Hand Training

[Tracy842]

Hey everyone,

I'm basically looking for any suggestions on where to start with my Amazon Pepsi, with hand training her. As most of already probably know she is a 29 year old, abused amazon that has never been hand trained. She is able to be hand fed and will allow you to scratch her head if she wants you to. She is quite afraid of anyone touching her feet, wings, tail, or any part of her body other then her head and beak. She is allow frightened with trying to pick her up with a hand held perch (stick training)

So my first major problem is getting her out of the cage. Since she will not step up onto my hand or another perch.

Second problem she really doesn't think she can perch on a persons hand or arm.

I do have experience with hand training parrots but mostly young parrots that were never abused. I also believe Pepsi may be wild caught but I'm not a 100% sure. Any suggestions on how to overcome my problems would be great. I don't know if many people on here have rescue birds. Thanks for any help anyone has.

 

[TexDot33]

Tracy, I have a feeling you know the answer already ...It's going to take lots of: love, patients, treats and consistancy on your part to do this (but you already knew that). But the amazing news here, Pepsi is only 29 (wait, is she older than you?:47: ) and you are a loving, caring bird individual who knows that you have a lot of work to do AND are willing to undertake this adventure.

I do have one question, does Pepsi attack/lunge/nip at you when you try to touch her or go into her cage? I would advise that you start with the STEP-UP command (as I am sure you know) and give her a very stable surface to step-up on (get a nice branch from the woods, something she can really get a great grip on). As to getting anything close to her feet ... again, it's going to take time. Parrots, I have this feeling,are like elephants and don't forget anything, and if her feet were included in the abuse then this could be a source of bad memories for Pepsi. It's going to take time, be consistant, firm, and reward even the most minor of advances (e.g. Pepsi puts one foot up on the branch, reward her).

Keep working, feel free to vent here but also tell us about your break throughs so that we can celebrate with you!

~ Tex

 

[Peta]

I have 2 rescue birds who will not under any circumstances stand on my hand to come out of the cage, The only time they will step up onto my hand is if they are out, and thats not very often, they will sit in the cage while the doors are open and watch the others out and having fun. These guys were beaten starved and stuck in a dark room for I don't know how long.

They will come out sometimes but never on my hand, I have gone with that for their sake, but I'm still perservering and live in hopes. They are the reason we are building our Aviary so they can be birds and stay out of humans way if they want to. Flynnie the Red Rump is starting to come on my hand when she is out but has to come out of the cage on her own.

Will Pepsi come out of the cage on her own? And will she take treats from your hand? If she is climbing round the cage could you stroke her feet then, she will slowly get used to the idea that these human hands are not gonna hurt her.

You have a long hard heartbreaking road ahead of you, but if anyone can teach her that hands are not all bad I'm sure you can. Keep us updated on how you are getting on. Doesn't it make you mad when you see what a human is capable of doing to these wonderful birds.

 

[Tracy842]

Thanks for the advice, but I think I know the one thing I lack "patience" Anyone got any to spare? Ha ha ha I would like everything to happen over night. Seems like with Popsicle (who was a "mean" bird that no one could touch) she was trained in a few minutes. But of course a different past makes a huge difference.

Yes Pepsi is older then I am, I call her my baby sometimes even though she is older

Pepsi usually goes into her cage, she is a scared parrot not an aggresive parrot at all. She will usually only lunge and nip at any males. (Her abuse was from males)

She hasn't come out of her cage on her own yet, she has tried getting out through the little food cup opening but not the big door which she can fit through. She will take treats from our hands no problem at all, she is actually very gentle when doing that. When she climbs around the cage I do try and touch her feet even though she growls at me to stop. Just keep doing it I guess.

If she only want to be in her cage thats fine by me, but I know she would be happier out playing around, so I'll let her decide. I'll leave the cage door open for a while when I go home and see if she wants to come out. Let you know how it goes.

 

[Peta]

Know what you mean about "patience" I could do with quite a bit more than I had. When I first bought Errol and Flynn home I expected them to be so tame and loving the following day. We are making progress and I am learning to take things at their pace. Wish I could say that was easy.

I will look forward to regular updates on how she is getting on. :07:

 

[Tracy842]

Why is it that when we go to bed the first night they're home, they aren't trained the next day.

Well we made some progress when i got home today, She was climbing around her cage so I gently touched her feet and she didn't growl at me this time, so lets hope we keep it up. :51:

I have my little Popsicle as my "cuddly" hand trained baby, if Pepsi never wants to be that kind of bird she don't have to be. She'll still be as spoiled and loved!!!

