[SOLVED ] Q. It's almost impossible to tame my indian ringneck, he's afraid of everyone if I put my arm under his chest he just flies up doesn't let me n...

ear him?

Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :

A. Your best bet is to use positive reinforcement training, particularly a method called “clicker” training. However, this isn’t going to be an overnight fix. You will have to learn how to use the training effectively and plan to put the time in to overcome your pet’s fear. The general concept behind positive reinforcement training is that you use something your bird wants (a reward) to increase positive behaviors. In this case, the positive behavior initially would be not flying away from you. Later, you will be able to add other desirable behaviors within your ringneck’s natural repetoire of behaviors, such as walk into a crate or stepping up on your arm. I recommend that you purchase a book on clicker training. “Don’t Shoot the Dog” by Karen Pryor is a classic. There are also near books geared specifically toward birds (usually parrots but many of the concepts will apply). You may also wish to find a mentor who clicker trains (bird, dog, anything) to learn the basics. I, or one of the other experts on this site, would be happy to consult with you individually to guide you through the first steps of your training. Good luck!

How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :

Sit by the cage and talk to him. You can offer him treat by placing something in his food bowl, then keep your hands away and see if he will check out the treat. When you can sit near his cage and have him eat and groom himself in front of you, you have made a lot of progress. This will show that he does trust you.

Blue and Yellow Macaws

They are not beginner-friendly birds, as their smartness makes them both quick learners and self-willed beings who don`t like being ordered around. Macaws enjoy flying to high places, chewing on anything around, and engaging in loud calls. This makes them highly non-beginner-friendly pets.

The Indian ring-necked parakeet is not a shy bird, and does best with an owner who appreciates an outgoing companion that is not afraid to demand what it wants! Indian ring-necks can also be quite talkative.

Ringnecks are very intelligent, adept at talking and learning tricks. They are independent and always up for a challenge, which for the determined owner makes training them a lot of fun. Though they prefer a quiet environment, they do love to have fun as well.

Birds will truly bite now and then, but only if they are frightened, startled, or if they feel cornered and vulnerable. Chances are that your bird is not trying to be aggressive, as biting is not a dominance behavior in birds.

Jealousy / Aggression:

The ringneck parrots can be jealous of other family members and pets. They can develop a bond with only one human and refuse to interact with other people, even attacking them in some cases.

A fearful bird may bite a human, a cage or a perch (the fight part of the equation). Or he may throw himself to the floor or cage bottom (attempting to flee). Other signs of fear include repeated calling, inability to regrow tail or wing feathers – and even feather-chewing.

The new findings add to the growing evidence that many animals can smell one another`s fear, including species not known for their bloodhound powers. Birds and humans in particular were long thought to rely on vision and hearing rather than smell when sizing up the world and its ambient threats.

A lack of proper socialization may lead a bird to be afraid of humans, other birds, or new experiences. Some birds become jealous when their owner interacts with other people. This plays on the natural “pair bonding” instinct many bird species have and, in captivity, you may be seen as your bird`s partner.

Answer. The cassowary is usually considered to be the world`s most dangerous bird, at least where humans are concerned, although ostriches and emus can also be dangerous.

Ringnecks that are handled regularly become a very sweet bird with a pleasant nature. These birds are very intelligent and toys are very important. With the right training these birds can also talk.

Very clever little birds, Indian Ringnecks can develop a large vocabulary, and speak very clearly in sentences. Not so much for mimicking the pitch of a human voice, they more often speak in their own bird voices, though they can carry the mood of the phrase.

Boredom, illness, injury, lack of exercise, or simply as an expression of joy are all reasons for vocalizations in parrots. If birds are left alone too often or for too long, they can start to scream because they have nothing else to do, and because it usually gets a human in the room to pay attention to them.

A wide variety of seasonal fruits should be provided – apple, orange, banana, grapes, melons, strawberries, kiwi fruit, pawpaw, mango, lychee, stone fruit etc.

