Finally Getting to Pet Alexandarine

[khaiqha]

My Alex was born in March and came home with me the last week of July. At the store while he was still weening he loved being petted on the head. The day I took him home, his carrier had not come in the mail yet so the worker grabbed him and put him in a box. To this day my bird will flip his lid if a hand is above him. Also, my roommate was the one to let him out of the box, and my bird hates him (it's getting better with time).

So despite all these things, he still loves people. He will step up with no qualms, even if he's angry or afraid. He loves kisses, and doesn't mind being petted by your face/nose/feet/elbows, just not hands.

I've been working on targeting him under my hand since August. For 5 months now, he would do it, but would be terrified and only do it twice a day before stopping. Another tactic I tried was to let him chew on his most favorite object in life (my cell phone) while I pet him. Three phone cases later and he still would only let me pet him with hands if I offered up a phone first.

Finally, today I had a breakthrough. My bird is usually extra cuddly in the mornings, and likes to get under my blanket and snuggle or rub his head against my neck. After petting him with my nose, I tried using just my pinky, keeping my other fingers closed into a fist. It totally worked, he's not at all afraid of a closed fist, just an open hand. I tried with the index finger, but he just thinks that means to step up, so pinky petting it is then.

Wanted to post this in case any readers were having issues with their birds. Sometimes it just takes some outside of the box thinking.

 

[Thingamagigs]

on youtube birdtricks.com have up training techniques for birds who are afraid of being touched, or afraid of certain people. Basically training tolerance. Check it out i will see if i can find it.

 

[Thingamagigs]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuERdlr2BZg]Parrot Training Video THE 'Power Pause' Technique - YouTube[/ame]

OK... they have given it a buzz word "power pause" but basically all you are doing, is using clicker training to reward the bird for positive behaviour as you gradually introduce an unpleasant situation.

First you need to get your bird to understand what the clicker means. You do this over a week or so by giving the bird at treat and clicking at the same time. After a little while you click and then treat and gradually increase the time between click and treat so the bird understands click always means treat but you may need to wait for the treat sometimes. I love clicker training animals because I always fumble with training and getting the treat to the animal in time LOL

Once it knows what the click means, you click anytime you want to treat the bird for appropriate behaviour. That way you dont have to have a treat in your hand always, your bird will know the click means a treat is coming. Very useful in your situation.

Following their steps (but slower, its a training vid, in real life it will take longer to achieve results) you will be able to touch your bird again without having to make a fist or distract with a cell phone cover And use the same technique to have your housemate make friends with the bird.