Hurt my feelers.

[raeleigh26]

Hi, been a minute, crazy couple years, first... why can't I find y'all on Tapatalk?
And second... quick refresher before I get into the issue;
Bought Ralph, BFA, 10yr old a year ago. Had some issues with illness at first, he's been good since.
My husband works full time, I'm home. So I do literally everything for the birds. And Ralph was always more fond of Jeremy than of me, but... well...
when getting him up in the morning, he's meant to stage on a perch by the door. A few weeks ago he was on the door, and as I reach for him to step up, and he reached to step up... the door swung out from under him, he grabbed my hand with his beak, I startled, he startled, and he ended up on the floor.
Ever since then, he bites me. I cannot pick him up. I've got some terrible scars and still open wounds.
I've tried riding it out, "Ralphie no, don't bite" - calmly.. not panicking, distraction, even putting a bowl of treats between him and my hand.. he's relentless.

But worse, vindictive. Because I started over from scratch. Step one. Target training. (He's violent about it. Not touching the stick but attacking it) And, going through all his words and tricks. Well.... now when he earns a treat, he might take the treat, or he might bite me.

I've taken to moving him with the stick now, because I must move him, and he absolutely hates the stick, but he steps up every single time, no refusal.
(I really think that's why he hates it. Idk how someone trained him to never ever refuse, be unable to refuse to step up, but I have a feeling it was unpleasant)
But I have no choice.

A couple times I felt like we might have reconnected, he might have stepped up, his eye was softer, but I hesitated, afraid and not trusting him, and so... the opportunity was lost and is only getting worse.

Gloves are not good. He's afraid of them. Plus... I'm quite certain he would just attack my arm instead. Or my face.
I don't know what else to do.

 

[LaManuka]

I'm very sorry I can't offer you any help with Ralphie, but I can help you out (a little) with Tapatalk.

Our Admins decided for various reasons, not to enable add-ons like Tapatalk - there were a couple of security issues and because the new software is much more mobile-friendly anyway it was decided not to bring it across when the Forum was upgraded in August. So I'm sorry for any confusion caused - do let me know if you are experiencing any issues with the new version of the site and I will do my best to help you with that at least!

 

[SailBoat]

Welcome to Parrot Forum!
And the Wonderful World of Amazons!

Being the odd one out is never fun, but one can redevelop a relationship! It just takes time, lots of time! The number one start point is not Target Training! Its Assuring that only good things happen with Humans are around!! When the assured solid step-up failed, trust must be regained from that point..

As the odd one out, you get to provide all the goodies and although not rapid, they pick-up on having to put-up with you to get the goodies. Life is not perfect and yes, it hurts because you feel like the Parrot should see that you are working at it. But remember, You also caused the trust to fail.

Measure improvements in micro measures and that understand that it takes a very long time. Sometimes years! But I assure you that it is worth it!

Please read with understanding the Thread at the top of the Amazon Sub-forum titled Understanding Amazon Body Language!!

 

[Kentuckienne]

Search for the pinned thread “Amazon body language” in the Amazons forum. Amazons do communicate clearly if you know what to look for. When I met the BFA I used to live with, he was deeply bonded to another person and would bite the heck out of me. I learned that I could pick him up with a stick when he wanted to go somewhere. For a long time it was stick or nothing. I started taking him on real estate tours of the place, opening all the doors, and he liked that. I gradually moved my hand closer and closer to his feet. Eventually I was able to get him to step up onto my finger, but I always had to ask, not demand. I might put my finger up, and sometimes he wouldn’t step right up. He would just have this look on his face, and maybe withdraw just slightly, and then I would pull my hand back slightly and just keep looking at him. Like, I want you to step up, take your time. He would look at my hand, look at me, think about where we were going, and eventually the foot would come up and I’d bring my hand back for a nice step-up.

But I never, never tried to force him. Your bird had a fall, so he doesn’t trust you right now. Remember he probably doesn’t understand that your hand is part of you. It’s just a weak branch. Keep working with the stick, keep shortening up on the stick, keep asking politely and waiting patiently, and things will work out eventually.

 

[Laurasea]

Try it in a new area, like the couch. Play pass the bird with husband. After the burd is in a good relaxed mood. With lots if treats and praise.

Take a break from working on step up. And just say hi abd give a treat over and over all day every day .

I has issues with harness training all my fault, and it broke my GCC trust..took a few months to earn it back. But later issues we have had over the years I go right to bribes all day long and we get past it in a few days. I also explain and apologize

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Try it in a new area, like the couch. Play pass the bird with husband. After the burd is in a good relaxed mood. With lots if treats and praise.

Take a break from working on step up. And just say hi abd give a treat over and over all day every day .

I has issues with harness training all my fault, and it broke my GCC trust..took a few months to earn it back. But later issues we have had over the years I go right to bribes all day long and we get past it in a few days. I also explain and apologize

I have a weirdo. Amy is 31 and picked me at 4 months old. When I started to introduce him to the wonder's of going outside after a few weeks being with me I found a "stick",just an ordinary branch stick about a foot long and an inch in diameter with a bend to it. It became his carry-me-around-perch,goes everywhere we go. One day last month we went for a walk down the sidewalk,with him on my shoulder and the stick in my back pocket. Well during our walk the stick had fallen out of my back pocket and for the life of me we couldn't find it on the walk home. No biggie,right??? It's just a STICK for pete sake! Well it was like the universe collapsed to Amy! I tried just an ordinary perch for his carry-me-around perch and he refused to step up on it. What the heck? He has the same type sticks in his mansion! I even walked the path we took during our walk retracing our path. A few day's later while cutting the grass I found his stick and now all is good with his world...like I said,he's a weirdo.
Sometimes he is hesitant about stepping up on it or my hand and I always reassure him that "it's ok,you're with me" At times when he is on his playpen and I want him to get on his stick he'll roll on his back,kick/bitr the stick,grab a nearby toy and wrestle with that. If I allow him to stand up on his feet he'll run to the back of his mansion and again roll on his back while kicking/chewing at the stick, eventually stepping up. Once away from his house he is fine but still hesitant about stepping up on it or my hand.
I think with time and patients your Sammy will get the hint that your not out to strangle him!


Jim