Hand vs. Face: NewParrotletOwner

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Hand vs. Face: NewParrotletOwner
Topic Started: Feb 27 2010, 07:12 PM (572 Views)
BleakChic@gmail.com	Feb 27 2010, 07:12 PM Post #1
Newbie Posts: 5 Group: Full Members Member #3,197 Joined: February 26, 2010 How many Parrotlets do you have 1 What types pacific blue parrotlet What colours Blue :D Other Birds ? Nope I live in A house...? My name is Ashley	I just got my first bird, a little blue parrotlet. :) My gf has lots of bird experience with 'keets and we did tons of research about p'lets before we got one and he's definately the bird for us. The shop we bought him at (a very nice bird place that bred their parrotlets. We got to see his parents and siblings and where they're all kept, etc. Very awsome place) said they had a little boy that worked with him after school every day so he's hand tame enough to sit and hang out. He knows step up, but I can't use that to get him out of the cage for some reason. Like he's getting closer to it, but he's still skittish. He's very hand shy, doesn't want pets at all, but he's gotten better in just the few days we've worked with him. The weird thing is though he has no problem with my face. I can give him kisses and he just sits there looking happy. Can anyone explain this?



lness	Feb 28 2010, 03:00 AM Post #2
Advanced Member Posts: 598 Group: Full Members Member #300 Joined: July 26, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 1 What types Pacific What colours Normal Other Birds ? 10 Zebra Finches (and counting!) I live in Florida My name is Laura	I've noticed that too. Jade loves kisses but will only let me pet when I'm rubbing her pin feathers after a shower. Otherwise she dodges away. She won't step up in the cage either, but outside she does fine. She thinks that's her space, and I'm fine with that, she comes right out all on her own anyway. Maybe petting feels too predatory, like being grabbed or attacked from above? Congrats on your new baby! wave Edited by lness, Feb 28 2010, 03:04 AM.



BleakChic@gmail.com	Feb 28 2010, 04:54 AM Post #3
Newbie Posts: 5 Group: Full Members Member #3,197 Joined: February 26, 2010 How many Parrotlets do you have 1 What types pacific blue parrotlet What colours Blue :D Other Birds ? Nope I live in A house...? My name is Ashley	He wasn't too thrilled about me grabbing him outside of the cage either when I first brought him home, but he's cool with it now. Tonight I got home and he was really letting me kiss on him. All over his wings and back and beak. And I'm like dude, you'll barely let me pick you up sometimes but you're letting me rub my face all over you, what the heck? lol I guess the question is then HOW do I get him used to my hands? I've tried sitting there with my hand in the cage with some millet and he just snubs it. Though he will permit my hand very close to his face now when he's sitting on my other hand OUTSIDE of the cage. But pettings earn me either a snub or a bite. I'm scared btw to just let him come out of the cage because he's not 100% on letting me pick him up outside of the cage and that scares me because if he starts getting into trouble I might not be able to get him out of it quick enough if he wont let me pick him up reliably.



BleakChic@gmail.com	Feb 28 2010, 04:55 AM Post #4
Newbie Posts: 5 Group: Full Members Member #3,197 Joined: February 26, 2010 How many Parrotlets do you have 1 What types pacific blue parrotlet What colours Blue :D Other Birds ? Nope I live in A house...? My name is Ashley	Oh! Btw, we named him Gideon! ^^ How do you give Jade showers?



