Buzz Update

We've had Buzz since 4/19/16 and we haven't made too much physical process. Buzz is very chatty, repeating words and sounds but he refuses to step up. He physically shakes when I try to touch him or offer my hand and ask him to step up. He appears to be very happy up to the point of physical contact. However he will come to the door and take food from me, no issues. I can put a treat in my hand, approach his cage and he comes to the door and gently takes the treat eagerly.

I've been googling and searching videos of overcoming but none have worked yet for us. His vocal capacity is amazing! I just need to win his confidence to physically interact with me, a BIG challenge!


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Aw it sounds like you've made some good progress in other areas which is great. I'm always amazed at Gracies vocal abilities too. It's really enjoyable to listen and talk to them.

I'm sure you've tried all the obvious training including the one I used with Gracie. I'd hold my hand before the the favorite treat (did this right before breakfast when she would be hungry) then I'd try to encourage her to step up in order to reach the treat. I did it in stages at first any movement forward I rewarded.
I also would lean against her cage with the door open chatting with her while I'd be "eating" some goodies on a plate and would encourage her to step up to eat with me (this took quite awhile before she did it). Sticks/perches etc. didn't work for her.

As far as the shaking. Is he full on body shaking or chest/wing type of quivering. Gracie has always done the quivering even when I know she's happy/excited & not scared although she'll sometimes do it then. I researched it quite a bit too & there seem to be conflicting theories on what the Grey shaking/quivering was implying so I tend to relay on her eye/facial expressions.

You've made incredible progress with Buzz man & I'm sure it will continue. Don't get discouraged

Hve you ever left teh cage door open and let him decide when he wants to come out on his own?

The only draw back I can think of is him letting you grab him to put him back in. Perjo loves the freedom of coming out on here own, and enjoys it so much that when I want to put her back in she'll go to the highest back part of the cage to try to avoid me. It's become a game I fear. I always win, but it takes a while.

Buzz shakes full body, he even fluffs his feathers and begins "buzzing" or growling while shaking. He is definitely a tough nut! He loves playing the whistle came, has no issue repeating my whistles but physical touching is an absolute NO! He loves his toys and destroys them, mostly blocks, he will take food from me no issue. Yesterday he rejected a slice of cucumber, I guess not flavorful enough lol! I hate having a bird that wants no physical interaction. I'm at a loss of what to do but not giving up!


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DRB said:

Hve you ever left teh cage door open and let him decide when he wants to come out on his own?

The only draw back I can think of is him letting you grab him to put him back in. Perjo loves the freedom of coming out on here own, and enjoys it so much that when I want to put her back in she'll go to the highest back part of the cage to try to avoid me. It's become a game I fear. I always win, but it takes a while.

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I have left the cage door open, it's open right now. Since binging him home he has now gotten comfortable going around the corners of his cage, inside the cage. He has a favorite, high perch he stays on. For the first 3 months he wouldn't leave that high perch. He has destroyed numerous block toys so I keep him supplied in block toys. I am hoping by leaving the cage door open he will venture out. The draw back is him running and hiding out of fear. I've had one encounter of chasing out from under my bed and toweling him which he hated! Since that event he hasn't ventured out. He willingly and starts whistle games which is great, but the physical contact part is the issue.


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Taw5106 said:

We've had Buzz since 4/19/16 and we haven't made too much physical process. Buzz is very chatty, repeating words and sounds but he refuses to step up. He physically shakes when I try to touch him or offer my hand and ask him to step up. He appears to be very happy up to the point of physical contact. However he will come to the door and take food from me, no issues. I can put a treat in my hand, approach his cage and he comes to the door and gently takes the treat eagerly.

I've been googling and searching videos of overcoming but none have worked yet for us. His vocal capacity is amazing! I just need to win his confidence to physically interact with me, a BIG challenge!


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Click to expand...

I feel your pain! REALLY! After over 27 years,Smokey still WOULD NOT allow physical contact! Oh sure,she would sit on her roof top,and I could bend over,she's RUN up to me,pull my hair,bang her beaky on my forehead,whistle,talk and gurgle in my ear if I COULD get her on my shoulder,but touchy/feely?? Nope,that was NOT gonna happen!

She got out of her house on her own,she'd get back INTO it on her own,all I needed to say was "night night Smokes",and off she went. Only if I got her cornered somewhere,would she reluctantly step up onto my hand,but as soon as the coast was clear,FLAPFLAPFLAP...off into the wild blue yonder she went

Like I said, no hands,no head skritches,no pets on her back or anything like that. But she talked extremely well,she'd walk down the hall in to the kitchen,looking for me. One time years ago,my friend Mariann and her DYH Shainna was staying with Amy,Smokes,and I,...Smokey would walk down the hall going towards the kitchen,STOP at Marianns' bedroom door...BANG on the door with her beaky,and say very loudly "HELLOOOOO MARIANN"!

