additional baby galah hand question

i posted last week about my new baby galah being skittish, thank you all for the advise. hoping for more. i am typing one handed as she is sitting on my other hand. she has become so sweet with me. she is still working on warming up to everyone else but she now begs for my attention. she wants to sit cuddling with my nose and face all day making the sweetest coo sounds. she wants her little face right next to my nose. her beak touching my nose. she loves for me to rub her head with my nose. she asks for it over and over . she has perfected her step up onto my hand and is happy to sit there for hours, now for where i need advise, she still wont let me touch her with my hands, she at time seems annoyed i am not preening her new feathers and they are driving her batty, she will rub on my face harder . any thoughts on how i can i want to help her get her to warm up to petting and being preened? she is s precious i can live with never but i can tell her head itches badly, i want to help her little head feathers,

still hoping she warms up yo my son and husband too. any suggestions on that? she only wants me,

Lori

Hi Lori she is just a baby, give her time. If hands are too scary, must seem huge don't you think, use a finger at a time? Sounds like you are her surrogate parent bird hun atm. Pins, with Plum who had a real aversion to water bless him, I used to soak my hand and then rub his head, would this work with the pins, in softening them? A spray or bath so soon may freak her and she'd poss lose trust she's gained. Do you stroke her foot? It's worked with my birds who were not keen iniatially in being head stroked yet. Sounds to me she is missing company to snuggle up to, other baby birds maybe? Can you try a stuffed animal friend that isn't fur? If you are able to make a material animal, pref that could be washed? See how that goes? Do you have any bird snuggle toys in her cage already?



everything in her time hun there is no rushing it!

Dear Lori, hi! That’s wonderful that she likes cuddling against you. She is still young, and although younger parrots are often more curious, they can also be rather nervous and unsure. To help with getting her used to hands you could try some of these: whenever she’s near you, slowly raise your hand and scratch your face, or pet your hair. Let her see you using your hand to eat and play. Be very patient. Take slow steps like using a finger to brush her feet and feed her from your palm. Eventually you can work up to lightly petting her tummy feathers. Give it time and she should become comfortable!
Since she’s young, make sure to socialize her. This is around they time when parrots pick their favorite humans and latch onto them. Have family members approach slowly and feed her, talking softly. Maybe let them change out food and water dishes every once in a while or play with her. Some parrots can be very stubborn though
And last but not least, the pin feathers. Those are definitely irritating for birdies. I suggest giving her a light spray bath once or twice a week. Just make sure she stays warm!
You’re doing awesome, Good luck!

I'm happy you guys are bonding! I would just strongly suggest that you set boundaries now regarding the types of contact you have (assuming your bird is eating on its own etc--prior to that, this doesn't apply), because they will come to expect any routine to last forever-- at puberty, that can be problematic, as cuddles and kisses etc are sexual and can impact hormones, behavior etc--- They are sweet- but adults are not at all similar (in many cases). Cockatoos are very social and love to be touched if they like you, but head/neck petting is what adults can acceptably do to others with whom they are not "romantically" involved...It can get complicated when your bird thinks you are going to...do things...with him/her....and that is how they are hardwired..so we have to set boundaries that won't cause them to feel overly frustrated or self-destructive.



I am not sure how old your bird is, and cockatoos take longer to get to their adult personality/hormones, but that means that if it takes 6 years, you HAVE to practice good/appropriate habits years before that.

I ordered her a little snuggy for her cage. It hasn't arrived yet but not thinking I am going to put it in because I just saw a post this morning about them being dangerous. I knew the huts are, but this is just a snuggly. sadly it is made of the same material as the hut so I am guessing it is dangerous too

LoriLB said:

I ordered her a little snuggy for her cage. It hasn't arrived yet but not thinking I am going to put it in because I just saw a post this morning about them being dangerous. I knew the huts are, but this is just a snuggly. sadly it is made of the same material as the hut so I am guessing it is dangerous too

Click to expand...

Cockatoos should not have any shadowy spaces and snuggle huts are very dangerous...


Please return this and make sure that your bird does not have access to shadowy spaces-- the huts are bad for other reasons too. 1. Cockatoos can be crazy hormonal and they are cavity nesters, which means that they are going to make-do with whatever they have (just allowing access to this sort of thing can impact behavior in the long run). 2. these huts are full of dangerous fibers and can strangle birds etc.

Hi yes I wouldn't use a snuggle hut hun been too many accidents, but look for 'preening' toys as these can be used to snuggle up to. My cockatoo has several and loves them; the ring type.



Sonu my little man, who's a nervous wreck from previous homes came with a rather worse for wear one of these and he goes to sit right up against it.



Knotty Preener Parrot Toy - Small