Progress!

BriansAWildDowner · Oct 14, 2014

So, I'd been waiting for Raku to start liking me before I started trying to do any training with him. I finally realized that was probably the backwards way to do it, and on Sunday I began training him to step up. I didn't feel like much progress was made, and was a bit discouraged. Monday I worked late and wasn't able to do any training. Earlier today I did some more and he stepped up on to my hand! I was so happy I was seriously about to start crying. I was worried that would never happen.

Selestine · Oct 14, 2014

That's so great! I'm sure you must be feeling overjoyed right now.

RavensGryf · Oct 14, 2014

I think this is finally the beginning of the next stage for you and Raku. Great news, I know you've been frustrated a long time. Keep it up, he'll get there

katina · Oct 17, 2014

Hi Brian, I just got my ysgcc, had maybe2 months before now, he's wonderful but it took us quite a while to trust each other, he's molting right now so a little crabby. When you get his full trust it will be a total different experience.

Stitchy · Oct 17, 2014

We have had our GCC for about 2 months now, he is just now letting us scritch him. I am not even sure how to begin training him to step up, he runs from our hands if we make any movement that he is not used to. He is a little over a year old, I think this is going to take some time for us. And we are beginners at all of this, but he is so darn cute! Good luck with your progress!

BriansAWildDowner · Oct 20, 2014

There's been more slight progress. Now he's stepping up on to my hand regularly to grab seeds, but 95% of the time immediately runs back off to eat his seed. However, he's not running nearly as far as he used to.

Everyone once in awhile he'll actually stay on my hand to finish eating his seed and then pick up another. Today I was even able to get him to walk from one hand to the other to get a seed and he stayed there to finish it.

But even with that progress, and movement that's remotely similar to asking him to step up on to my finger results in him running away. I'm not really sure how to transition from getting him to step on to my hand to get a seed from my palm, to stepping on to a finger for one. I have tried, but it makes him too nervous to attempt it.

Still, pretty much every training session I have seen him do something that he wouldn't do before, so I'm really feeling optimistic right now.

LoryLover · Oct 20, 2014

The way I've trained all of the birds I've had to step on my finger, is to put my finger horizontally against their legs, with just a bit of pressure that makes them step on my finger. Once there, I talk sweetly to them and cup my other hand behind them. I've never used toys or food to get them on my finger.

Initially they will try to jump off my finger, and I keep them on as long as I can. It doesn't take more than 2 or 3 days of this training, before they get the knack of just hopping on my finger when I present it to them - not pressing against their leg at this point, just holding my finger in front of them.

Note - if the bird bites or tries to bite while doing this training --- say in a calm, firm tone "no biting."

Be as sweet and loving as you can be around Raku - always saying sweet things to him even if you're just walking or sitting by his cage. You want to create a tight, loving bond between the two of you, vs. him coming to you just because he wants food.

BriansAWildDowner · Oct 20, 2014

The problem is that I can't get my hand that close to him. He runs away. I have to lure him with seeds.

LoryLover · Oct 20, 2014

Can you get him placed in a smaller area, so he doesn't have anywhere to run? (just for the stepping on the finger training sessions)

strudel · Oct 21, 2014

Have you tried luring him with a millet spray? They have to sit there if they want to eat off the seeds, they can't just grab and run. Also, you can try offering the whole spray and then gradually move your hand more along it until you are offering mostly hand/finger with a bit of millet spray on the end.

Stitchy · Oct 22, 2014

We have had the same issues with our little guy. But we are showing progress with the hands in the cage, one thing that has helped a lot is that we put just a very small dab of peanut butter on our finger. Then slowly put our hand in the cage and let him come to us. He has to stick close to our hand in order to get the peanut butter off our fingers. A few times I dipped my finger in his seed mix and he ate them off my finger. Although he has not stepped up yet, he now allows us to scritch him with our fingers and shows no fear that we are petting him. He has a little 'blankie' hanging from the side of the cage and he runs over to it and that is where we can pet him. It is like his little safe corner. This weekend I will work on getting him to come out of the cage for scritches. Kind of hard to get him back in it though, when he will not step up.

BriansAWildDowner · Oct 25, 2014

There was some more progress made yesterday. His cage sort of has a draw bridge that lowers, and i put my finger flush with that, and used a sunflower seed to lure him over. He did, very hesitantly, put one foot up on to my finger. But I'm confident I'll be able to get him to step up soon.

But I don't think that's really going to solve the problem. What's going to happen is that he'll step up, grab the seed and step right back down. And I can't really think of what to do that'll make him want to stay there. Maybe just time, and regular training will get us there, but I have a hard time believing that since I've had him for 4 months now.

strudel · Oct 25, 2014

BriansAWildDowner said:
And I can't really think of what to do that'll make him want to stay there.

Try to stop caring whether he does or not. Relax. When he steps up, don't hold your breath and internally go "yes! Stay there!". Think about your shopping or anything other than what's he's doing. Any tension is transmitted and they can react to it.

Also, try with a millet spray. If he likes it, he might stay put to continue chowing down.

BriansAWildDowner · Oct 26, 2014

More progress today! I got him to step up on to my finger and did it by having him touch the end of a straw rather than luring him directly with treats.

Strudel, I think that's probably good advice.

I just wish the training materials I'd seen on teaching them to step up mentioned what to do after getting to this point.

strudel · Oct 26, 2014

Every time they step up and back down and don't end up dead, they are learning that it's ok to be up there. Reinforce that with some yummies and give it time. The answer is really, just keep doing what you're doing and let them learn in their own time that you are not a serial killer luring them to their doom.

BriansAWildDowner · Oct 26, 2014

I was thinking that was probably the case. He just seems to be really slow at learning that.

strudel · Oct 27, 2014

BriansAWildDowner said:
He just seems to be really slow at learning that.

If you think of it from their perspective, it's a wonder they can overcome the fear at all. Think of how HUGE we are. I'd be terrified to get onto a giant's finger, too, no matter how nice he seemed.

Is there something that he REALLY loves to eat? If so, use that as a reward rather than just his ordinary food. Might help to convince him that it's all good.

katina · Oct 27, 2014

Bri, just give the bird time and treat them respectfully, he'll learn to trust you, I bought mine at smartpets, they said he was brought in two weeks before we bought him, he has no silver band on his ankle and no birth certificate, the guy that raised him before must have been very good to skitz because 2 months and he turned into a velcro bird with me

RainbowRose · Oct 29, 2014

How long have you had your new bird? I'm struggling with this right now too. I recently lost my super hand tame parrot, and now have two new non hand raised babies. One is a grass keet so naturally skiddish, the other is my new kakariki and my progress is that I pet her belly and got her to eat seed off my hand a few times but mostly she runs away. My other kakariki I just lost would like jump to me the minute I opened the door and would come everywhere with me, so it's hard starting over. I will keep my hand in the cage with seed til it hurts. It's slow. I JUST got them but I am not used to this, it's been awhile. I guess I have to be patient. Your progress gives me hope and makes me remember how it has to be for awhile. How long have you had your bird??

BriansAWildDowner · Nov 4, 2014

RainbowRose, sorry for taking so long to reply.

I got Raku on June 13. The first 2 days I had him he really liked me, that's how I got the picture with him on my head. But on the 3rd day he stopped trusting me and hasn't since. At first I was waiting for him to warm up to be before I started any training, but that wasn't happening so I went and head and started with the training. He'll step up on to my finger now for treats, but his general attitude towards me doesn't seem to have changed.

Progress!

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