How to introduce your Zon to the outside world?

[torrap]

I have my Zons for about 3-4 months now, and my friends are asking when they can see them....
So, I was thinking what is the best way....Hmmmm
Is it better to invite my friends over and have a party or to take my Zons to the friend's house?
The reason I am asking is because my DYHA is getting pretty possessive of me. She wants to fight anything and anyone who comes into a scene.
I had someone to enter my house yesterday, and my DYHA had her eyes pinning, everything she knows how to say was coming out LOUD and finally she just flew to the person in the aggressive kind of way. I grabbed her off the person't back without waiting to see what's going to happen.
So, I was just wondering if I am to take her to my friends house maybe she is not going to be so excited. Maybe she is going to get busy with learning the new place instead.

 

[CaitlinBird]

I trained Jojo, my male moluccan cockatoo, to show calm behavior and hang out on the screened-in patio in two training sessions. I would do this with your birds before even considering throwing a party or shuffling them off at a friend's house. Too much too soon!

Start off taking baby steps. I grabbed Jojo's favorite treats and rewarded for the small steps I took towards an open door. If he showed ANY sign of discomfort (slicked feathers, pinned eyes, open beak, heavy breathing) I would quickly take a step or two back to avoid that response and try again later.

You can do the same with people. Have someone stand as far away from the bird to where he'll show comfort behavior (beak grinding, fluffed feathers, rousing, normal behaviors) and I hope you choose to keep him in his cage while doing this to prevent any accidents. When you see your bird is relaxed reward him and play a slow game of "red light green light" with your friend. Ask the person to slowly take a step or two closer so long as your amazon is showing calm behavior, and always reward your bird with the treat at the moment he is calm. Bird not calm? Again, like the example above have the person take a step back and try again.

This kind of training (Changing Criterion Design) is known from a field called Applied Behavior Analysis or Behavior Modification. It has been proven time and time again to be effective and humane. I took a course last semester to refresh on Behavior Modification and wrote up a couple posts on my blog about it's history, ethical use and verbage

Good Luck! If you are interested more in what Behavior Modification is I suggest the book "Learning and Behavior by Paul Chance"

 

[weco]

I am often leery of allowing interaction between any of my birds and strangers, unless I place a bird on someone's arm...I never let a bird on anyone's shoulder. You may have the beginnings of a good relationship with your birds, but like you mentioned, they are protective of you and could quickly cause a nice bite.....something that could always come back & bite you.....

Some insurance companies look at parrots similar to how they look at pit bulls and will often increase your premiums when you add birds with large beaks.....and.....may even cancel your coverage or disallow claims if you don't notify them that you own companion birds. Like CB said, wait on holding any meet the Amazons parties until you really know your birds and I would limit interaction with anyone your birds don't know.....

I have had guests who seemed to have severe hearing problems and stuck fingers in a bird's cage or in a bird's face.....luckily with only 3 bites I couldn't prevent & those were just slight punctures.....after the first bite, I added 4 video cameras w/sound to my alarm system, just to be sure that if I ever got sued, I would have my warnings recorded.....

You know your birds, but I don't think I would trust any medium to large bird I had only known 3-4 months...I'm not sure that I would be able to recognize all of each bird's warning signs, body language and quirks by that time...just my thoughts.....

Congrats on your progress.....

 

[Mare Miller]

If I were you, I would have "one" friend over at a time and see how your bird received this friend. Go from there..

 

[henpecked]

I'd get a good travel cage and start taking him places with you. Start with short trips (like to the mail box) and reward him when you get home. Make the trips longer and don't keep him out after dark.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I completely agree with our Capt here. My Amazons are GREAT with folks when I take them places. They are too busy checking out the new environment, taking it all in, so they will even step up on people.

Now I wouldn't have a stranger come into my house and try and pick Sam up. That would NOT have a happy ending. :54:

 

[Birdman666]

Zons are particularly prone to territorial behaviors, and it sounds like this one is... i.e. protect the nest.

Is he clipped? If so, take him out. Outside of his environment there is no nest to protect, i.e. he will probably be calmer.

 

[torrap]

Thank you all!
Both birds are OK with traveling in the car.
Simba is very funny when I put her in the carier. It's getting darker for her there, so the entire trip she just mumbles "Night, night, night..."
Also both birds have been through 3-4 households each at least (poor things), and Simba even spent 4 months in the sanctuary with many people and hundreds of birds. So, they both are socialized and have been exposed to different people before.
BTW, both of my birds are girls...., everyone keeps reffering to them as they were boys.....LOL.....
I think the main reason for Simba's latest excitement over strangers and my other Zon is her stronger bonding with me. She would let me pet and kiss her, something she hasn't allowed before. Of course I try to stop immediatly when she "gets in the mood for love".....
So, I think I am with all of you - she is getting out of the house to meet other people!
She is not clipped, and she is a very good flyer. I need to be extra careful when taking her out....