Introducing GCC to different people

[kiwiS]

Hello wonderful parrot parrents!!

I was wondering if you guys had any tips for introducing a GCC baby (5 mos old) to different people.

I've tried to introduce her to some neighbors and friends (starting with treats, then step ups) but she starts to bite pretty hard and I feel so bad! With myself and my husband she's a real sweetheart, but she also knows she cannot get away with biting hard with us. I'd love to train her so she can be a good birdy when meeting new folks.

Any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much!!

 

[JadeC]

[ame="http://youtu.be/YWz0z_nZDyY"]How To Socialize Parrot - YouTube[/ame]

This is a great video I found really helps. Good luck!

 

[legal_eagle]

I think it's important to explain to the new people what they might do to trigger biting. For example, I always tell folks not to wave their fingers or hands in front of my GCC's face, as that will confuse her and cause her to nip. I tell them to firmly place their finger against her low chest area to get her to step up. I also explain that if she is nipping their fingers, they can slightly twist their finger to stop the nipping.

 

[kiwiS]

Wow! These are great tips!! Looks like I've been going about it all wrong..no wonder she's all bitey. Poor little thing! And my poor neighbors!

Definitely no more waving/petting hands until she feels completely unthreatened

Thanks again!!

 

[chippy]

One thing I always tell people with our birds is that if they are putting out their finger/ hand for "stepping up" to NOT be hesitant... hesitation give the bird time to think, hmmm... this guys not sure... and that makes any creature feel less secure themselves.

 

[CaitlinBird]

My cockatiel is blind AND disliked my brother! So while people say "don't show fear or hesitate" it doesn't matter what you "show" to a blind bird. Lol. She'll hate you more if you push her around.

Her hate was so feirce she would scream if she heard his voice! All I wanted wanted was her to stop the screaming and "act nice" to him and take treats nicely from his hands. This was my training plan (text taken from my video description on YouTube):

"www.SequentialPsittacine.blogspot.com

Achilles, the cockatiel, often screams and lunges at my brother when he is around. And she REALLY doesn't like it when he talks. By the end of 8min she accepts treats from him!

Here was the training plan:

Pair his voice with treats by saying "good" (this must be shaped before my brother starts).

Bump it up a notch and he now asks for behaviors.

As long as she is calm we move on (we may have messed up in several spots)

And then my brother can offer the treats at the end.

TA DA he can now speak AND interact with her!"

[ame="http://youtu.be/bvtewzHt1bU"]Training Cockatiel to Like My Brother - YouTube[/ame]

 

[legal_eagle]

One thing I always tell people with our birds is that if they are putting out their finger/ hand for "stepping up" to NOT be hesitant... hesitation give the bird time to think, hmmm... this guys not sure... and that makes any creature feel less secure themselves.

That's exactly my experience as well. GCCs and other parrots seem very intuitive and quickly pick up on a person's level of confidence or fear, and then reflect it back, as they would in a flock.

 

[kiwiS]

All this is Great to know!!! Thank you very much!!!