Can parrots eat cucumber? Yes, cucumber is fine for your bird. It`s not very nutritious and it contains a lot of water (which can cause loose poops), but many parrots do like it.

The Avian Welfare Coalition informs us that parrots can become jealous especially with visitors and other pets. An overly jealous parrot isn`t fun to be around. It will be important to learn how to socialize and train your parrot to accept other people and pets.

Parrots are prey animals and can startle easily by new large objects, loud noises, and sudden movements. Keep your parrots away from the sight and sounds of predatory animals. That is good for your parrots.

Parakeets (AKA Budgies or Budgerigars)

Males especially are known to be great birds for first-time owners, as they bond easily to their owners and are simple to train.

Small “nips” and “pinches” are usually because a bird is trying to get your attention about something she wants. These bites usually only leave a small impression and/or redness on the skin. Bites that cause minor bruising and small cuts will often result when a bird is reacting out of frustration.

If your parrot trusts you, apart from preening itself, it will also engage in preening you. It may gently nuzzle against your hand, the hem of your clothes, and sometimes your ears, running its beak along your skin or hair. It means the bird wants to groom you and considers you close to itself.

Cardboard and Paper Toys

These fun toys are great for shredding up and tearing through, and Ringnecks love the sound it makes as they do so. The medium sized Stacks of Shredding has layers of cardboard pieces for your Ringneck to shred and chew through.

A wild parrots` sleep pattern is that they go to roost just before sunset and wake at dawn. This means they live a 24-hour cycle of 12 hours sleeping, and 12 hours awake.

Hands Over Back

Another way to get your bird into the cage once you have her in your hands, is to hold a hand lightly over the back and wings, which will prevent the bird from raising the wings to get away. This also takes some training before it is an action your bird accepts.

Generally speaking, birds hate strong smells, shiny objects, and predators, both birds of prey or larger animals or humans within their vicinity.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Q. It’s almost impossible to tame my indian ringneck, he’s afraid of everyone if I put my arm under his chest he just flies up doesn’t let me near him?

ANSWER : A. Your best bet is to use positive reinforcement training, particularly a method called “clicker” training. However, this isn’t going to be an overnight fix. You will have to learn how to use the training effectively and plan to put the time in to overcome your pet’s fear. The general concept behind positive reinforcement training is that you use something your bird wants (a reward) to increase positive behaviors. In this case, the positive behavior initially would be not flying away from you. Later, you will be able to add other desirable behaviors within your ringneck’s natural repetoire of behaviors, such as walk into a crate or stepping up on your arm. I recommend that you purchase a book on clicker training. “Don’t Shoot the Dog” by Karen Pryor is a classic. There are also near books geared specifically toward birds (usually parrots but many of the concepts will apply). You may also wish to find a mentor who clicker trains (bird, dog, anything) to learn the basics. I, or one of the other experts on this site, would be happy to consult with you individually to guide you through the first steps of your training. Good luck!

Read Full Q/A … : Avian Vet Question? Our Avian Vet will answer your questions!

Q. My dog has a strange, raised red mark on his abdomen, almost looks like a 1/2′ wide by 4″ long scratch, but I don’t think thats it. Any ideas?

ANSWER : A. Without examination it is impossible to say. It could be a scratch, pressure mark or possibly a dermatitis. If it doesn’t clear up after a few hours you can try cleaning it with salty water a few times a day, put one teaspoon of salt in a pint of boiled water and leave it to cool down. If this doesn’t help after a day or so or it gets worse then you should see your vet.

Read Full Q/A … : What Are These 3 Strange Scratches on my Body? (With Photos …

Q. My cat is 8 mos to a year old . She has a bad chest cold . Really congested . What can I do at home to help her . She is spaded and up to date on vac.

