# Good news and bad news on the Astrid front



## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

*The Good*: 

She _clearly_ likes me and is getting more and more bold about expressing that. She flies to visit me every day when I get home from work, perching on my chair and hopping on my shoulder. Today we had two firsts! #1: She flew to my shoulder while I was standing up, and stayed there calmly as I walked around the room. Previously, she would only approach me when I was sitting in my chair as I probably seemed safer. And #2) She perched on my skin for a few seconds to get millet. She was on my shoulder, and I held my arm straight out at a 90-degree angle while offering millet with the opposite hand. The other two girls were on my forearm chowing down, and Astrid eventually did step past the "safe line" of my t-shirt sleeve onto my arm to get some. It was only a few seconds, but it's still a big thing for her.

*The Bad*:

Her vampirism is not getting better! She was ALL about "preening" my neck today. No more open wounds but I have tiny little bite marks all over me. :\ I'm not sure how to make her understand that she's hurting me.




























You can see her EATING ME ALIVE in these crappy phone pics. <_<


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Great progress! 

Ouch, ouch, ouch. I hope she stops that! Are you able to take her away from that spot whenever she does it?

Is that Gypsy on your other shoulder? Cute


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## Sugars Mum (Jul 26, 2013)

Are you able to distract with something that she likes? I've not had the problem with birds but when my dog was a puppy he left some pretty nasty bites on my arms. To stop him i distracted him with something he likes every time and he eventually stopped doing it.


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## urbandecayno5 (Oct 24, 2012)

Looks like its time to invest in some turtle necks:lol:


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## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

Candy does this, it is really annoying. I still haven't found a solution...


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## Ghosth (Jun 25, 2012)

You guys ever heard a Budgie, Tiel, or similar bird do an "alarm" sound, like when a snake is entering their nest?

Ack Ack Ack ack ack ack ack ack

Do it loud, first nibble only 2-3 acks. Next nibble louder, and more acks. Third time they get chased off your shoulder. (hard, but beats bleeding)

Be consistent, and after a couple of minutes entice them back to you with treats if need be and skritch's. It may take a couple of weeks or a month to truly reduce how much they "pick" at spots. Being loaded with freckles etc I know the pain. Once they start putting together that hitting that same spot twice in a row gets them yelled at and chased off they will start moderating that behaivor.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Normally I would say to say "OW" really loud and wiggle your shoulder to unbalance her but since she has trust issues still that's probably not a good idea. Turtle necks!!! Or a really interesting necklace with lots of tiel chewies on it might help.


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## RowdyTiel (Jan 24, 2013)

roxy culver said:


> Normally I would say to say "OW" really loud and wiggle your shoulder to unbalance her but since she has trust issues still that's probably not a good idea. Turtle necks!!! Or a really interesting necklace with lots of tiel chewies on it might help.


I love that idea! I think you've just invented a new bird toy. ;D You should get that copyrighted!


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## urbandecayno5 (Oct 24, 2012)

They have a necklace kinda like that but a good tiel one would need more destructible things on it 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5059+12059+22323&pcatid=22323


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