# Fear of fingers



## colleenwithelmo (Sep 1, 2012)

Elmo has been with me for almost 3 weeks, and he seems to be very afraid of my fingers. I keep them still in front of him and he will nip at them, but if I dare move them he goes on a biting frenzy. The biting doesn't hurt me, but I'm wondering if there is a way to show him my fingers won't hurt him?

He will eat millet out of my hands and other treats I feed him but he always bites at my fingers first just to make sure they won't hurt him I guess. 

I wish he wasn't so scared of me, what can I do?


----------



## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

You're doing everything right. It just takes some birds a lot longer to adjust to hands. And some don't like hands or fingers. My bird won't even let you touch him. The only thing you can do is get him to step up for you. That doesn't mean you love me any less. Some birds are just that way.


----------



## Seven11 (Feb 25, 2012)

I'm right there with you. I'm working with "targeting training" right now but the only time Buddie will step up to my hands or fingers is when she's out of the cage, probably because she realizes that's the only way she's getting back in haha. I did get her to walk on an "finger ladder" last time though.


----------



## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

I have a boy that loves people, and has for years, but is still funny about fingers. He loves scritches but absolutely would not step up for me until I got a second tiel who's a lot less scared of hands -- then he started copying the other bird's example. He still isn't fond of stepping up, though. It might just take a whole lot of time and patience for Elmo to come around.


----------



## Bird Junky (Jul 24, 2012)

colleenwithelmo said:


> Elmo has been with me for almost 3 weeks, and he seems to be very afraid of my fingers. I keep them still in front of him and he will nip at them, but if I dare move them he goes on a biting frenzy. The biting doesn't hurt me, but I'm wondering if there is a way to show him my fingers won't hurt him?
> 
> He will eat millet out of my hands and other treats I feed him but he always bites at my fingers first just to make sure they won't hurt him I guess.
> 
> I wish he wasn't so scared of me, what can I do?


Hi It would appear you have taught your bird to bite you before eating
the treat. The correct way would be to offer the treat. If the bird moves
to bite you instead of the treat. Immediately remove the treat No bite
means treat... Attempting to bite, moving or not means NO treat...B.J.


----------