theexbrit	Feb 28 2010, 05:47 PM Post #5
Co Admin Posts: 4,144 Group: Co Admin Member #74 Joined: March 20, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 3 What types Pacifics What colours Green, pied Other Birds ? 2 Conures - Crimson Bellied & Green Cheeked I live in So. California My name is Andy	He's still pretty young & new to the house so he will get better with time. I've had my 2 green terrors for over 3 years & they still don't like being held. As lness said, they are a prey animal so anything that goes to "grabs" them triggers their survival instinct :scared: You can override some instincts though, as long as you start when they're very young. Laura has a little blue pied boy called Spike that was a hand fed baby from 2 of our breeder birds & from the very beginning she handled him all the time, she can hold him completely covered in her hands & most times he's fine with it. He has known this way of handling from birth so he's used to it, sometimes he will still get a bit "petulant" when he's held this way but most times he's ok. We'll try to make a short video, it's amazing she can put him inn her pocket, down her shirt, hold him like an "ice cream cone", etc. As for stepping up in the cage, a lot don't like it much, again as lness said that's their "space", most will do it but they can get a bit mad at anything going into their cage. I would just let him come out on his own for a while & really get him used to you. It's natural to want to rush things when you see & hear about other people doing anything with their parrotlets, but patience really is the key. Laura talks to Spike a lot whenever she has him out, quite or silence is another thing that makes prey animals nervous. In the wild it's only quite when there's a predator around, so I would constantly talk to him in an even tone, it doesn't matter what you say but it should help put him at ease more. If you look in the "Parrotlet Behavior" section of this forum you'll find lots of helpful advice & tips. Love the name by the way!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: .



kevinp	Feb 28 2010, 07:15 PM Post #6
Administrator Posts: 6,893 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: October 7, 2006 How many Parrotlets do you have I have one Parrotlet What types Celestials What colours One green Other Birds ? Budgeries four off I live in a mess of my own making !!! My name is I'll give you a clue	Stepping up in the cage is a strange one, I have only had one Parrotlet that did that and he was hand reared and handled all the time, none of my other ones have ever wanted to step up in the cage. Squeak comes out when I open the door but will step up to get back in, and when he is out of the cage he will also step up. If yours steps up outside of the cage you are doing pretty well, as Andy said he is still young so there is no rush, think of it as trying to teach a toddler to talk it takes a long time and training your Parrotlet will also take a long time



Gardengail	Feb 28 2010, 10:20 PM Post #7
Staff Member Posts: 13,943 Group: Staff Member #25 Joined: January 18, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 1 What types Pacific What colours Blue Other Birds ? Severe Macaw and 2 Timneth Greys I live in Upstate New York, USA My name is Gail	Cricket steps up for me in his cage all the time... :question: But then again I have trained him to do that from the first day I brought him home.



BleakChic@gmail.com	Mar 1 2010, 01:08 AM Post #8
Newbie Posts: 5 Group: Full Members Member #3,197 Joined: February 26, 2010 How many Parrotlets do you have 1 What types pacific blue parrotlet What colours Blue :D Other Birds ? Nope I live in A house...? My name is Ashley	Actually today he stepped up for me in the cage twice. :lol: I had to chase him around a bit but then he was like, "OH IT'S YOU. Okay." And stepped up. He's getting tame quick, I think because the breeder was working with him somewhat. He's getting soooo close to letting me pet him. I want to so bad, he looks so soft. blue1



lness	Mar 1 2010, 04:31 AM Post #9
Advanced Member Posts: 598 Group: Full Members Member #300 Joined: July 26, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 1 What types Pacific What colours Normal Other Birds ? 10 Zebra Finches (and counting!) I live in Florida My name is Laura	BleakChic@gmail.com Feb 28 2010, 04:55 AM Oh! Btw, we named him Gideon! ^^ How do you give Jade showers? Like lots of parrotlets she considers herself "showered" if it's been an especially humid day! giggle The only way I actually get her to get wet is to take her into the shower with me. It absolutely MUST be falling water - standing just won't do. She stands on the windowsill and fluffs up to catch the spray. Lately she's started jumping on my head so she can hang upside down from my hair and flap her wings in the water while I lean over to shave my legs :question: As it turns out, wings flapping madly in your face is very distracting! She usually doesn't get very wet much past her beak but occasionally she goes all in and just gets soaked to the bones. When we get out she feels all clean and snuggly so she lets me rub her pins off, and feels much better and less irritable afterwards :wub:



