RainbowRose
Member
- Aug 6, 2014
- 318
- 0
So my 2 new birds are wild (parent raised). I've had them for a little over 3 weeks.
The Turquoisine is a year old and very skittish so I've been going very slow with him. I extend millet out to him and I leave my hand in the cage to try and move it closer. I want him to get used to my hand being around before I try getting him to step up for treats.
Now my Kakariki is 8 months old. She is not as timid. I have been clicker training her. If I have the millet in hand she let's me pet her belly and she will climb onto my hand. So now I'm teaching her "step up". Although at first she's a little hesitant, she will step up and have some treat... But if I start to move her too far away from her favorite perch she hops off or jumps on the wall, only to come back to my hand if it's near her perch back where we started. Which is fine I know she is still getting comfortable and is unsure.
My dilemma is that she will only NOT shy away if I have millet in hand. Even with the clicker, without millet she either runs away or tries to nibble at my fingers. Is this typical? Yesterday I tried loosening my grip on the millet so it would fall and leave her perched on my finger alone. She seemed okay just sitting there, but like I said she retreats back to her perch if I try to move her to another or wherever.
I've never had birds as wild as the two I have now so I just want to make sure I'm doing things efficiently. I sit near the cage with the door open to watch tv, study, talk on the phone, etc. They're still fairly new so I think the Kakariki is doing pretty good so far. I practice with her in 15 minute increments.
So is this normal warming up as far as only stepping up for treats?? Anything you think I can do that might ease her or am I doing right by just being around the cage a lot when home.
The Turquoisine is a year old and very skittish so I've been going very slow with him. I extend millet out to him and I leave my hand in the cage to try and move it closer. I want him to get used to my hand being around before I try getting him to step up for treats.
Now my Kakariki is 8 months old. She is not as timid. I have been clicker training her. If I have the millet in hand she let's me pet her belly and she will climb onto my hand. So now I'm teaching her "step up". Although at first she's a little hesitant, she will step up and have some treat... But if I start to move her too far away from her favorite perch she hops off or jumps on the wall, only to come back to my hand if it's near her perch back where we started. Which is fine I know she is still getting comfortable and is unsure.
My dilemma is that she will only NOT shy away if I have millet in hand. Even with the clicker, without millet she either runs away or tries to nibble at my fingers. Is this typical? Yesterday I tried loosening my grip on the millet so it would fall and leave her perched on my finger alone. She seemed okay just sitting there, but like I said she retreats back to her perch if I try to move her to another or wherever.
I've never had birds as wild as the two I have now so I just want to make sure I'm doing things efficiently. I sit near the cage with the door open to watch tv, study, talk on the phone, etc. They're still fairly new so I think the Kakariki is doing pretty good so far. I practice with her in 15 minute increments.
So is this normal warming up as far as only stepping up for treats?? Anything you think I can do that might ease her or am I doing right by just being around the cage a lot when home.