ANSWER : A. You can try a steam bath….don`t actually put the cat in the water though! The way we do it is to put the cat securely in a cat basket and then next to the basket have a bowl of hot/near boiling water with a drop of Olbas oil (or similar) in. Put a towel over the whole lot (Basket & bowl) and leave for 20 mins allowing the steam in to the basket to help clear the cats airways. You can do this several times a day. If it doesn`t help or the symptoms don`t clear up after a couple of days or if the cat deteriorates then you need to see your vet.

Read Full Q/A … : Vetinfo

Q. My puppy refuses to walk outside on the leash. This only happens when we’re outside… Is it stubbornness or fear?

ANSWER : A. It is never stubbornness. Dogs are not stubborn, they can’t be. Dogs do not generalize well, and dogs display fearful behavior that appears to be stubbornness. Absolutely NEVER force this dog to walk outside when he is uncomfortable with doing so.. the more you force him to do it, opposition reflex – the more he will resist. The more he resists and is forced into it, the less he learns about being comfortable, and the more he becomes fearful of you and of the situation.

What you can do is carry extremely high value treats outside with you. Things like cooked white meat chicken, cooked fish, turkey pepperoni, turkey bacon, diced ham, mozzarella cheese sticks – all cut up into tiny little pea-sized pieces. You can also use peanut butter in a squeeze tube. First, put on the leash indoors and begin feeding him the treats. Help him make positive associations with having the leash put on. Then, take the leash off, and start over in 10min. Put the leash on, feed treats, walk to the door, open the door, feed treats, close door, take off leash. Start over in 10min. Put on leash, feed treats, go to door, feed treats, open door, feed treats, go outside, feed tons of treats and praise. Keep Titus in his comfort zone. If he doesn’t want to go far, just feed him tons of treats where he IS comfortable going. Make sure everything is calm/happy/positive. I bet in a week of doing this, he will be happy with walk further and further all of the time. If ever he is uncomfortable, feed him lots of treats for being a brave boy, and then turn around and go back home. It’s all about keeping him in his comfort zone.. it’s all about remaining within his threshold and never forcing him to feed uncomfortable.

This is very common for puppies. The world is scary! It’s brand new to them, and it’s up to you to make their interactions and discoveries positive, happy, calm, and to never force them into anything.

Read Full Q/A … : My Puppy Won’t Walk on Leash! 3 Ways to Train Your Puppy to …

Q. Rescued a dog almost two weeks ago, and now that her kennel cough is gone her personality shines!! No previous training, how should I start?

ANSWER : A. POST FOUR:

After your dog is familiar with the behavior you lured from scratch, and taught to your dog, you can start to use the “no-reward marker” I talked about. What you do is ask the dog to perform the behavior, and if the dog does not perform the behavior, you simply say your no-reward marker (choose one: eh-eh, hey, uh-oh, oops) show them the treat, put it behind your back, and BRIEFLY ignore your dog. Just turn your back for a second or two, before turning back to your dog and saying, “let’s try that again.” When you’re ready to start over with your dog, make sure you move around. If you are repeating the same cue while in the same position, while your dog is in the same position, you are likely to receive the same results. The more you move around, and start fresh, the better your chances are of having your dog listen to your cue the second time around. BIG rewards when they dog it successfully! Lots of praise and treats.

My no-reward marker is “hey.” When my dog does something wrong I say, “hey” and she immediately understands that she needs to offer a different behavior. This is clear to her. I don’t have to say it in a mean way, I simply say, “hey” in a normal tone of voice and she understands what the word means.

Once you’ve built up that connection and communication with your new dog, you can work on all kinds of fun behaviors! I personally enjoy the more zen-like behaviors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruy9UMcuGh8

I like to teach my dog fun tricks that offer her a “job” to do of sorts like object retrieval: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4iertZSva8

(object retrieval training completed; what it looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx0Dml28FGY)

Scent-games are fun too! Very confidence building. Hide a REALLY smelly treat in a box, and place that box in a line of boxes. Let your dog go in the room while saying something like “search!” or “find it!” and watch them hunt for that smelly treat! Lots of rewards when they find it!

