Our white cap baby

[jeffisme]

We are the proud new guardians of a 15 week old white cap girl. We got her from an aviary, where she was taught well to step up and was also weaned. While she mostly picks out the fruit from her chop, she has eagerly taken to her pellets and loves her cage toys. To get her used to my hand, I will put just a few seeds in one hand while I hold her in the other. She has no trouble grabbing them. Those seeds are her treat and not a part of her daily diet.

We've only had her for a few days, and I know that's no time at all to get her over her fears of me (even though she always complies with "up up." ) But I'd love some advice on how and when to start with head scritches. The couple of times i tried she has barked at me. When we had budgies we used the eraser end of a pencil to scratch their heads and eventually just inched our finger up to the point where she didn't know the difference. I tried it while she was sitting on her perch by the side of the cage, and she enjoyed being scratched with the eraser but as I got closer with my finger she made it clear that that was still a no, so I immediately backed off. A minute later to end on a good note, I gave her some seeds from my hand, and left it at that.

So what is the best way to try it and get her used to it (I'm aware she may never like it and in that cases I'll leave it). How long would you suggest I wait and when trying again, how do you recommend I proceed. I notice at times she makes little growly noises when I am sitting by the cage talking to her. She'll also gently bob her head up and down. I've yet to see any kind of aggressive motion, unless that's it.

It has just been a few days, so it could be early. I'm also curious about the success people have had in just getting their new birds used to them. She sure does pay attention when I talk using a high voice or sing to her.

thanks for any advice,

jeff

 

[foxgloveparrot]

Hi, welcome! Your pionus sounds like a great bird. I understand if she's not comfortable with it, but maybe you could share a couple photos?

You are doing a good job so far. Taming takes patience, which I'm glad you have a lot of! Here's a link that could be helpful:

Can anyone help me tame my Pionus?

I just purchased a maximilian Pionus. He is 9 months old and was hand reared. I saw him in a pet store that only sells birds and parrots. I absolutely fell in love with him :smile015: Unfortunately, he's gone a bit "wild" due to lack of fuss and attention in the pet shop. The owner of the...

www.parrotforums.com

Don't give up and best of luck, I hope everything goes well

 

[Ria.345]

Hi Jeff,
To start, you’re on the right track to getting your new parrot used to your presence and I applaud you for your great efforts!
Now to answer your question, the best advice I could give you for allowing her to get scratches from you are to just wait it out. Seems weird to say that right? But it’s true. Also I say this and nothing else because I know from knowledge and experience, that the best way to a birds heart is having patience and go at their pace, that’s all because your methods of getting her used to your hand and your presence are more than sufficient to winning her trust! All there is left to do is to wait it out and gradually lead up to your desired goal.
Some good old pictures of your new feathered companion is very much appreciated if you choose to show us!
Continue updating and have a wonderful night!

 

[Laurasea]

Congratulations!!
I let them climb all over me feed treats by hands all day long . You can try beak rub as you pass off seed. At first just hold seed a little tighter between thumb and pointer, let stick beak in to get treat. As that goes well over several time's, hold seed longer and use a finger to rub beak as takes , keep adjusting to her comfort level and trust. Usually thus can work up to rubbing briefly both sides if beak as takes, with tge hope she likes sbd can lead to scratches under jaw and along cheek, some even like a gentle finger over eye.

 

[jeffisme]

Hi, welcome! Your pionus sounds like a great bird. I understand if she's not comfortable with it, but maybe you could share a couple photos?

You are doing a good job so far. Taming takes patience, which I'm glad you have a lot of! Here's a link that could be helpful:

Can anyone help me tame my Pionus?

I just purchased a maximilian Pionus. He is 9 months old and was hand reared. I saw him in a pet store that only sells birds and parrots. I absolutely fell in love with him :smile015: Unfortunately, he's gone a bit "wild" due to lack of fuss and attention in the pet shop. The owner of the...

www.parrotforums.com

Don't give up and best of luck, I hope everything goes well

thanks, looking forward to reading it. here she is:

Hi, welcome! Your pionus sounds like a great bird. I understand if she's not comfortable with it, but maybe you could share a couple photos?

You are doing a good job so far. Taming takes patience, which I'm glad you have a lot of! Here's a link that could be helpful:

Can anyone help me tame my Pionus?

