Hello everyone, I got myself a new baby on the weekend. She's 13wks old and is hand reared. Fully weaned and eating a huge variety of fresh fruit and veg. The breeder did not handle her and she's pretty scared of hands going near her. I'd like to be able to pick her up and show her off. Can anyone give me some tips?
How to tame new baby
- Thread starter RubyRose
- Start date
camo
New member
- Jun 30, 2014
- 383
- 0
- Parrots
- Gizmo - Male Eclectus Parrot
Pebbles - Female Eclectus Parrot
Hi,
What a beautiful girl. I am far from an expert, but I have been working with a 3year old female (Pebbles), who has obviously had little human interaction. It has been slow going, but she is now trusting my hand enough to step up on command, and has had her first few trips out of the cage in the last few days.
Again others will probably have more experience, but this is how I approached it:
* treats were the key, (she loves peas), so I offered her treats through the cage
* After a few days, when she started comming to the edge of the cage when I would enter the room, in anticipation (she really took a long time to settle), I opened the door and offered the treat still through the cage (not the door)
* eventually I offered the treat through the door.
* when she was comfortable with that, I added my other arm (held onto the perch at the other end of the cage from her. I gradually moved my hand closer.
* next I started offering the treat with the other hand! making her come towards the hand that was on the perch, and then eventually, making her have to step over my hand to get to the treat.
* I then started giving her the treat when she was on my hand, but my hand remained on the perch (clenched around the perch in a fist)
* by now it was simply a case of moving my hand off the perch to the front of her to step up. The biggest issue at this stage, was me trusting that she was confirming the perch stability with her beak (my hand), and not trying to bite me.
Honestly, this has been a lengthy process, and probably I have taken the steps far slower than required. I would imagine with a younger bird, you could speed this process up a lot (pebbles has clearly been an avery bird or poorly treated, so I am happy to take things slow), but I would do it to her pace, and the key is to make it fun, lots of "Good Girl" in an excited voice, and short sessions. When she is stepping up, I always say "Step Up" I think that is key, but I will also change it up and say "look" as I offer the treat in a location that she has to walk to (other side of the cage).
Like I said, I am definately more of a beginner, but my theory has been take it slow, teach the exercise in a way that builds trust and respect. I keep reminding myself an eclectus is a friend for life, so there is no need to rush. Lastly, I think it is important to make sure you don't fall into the trap of making all your interactions training based, in a hope of speeding up the process, as I think just being around Pebbles and talking to her has been the real key to my success so far, not teaching her what step up is.
If anyone has a different opinion or disagrees with my approach, I am certainly willing to take constructive criticism (like I said I am a beginner, and most of what I have been doing has come from training Labradors, which I realise are dogs and not parrots...lol).
Good luck, and keep us updated.
Cheers,
Camo
What a beautiful girl. I am far from an expert, but I have been working with a 3year old female (Pebbles), who has obviously had little human interaction. It has been slow going, but she is now trusting my hand enough to step up on command, and has had her first few trips out of the cage in the last few days.
Again others will probably have more experience, but this is how I approached it:
* treats were the key, (she loves peas), so I offered her treats through the cage
* After a few days, when she started comming to the edge of the cage when I would enter the room, in anticipation (she really took a long time to settle), I opened the door and offered the treat still through the cage (not the door)
* eventually I offered the treat through the door.
* when she was comfortable with that, I added my other arm (held onto the perch at the other end of the cage from her. I gradually moved my hand closer.
* next I started offering the treat with the other hand! making her come towards the hand that was on the perch, and then eventually, making her have to step over my hand to get to the treat.
* I then started giving her the treat when she was on my hand, but my hand remained on the perch (clenched around the perch in a fist)
* by now it was simply a case of moving my hand off the perch to the front of her to step up. The biggest issue at this stage, was me trusting that she was confirming the perch stability with her beak (my hand), and not trying to bite me.
Honestly, this has been a lengthy process, and probably I have taken the steps far slower than required. I would imagine with a younger bird, you could speed this process up a lot (pebbles has clearly been an avery bird or poorly treated, so I am happy to take things slow), but I would do it to her pace, and the key is to make it fun, lots of "Good Girl" in an excited voice, and short sessions. When she is stepping up, I always say "Step Up" I think that is key, but I will also change it up and say "look" as I offer the treat in a location that she has to walk to (other side of the cage).
Like I said, I am definately more of a beginner, but my theory has been take it slow, teach the exercise in a way that builds trust and respect. I keep reminding myself an eclectus is a friend for life, so there is no need to rush. Lastly, I think it is important to make sure you don't fall into the trap of making all your interactions training based, in a hope of speeding up the process, as I think just being around Pebbles and talking to her has been the real key to my success so far, not teaching her what step up is.
If anyone has a different opinion or disagrees with my approach, I am certainly willing to take constructive criticism (like I said I am a beginner, and most of what I have been doing has come from training Labradors, which I realise are dogs and not parrots...lol).
Good luck, and keep us updated.
Cheers,
Camo
Last edited:
- Jan 19, 2014
- 14,247
- 222
- Parrots
- Red Bellied Parrot /
Ruppell's Parrot /
Bronze Winged Pionus /
English Budgie
Wow Vosmaeri female!!! Eye candy! I think they are one of the most visually beautiful parrots out there.
- Thread Starter
- Thread starter
- #5
Thank you RavensGryf,
I agree with you, they are stunning!!
I actually went to my local bird breeder to buy a large cage and ended up putting a deposit on this beautiful vos girl when she was 11wks old. I was a bit dissapointed that they hadn't handled her at all but I will work on it. Hopefully shes young enough to tame up.
I agree with you, they are stunning!!
I actually went to my local bird breeder to buy a large cage and ended up putting a deposit on this beautiful vos girl when she was 11wks old. I was a bit dissapointed that they hadn't handled her at all but I will work on it. Hopefully shes young enough to tame up.
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