Gloria's hard, won-through-experience, guidelines for the reclamation of Phobic/Fearful birds.

Housing they are comfortable with. This means keep your ego out of it ... what you THINK they should like and be comfortable in may have nothing to do with the reality of the situation.

Things in their house that THEY like ... crocks, toys ... etc.

Don't get confrontational ... ever. They are not the bad guys ... they are lost in some dark confused ugly place inside their heads ... and their body chemistry is not helping. Adrenaline rushes can kill ... especially when they have no way to 'flight'. Remember, they may be clipped and /or confined or both. This is a sure fire recipe for terror in a phobic or fearful bird.

Give them a way not to have to see you. A towel over half the cage or something of the sort. But give them the right to hide away from you. I have found cotton lawn, also known as handkerchief cotton to be wonderful for this. You can double or even triple it for some areas, and leave it single in others. It allows plenty of light and air, and they don't have to deal with you if they don't want to. The tripled areas even block out your shadow.

Make sure they have a way to avoid all windows, skylights and doorways. If this means moving the cages ... move' em. They don't need to be obligated to keep an 'eye' for danger, at this time. They already are living in an inner world that is full of nothing but.

Make sure they are on a first rate diet. Lots of fresh stuff, plenty of fresh clean water. And check into holistic helps for keeping them feeling calm. Calcium supplements are wonderful for calming. China Prairie has some really good stuff as well. Call them and speak to Fred.

NO direct eye contact. Sit sideways to the cage ... sing, read, write letters ... slide your eyes away and down, always. Keep your voice low and quiet and rhythmic. Nursery rhymes or song lyrics are great for this. Keeping your voice very quiet encourages them to come closer to hear you better. DON'T TRY AND TOUCH THEM if they do come over. If they want you, they'll reach out. As time goes by you might try leaving the cage door open, so enabling them to come to you should they choose. Err ALWAYS on the side of the bird. They are allowed to look at the king or queen, the king/queen is just not allowed a protracted look back. Straight on eye gazes are a form of challenge. If in looking at him you duck your head and look away, you have declared him dominant. Happy little feather, some sort of control has entered his life. He/she, at this point, just became in charge of the situation. Let him.

No Gloves. Why in heavens' name would you, with a bird who has usually at this time developed a terror of hands, deliberately do something that makes those hands even bigger and bulkier and almost grossly misshapen and intimidating and then reach for him with them? This, it seems to me, is a surefire way to freak him out altogether, and send him right round the bend.

Keep energy levels low ... take 10 deep breaths ... in for the count of 10 and then ... slowly exhale to the count of 10. Do this 10 times. And hum. The song "Winnie the Pooh" is very helpful. So is Mozart. FOCUS. Mentally ... focus. Form pictures of what you want step by step relating to you and your bird. It will help you maintain a proper body language and tone while with them, and this will help them understand just what it is you're after.

Birdie see, Birdie do. Activities with other birds while nearby can be helpful. Quiet and loving and cuddling activities. Through observation of flock acceptance of you and your actions the disturbed one can be soothed, and learn that you are to be trusted.

Patience. Limitless, total and unending patience. If you're going to lose it ... go somewhere else and do it. When you're calm and full of love again ... come on back. You have got to understand that this is a non-human being who is having to learn what's going on and we are totally NON-avian, and so not able to explain. They are being asked, required, demanded, to give up a lot of their instinctive behaviors in order to suit some esoteric value system of ours as to what constitutes 'good parrot companion bird behavior'. We haven't bred it in to them yet. They are NOT house pets, they are wild animals who we have chosen to make into friends and companions. Highly complex, intelligent, emotional and yes, demanding, friends and companions. They are entitled and needful of our devoted love, companionship and dedicated care.

Gloria at Whitewings Farm