I have many questions since I saved Erin/Aaron...
1. Do any of you find it worth getting a DNA sexing?
2. My baby hates sitting on my finger for any amount of time...his/her wings are trimmed and can't maintain flight so he just hits the ground hard...he loves his perch, cage, my shoulder and the perch in the shower just not my finger. He counstantly seems to have the need to leap...any sugestions?
3. Also the other birds I have had have been second hand birds and never would even think about getting in the shower. Erin seems intrigued...shakes his tale, tilts his head so I brought him into the stream of water. Now he doesn't seem to dislike it...The big question is does he like it. He leans in towards the water and points his tail straight up. But he doesn't shake and play. So what are your opinions?
thanks for any info...
Questions, Questions, Questions!!!
Moderator: Mods
On the shower bit George will not shake about but loves to sit in the stream with the warm water on his back and get soaked to the bone. I think he learned how to shower from watching me as he used to like sitting on the shower rod basking in the steam. I like to stand with my back to the shower and let the hot water massage my back. So when George finally started to adventure into the water I guess he figured if it’s good enough for dad then it’s good enough for him.
Have you tried sitting down maybe watching tv and holding your bird still on your hand maybe at eye level or a little higher than your shoulder to start building the hand trust. It maybe that s/he just has a better reason to go somewhere else than your hand. I know my ekkie loves to go on my shoulder but will sit on my hand if I hold her at the same height as my shoulder, or if I talk directly to her she will sit and listen. if I start talking to someone else she goes to my shoulder and looks around, plays with hair or foot toys, she will even watch the conversation from up there. So maybe being on your shoulder is more interesting. It might also be that the bird can see in all directions and if it is not yet secure with its surroundings, it can keep a better look out from up high.
Have you tried sitting down maybe watching tv and holding your bird still on your hand maybe at eye level or a little higher than your shoulder to start building the hand trust. It maybe that s/he just has a better reason to go somewhere else than your hand. I know my ekkie loves to go on my shoulder but will sit on my hand if I hold her at the same height as my shoulder, or if I talk directly to her she will sit and listen. if I start talking to someone else she goes to my shoulder and looks around, plays with hair or foot toys, she will even watch the conversation from up there. So maybe being on your shoulder is more interesting. It might also be that the bird can see in all directions and if it is not yet secure with its surroundings, it can keep a better look out from up high.
Guys I really don't know how to explain this, I have tried both of you suggestions and the problem is still here. I have never seen a bird that does this. For instance I can go to his cage and at first he seems agitated or scared, flapping his wings...maybe even aggressive, then he will either take a giant leap, that is a leap not a flap with the wings but a true leap or reach for my hand and climb on, it is so bizzare. I don't know if I have done something to traumatize him or if he just enjoys this stunt. I have lifted my finger up above my eye level and he still jumps off, the funny thing is that he spreads his wings as if soaring for a long period of time before he takes off. And if I use a perch I get the same thing...I really didn't want him to get used to setting on my shoulder, but it appears that may be the safest place for him while I transport him to his playstand. What do you think am I being played by this little guy or have a scared the crap out of him and ruined our relationship.
Thanks so much for any advice.
Thanks so much for any advice.
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Bird crazy
- Posts: 808
- Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:06 pm
- Location: N Ft Myers FL
shower
Nila plays in the shower but he loves to just sit with the water hitting his back, there are several posts on here about a shower trance and it sounds like what you are seeing. They just squat and enjoy the feeling.
I don't think you ruined your relationship with the little guy. It's just probably his personality. They are all unique just like humans. Have you tried finding a favorite treat, Nila's is sunflower seeds. I buy the shelled ones so he can eat them faster, then I use them to get him to do what I want. So use that special treat and make sure he sees it before he steps onto your hand then only feed him that treat when he stays on your hand. If he goes to your shoulder, show him the treat and make him step up onto your hand and then praise him and reward him right away. Nila now knows the jar I keep then in and he's ready for any command when he sees me get the jar. Hope that helps. Let me know.
Sue and Nila
I don't think you ruined your relationship with the little guy. It's just probably his personality. They are all unique just like humans. Have you tried finding a favorite treat, Nila's is sunflower seeds. I buy the shelled ones so he can eat them faster, then I use them to get him to do what I want. So use that special treat and make sure he sees it before he steps onto your hand then only feed him that treat when he stays on your hand. If he goes to your shoulder, show him the treat and make him step up onto your hand and then praise him and reward him right away. Nila now knows the jar I keep then in and he's ready for any command when he sees me get the jar. Hope that helps. Let me know.
Sue and Nila
Sue
Rowdy Vos eclectus, Dolly Cockatiel
Nila Blue IRN, Priya Grey IRN, and Bigotes the cat
Rowdy Vos eclectus, Dolly Cockatiel
Nila Blue IRN, Priya Grey IRN, and Bigotes the cat
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savannahhorse
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:56 am
- Location: Missouri
Honeybird dont like to sit on my finger either, which is ok with me due to her biting the poop out of me a million times. So, i offer her my arm. That seems to work. She is kinda to heavy to sit on my finger. Usually when Honey sticks her tail up towards the water, she is trying to clean her underside.....hang in there.
Traci
Traci
i know Carmen my ekkie loves being on my shoulder and is very well behaved up there so she can stay on my shoulder as I trust her. She really does not prefer to sit on my hands at all, maybe that is the case with your bird. Does it bother you that the bird doesn’t want to sit on your hand or would you just prefer it to sit on your hand?
