Green Cheek (Maxx) is scared of anything held

[falconut]

My 6 year old (found out he's 6 not 7) Green Cheek (just got on Saturday) seams to be scared of anything held in your hand. If I hold a perch or pencil, he won't let it get near him and runs as far as he can from it. Last night I tried to give him a chew toy while I was holding him and he did the same thing. Is this normal behavior for them to be scared of things offered by hand? The perch I tried to have him step up on was the other half of the perch in his cage, so it's not just the perch.

I don't really know much of his back ground. Supposedly, he was a good tempered bird, then a woman had him for around a year. When she brought him back, he was biting. Any ideas or should I just stop trying to give him thinks when he's out?

 

[HRH Di]

Sounds like he has some bad associations with things held by hands - yeah, Captain Obvious here. Maybe he was physically punished this way.

He has to learn that not everything held or offered by a hand is going to hurt him, and that's going to take time. I'm sure there are other members who would have better methods than I do, but this is what I'd do... I'd hold things in my open palm which may be less threatening to him. Do this outside the cage so he won't feel "trapped" and only do it for about a minute or less at first. Judging by his actions, go a little bit longer and a little closer to him as he feels less threatened.

As for pencils and dowels, I'm betting someone hit him with them. See if you can set one near him - not in your hand, but on the table or bottom of his cage - so he can examine it himself. Again, don't leave it too long if he's frightened, but help him get used to it as a non-threatening object.

Does that make sense? Again, there are probably better methods, but with my birds, I've found that repetitive exposure for short amounts of time in a non-threatening situation helps them get used to things that used to frighten them.

 

[Spiritbird]

Find out what treats he likes and keep them close by. Correct if he learns good things can come from hands he will respond. It will take time so do not be in a hurry. Let him come to you is the important thng. Do you take him out to join you in meals? This is a good time for him to watch your hands without you reaching for him. Keep us posted please.

 

[falconut]

OK, he's not afraid of everything. He will take food offered by hand, but they are small items. It seams to be larger items. My daughter feeds him food and he takes it eagerly.

I only let him out on my finger right now. I don't trust him being out, yet. He only really lets me handle him well. He will sometimes let my wife and son take him out, but usually will bite them hard at some point. He won't even let my wife pet him. My son can sometimes. I figure I'll get him trained, then occationally let them work with him.

I guess I'll just try to slowly introduce things in my hands and see if he starts to get used to them.