Any tips on getting cuddly?

[natv]

Kiwi is 8 months old, I've had him about a month now.

First, I have to admit that I am scared of his beak. I know bites will happen from time to time, but right now I have these knee-jerk reactions when he bites or when I feel he is about to bite, because he bit my finger or hand a few times since I've had him (and it hurt

He's very scared of my hands, other than when I'm giving him a treat with my fingers. I always hand-feed him when he's out of his cage. He does step up on my hand/arms - I use a stick initially (cause I don't know when he'll bite) but he easily walks onto my arm after that. Sometimes I use my hand but last time he put his beak down (which he does on the stick too, to feel how stable it is), except he ended up biting me (a slow, hard bite). Didn't feel aggressive and not really sure why this happened.

Anyway.. He lets my face get close to him when I'm hand-feeding him, whether he's on my arm or on his playstand, and I snuck a little 'caress' with my forehead to the top of his head yesterday a few times. But there was a point where I can tell he looked at me suspiciously and I was right because I then heard a growl. So I backed off before I got bit

Today similar progress. I don't let him on my shoulder, but he was on my arm close to my face. I was giving him treats and once in a while I instinctively felt like he wanted to do something, but I can't tell what - he would suddenly focus on my face (mouth or nose I don't know) and I'm not sure what that was about. It would be nice if he wanted a kiss but for all I know he wanted to bite, so I lured him off my arm.

So anyway... any tips? I read one training technique to get a parrot to get used to your hands is to get two sticks about a foot long each, put the bird on a perch (t-stand for example), and touch one side of him with the end of one stick, then as he's about to bit that stick, distract him with the other hand by touching him on his other side with the other stick, and eventually once he doesn't lunge to bite anymore, moving the hands closer up the stick..etc (over a few days or weeks period I'd assume) But to me this technique feels a lot like teasing the bird (in a mean way) so I'm not sure I want to try that.

I haven't tried to touch his wing or head with my finger/hand yet because I can sense when I get close how suspicious he is.


Anyway advice on getting him used to me touching him?

Thanks
Nathalie

 

[lpolliard]

Take care with bringing your face within range until you are very confident he will not bite.

In general Ekkies do not like neck scratches. I read this has to do with the structure of their feathers. And you shouldn't stroke a birds back, wings or tail because that sexually stimulates them. This leaves foot & beak massages and head petting. Chico's favorite cuddle is when I flip him on his back and hold him like a baby. Then I will stroke the top of his head. I think he likes this attention.

To flip your bird over, one way is to have him perched on your finger facing you. Then bring you other hand over his back and rotate him backwards by leaning over. Ekkies seem to stay very calm even on their backs.

 

[natv]

Thanks, I didn't know about the back/wings/tail thing. Maybe it was near his neck when he growled, I'll stick to his head and beak.

And yea I'm kind of uncomfortable with him looking at my face too close lol, I don't trust him yet. It's all fun and games until you lose an eye I guess

 

[sodakat]

That touching thing with the stick doesn't sound very nice to me. Why are you so concerned about touching him anyway? Most of my Eclectus don't like being touched. The only one that does would like me to shrink and become red and blue (he has ideas way beyond dinner and a movie).

Some of them do like to sit on my shoulder and lean against my head. Most of them like to sit with me either on my hand, arm or shoulder but they don't want me fooling with them. I think there are species who really like the touching scritching action much more than Eclectus because they need help preening their head and neck feathers when Eclectus do not.

I feel so bad that you are afraid of his beak. I've been trying to think of something you could do that would help put both of you at ease. Have you ever sat at the table with him on the table messing around with foot toys and measuring spoons, etc.? Maybe you would be more comfortable that way. He could watch you touching stuff and showing it to him and hopefully come close and take the toy away. He might touch you with his beak then and possibly you wouldn't be so worried about getting bit.

There are videos available that show parrot body language. Maybe you should get one. If you can understand his body language you may realize that most of the time he has no intention of biting. Grabbing ahold of your finger or hand before stepping on can be more of a stabilizing procedure for unsure birds compared to actual biting.

