# doesnt like to be pat



## salladam (Jan 14, 2009)

We have had jake for about a month and we have taken things slow and they are working he is easy to get out of the cage he allows us to pick him out of the cage but hates us to pat him he bites us and we have tried to scratch his neck but refuses it by avoiding it and biting us. im just wondering weather there is a way to go about showing him that is ok or do you think that he is just not a bird to be patted. i think he is about 4mths and he is a bird that needs to alot of time and paitence.


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## Lola's_mommy (Nov 30, 2008)

I have a tiel like that who won't let my kids touch her. She'll hiss and try to bite them if they get close to her. I think in this situation it is because their energy levels are too high for her. I'm not a bird expert, like others here are, but here is my opinion. I would continue to take him out of the cage, since he lets you do that, but don't make any attempts to pet him yet. He's not totally comfortable with you yet and he sees you trying to pet him as a threat. I would carry him around on your hand/shoulder as much as you can and talk to him. Get him used to your presence. Then maybe try millet in your hand so he can associate your hand with a treat. I think with time and patience, he'll come around. Don't give up.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I don't think any bird should be patted, although eventually you might earn enough trust that he will let you scritch his head. Birds should only get head rubs as back petting and other petting can turn them on and Iam sure you don't want to do that  Just take it slow and try not to scrtich his head for a while. It took Spike quite a while (probably a couple months) to realize that head scritches are nice and now he asks for them


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## Tike2 (Jun 16, 2008)

My Tiki doesn't like head scritching either. I have had him for 6 months. I don't think he ever will, even tho I give it a try every day. But I don't force it. Torch on the other hand would sit with his head down all day if I would scritch his neck all day. He loves it.


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## salladam (Jan 14, 2009)

thanx for that i think i will leave the head scratching for a while and no i definately don't want to turn him on. i am just happy that he is not hissing at us as much and is happy to let us get him out the cage


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## r2pn23 (Dec 25, 2008)

Just a suggestion

my little guy hated, and i mean hated anything to do with a hand or finger but he LOVED being scratched with either the tip of our chin or nose on his crest
he would even put his head down by himself for it if you went over to him
he had just started coming around to finger scratching just before he got out, but he would only accept a finger if he was too busy talking his head off at you to care what you were doing, or if he really really wanted a scratch. but that took months, the chin and nose he was fine with pretty much straight away
it made me wonder why a finger/hand coming at him was so scary but my huge head on top of his didnt bother him in the slightest,lol


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