Quaker Cage Aggression: How to Step Up?

[clark_conure]

I thought this was a post I posted in before it must have just been a similar one. Quakers are very hand shy. Wear a long sleeve "something" and pull your hands into the sleeve. So you have a cloth nub. After a while the bird will have more trust and allow your hand.

 

[HeatherG]

You did post.

I think people are missing the point. Willow steps up onto a towel from inside his cage. I am not grabbing him. He just doesn’t like to see my hand. He is totally fine stepping up onto a towel.

If I’m not upsetting him then why is it an issue? Why MUST he step up from his door if he doesn’t GET it, and hunkers down on his perch waiting as I try to bribe him out?

If Willow doesn’t mind, where is the problem? He’s certainly not hand shy. Just doesn’t want hands in his cage.

 

[clark_conure]

Um because Quakers by nature are hand shy. Whether it's a towel or your hand inside a sleeve it's the same thing, no hand present. That WILL GO AWAY after a little bit.

 

[HeatherG]

Delete photo of op

 

[clark_conure]

I don't think I know what your asking.....but I'd just say convenience, pull shirt over hand, have bird step up. Repeat. In a month or so you won't need either.

I'm really not sure what your asking right now, if you prefer a towel use a towel, same thing, once bird has 100% trust you can Ice cream cone him and he won't care.

 

[HeatherG]

I’m not asking anything. I’m saying that I was told I shouldn’t use a towel to cover my hand while I step up my bird from inside his cage but that I MUST get him to come out on his door and then step him up.

He doesn’t want to and is fine stepping onto my hand covered with a towel. And I have tried bribes and he won’t come out onto the door.

If Willow is fine with that then I don’t see that it is mistreatment or ruining my birds trust in me.

 

[clark_conure]

No it's not mistreatment at all, I didn't say anything about the towel before I just thought a sleeve was more convenient.

Either way it's all good interaction. And initially hand shy, then absolutely fine 5 minutes later, is typical Quaker or any parrot.

 

[HeatherG]

Yup. I just realized today that asking Willow to come out onto the door is a losing battle if he has no idea what I want and is going to look at me like , “so why aren’t you picking me up?” If cheddar cheese won’t make him move than nothing will.

I am not usually wearing sleeves long enough to do your suggestion, but I’m not upsetting my bird. He is not afraid of the towel and steps in and off it with no problem.

 

[clark_conure]

I agree you are not upsetting your bird! wow. Where did I say that?

 

[HeatherG]

You didn’t.

 

[clark_conure]

 

[Cottonoid]

Maybe try using just the towel over your hand for a week and see if it consistently works well?

One of the birds at the sanctuary I volunteer at will only step up onto a towel, after years and years of everyone else stepping up onto hands or arms.

 

[Cottonoid]

Oh geez I didn't realize there was another page hahaha

I agree Heather, you and Willow have figured out yourselves as a team that the towel works, and doesn't affect your relationship outside the cage either. So I agree it's not a problem and why not continue.

And then please tell Cotton about this technique

 

[HeatherG]

If hands are scary and upsetting, the towel covers the hand. But it’s still there and the bird still steps up.

In fact we did practice stepping up onto the towel outside the cage. You’d think if W was stressed he would’ve growled at the towel but he just ignored It.

My other Quakers didn’t mind me putting my hands in their cage. This guy does mind my hands. I agree it’s sneaky but if he isn’t upset, why not? He just won’t come out to step up.

 

[clark_conure]

Its an awesome strategy!!!!! YOU are awesome!!!!! It will go away in a little bit. USE more towels!!!!

 

[HeatherG]

Willow is out late (should have known it was late when he was grumpy). He wants me to hold him like a baseball in my right hand while my index finger and thumb rub his beak and head.

The left hand is not acceptable. Only the right. He even has some feather wear on left back and wing where I cup him in my hand., and none on the right side. So typing goes slower as I’m right handed. And then he has to snuggle with the right side of my nose and right cheek.

Why, I ask you, why must I pet with my dominant hand? That makes it harder to read and impossible to draw. I can ONLY PET THE BIRD. And visit bird forum carefully.
If I stop petting then he nips my thumb.

But he does smell nice right next to my nose. Usually like sheets dried out on the line, in the sun. Such a soft cuddly bird.

 

[kme3388]

When I first brought Nico home I was a little intimidated by his beak size. That’s a huge honking beak he has. I was informed to not wear a glove to handle him as he will then become attached to the glove, and expect it to always be used. Then there will be behaviors when it isn’t used. I was informed that Nico does nip when anyone try’s to put him down. Needless to say I didn’t use a glove. I wore a long sleeved sweatshirt, and only exposed my fingers. Then I started to pull the sleeve back more, and more until I didn’t need it anymore. Yes, I did get nipped a few times. It took everything out of me to not react. However he was trained fairly quickly. The first day I brought him home I had to hold him. I was overly excited. I am like Lilo from Lilo & Stitch. I did everything all backwards, and it actually worked.

 

[FieryPhoenix]

safest and most guaranteed way is to use a handheld perch. I have a Quaker and a Sun Conure in the same enclosure and I use this for them so I don't run the risk of getting bit by either of them.

I use a perch called The Budy Perch, which I purchased at 4Z Bird Products.

 

[ravvlet]

Huh! I have never tried getting my birds to step up on a towel, that’s interesting. I’ve always used a dowel perch. I guess it’s the same idea though; they can bite it if they want, or push it away. They get treats if they step up on it.

I read in your OP about Quaker parrots staying near their nest year round - that’s really cool! The only other bird I know of that is somewhat similar is Yellow Nape Amazons, actually. While they do not stay at their nests year round, they often use the same hole in the same tree year after year. This can cause similar issues regarding cage territorialism during breeding season, as they view it (and the area around it) as their nest & territory and defend it accordingly.

 

[HeatherG]

safest and most guaranteed way is to use a handheld perch. I have a Quaker and a Sun Conure in the same enclosure and I use this for them so I don't run the risk of getting bit by either of them.

I use a perch called The Budy Perch, which I purchased at 4Z Bird Products.

I cut a perfect sized perch from a disinfected branch. Willow stepped up on it for a weekend (maybe because he was surprised?) and now he pushes it away with his beak or bites it.