Honestly...there is no such thing as 'ruining' a bird. You can teach and reinforce bad habits but you can't ruin a bird, not unless you as the teacher/handler GIVE up on him.
Birds are a funny creature to try to 'tame' because they are never really tame. We, the handlers, live with a constant knowledge that we WILL get bitten, not if but when. Every bird will bite, it's instinct that will not go away. Their beaks are a third foot for them...they are a tool...they are used for communication. We have to learn to read them as so not to get bitten.
Once you know the basics of your bird (all birds are different...to some one signal can mean I will bite...and to another something totally different) you can begin to realize when he might strike.
Please remember that your bird is not a dog or cat or human (yes some people try to think of their feathered companion as a person and treat them as if they are) They are smarter than cats or dogs! Treat him with respect and dignity, he did not ask to be caged.
Dani
Birds are a funny creature to try to 'tame' because they are never really tame. We, the handlers, live with a constant knowledge that we WILL get bitten, not if but when. Every bird will bite, it's instinct that will not go away. Their beaks are a third foot for them...they are a tool...they are used for communication. We have to learn to read them as so not to get bitten.
Once you know the basics of your bird (all birds are different...to some one signal can mean I will bite...and to another something totally different) you can begin to realize when he might strike.
Please remember that your bird is not a dog or cat or human (yes some people try to think of their feathered companion as a person and treat them as if they are) They are smarter than cats or dogs! Treat him with respect and dignity, he did not ask to be caged.
Dani
LOL I disagree about the 'dumb' bird thing. No parrot is 'dumb' remember that we have no idea what goes on in their minds. They play us for fools most of the time. 'Dumb' birds are often the smartest because we aren't forcing them to do anything...they get away with anything! If they can get away with doing little they will...there are no stupid parrots.
Now cats, they can be smart, but they aren't up there with a parrot.
Dani
Now cats, they can be smart, but they aren't up there with a parrot.
Dani
My sister had a budgie that was dumb as a brick. Seriously, the bird never learned much, she would step up and give kisses but watching the bird around the others, you slowly got the impression that, that bird aint right. She once tried to get into her cage and circle the cage just above the door for 20 minutes just climbing around and around, never found that all illusive door. Occasionally she would forget how to perch, and sometimes wile flying she would forget to flap and just fall to the floor bouncing a couple of time’s and get up acting like WTF. So there is such a thing as a dumb bird. I can give many more examples of this bird being stupid if you want but I am laughing way to hard remembering Penny right now, that poor bird r.i.p.
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Bird crazy
- Posts: 808
- Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:06 pm
- Location: N Ft Myers FL
Ok so one time Penny was sitting on her favorite perch and just fell off, hitting all the other perch’s on the way down making a little squeak every time (poor thing). Once on the floor she attacked her feet as though she was mad at them and then climbed up and sat there all happy like. We took that poor little bird to the vet several times for testing, the vet never found anything wrong. My mother had a necropsy done upon her death; she was convinced it was a brain tumor or something. Results came back all normal except the bird was a little fat but this was not the result of her death. She died at the age of eight, so we thought she was sick or something, but she was perfectly healthy. Strange little bird she was.
These stories crack me up...I kind of feel that is my Erin...s/he wanders around the cage in an excited manner when I open the door, then falls off whatever s/he is hanging or perched on to...bounces off of the floor or the asparagus fern I placed in the bottom to cushion his/her fall, climbs up the side of the cage flapping his/her wings and then calmly climbs abord my hand.
The other thing I have found is if I try NOT to hang onto his/her toes while flapping, which the flapping usually results in another jump and dive bomb to the floor, s/he acts as if he is flying and stays on my finger. Then if s/he actually acts as if flight is about to happen I turn my hand upside down and all is well. What is that about? Erin really likes to travel about the house with me upside down on my hand. Does anyone have this same experience or have I totally confused you all in my discription?
The other thing I have found is if I try NOT to hang onto his/her toes while flapping, which the flapping usually results in another jump and dive bomb to the floor, s/he acts as if he is flying and stays on my finger. Then if s/he actually acts as if flight is about to happen I turn my hand upside down and all is well. What is that about? Erin really likes to travel about the house with me upside down on my hand. Does anyone have this same experience or have I totally confused you all in my discription?
Crazy Birds
My baby Luna, male lutino about 2yrs old...is sort of afraid of hands too...He also doesn't perch really well, doesn't have a tight grip, like someone had him in a lower cage and he spent most of his young years on the grate....Now, its different....When I take him out of his cage, I first offer him a foot toy to hold in his mouth...(I use plastic magnet frig letters, like the ones kids use on the frig door. HOWEVER, I remove the magnet)....Anyway, the toy acts like a pacifier! We play tuggie with it and I always let him win the tug...He cannow travel around the house on my finger with no problems....It even works when I sit him down in new places,,,,, back of couch,,,bird tree gym,,,,kitchen counter....he seems less scared with the toy in his mouth.....As for the flapping on the finger. I enccourage this,,,,This way he learns to hang on tight, so he doesn't just fly off and it gives his wings and breathing the excerise they need without him flying off the cage into trouble...He has come along way with the toy in his mouth...Hope this helps.
Cindy M. and the Flock of 8