 

[Peta]

Why is it that when we go to bed the first night they're home, they aren't trained the next day.

I like that idea,

Well we made some progress when i got home today, She was climbing around her cage so I gently touched her feet and she didn't growl at me this time, so lets hope we keep it up. :51:

:jumping40 That is great news. I'm so happy for you both.

I have my little Popsicle as my "cuddly" hand trained baby, if Pepsi never wants to be that kind of bird she don't have to be. She'll still be as spoiled and loved!!!

Again that is great to hear, I'm sure with all the love you have for her she will at least come to sit with you even if its only for a head scritch. She is one lucky gal, and you are one wonderful loving Mum. :07:

 

[TexDot33]

I think I got really lucky with Ham. He was hand trained from the dayh I got him, and really, my fiancee and I can't keep him off of us, he's our little cuddlebug ...

 

[Redballoon]

I was thinking I was finally gaining some lost ground.
I now use a stick to herd/scratch/chew on.
The all in one stick lets me work with him where he feels confident,...on top of his cage. The stick will reach every corner he walks to, so I use it to herd him back to me, calling his name as I do. He walks back into face biting distance, and he gets a full head to tail scatch and feather blow. then the stick goes to the beak and he chews on it for a minute, then it goes to his chest and we start the step-up request. So far little progress for day one, except he herds back to me well. He has no fear of the stick, just a healthy disdain for it. The best I can do is get him to grab the stick with one claw and then hop over the stick,.... then we start again. He is not a dumb bird. Coz I gave him the chance to stop work and clean himself, so now,everytime I get the stick out, he starts pretending to be in the middle of a scrub up. He wont stop preening and pretends he cant hear or see me, and just keeps preening. Smartass. he also worked out that if he bites on the top of the cage hard, I cant get the stick to his chest, and he knows I wont force the issue. Arrogant mongral bird. I declare day 1 of stick training a draw.

 

[karen]

hey redballoon I am hooting with laughter:18:
Roxy has spent some time in cell block H this week..our prob the exact opposite. She is so tactile and demanding ....and noisy if not getting her way.

 

[Redballoon]

Ill swap birds with you and throw in 10 bux and a dented axe handle.

 

[Peta]

RD you have me laughing so hard Bucc thinks I have already flipped. Once Skippah has decided that you have suffered enough he'll come round.

Ill swap birds with you and throw in 10 bux and a dented axe handle.

Should I ask about the DENTED axe handle. From your post I take it that he is still making you suffer.

After I bring Kito home I may have the same problem with Bucc. He is probably gonna throw a blue fit. and really make me suffer one way or the other for bringing another Grey in the house.

 

[Tracy842]

Well Pepsi is frightned to death of sticks and gloves. So I'm going in the good old fashioned way with no armour or protection, wish my hands luck. She's not very aggressive anyways so I don't think she would bite hard, but it is a big beak

I'll let everyone know how we make out.

 

[Redballoon]

I'll let everyone know how we make out.

Sweety, if you make out with your birds, I dont think we want to know about it, ok?
Do what you like in private, but dont brag about it on the net.

Sicko,....

 

[Peta]

:18: :18: :18: :18: (rolling on the floor laughing, am finally lost for words)

 

[TexDot33]

:18: :18: :18: :18: (rolling on the floor laughing, am finally lost for words)

*picks up the telephone, starts to dial ... *

"Hello, Guiness Book of World Records? Yeah, you guys are never going to believe this ... "

 

[karen]

Wondering how u will get on Peta mmmm My pal gave me the penquin out the persil pack....small and grey..sound like someone u know?
Well I was sitting playing with it..the penquin RB nothing else!!!
When suddenly this green dervish leapt from nowhere and definately killed Pingu dead. Went for the eyes first then thew him off the chair she then goose stepped back along arm of chair muttering .
So even although I am not her favourite, apparently I am hers and not for sharing
I have her brother coming on hol for 3wks tomorrow oh jings

 

[Peta]

I'll let ya know Karen. I'd be happy if they only tolerated each other, but if they turn out to be firm friends then all the better.

 

[Tracy842]

Sweety, if you make out with your birds, I dont think we want to know about it, ok?
Do what you like in private, but dont brag about it on the net.

Sicko,....

At least now I know where to go when I want to be insulted. I'll be sure to keep how I "made out" private...

 

[Peta]

I wanna know Tracy, Please let us know how you got on.