I just purchased a maximilian Pionus. He is 9 months old and was hand reared. I saw him in a pet store that only sells birds and parrots. I absolutely fell in love with him :smile015: Unfortunately, he's gone a bit "wild" due to lack of fuss and attention in the pet shop. The owner of the...

www.parrotforums.com

Don't give up and best of luck, I hope everything goes well

Thanks, I look forward to reading it. I just shot a ten-second video and it is around her bed time. I think that's an I'm tired sound although it's the same one I will hear during the day if she is afraid of me. It's also somewhat dark. I'll take some better photos tomorrow. You can also see her bobbing her head a bit, which she does many times when I approach:

here's a link to the video in my dropbox:

berdie2.mov

Shared with Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

 

[jeffisme]

Congratulations!!
I let them climb all over me feed treats by hands all day long . You can try beak rub as you pass off seed. At first just hold seed a little tighter between thumb and pointer, let stick beak in to get treat. As that goes well over several time's, hold seed longer and use a finger to rub beak as takes , keep adjusting to her comfort level and trust. Usually thus can work up to rubbing briefly both sides if beak as takes, with tge hope she likes sbd can lead to scratches under jaw and along cheek, some even like a gentle finger over eye.

Thanks, will give it a try. She does like to climb on my head. I've tried to discourage that by just having her step up and putting her on my knee or hand while I sit. She'll take food from my open palm but not my fingers. I'm assuming that's just a matter of time. She's certainly had a lot of different stimuli to process the last few days, and I'm sure it's pretty tough on her.

 

[jeffisme]

Hi, welcome! Your pionus sounds like a great bird. I understand if she's not comfortable with it, but maybe you could share a couple photos?

You are doing a good job so far. Taming takes patience, which I'm glad you have a lot of! Here's a link that could be helpful:

Can anyone help me tame my Pionus?

I just purchased a maximilian Pionus. He is 9 months old and was hand reared. I saw him in a pet store that only sells birds and parrots. I absolutely fell in love with him :smile015: Unfortunately, he's gone a bit "wild" due to lack of fuss and attention in the pet shop. The owner of the...

www.parrotforums.com

Don't give up and best of luck, I hope everything goes well

Forgive me for double posting this. I wasn't sure if I put my reply in the correct place, so I've copied and pasted it here. I'll have this figured out soon. Anyway, my comments and a short video:


Thanks, I look forward to reading it. I just shot a ten-second video and it is around her bed time. I think that's an I'm tired sound although it's the same one I will hear during the day if she is afraid of me. It's also somewhat dark. I'll take some better photos tomorrow. You can also see her bobbing her head a bit, which she does many times when I approach:

here's a link to the video in my dropbox:

berdie2.mov​

Shared with Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

 

[jeffisme]

Forgive me for double posting this. I wasn't sure if I put my reply in the correct place, so I've copied and pasted it here. I'll have this figured out soon. Anyway, my comments and a short video:


Thanks, I look forward to reading it. I just shot a ten-second video and it is around her bed time. I think that's an I'm tired sound although it's the same one I will hear during the day if she is afraid of me. It's also somewhat dark. I'll take some better photos tomorrow. You can also see her bobbing her head a bit, which she does many times when I approach:

here's a link to the video in my dropbox:

berdie2.mov​

Shared with Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

We are the proud new guardians of a 15 week old white cap girl. We got her from an aviary, where she was taught well to step up and was also weaned. While she mostly picks out the fruit from her chop, she has eagerly taken to her pellets and loves her cage toys. To get her used to my hand, I will put just a few seeds in one hand while I hold her in the other. She has no trouble grabbing them. Those seeds are her treat and not a part of her daily diet.

We've only had her for a few days, and I know that's no time at all to get her over her fears of me (even though she always complies with "up up." ) But I'd love some advice on how and when to start with head scritches. The couple of times i tried she has barked at me. When we had budgies we used the eraser end of a pencil to scratch their heads and eventually just inched our finger up to the point where she didn't know the difference. I tried it while she was sitting on her perch by the side of the cage, and she enjoyed being scratched with the eraser but as I got closer with my finger she made it clear that that was still a no, so I immediately backed off. A minute later to end on a good note, I gave her some seeds from my hand, and left it at that.

So what is the best way to try it and get her used to it (I'm aware she may never like it and in that cases I'll leave it). How long would you suggest I wait and when trying again, how do you recommend I proceed. I notice at times she makes little growly noises when I am sitting by the cage talking to her. She'll also gently bob her head up and down. I've yet to see any kind of aggressive motion, unless that's it.

It has just been a few days, so it could be early. I'm also curious about the success people have had in just getting their new birds used to them. She sure does pay attention when I talk using a high voice or sing to her.

thanks for any advice,

jeff

I thought I'd try a low stimulus day today, offering her seeds when I approach the cage and had two sessions in the next room where I would just hold her, talk ek and let her climb on me. Within about two minutes both times, she started to what sounds like real unhappy fussing, which didn't stop when I put her back. She's not at all loud but not at all silent. It's the same growly/crying sound that'll go on for a long time. When I approach she doesn't panic but will bob her head up and down slightly, puff up her feathers and make that sound, which I sort of translate as "Leave me the f... alone."

