How do you give an agressive Zon treats?

Dopey · Oct 24, 2014

I know it's a crazy question coming from me but I am so scared of getting bit again that I don't want to do the wrong thing. Logically I know that eventually I'm going to get bit but I want to do everything I can not to...especially since my wounds from Sunday are still hurting.

So, for a Mac you use an open hand - how do you offer treats to an Amazon that has bitten you? Open hand? In his bowl? How?

4dugnlee · Oct 24, 2014

You could start with millet spray. That gives plenty of distance between the end of the treat and your hand. Make it shorter and shorter until he is taking it from your fingers. I had no problem giving Sassy treats just holding it in my fingers when I first got her. I started with bigger treats and got down to a single sunflower seed. I did, shortly after I got her, try to give her a cheerio from my open hand and got bit...lol. Now I can give her treats any way.

Dopey · Oct 24, 2014

So open hand or between the fingers. I will just have to brave the "I could get bit" and go for it. I forget about millet spray as a treat. For some reason I associate millet spray with finches and budgets.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Christinenc2000 · Oct 24, 2014

Glad you started this thead . I can give Gus grapes or peanuts from between my fingers. ( I've had him two weeks ) Only got a little scrap on a finger once so far. I want to go to smaller treats I just don't think he is ready yet.
I started him off with a Scewer and kept bringing my finger to the end until I just don't use it anymore
I don't think I would use a open hand I use between thumb and index finger and let him come to me

Dopey · Oct 24, 2014

Hmmm, let him come to me. Duh! Never thought of that. I want him to like me NOW. I know it's only been five days but he is so cute. I don't want to cuddle with him but I would like to be able to touch him and scritch his head.

Kiwibird · Oct 24, 2014

They are typically smarter than to bite the hand that feeds. I would offer the treat between your thumb and index finger. Approach him slowly (so he can see what you are doing), show him the treat (so he knows why your hand is moving into his bubble) and keep a confident and authoritative stance as not to communicate you're fearful of him (stand up straight, look directly at him and do not hesitate, scrunch up our face, have a shaky hand or other signs of fear).

Edit: One more thing, he is going to go for that treat. Some birds get quite excited and move very quickly when they see something they want, so don't pull away! 99% likely he is just wanting to grab that treat, not bite your finger

Christinenc2000 · Oct 24, 2014

Like I said I am just starting but I would get a range that he can reach me but no further . After two weeks now I go into what I call his space to offer food now.
Until I was sure and earn his trust i let him reach out . That and unsure of myself I guess Gus and I are both learning thanks to this Awsome forum

Dopey · Oct 24, 2014

I've been told that my eyes give away my feelings so I will have to be careful with all of my physical moves and moods.

Thanks! I'll be treating away this weekend.

Birdman666 · Oct 24, 2014

Zons almost always go for the thumb.

An open hand just gives them a bigger target.

Is there a place to set it down next to him?

Set the first one down. Hold the second one with your thumb and index finger, with the command "you be nice." And if he isn't nice, he doesn't get it.

Do NOT reward him for biting!

Dopey · Oct 24, 2014

So far he's only been in the cage or on top of the cage. Would a small plate be okay to put it on?

Birdman666 · Oct 24, 2014

Also, if he is doing the zon territorial display thing... with the tail spread, and the eyes going and the trance-like state, don't even try to stick your hands up there. He's in Zon overload. He won't go for the treats, he'll go for the fingers.

Sit down somewhere next to him and talk to him until he is calm.

Any time a zon gets worked into a state, they can be unpredictable and bitey...

Dopey · Oct 24, 2014

Do they do the tail thing when they are happy too? I thought I read that somewhere. Whisper definitely isn't as aggressive with me as my son's zon used to be.

Why do they go for the thumb? Can't they see that huge thing?

Mark - thank you for helping when your heart must be breaking.

Birdman666 · Oct 24, 2014

Dopey said:
So far he's only been in the cage or on top of the cage. Would a small plate be okay to put it on?

As long as he didn't go after the plate.

I'm guessing that he's territorial from being locked up too long, and is in defend the nest mode. Which means the trigger is approaching the cage.

The behavior mod for territorial amazons is to get them out on a playstand AWAY from the cage (in another room, where they cannot see it) for a few days. Away from the cage, there is no territory to protect. Suddenly, they become a lot more receptive to interaction.

Birdman666 · Oct 24, 2014

Dopey said:
Do they do the tail thing when they are happy too? I thought I read that somewhere. Whisper definitely isn't as aggressive with me as my son's zon used to be.

Why do they go for the thumb? Can't they see that huge thing?

Mark - thank you for helping when your heart must be breaking.

I don't know why. But that's the spot every single zon I've ever had or worked with has gone for when they were biters... easy target? First available finger closest to the beak?

Right now, I'm climbing the walls. I just got a call about a found grey. It turns out it wasn't mine... Excitement, hope, then crashed again...

Birdman666 · Oct 24, 2014

Dopey said:
Do they do the tail thing when they are happy too? I thought I read that somewhere. /QUOTE]

The happy zon display and the crazed zon displays are actually very similar. The difference is the posture. If he's standing completely upright and not doing the crazed amazon thing with his head, and flipping the wings, then it's probably happy mode...

If he's hunched over, and the head is rolling around, wing flipping, or he's crouched down and displaying - like a spring ready to launch... it's amazon overload.

Christinenc2000 · Oct 24, 2014

Birdman666 said:
Dopey said:

Do they do the tail thing when they are happy too? I thought I read that somewhere. /QUOTE]

The happy zon display and the crazed zon displays are actually very similar. The difference is the posture. If he's standing completely upright and not doing the crazed amazon thing with his head, and flipping the wings, then it's probably happy mode...

If he's hunched over, and the head is rolling around, wing flipping, or he's crouched down and displaying - like a spring ready to launch... it's amazon overload.

Click to expand...

That would scare the crap out of me

Birdman666 · Oct 24, 2014

Oh, the Amazon overload thing is actually kinda funny, they get themselves worked into such a state... - BUT IT MEANS BACK OFF -and that's really what you have to do. Back off for a few minutes, talk to them calmly. They calm down and become normal again... and THEN you can approach them.

You wait until they finish their display. If you don't - that's when "bad things" happen.

41Gryphon · Oct 24, 2014

I gave Whisper treats with my thumb and my pointer finger. When giving him treats, I was never bitten. Whisper does tend to do the whole "flashy tail, pinning eyes" act whenever he hears someone talking because he gets excited. When touching him or coming near him, I'd never talk or do sudden movements (besides the soft/quiet occasional praise) just so that he wouldn't get too excited.

Dopey · Oct 24, 2014

Thank you so much for this information. You are such a quiet person and I am not and I'm not likely to change much at my age.

What treats did you give him? I know he likes banana chips and grapes. I don't think he ate the blueberries or strawberries I gave him.

41Gryphon · Oct 24, 2014

Dopey said:
Thank you so much for this information. You are such a quiet person and I am not and I'm not likely to change much at my age.

What treats did you give him? I know he likes banana chips and grapes. I don't think he ate the blueberries or strawberries I gave him.

I used sunflower seeds for training (even though he ate them every day).. Almonds were also well-liked. I also used to buy this fruit-based "parrot candy" at Petsmart... He likes the banana flavored ones best.

How do you give an agressive Zon treats?

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