a decent sized cage, but no toys and one skinny little perch and a piece of cuttlebone. He couldn't remember her name. She also seemed a little small, not only weight wize, just a little cockatiel.

Prinny was easy so to speak. She was scared of fingers, quick movement, and still is a little bit. After about two weeks with us she would let me hold her but no scratching her head or trusting me that much. After about a month we could give her scritches (which she LOVES, if you walk up to her she puts her head down just waiting for some scritches). And about two weeks ago she really started to really want to be part of our lives. She wants to walk around with us, eat our food, and just generally be loved on. She is such a little sweetheart. She is still learning what toys are for and is terrified of the occasional random thing. But she has made amazing progress!

Danny was very, very scared of us at first. If we would stand up in the same room as him he would run into his cage and hide in the corner. He would bite very hard if you got near him and draw blood, leave welts, and generally just scare us. We would read to them everyday and let them get used to us in the room. My husband, Evan, never stopped working with him though! He would continuely try to get him to step up knowing full well he was going to bite him everytime and he would try to act like it didn't hurt. And one day (about a month and half after he had come home) there was just a turning point for Danny, Evan offered his hand to step up and Danny did without a bite. We were standing there with our mouths hanging open, lol. Now Danny will come to Evan, let Evan pet him and kiss him, let him bath him, he even let him put a harness on him (Doyle won't even let me do that!). They are good friends! But he still doesn't like me and will run from me and try to bite me. I know it is my fault as I am still a little scared of him and his bite, it isn't fun and I am not very good at pretending it doesn't hurt, lol. He has let me hold him about 3 times. But I have to give all the credit to Evan for Danny's improved behavior and happiness.

I'm working with 5 rehomed ones, all of whom came from difficult situations in one way or another.

Right now I've got a milligold or B&G macaw (not sure which she is) named Chloe, who lost her beloved owner to cancer this past December. She's a plucker & feather mutilator and she also has a scissors beak problem from an injury sustained as a very young bird - nobody knows how it happened or when. She's also an "ankle biter"! She bites hard, but not hard enough to break skin. She does it when she wants attention. I'm trying to train her that I'll pick her up without her needing to bite me. I'm also trying to teach her that biting is not a proper way to greet people. It's going a little slow, though, I admit. I'm also taking her out in public, getting her used to meeting strangers. She's doing pretty well with that, even though it's obviously kinda new to her. She always goes out with my other macaw along who is a great "ambassador bird" and is unafraid of meeting new people. So I think that's helping Chloe learn it's safe. I'm also trying to interest her more in healthy tidbits of human food, because I figure that's another way of making her feel more included in her new flock. And of course if they want treats from you, that may motivate behave better, too.

My 3 male amazons are all a bit skittish, to varying degrees. I'm going totally at their pace. I only make them step up to cage them when I leave the house. Otherwise they can come to me or not, come over to sit on us or not, as they like. I'll just offer them my hand, but not tell them to step up. (I save that for when it's mandatory.) They can come to me or not. Usually, they chose to step up. They do seek out a certain amount of attention and affection from us too. They'll come to see us when we're reading quietly in bed, or when I'm reading the paper in the morning. Mainly, I talk to them alot. They're gradually visiting us more, as they're learning to trust us.

Their pace is way slow, though! It takes a lot of patience to do it this way, and I keep hoping I'm doing the right thing, by letting them make up their own minds about interacting with us. It's definitely not the old fashioned way of "taming" birds by basically forcing human contact on them. I just really hope this experiement works! They were all tame with their former owners, to varying degrees. So I don't want them to regress. But at the same time, I don't want to force too much change on them, either. They're already under stress from being in a new home and dealing with new surroundings, new "rules" & routines, and new humans. To make them have lots of close contact with us besides seems kinda like "pushing it" to me. I don't want to alienate them. Amazons can quickly make up their mind not to like you! I don't want that to happen, with any of these guys.

I just keep hoping my "experiement" is going to work and that I don't regret doing it this way, in the end. But I don't really believe in the "tough love" approach either!

MamaBird it sounds like you are doing a great job. I do believe what you described about the old fashioned way of forcing a bird to do things, is just that...old fashioned. As everything has progressed so has our information about how to train. How long have the new birds been with you?

