# i have idea how to make bird not afraid of hand



## mutt (Jan 20, 2015)

tell me if this is good?
bird recognizes face, yes? when i sing to bird, he associate his singing partner, me, with my face, am i correct?
what if i put my hand right next to my face? while i sing, while i approach birb? he will associate hand with face and understand hand is mine? 
this is just theory, i have only begin to try today. i will post in thread if it has any success.


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## mutt (Jan 20, 2015)

at the moment, if i approach with just my face, he does not afraid too much. if i approach with hand, he go sleek and step away, maybe hiss.
if i approach with both, he still go sleek but he do not hiss.


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## phronima (Jan 12, 2015)

Maybe you can also put his favourite food like sunflower seed in your hand and show him your hand brings food therefore is good, not bad


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## mutt (Jan 20, 2015)

he doesnt have a favorite food


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Have you tried spray millet? They look like this:http://www.drsfostersmith.com/images/Categoryimages/larger/lg_818500_12962D.jpg


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## Kiwi (May 12, 2013)

I would look at him while he eats his food. You can see if he likes one seed more than the other in his food dish by watching him eat. Then you can use those as a treat. 

Once my 'tiel got used to my face I would slowly bring my hand up to my face and get it a few inches from her. Then I would slowly move it forward and stop if she got irritated at me. Eventually I could pet her, only when she was right next to my face though. She would be almost pressing against my face and then she would lower her head down to be pet. So I think it is good to try this while they are next to your face because that is already a safe zone for them.


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## mutt (Jan 20, 2015)

haimovfids, i haven't, because he will lunge or hiss at my hand if it gets near, but i will go buy some and try to hold it to him.
kiwi, thank you for info! has bird gotten used to your hand in other situation, like sitting up?


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## Kiwi (May 12, 2013)

Yes, when Kiwi is just sitting there I can pet her head. She tolerates it very well, but usually I can't get very many pets in because she takes it as an invitation to start running around on my bed, shoulder, leg, or what ever surface she is on. So usually I only can when I have one hand in front of her chest (not touching, just to stop her from running around) and then I can pet her head. She likes to run off when ever I try to pet her like that. Probably because petting her when she is not next to my face is also what I do before I towel her for nail clipping and meds. She hates that! :lol:
Even with just the lightest head pet she'll waddle to the other side of the bed, I get much better results when she is being pet near my face. She can preen my face and distract herself or cuddle. It's so cute when she rubs her little beak into my face and coos!


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## mutt (Jan 20, 2015)

that is so very lovely! how did you get her used to you and how long did it take?


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## Kiwi (May 12, 2013)

Well after she would step up on to my hand, then I had to get her used to sitting on my shoulder without flying away. Once se would sit on my shoulder without flying away, then I would try and get my face close to her without making her fly away. Once she would be pressed up against my face and I would talk to her like that.. I waited a few days then to let that progress sink in. Then I tried to pet her with my hand by just resting it on my shoulder and inching it closer and closer, stopping if she moved away or lunged/hissed at it. I would just leave it there and let her get used to it. I think the third time I tried this she actually put her head down to be petted. I just would barely touch her little head and didn't say a word. That's the moment you know your little baby trusts you. 

After that she was a cuddle bug, I was surprised because she really hated hands from being chased around to be toweled at the pet store. She had a phobia of hands and towels, she still has a towel one. I haven't managed to train her to find toweling to be a positive experience. I'm watching a video on making toweling positive it, but those parrots can all be rolled onto their backs while 'tiels hate that. :S

I would say you just have to read your parrot's body language and know if they want your hand closer or not/want to be petted or not.


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