Well this was unexpected.

[GaleriaGila]

Well, nice to meet you, Indy! You have hit the jackpot, dude (dudette?).

I love this story!

 

[jannette]

Well hoping today doesn't totally set us back on trust, had the cage door open a neighbors kid ran SCREAMING passed the window spooked Indy he attempted to fly failed horribly and fell to the ground where I had to retrieve him. :/ he was not too pleased BUT I figured screw it while your here on my hand let's try something and did a quick ladder excersize with him, he was fairly ok with the stepping up but thanks to that I figured out it is NOT hands he's terrified of, it's thumbs... If I had my thumb hid in my palm he was fine the moment my thumb because visible END OF THE WORLD. So I hid my thumb made him step up to the other hand have him some millet and put him back.

The laddering calmed him down from the freak out pretty quickly, his crest went from angry to alert to relaxed within 4 step ups. Angry for the thumb back to relaxed when I had him step up on my other hand.

The only thing I can think of with the thumb is he was grabbed at.

He did attempt to "bite" when I picked him up but it was hardly a pinch. talking to him stopped him immediately... When I moved my thumb it was harder but still hardly anything and not near what my lovebirds would do if they freaked and bit! (First bite I ever got drew blood and left a small scar! Lol)

I did get some pictures of him on my hand (and mid bite when I moved my thumb haha went for the webbing between my thumb and index finger!) he liked the shutter sound of my phones camera... Had to take pics though or my hubby would never have believed it LOL until I showed him a picture of Indy eating by an open door he didn't believe me either, looks like he could turn around fairly quickly! Since I have no real age on him I have no clue when he is going to molt but I'm hoping its soonish, if he does come around fast I want to get some flight training done with him because he has no clue how toe even attempt to stop a hard fall, today he jumped flapped and fell like a rock! I was just glad I had had some fabric laundry baskets laying on the floor my kid was playing with earlier because j think they softened that blow a bit. (They weren't closed up proper so it was kind of like hitting a net suspended in the air first)

Wasn't willing to test my luck to see if he will step up from his door when I brought him his dinner just let him eat in peace, might try tomorrow though and see if he will step up from the door, I greatly doubt it but we shall see what his mood is like in the am.

 

[jannette]

I have to laugh at my timing for this picture, the thumb is the enemy

Putting him back in the cage he got really happy.

Back in the cage and calmed down a bit.

 

[Violet_Diva]

Awww, great progress. Thumb hate is real! Are you able to deliver treats by hand through the bars without being bitten? If you could do that, presumably Indy would start to associate the treats with your hand (including your thumb). If not you could try delivering treats via a spoon, starting off with your thumb far from the treat end. Over time you could gradually bring your hand (and thumb) closer down the spoon until Indy learns thumbs are good and not evil! I'm currently working on teaching my eclectus Bella to not attack hands! Everything I read about training kept advising giving treats, but I couldn't deliver them, as she'd bite me! That's when I started using a long spoon to deliver the treats. I can now deliver treats with my fingers and touch her beak. Im not sure if my technique will work with your Indy, but it might be worth a go?

 

[jannette]

Awww, great progress. Thumb hate is real! Are you able to deliver treats by hand through the bars without being bitten? If you could do that, presumably Indy would start to associate the treats with your hand (including your thumb). If not you could try delivering treats via a spoon, starting off with your thumb far from the treat end. Over time you could gradually bring your hand (and thumb) closer down the spoon until Indy learns thumbs are good and not evil! I'm currently working on teaching my eclectus Bella to not attack hands! Everything I read about training kept advising giving treats, but I couldn't deliver them, as she'd bite me! That's when I started using a long spoon to deliver the treats. I can now deliver treats with my fingers and touch her beak. Im not sure if my technique will work with your Indy, but it might be worth a go?

He "kind of" takes treats (he's warming up to it, I will offer millet (it's the go to treat) and he will take like one seed off it if I'm holding it) I'll have to give the spoon a try caveman style with my thumb on the top LOL.

Hoping he tames up soon, he has horrible balance when he scratches his head and I think he may be just finishing his last molt. thought I saw some new feathers still in their cover on his neck by the skull, those ones use to drive my lovebirds crazy, they wanted ALL the attention when those ones wouldn't come off on their own when they scratched them lol.