Welcome back to "My Pet Parrot Stories," brought to you by Parrot Essentials! This month, we're delighted to share Lindsay's charming and humorous journey with her two-and-a-half-year-old male Indian Ringneck, Charlie. Lindsay and Charlie are still navigating their bond, filled with memorable antics and gentle moments.

Do you have a fascinating story about your pet parrot? We'd love to hear it! Head over to our Introduction Page of My Pet Parrot Stories to join our community of passionate bird lovers. Your story could be featured, and you might even win an exciting reward: a Parrot Essentials gift code worth up to £50. Share your bird's story with us today!

The Meeting Story

Charlie and I met last March after much consideration. My long-time companion, a Quaker called Harley, had passed away. The house felt empty with just me in it, and I sorely missed the company of a parrot. I needed a friend in my life, and after reading people's reviews of the intelligent Indian Ringneck, I decided Charlie would be a good fit. I honestly think Charlie did not read the same views as me!

We have not cemented a relationship yet, as he is still testing me. Charlie is the least affectionate parrot I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and we are both working on trying to create a bond! He will take an almond from my fingers, then he looks away, and my purpose is no longer required. I sit close to him and chat; he listens and then plays with his toys. He is a gentle soul and hasn't learned to trust me yet, so we work together at Charlie's pace.

Parrot Essentials Tip: If you're struggling with building trust with your new parrot, take things slow and let them come to you. Read more about how to make friends with your parrot in our expert guide.

Food & Snacks

Charlie particularly likes apples, grapes, and almonds, along with his daily diet of mixed seeds. I must have tried every fruit and vegetable known to man, but no, he will not take them. He definitely is a 'fruit' parrot rather than a vegetable one, so I will not have the expense of sugar snap peas, mini courgettes, and corn.

He loves grapes; he holds them in his claw and nibbles very delicately, but the juice makes everything sticky. Anything he doesn't like, he 'posts' through the cage bars onto the carpet and walls.

On a happier note, he has started to take food from my fingers. He likes pine nuts and almonds, so they are added to the weekly shopping order. I think he is settling down a little better now he has a different daily diet of seeds and fruit.

Parrot Essentials Tip: If your parrot is picky about food, consider trying a high-quality seed & pellets mix to ensure they're getting the proper nutrients.

Activities & Talents

Charlie likes creating havoc wherever he is. I think he may be related to 'Houdini'. He absolutely loves shredding things and posting the pieces out through the bars of his cage. He shredded a maize mat - it was only four inches square - but the amount of straw-like bits outside his house would probably feed a sheep for a couple of days. He also likes sleeping on his ladder, which now has three rungs missing as he has chewed them off.

He has many little sounds, one like a dog whimpering. He also makes a very loud jungle call. Every day makes memories of some sort: getting stuck in a lampshade or curtains, but I have to laugh as he is very funny. One memorable moment was when Charlie got stuck between the curtain and the lining - I saw a lump moving towards the top, so I had to guide him down to get him out. He really is funny. He was not amused! Well, softly, softly, catchy Charlie.

Challenges and Surprises

What a week it has been - we are now on lampshade number three! The first one was glass, made in Tiffany style, and the lead was replaced by soft solder, which I saw Charlie pecking at, so it had to be replaced. The second lampshade was a box-bar 'factory' style, which he managed to get stuck in, and I had to remove him from it. I thought he might not attempt to land on it again after such a fright, but no, he tried again and again. The third lampshade is a cheap fabric-type thing; let's see what he thinks of that!

Today, it took me ages to get the lamp unit fitted to his cage. It has two plates on either side that are secured in the gaps of the bars. You have to line them up and secure them with nuts whilst holding the lamp on the top of the cage - not easy, but I managed. Oh no, it's the wrong way around - the cable should be at the back. It came off much more quickly than it took me to fit it. Here we go again!

Saturday was a day like no other, apart from the grey, dismal, wet weather. Inside, it was warm and peaceful until Charlie came out. He was flying laps of the living room and occasionally resting on the drying rail above the log burner. He thought this was wonderful, as there was no way I was going to be able to catch him - I couldn't go within a few feet. He looked down on me in a superior way with his lovely black eyeliner (why can't I make mine look as good?).

We - or rather I - did a fair amount of talking to him in a calm, low voice. He sat on the rail, shuffled near to me, and then shuffled away again, thinking this must be a trap. I read the first chapter of a book to him; if he had got hold of a book, only chapter one would survive as he would tear the rest up. That's one thing he is brilliant at: shredding and tearing. He has a mountain of shredded stuff on the bottom of his cage—I'm not sure if he is building some sort of nest or whether the music for 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' will suddenly start playing.

Trying to get him to go home into his cage, I discovered that not only an apple but half a red grape would have him scurrying home—yeah, like he hasn't sussed that out! I put the half grape on his little table by his seed bowl, and he climbed down the front of the cage, on the outside, and pinched the grape through the bars—he is clever; I didn't think of that one, lol!

We have a lot to find out about each other, and I look forward to the weeks ahead bringing us companionship. Let's hope he feels the same.

Parrot Essentials Tip:If you're trying to make training easier, positive reinforcement, like offering your parrot's favourite treat, can encourage good behaviour.