Smokey was a very intelligent grey..very vocal,and lovey in her own right,she just was NOT a physical fid But that certainly did not stop ME from being any less lovey to her!


Jim

If you want a true parrot companion, it's all about trust, mostly the parrot learning to trust you. Maybe you know that already. And IMHO toweling him to get him back into the cage has to destroy any trust he's built up about you. Is there any harm in letting buzzy boy go in and out of the cage at his whims?

Thanks Jim and Wrench. Buddy, my GCA, and Venus, my Ekkie, love physical interaction. I gather that Buzz is happy since he chats and plays whistle games every day with me. One of my biggest concerns is having to towel him to get him to the vet or out of a situation. I've only toweled him once and that was after he ran under my bed. I let him have his way for about 4 hours (the dogs wouldn't go under the bed while he was there, lol), and I finally chased him out and toweled him. This was in May so earning his trust again has been a very long road.

I've been leaving his cage door open hoping he will venture outside but so far, no. If he's happy with no touching I can live with that, but I want to know he is happy. So far I think he is.

Jim, I love that story about Smokes, it's one of my favorites. Out of my three birds, Buzz is my super talker and he cracks me up often with new things he's picked up. Since I work from home I have to watch what I say because he picks things up quick! He's a soundbox all day long, he and Buddy have joined a few conference calls. All good, they were welcomed, people laughed and a few of my team members love to talk with Buddy.

So I'm thinking Buzz is happy since he's chattering, whistling and playing whistle games with me.


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Don't recall how you acquired Buzz, but a key to his handling reticence may be his "baggage" in previous home(s). He is clearly comfortable with you on many levels, but as Jim mentioned, some seem to loathe handling. ET, my Timneh was hand raised, but after about 25 years still will not be willingly handled. However, I can place my face on his back and he seems to enjoy!

If his room is "bird safe" you might try encouraging more "out" time by placing food and water outside the cage. The intent is not to deprive but rather reinforce comfort with mobility.

I too have found the human hand is a rescue vehicle for birds that venture too far, but as soon as there is a direct line to the cage... off they fly!

In my experience, greys are hit and miss on the cuddly nature. Even some of the cuddly greys are not the same cuddly that other species are.

I rehomed a neglected CAG in May. I can pet his head and he'll step up if he's flown to the horrible scary no bird's land that is the floor, but otherwise won't allow physical contact. Some birds just don't like it and that's just their personality. Even he will fly back to his cage once he has a direct line to it from my hand.

I've always had super happy and cuddly conures, and to not be able to pet and love on Zoey has been a real learning curve. But I've learned it's just who he is and he expresses himself in other ways. Maybe Buzz is the same. The fact he takes food from you is a great sign that he's not really afraid of your hands, he just doesn't want touched.

Toweling is terrible and I've had to do it myself with Zoey when I rehomed him. However, we've built trust and I'm his person. With time and patience, Buzz will open back up. Be persistent. Don't show your frustration. Just keep leaving the door open and encouraging. It took Zoey weeks to come out, and now he scrambles to come out in the morning when I open his cage. He'll get there They're very cautious and stubborn, but intelligent. He will figure it out in his own time.

I'm struggling to figure out the stepping up in an emergency or if need be as well. Would a 'T' perch maybe work for you? Or a regular wooden perch. Some hand shy birds will step up on inanimate objects.

I had to towel Smokey a few times,like when getting her into her carrier to go see her doctor. I'd throw it over her and she'd growl like I pack of mad dogs. I could see the "anger" in her eyes lol..she'd chew that towel like there was no tomorrow lol. As soon as I put her in the carrier she'd WOO loudly at me,like she was saying "There! I told you so!"
And I'd have to towel her after giving her a shower,just to dry her off some,and I got the same response...sighhhhh...I miss her...


Jim

Our Buzz is pretty much hands off except with my son. We have a perch for him to step up on. We started with a stick, until one day he scuttled to the end and bit my hand. We now have a L shape pvc perch for moving him. We have toweled him to put him away for time outs. He knows who Mr. Towel is and usually just the threat will make him rethink if he wants to bite feet. We have one specific uniquely colored towel so he's not scared of other towels but he knows we mean business if Mr. Towel comes out.

I don't feel a need to towel ever, and can only imagine toweling Perjo in case of an emergency.

You may already have tried this, BUTTTT...
Will Buzz step up on a hand-held perch, and maybe THEN onto your finger?
The Rickeybird bites my hand if it invades his cage, but readily steps on a perch and then to my hand, and everything's fine after that. Kinda hurts my feelings that after all these years, that's what he wants, but what am I gonna do?

After 27 years,amy will STILL bite my hand if I put it in her house to get her out...and if I use her "perch stick" she'll chew on that,and put one foot on it with the other grabbing a bar...her beaky biting anything near her lol.."its MY house Dad! And i'll come out when I'm damn good and ready!" That's her attitude lol


Jim

I feel your pain, Jim!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you, actually. At least the RB steps on the perch, right? I feel better for some reason!