When I try to read her sign language, it doesn't seem like she's saying, "How great it is to see you again," even with choice seeds and safflower, which she continues to take out of my other hand when I take her out. Occasionally, it feels a bit like panic in her voice and when she raises it and flaps her wings or bobs her body up and down, I know she's about to take flight.

Should I keep the sessions with her under a minute, instead of five or ten. She seems to like to climb on my shoulder, unless it's a preservation instinct to go up there on the way to my head. When she goes up there, shes get the custom up/down commands. Is it best to end the session as soon as she indicates she is about to fly off or later in the process as I had planned? I wish I could learn to speak parrot; it would make life a lot easier.

We are the proud new guardians of a 15 week old white cap girl. We got her from an aviary, where she was taught well to step up and was also weaned. While she mostly picks out the fruit from her chop, she has eagerly taken to her pellets and loves her cage toys. To get her used to my hand, I will put just a few seeds in one hand while I hold her in the other. She has no trouble grabbing them. Those seeds are her treat and not a part of her daily diet.

We've only had her for a few days, and I know that's no time at all to get her over her fears of me (even though she always complies with "up up." ) But I'd love some advice on how and when to start with head scritches. The couple of times i tried she has barked at me. When we had budgies we used the eraser end of a pencil to scratch their heads and eventually just inched our finger up to the point where she didn't know the difference. I tried it while she was sitting on her perch by the side of the cage, and she enjoyed being scratched with the eraser but as I got closer with my finger she made it clear that that was still a no, so I immediately backed off. A minute later to end on a good note, I gave her some seeds from my hand, and left it at that.

So what is the best way to try it and get her used to it (I'm aware she may never like it and in that cases I'll leave it). How long would you suggest I wait and when trying again, how do you recommend I proceed. I notice at times she makes little growly noises when I am sitting by the cage talking to her. She'll also gently bob her head up and down. I've yet to see any kind of aggressive motion, unless that's it.

It has just been a few days, so it could be early. I'm also curious about the success people have had in just getting their new birds used to them. She sure does pay attention when I talk using a high voice or sing to her.

thanks for any advice,

jeff

 

[Laurasea]

Baby burd usually bob head to ask for attention from parents. It should be a positive thing to you I think.

She is still pretty new to everything. And baby burds want to practice flight all the time, it's pre programed in them.
I would smush a comfy chair right up to her cage, and hang out with right at her comfort safety cage, letting her be on you and go in and out of cage, and have perches on the outside and top for her to climb and explore too. At this age they would still stay close to the nest. So staying close to the cage should make her feel more comfortable. If it was me I'd hang out like that a couple of hours a day with her.

It can take time. For my scared of hands quaker , it took a month to have progress, abd a couple more months before she was my snuggle bug. I still had her out if tge Cafe abd on top if cage and Playstation connected to Cage. She did not step up at all, so I tough her to return to cage on own, abd let her climb on me next to the cage. I actually was able to give kisses before she ever let me pet her with hands. She truly had a terrible hand phobia. So don't worry you will get there! And you are starting off so much better than Phoebe and I did!

Food and security go hand in hand. Especially for newly weaned and re homed. You can get baby burd formula and make it warm and thick like yogurt, offer it on your fingers, or even try with a syringe at beak tip, do not force , offer and see if wants. You can offer in morning and a half hour to an hour before her bedtime. This is called comfort feeding and it can be very beneficial. Especially the bed time one. Ir you could offer some type if warm food before bedtime, like warm cooked oatmeal, some boiled egg, some fresh made plain boiled pasta. ( pasta only fresh its not safe to use , older ore made pasta as quickly grows bad stuff) many birds even adults beneficial to give a warm feed before bed. Tho with adults past puberty you have to make sure usny triggering hormonal behavior. Young burds would have more time with parents and support than our current way if selling them soon after weaned

A very good read below

Stress Reduction for Companion Parrots – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

To put it bluntly, keeping companion parrots is similar to trying to pound a square peg into a round hole. The fact that they do as well as they do is testimony more to their adaptability than it is to our husbandry efforts.

lafeber.com

 

[jeffisme]

Baby burd usually bob head to ask for attention from parents. It should be a positive thing to you I think.

