# How to get a bird used to perch/finger moving



## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

Maybe I'm rushing things a bit with Storm, but I've gotten to the point where he step onto a short perch I'm holding for millet, or even onto my hand (he only does this sometimes). Earlier today he was running around frantically on the bottom of the cage, and he seemed to want to get out, so I thought I'd give him some help by taking him out on the perch. Bad idea...he freaked, and now he doesn't trust it as much. Later, he stepped on my finger for millet, and tried very hard not to move at all. Once he was done, he couldn't figure out how to step back on his perch since it was sort of an awkward angle for him. I very slowly backed my hand up a tiny bit to make it easier for him, and he got really horrified that my hand moved.

Clearly I need to build up a little more trust before moving when he's on me or the perch. Just wondering, how do you get a bird to accept being moved? Seems like it's kind of a barrier to be crossed.


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## Bird Junky (Jul 24, 2012)

HI Try this one 

B.J's. Birds with a fear of hands.

These birds panic at the mere sight of a hand entering their cage. In the cage provide a basic seed mix, water, iodine block & cuttlebone. 

All the other foods birds enjoy, ie, fruit, veg, hard boiled egg, nuts, biscuit etc, are used as treat foods. 
The birds should be fed the treat foods in small portions through the bars of the cage, with the aid a pair of tweezers or chopsticks to protect your fingers. 
Change the type of treat at each feed so your bird gets a good mix every day. The smaller the treat portions, the more often the treat feed visits & your arrival means nice things to eat. 

As the bird gets used to being fed treat foods in this way, very gradually over the next few days. Move your fingers closer to the treat food as you slowly build up a bond of trust between you.
If your bird shies away remove the treat food until he settle down & move your fingers further back up the tweezers, away from the food before you re-offer the treat......Do this as many times as it takes. 

Don't allow yourself to get impatient or even mildly annoyed with your bird will sense this & will react accordingly.
A step in any training program takes as long as it takes. 
Expect a few set backs, birds like people, have good & bad days. Don't be in a hurry, only when your bird is happy to eat from your fingertips through the bars for several days, are you both ready to move on to the next step .

Hand feeding inside the cage.

When hand feeding treats inside the cage use a hanky fixed to the bar above the door with two clothes pegs to act as a safety curtain to prevent your bird escaping via the open door. 
Offer him a favourite treat food by holding a small piece between your finger & thumb so your bird can reach it. 
If he appears in anyway disturbed. Remove your hand & allow him to calm down. Re-offer the treat, hold your hand still so he can eat. 
Remember offer it don't try to force it on him. If he doesn't eat withdraw & try again later, repeat until he does. Or change the treat.. 
Keep trying, offer him different small treat foods as often as you can over the next few days. 
Your aim is to build up a strong bond of friendship & trust between you. 
After a day or two of successful hand feeding. Your bird should be ready for step-up.. 
For their own safety birds should be confined to their cages until step-up has been mastered. 
Chasing & catching a bird can undermine any bond built up between you & your bird......B.J.


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## Loopy Lou (Jul 26, 2012)

I think the only way they could get used to it is by moving gently while they're on it. To begin with Smokey didn't like when i moved his step up perch but then suddenly he just seemed fine with it. Could wave it around like a baton and he'd cling on and enjoy the ride lol. 

Come to think of it, he seemed more stable once we'd built up trust a fair bit. Maybe he trusts me enough now not to fling him across the room with the perch or something 

Just give it a bit of time til you build up some more trust, seems like you're doing really well already to get to the stage you're at!


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## Payton Leeroy (Sep 10, 2012)

On another forum I read about a guy who pointedly put perches in the bird's cage that move some while the bird is on them, and positioned them in ways that the bird had to use these perches to get too and from the food or water. In a short time the bird learned that not all perches are perfectly still, and started adjusting his own balance when things moved instead of freaking out.


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

Payton Leeroy said:


> On another forum I read about a guy who pointedly put perches in the bird's cage that move some while the bird is on them, and positioned them in ways that the bird had to use these perches to get too and from the food or water. In a short time the bird learned that not all perches are perfectly still, and started adjusting his own balance when things moved instead of freaking out.


This is a good point. I would add a swing or two to his cage and see how he handles those.


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

Well, today we sort of had a little breakthrough! Storm was out of the cage and it was time to put him to bed, so I had no choice but to chase him a bit with the training perch. BUT, he didn't seem that scared, just annoyed that I was making him move from his comfy spot. He bit the perch a few times, but then he stepped up and actually let me put him back in! Without freaking out! I had to do this last night too, but he launched himself into the cage as soon as the perch was within range of the door. This time he calmly stayed on it until I delivered him inside (well, fairly calmly, he was still obviously a little nervous). He is learning fast, I think. He still is not cool with my hand moving while he's on it, and he only comes on it in the first place if he REALLY has no choice. It's unbelievable how far he can crane his neck to get millet lol.

His previous owner finally e-mailed me back, and said he used to like being on heads and shoulders, and would step up for her. I think the ordeal of the car ride and being grabbed a few times the day I got him just shook him up real bad. Hopefully he'll revert back to his trusting self before too much longer.

I think swings would probably be a good idea for all my boys, though. Juju and Moon are fine being on me when I move, but Juju in particular is weirded out by objects that move while he's on them. He absolutely would not go on the Wacky Wood perch I got for them, until I tied it securely to the top of the cage. Moon's previous owners claimed he liked swings, so maybe when I put them all together (planning on upgrading them to an A&E flight) I shall put a couple in.


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