Getting your parrot to overcome fear

[Tman]

I have a budgie that I rescued. She is an adult do not know her age. I have been working on her to getting over her fear of me. I have long arms and big hands and I put both arms in the cage to start. I just sat in front of her cage and did nothing for about 5 minutes. I talked to her the whole time. About 2 hrs later I took a piece of millet about an inch long and tried to get her to take a bite. But nothing happened, I waited about 5 minutes and left. Thats when I realized she had already eaten. So as time went on I would pull her food about 5pm. And in the morning before I would feed her, I would work with her and she started to be amazing. At first she would.just follow me around and take bites off the spray. About a week later I started to put my hand over the perch so she would have to step on the tops of my fingers to get the.millet. I kept very still. This week I started to raise my hand off the perch. Today I was able to move my hand total away from the perch. By pulling her food the night before helped her to get over the fear of my hand so she could get the millet. I only train her for about 10 minutes.
After that I give her breakfast. By giving her an incentive to work on her fear she is coming along great.

 

[Laurasea]

Congratulations @!@ wonderful to hear your process

 

[wrench13]

Good work! Training parrots is a process of gradual de-sensitizing them to things, whether its hands, a harness, strangers or a new toy. Slow and sure.

 

[Ira7]

Good luck! But you said something I feel compelled to comment on:

ALL hands are huge to birds, so don’t think YOUR particular large hands is the reason for any difficulties.

 

[Tman]

The reason I said that about my hands is that I put both my arms in her cage. Her cage is 32x19x42. And to have a 6'2" 300lbs man half way in this little cage is just funny.

Also up date went back over just a minute ago and she is.just coming along fine. I'm in no rush, she watches me now and she's waiting for me to give her the millet.

 

[Laurasea]

I love your rescue and friendship of Anna@"
O love picturing this huge guy and this tiny tiny parakeet!!! Makes me grin!

What's the pink perch potato think about this?

My 3 rescue budgies, I just never thought we'd be friends. They are out free all rge time. Then Cloudy decided to make friends after 2 years. Started landing on my head and has progressed to shoulder visits and kisses and some step up. Now the other 2 are coming closer..they are so beautiful, and charming abd so funny.

 

[Tman]

Axels cage is right next to Anna's. He makes a little bit of a fuss not much. In the beginning he.help I would make him spin then I would give him a treat, Anna would see this the when I showed he her treat she would go for it.

 

[clark_conure]

Awesome progress! by the way to fix the sideway picture thing open the picture from your cell phone in Paint. The old windows legacy program and resave it, I normally just add the letter a at the end of the file name. Paint will save the rotation then when you post it will come out correct. just FYI...I had to figure it out myself a few years ago so I hope this helps you.