Read Full Q/A … : M – Happy Tails – Dachshund Rescue of North America

Q. My 12 year old Border Collie/healer mix has a baseball size hematoma under her chest. I am wondering if she would survive the surgery.

ANSWER : A. My first question (if you could answer me back) would be how does anyone know it’s a hematoma, and not a hemangiosarcoma or a hemangioma? Hematomas usually resolve (eventually) on their own – they’re essentially bruises. So they don’t need to be surgically removed, typically. It could also be a hemangioma, which is a benign growth arising from a blood vessel. Typically no one can tell on cytology alone (that’s a needle sample taken from the mass and examined under a microscope) whether a growth like this is cancerous (hemangiosarcoma, or HSA) or benign (hemangioma, or HA). If a biopsy has been done and a diagnosis of HSA has been made, or it’s a HA and it’s causing your dog pain or discomfort, then I would agree that surgery is necessary.

As to whether she would survive the surgery, if your vet is competent in anesthesia (preoperative blood work and chest x-rays have been done to ensure that your dog is healthy otherwise, anesthetic monitoring on blood pressure, heart rate, EKG, oxygenation, etc will be done) and the mass is in a spot that is amenable to removal (i.e. There is plenty of skin in the area to close over the defect created by the excision) then I would say her chances of survival are very good. All this is assuming that the mass is subcutaneous (under the skin) and not actually inside the chest. If it’s in the chest, that’s a much more serious procedure. You can select “consult” if you want to talk about this further.

Read Full Q/A … : Sylvia Brown Webcast Questions – SpiritNow.com

Q. My 8 month old puppy is chewing off her hair. She does not chew to the point of raw skin, only the hair. Any ideas?

ANSWER : A. I’d agree with the answer below, and I’d add that with a puppy as young as yours the most common cause of chewing is external parasites and fungal disease. It’s important to realize that almost always, chewing is caused by being itchy. It’s essentially a way that dogs scratch.

The first thing to do is to rule out parasites. Even if you don’t see fleas, treat her for fleas. Use a good product like Frontline – it’s easy to apply (avoid the hairless areas, it should be placed between the shoulderblades. You should also consider that your dog might be getting bitten by mosquitos – a common problem in thin-skinned dogs, and depending on where you live they can still be a problem this time of year.

Your vet also needs to perform a scraping of the skin to rule out mites. And again…even if no mites are found, I would recommend treating for them. They are almost as common as fleas in puppies, and depending on her recent situation (rescued from a shelter?) stress can depress the immune system and cause a mite infestation to take hold.

And finally, ringworm, which is actually a fungal disease, should be ruled out. It’s also almost universally related to conditions, like overcrowded shelters, but it does happen and puppies are more susceptible.

One more note: allergies are possible, but other things are probably more likely at this point. If your vet doesn’t know what to do, I would recommend looking for someone who does.

Read Full Q/A … : 7-to-12-Month-Old Puppy: What to Expect – Dogster

Q. My girlfriends dog vomits every other day or 2. I dont know why? She already got 1 shot out of 3. Every2 weeks. Help?!

ANSWER : A. It’s possible that the dog has intestinal parasites, ate something it wasn’t supposed to, isn’t adapting to it’s current food, or something else. Just because it had one shot doesn’t mean it couldn’t be a disease like Parvo. Make sure your dog is on a high quality dog food, one that is high protein and doesn’t have a main ingredient of corn. A cheaper food doesn’t mean it’s going to be a better buy. The cheaper the food the more the dog needs to eat to gain energy from the food. When you buy a higher quality food your dog has to eat less to get the energy it needs and will poop less because it doesn’t have to eat as much. So with the high quality food you’re buying less and saving money that way. Please see a veterinarian with your vomiting concerns.

Read Full Q/A … : Dog Vomiting: Causes, Treatment, and Related Symptoms – WebMD