I cannot stress enough how great folded rope perches are for transporting birds who are not comfortable stepping onto hands. Much nicer than a stick because the looped end of the rope perch is not threatening to the bird at all.

 

[moni.k]

I think the best advice is to get over your fear. It seems like your working on it which is great and there is improvements from what your telling us.

Eclectus just aren't the cuddly type of bird, I know people "think they know, or read that they aren't" but it's actually different from reality and can be frustrating. Especially when you want to sneak in for a little kiss or even giving scratches can be an impossible task for some.

I hand fed Nalani, so she was already used to be holding her head, wiping her beak, picking her up (before she knew how to step up). To be honest, I just grab her head and smother her with kisses, or flip her upside down and she gives me a spiderman kiss. Hehe. To her, its all fun and games, and I can read her body language when she isn't in the mood to be played with. I think rough housing with your bird is acceptable under the right conditions and that's what I did with Nalani since day one. They aren't as "fragile" and "delicate" as they look. But be sure to read body language, don't force your bird to do something they aren't willing to or ready for. Never play with your bird where he/she can get hurt. I usually play with Nalani on the bed or couch. Make it fun and exciting, I talk to her and encourage her to try new tricks. For example, I flip her on her back on the couch and say "oh no!! what happened?! Silly baby!" with a lot of enthusiasm. A couple times later she begins to flip on her back alone so that she can get the reaction and attention from me.

This is the only way that I have tried, tested and know works for Nalani and I. Make the relationship lighthearted and fun: I dance, sing and even go on bike rides with Nalani. Most of the time she gives me the "you crazy... I don't know you" look but I can tell she really gets a kick out of it. Hope this helps??

 

[rbreck]

I just watched a YouTube video on touching the beak. Maui likes it. I clean his beak off when he eats and he is very cuddly. I have only had him for two weeks ... Hope this keeps up.

 

[Chikoo]

I agree with Sodakat and moni.k. Eclectus are not the cuddly type birds, and honestly, cuddling birds stimulates their hormones more than anything else. I pet my birds on their heads, and my female will make cute sounds when I do this. She even lowers her head to receive the head strokes now, but sometimes I feel like she interprets it sexually. I'm not sure. My male likes to be touched more than her, he will let me turn him upside down, and when I go to scratch under his wing he will lift it up as high as he can for a tickle. But I don't do this very often, because I know its not natural for them to be touched as much as we would like to. They aren't teddy bears!

So I try to respect their space. Hands, arms, shoulders, or just perching near you are the happiest situations for these birds, it seems. For the most part, my birds are just perched near me, and I don't even spend a whole lot of time talking to them and kissing them, etc. I just let them be birds with me. Usually in the evening when my wife comes home we will spend more overt time with them, and pat them, and let them eat some dinner with us, etc. But I don't believe in trying to make them into a cuddly cat or something. They are birds, and even when I bring my hand slowly to my male, he will get frightened and sort of get surprised. They are instinctively programmed to be hyper aware, because they are prey in the wild.

My female has torn my skin and made it bleed countless times. Mostly due to my own mistakes and partly due to her own hormonal tantrums! Nonetheless, I have no fear of her beak. I guess we broke the ice early on. I can put my finger up to her beak without any fear of her biting it, she will grab onto my finger and play with it, and beak around like that, which I let her do. Sometimes I intentionally put my finger in her beak and she likes to play around with it. She does not have the slightest intention to bite it. My male, even in his most fearful moments, or when he loses his balance and grabs onto me via my finger or something, even then he does not bite at all. These birds are not naturally aggressive, they are not out to get you, and will not bite you unless you cross the line, and they will warn you well in advance. Most of all, it takes time. Chikoo used to be afraid of my fingers like they were the devil when I first got her. Now its like second nature, she will beak them, and let me stroke her beak, and has no concern at all.

Bottom line, your fear is theirs.

 

[natv]

Thanks everyone