She is still pretty new to everything. And baby burds want to practice flight all the time, it's pre programed in them.
I would smush a comfy chair right up to her cage, and hang out with right at her comfort safety cage, letting her be on you and go in and out of cage, and have perches on the outside and top for her to climb and explore too. At this age they would still stay close to the nest. So staying close to the cage should make her feel more comfortable. If it was me I'd hang out like that a couple of hours a day with her.

It can take time. For my scared of hands quaker , it took a month to have progress, abd a couple more months before she was my snuggle bug. I still had her out if tge Cafe abd on top if cage and Playstation connected to Cage. She did not step up at all, so I tough her to return to cage on own, abd let her climb on me next to the cage. I actually was able to give kisses before she ever let me pet her with hands. She truly had a terrible hand phobia. So don't worry you will get there! And you are starting off so much better than Phoebe and I did!

Food and security go hand in hand. Especially for newly weaned and re homed. You can get baby burd formula and make it warm and thick like yogurt, offer it on your fingers, or even try with a syringe at beak tip, do not force , offer and see if wants. You can offer in morning and a half hour to an hour before her bedtime. This is called comfort feeding and it can be very beneficial. Especially the bed time one. Ir you could offer some type if warm food before bedtime, like warm cooked oatmeal, some boiled egg, some fresh made plain boiled pasta. ( pasta only fresh its not safe to use , older ore made pasta as quickly grows bad stuff) many birds even adults beneficial to give a warm feed before bed. Tho with adults past puberty you have to make sure usny triggering hormonal behavior. Young burds would have more time with parents and support than our current way if selling them soon after weaned

A very good read below

Stress Reduction for Companion Parrots – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

To put it bluntly, keeping companion parrots is similar to trying to pound a square peg into a round hole. The fact that they do as well as they do is testimony more to their adaptability than it is to our husbandry efforts.

lafeber.com

thanks. I'm pretty patient but just real curious as to what to expect realistically as time goes on. She is still quite afraid even if she's calm. I'm about to have my oatmeal. I think i'll save a little for her. I also have some parrot baby formula I can mix up too. Thanks again for this and for the link.

 

[jeffisme]

thanks. I'm pretty patient but just real curious as to what to expect realistically as time goes on. She is still quite afraid even if she's calm. I'm about to have my oatmeal. I think i'll save a little for her. I also have some parrot baby formula I can mix up too. Thanks again for this and for the link.

she's having a happy holiday:

 

[Laurasea]

Awesome! Really things are going fantastic for you two ! Really it has only bern a few days ! Already she steps up fir you something that can be a huge struggle. She takes treats from you! Even if only from your open hand.. fantastic stuff.
Thus early in the game yiu have a newly weaned young bird that is now in a new home, that is a lit fir a young burd to adjust to, as a thinking abd emotional creature. It's pretty darn close to adopting a 1-2 year old child who speaks a different language. Its a lot fir them to adjust too.

You have a lifetime together. Things are going great. You will become closer and have more trust , she will gain more confidence in her surroundings.

Use routine, use the same phrases, explain stuff to her. Keep up the bribes a food treats by hand. She sounds like she was raised well by the breeder, and that you guys are doing well. She should start coming out if her shell in the next few weeks.

Also a great read, helps you learn some parrot behavior, and down at tge bottom briefly covers bites and screaming

Pet Bird and Parrot Behavior – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

Pet bird and parrot behavior information.

lafeber.com

 

[jeffisme]

Thanks again. I am reading a terrific book, “The Parrot Problem Solver” by Heidenreich. she helps you understand the psychology of birds and shows you how to use that knowledge constructively to build a better relationship.

 

[jeffisme]

Thanks again. I am reading a terrific book, “The Parrot Problem Solver” by Heidenreich. she helps you understand the psychology of birds and shows you how to use that knowledge constructively to build a better relationship.

Don't worry, I won't keep boring people with photos, but it's such a blast seeing her happily munching away on a treat:

 

[Laurasea]

Love the pictures!@@ keep sharing!!
Things seem to be progressing wonderfully

 

[jeffisme]

we have achieved a scritch!! she sits by the door on a toy that is six to eight inches long. it looks like a bunch of small wood straws coming out of a wood block attached to the side. It’s her favorite perch. I put my finger in the cage through the bars and just waved it up and down for about five minutes and I noticed that occasionally she would lower her head, although not near my finger. after it seemed clear she was no afraid of my finger, I just moved my hand over through the door, waved it again and slowly moved closer to her head and soon she was in scritch heaven, as was I.

repeated maybe a dozen times just to make sure it wasn't an accident. by the end, she was waving her foot at the spot on her head she wanted scratched