Biting my finger

[TarynAnthony]

Hi Everyone

I want to Train Tiki to learn step up but she attacks my finger. Please help. She sits on my shoulder and climbs up my arm but she hates my finger. She was parent reared.

[Donovan]

food.. give her food.. in tiny bits... you can hold a piece of food that she really loves in one place near her ... while ignoring her otherwise.

eventually she'll come take the food... get her used to doing that... then later, up the ante by making her reach for the food... then up the ante again by making her step up to get to that piece of food


this is a very generic answer but if your bird won't step up onto your finger then it's going to take a good bit of work to convince her that your finger is okay.

[MissK]

A different tactic might be to lure her along the arm and eventually end up on the finger.

Anecdotal support:
Given the choice, Rocky really doesn't like fingers. He does not want to stand on them. He chose to use my wrist as the point for step up, and I'm cool with that for as long as it takes, forever if need be. Honestly, I'm pleased as punch he will step up at all.

Does this mean I don't try for him to use the finger once in a while? No. I do keep trying, and for me it's more like an invitation for him to use the finger, so I can check in on whether he has changed his mind or not. Since I did not enjoy our little experiment with him testing my finger for soundness from his perch, I now lure him from the wrist along the side of the hand, to the finger.

How it's done: The bird gets on the wrist of his own choice, gets treats. The bird continues to get treats until he starts to feel entitled to them. He gets impatient for each next one - mind, they are so tiny little bites he eats them in no time at all. I offer the treats a little father down the arm so he must reach and then step to get them. He advances, gobbling them up. When we get close to the finger I let there be a little space between the treats so he can take note of his position and have the opportunity to retreat if he needs to. Then treat luring begins again. In this manner he will reach the finger and YES, stand on the finger for the duration of treats. Immediately upon cessation of treats he quits the finger.

Frankly, this is enough for me. I find it a little tiring to be sticking my finger out all the time. BUT, if it were a sincere goal that the bird be trained to sit on the finger, I would repeat this exercise until the bird just realized he's going to end up on the finger and got over it. Since your bird is already comfortable, it seems, on the arm, your job could be as straightforward as luring her to the hand over time. Remember that she is unlikely to want to travel in a downhill direction so you may end up raising your arm for a while. You could also let the bird step up to your wrist and block her movement towards the shoulder and also keep your elbow down so she must either travel down hill or jump the gap. Be aware she will soon discover she can step onto your chest for a shortcut. You have to hold your hand far away enough from the body to make this more trouble than it's worth.

[TarynAnthony]

Hi did try both techniques she went all the way to my finger then attacked my finger and left the treat. She takes the treat when i hold it in my finger

[MissK]

Go slower. Ask for less. Repeat. Make the treat better. Be sure your hand is rock steady.

[TarynAnthony]

Hi Thanks for all the help she nows steps up onto my finger when i use gloves.