didn't bite!

[pheobus]

Today I was cleaning Phoebus' cage while he was standing on top of it.
I decided to remove totally his floor(there is also a drawer for easy cleaning) so that I can clean the parts where the cagebars reach the floor because he had thrown some fruit there and needed to be cleaned.
He didn't like it that I removed his floor so he flew off and landed on the floor. I went imediately to get him and I offered my hand!
Ofcourse he didn't step on it but jumped over it and started crawling on the floor going straight under the bed.
I was afraid that he wouldn't come out then and after offering my hand a couple times more without result I took him in my both hands and lifted him up.

To my surprise he did nothing! I mean he tried to escape(very softly) but didn't touch me with his beak!
I wonder if this is a sign of trust, why would he let me hold him this way and not stand on my hand without me touching him?

 

[Peta]

Certainly sounds like he is learning to trust, Now that he realises that the hands don't hurt and only help him I'm sure the stepping up will come. Keep perservering and when he gets the idea of stepping up make a really big fuss of him. He'll soon get the idea that stepping up is a good thing. Well done to you

 

[indigo]

Yeah! Happy progress! Have a cupcake

 

[pheobus]

I'm really happy after that incident today!

I was really surprised because I knew I was a lot risky at the moment attempting to hold an untrained Amazon with bare hands..

Maybe I was trying to keep Minzer company!

 

[Minzer84]

Haha, to keep me company you need to lose some more chunks of flesh, plenty of blood, and maybe a finger or two Congrats on this breakthrough with Phoebus, hopefully it will be the trend from now on!

 

[karen]

Be afraid be very afraid...Its some cunning plan to eventually lure u into that place of trust that will lead to u losing an eye.....
Rox has never bitten us mor than a nibble ...tasting me thinks

 

[pheobus]

I get what you mean Karen, it's very tempting indeed to go further aproaching your bird more on to you but I have put a rule to myself that shoulders, head and face are a big No!
Phoebus will only be allowed for my arm and wrist to step on..

I've read a lot online about people being injured on their face by their parrots..

 

[karen]

Then I admire ur discipline... If I yawn Rox has her head in my mouth and she has preened my eylashes. I am now slapping myself ont he wrist and sending myself to my room

 

[Peta]

I'm always telling people NEVER allow your fid on your shoulders, head etc. Now I have a confession, I have slipped with my own advise and Bucc and Kito are often found on my shoulder, Bucc was fine and I trusted him 100%, I also trust Kito 100%, but when they are on there together and decide to have their usual play fights its a bit scary. So also a slap on the wrist for me, and sending to my room.

Pheobus, keep up with the discipline, its a great one to have, maybe you could keep reminding us, and keep us in order. Seems like the Brits need it. You get the Well Done.

 

[Deanna]

Yay, Pheobus!! Hoorah and way to go! ... trust takes time and most often (for me anyway) takes me by surprise (when you least expect it, expect it!).

**Deanna slinks off to her room after slapping her own hand...**

I, too, have broken my rule of no shoulders. Not with Cecil--she never is allowed--she is like Minzer's birdie; but, Mojo is allowed to saunter up ... and Timothy likes to hide in my hair. I think I can withstand a bite from Timothy ... not too keen on thinking about a face bite by Mojo, so, maybe I better go back to the old house rules?

 

[Minzer84]

Yea, even before Iggy became the bird of Satan, I learned not to let him on my shoulder after awhile, I was bit too many times and I have too many interested ear piercings! I would still occasionally kiss him, until he aggressively attacked my lips...::shamefully:: twice...I learned my lesson. No face for him!! My mom was still letting him on her shoulder for a long time until I showed her everything he has done to me since December...now she's afraid to pick him up.

 

[Deanna]

Yeah, with Cecil, she's shown a predispotion to some wicked bites (toward me, only, so far -- it goes back to her early history at the hoarder's home--I think that she became fearful of females during her raising ). Even though my hub and she are mates, I strongly caution him against allowing her to be at or above shoulder height (on or off his body).

Once bitten, twice shy! And, YIKES, just reading about lip bites gives me the ouchies! Cec is not the size of a Macaw or Too or Zon, but her bites sure pack a punch and I've been bitten through my finger nail and down through the flesh to my bones on my finger.

 

[pheobus]

Minzer he has also bitten your lips? OUCH!!:56:That must have hurt a lot!
I let too my other two birds on my shoulder but very rarely of course..

My tiel especially likes it a lot up there, but since she sometimes becomes possessive of my knee that she mostly sits on and doesn't like being removed from there, I think I would't risk Phoebus sitting on my shoulder!
My rosella is so shy she wouldn't think to touch me when out of her cage..When in she plays tough and attacks everyone passing near by...
What a tough guy isn't she? :18::18:

 

[Minzer84]

Yea, he's gotten my lips good (or bad whichever you prefer), blood and swelling, lots of pain...but how stupid am I for trying it again several months after the first time?! He no longer is asked to make the kissy noise, let's just put it that way...

 

[NicoleN]

Sisqo is not allowed on my shoulder, but everytime I pick him up or go to set him down I always hold him up to my face to give kisses. He's never bitten my face. One time really I let him on my shoulder, and that was the first time he was out in his harness, he was a little frightened of all the new surroundings, and it was very windy so he couldn't maintain his balance on my hand.

Gigi however, has bitten me on the lip for no apparent reason other than he wanted to rip them off. I've never had him on my shoulder and definitely don't think I ever would. Psssh...I've never even had him on my hand, but we'll get there eventually. I just know I will incur a lot of scars and maybe even some nerve damage along the way

 

[karen]

once u have the nerve damage Nicole ..u wont feel the rest

 

[NicoleN]

Never thought of it that way Karen.

I guess there really is a silver lining to every dark cloud.