You may be interested in checking out the work that Barbara Heidenreich does with positive reinforcement training. There is no force involved at all. She has workshops on parrot behavior and training and provides consulting services. I've been to one of her Workshops and what she was able to accomplish with a new bird in a short period of time, was amazing. She also has two great books; Good Bird and The Parrot Problem Solver.

http://goodbirdinc.com/index.html

Another book I found helpful was; The Second-hand Parrot by Mattie Sue Athan & Dianalee Deter.

Thanks so much for posting and I look forward to hearing about everyones progress.

Don't worry I'll keep it kinda short or as short as I can

Sarge(B&G) Screaming,biting and being afraid to be touched.When Sarge came to live here the first 2 days he screamed non stop,I really thought he should go back where he came from Even after that he still had major screaming issues it took a good year to get it under control.Now he hardly ever screams.If you came near him he wanted to bite you and if you dare try to touch him he was out for blood.I can touch him now,but he will never be a cuddly bird.That's okay I have other birds that want to cuddle,so he doesn't have to.Biting,I don't know the last time he bit anyone.If people come over and want to hold a macaw,he is the one I will offer.I even trust him now with small children.It just shows what you can accomplish with lots of love and patience.

Margerrette(B&G) even after 5 yrs we are still dealing with food aggression with her.You have to watch her when you change out her food & water dishes because she will try to grab you.Other then that she is a great bird,she is one of the ones I don't have to towel for wings(when I did clip) and nails,just don't mess with her food.

Sydney(GW) this one was real hard,I had to learn that I wasn't the chosen one.With the all the other birds mama was the chosen person,not with Sid.He does not want to be handled by me at all.He was and is the only bird to ever bite me.The first bite was really bad,but more then anything it broke my heart.So I had to learn I am allowed to be his servent and a friend to talk to, but just keep my hands off him.

Jesse(GW) Her fear of men.We were told her former Dad would hit her,so her hatred of men was understandable.When ever a man would come in site of her cage she would actually throw herself at the cage bars to try and attack them.Now she has truly learned to love her Dad,the way Sid loves me though.She adores talking with him,they even have their own way of talking to each other,he is just not allowed to touch her.

Calipso(RL Zon) Mainly his medical problems.Even with all the crap he went thru before he got here he was remained one of the sweetest birds I have ever met.

Hope(Scarlet) Lots & lots of medical problems.Besides the medical it was a whole new learning experience to have a blind bird.I had to learn how to set up her cage different then I would for a seeing bird.With Hope toys and perches are not roated to different places.She likes everything where it is and gets upset if you move it.Understandably,how would you like to walk thru your house in the pitch dark and realize someone moved all the
furniture When she came here she was on nothing but sunflower seeds and peanuts,so getting her to eat anything else was a huge undertaking.I think more so then any other bird that came here on a bad diet,because Hope knew what she liked to eat by touch and not site.She will now eat everything I put in her bowl!!!!!! By paying attention to what she responds to sound wise, it has made me much more aware of the sounds around me.She has taught sitters that you don't talk to her when you are changing her bowls.Mama's voice means it's time to eat,someone elses voice means it's an intruder and they should be bit.

Phoenix(RF) Will not touch any sort of real food after 5 yrs of being here.Everytime the other birds get real food,so does she,but she will not touch it.We have tired makng it different ways,serving it different ways and offering it by hand to her,no go.I'll keep giving it to her and you never know some day down the road she may give me a heart attack and actually try it

Others have come here with what I would call minor issues,but have all been over come with time and love.I wouldn't trade any one of them!!!!

We really do have to keep our sense of humor engaged when dealing with the birds, don't we! Glad to read Sarge is doing better now.

Until reading this, I had forgotten Kady was like that also. He's fine now, but would turn into attack bird, if he thought you were going to take his food. He's gotten over a lot of food issues that he had at the beginning.

I have the same experience with Kita. I swear she has been given medication twice a day, everyday for 9 months now, and NEVER holds a grudge. Maybe they really do know we're trying to help them.

Michelle, how did you eventually get her to try new foods?

OMG, your persistence is amazing. I need a cheerleader. I have to tell you I have given thought to giving up after 9 months of trying everyday to get Kita to eat fresh food.