How to get parrot to let me scratch his neck

[yoelleoy]

So I have had my lovebird for around 2 months now. I believe that he was never handled before since he was(is) a big scaredy-cat. He is now comfortable with me and I have started target training him. The problem I have is that he wont let me scratch his neck. I can touch his front, rub his beak, he kinda gets on my hand and he knows he gets a treat for doing all of that. However every time I try and scratch his head/neck he will turn his head to stare at my finger, so I can't get to his neck. I have tried just keeping my finger there until he looks away, but he managed to stall me for 30 minutes. And before you think that he may just not like getting touched on the neck, I am almost 100% sure that he has never been touched there before, and from what I have seen parrots usually like getting a head scratch so I want him to at least experience a head/neck rub.
Does anyone have any idea on what I could do?

 

[Flboy]

'Usually'! My JoJo? Nope! Not unless it is right after a bath, and then 30 seconds-tops! Now Bongo? His eyes roll up and he will zone out for hours!

 

[yoelleoy]

'Usually'! My JoJo? Nope! Not unless it is right after a bath, and then 30 seconds-tops! Now Bongo? His eyes roll up and he will zone out for hours!

Well I feel like thats a bad omen for me, cause my bird is also named Jojo xD

 

[Lacewing]

If your parrot does not want to be touched then I would honor that. Some companion birds are not wanting human hands even near them.

 

[Kentuckienne]

I know in general you should confine petting to the area around the neck and head, because other area are...too stimulating. But if the parrot doesn't know how good it feels it can be tough. My sister took care of Gus for us over a weekend, and he was on his cage with his back to the side. She says she gently stroked the end of his tail,many he didn't seem to mind so she gradually stroked higher and higher, down the full length of his tail, down his back, finally up to his neck and the Let The Scritching Begin. Now, Gus is not ordinary - he can't reach his lower back or tail feathers to preen them himself so they must be done for him, and it doesn't seem to make him hormonal. Even for me, if I haven't touched him for a while I start with the upper tail/lower back sheaths, and then he lets me do his head. He's a real fraidy cat. I bet all you have to do is get to the neck that first time, and your little lovie will realize what's been missing from life... Good luck!