LauraR	Mar 1 2010, 05:45 AM Post #10
Staff Member Posts: 6,297 Group: Staff Member #78 Joined: April 7, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 1 What types Pacific What colours Blue Pied Other Birds ? 2 Conures I live in California, USA	BleakChic@gmail.com Mar 1 2010, 01:08 AM Actually today he stepped up for me in the cage twice. :lol: I had to chase him around a bit but then he was like, "OH IT'S YOU. Okay." And stepped up. He's getting tame quick, I think because the breeder was working with him somewhat. He's getting soooo close to letting me pet him. I want to so bad, he looks so soft. blue1 Congratulations!! It won't be long till you'll be petting him. And yes they are soft!! They love to be scratched right around their ears, so you might start there. If he fluffs up his head, that means he loves it! :wub:



Bonnie	Mar 1 2010, 10:46 AM Post #11
Administrator Posts: 14,725 Group: Full Members Member #73 Joined: March 10, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 0 Other Birds ? YNA GCC. Cockatiel I live in Pennsylvania My name is Bonnie	Your moving right along with his training congratulations 2.gif



schmatalie	Mar 2 2010, 12:25 PM Post #12
Member Posts: 213 Group: Full Members Member #2,790 Joined: June 8, 2008 How many Parrotlets do you have 2 What types 1 Spectacled boy called Naboo, 1 pied celestal male,called Digby Other Birds ? 2 Cockatiels - Rocky and Lola I live in Hampshire, Uk	It sounds like you're right on track!!! Parrotlets can get quite territorial in their cage and through the bars (the amount of nips i've received after accidently leaning on the cage is ridiculous!) With time they'll understand the routine and will (hopefully) step up without any problems when they know it means time out of the cage. I used a loo as a training room (toilet seat down of course), as there are too many distractions near the cage. My parrotlet still has to be persuaded to let me stroke him - i normally have him sit on my finger and make little quiet chirping noises with my other hand hovering near him. He will then fluff up his feathers and tilt his head forward to let me know he's ready to be petted. As i've learnt though, just because a parrotlet knows how to behave doesn't always mean they will! rasberry



Gardengail	Mar 2 2010, 10:01 PM Post #13
Staff Member Posts: 13,943 Group: Staff Member #25 Joined: January 18, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 1 What types Pacific What colours Blue Other Birds ? Severe Macaw and 2 Timneth Greys I live in Upstate New York, USA My name is Gail	BleakChic@gmail.com Mar 1 2010, 01:08 AM Actually today he stepped up for me in the cage twice. :lol: I had to chase him around a bit but then he was like, "OH IT'S YOU. Okay." And stepped up. He's getting tame quick, I think because the breeder was working with him somewhat. He's getting soooo close to letting me pet him. I want to so bad, he looks so soft. blue1 Awesome!!! 2.gif



scooby	Mar 3 2010, 04:26 PM Post #14
Admin Posts: 4,471 Group: Admin Member #1,461 Joined: December 10, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 7 What types celestial What colours 3 green, 1 blue, 1 pastel blue,1 yellow, 1 albino Other Birds ? Meyers parrot, Gcc ,blue fischer lovebird,2 fischer lovebirds,2 mountain parakeet,2 budgies I live in York My name is Jacqueline ( jackie for short)	Excellent 2.gif 2.gif 2.gif



Jan	Mar 7 2010, 10:44 AM Post #15
staff member Posts: 3,531 Group: Staff Member #1,157 Joined: November 18, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 3 What types Celestial What colours Blue & Green+Green Dominant Pied, Other Birds ? Zippi & Drummer Cockatiels I live in Wales uk My name is Jan	Ive a blue and green parrotlet... I cant handle either without being bitten My daughter who is only home once in 6-7 months can handle both... My little boy Scooby I can handle and he will sit on my finger just each bird is different... Sounds like your winning the war with him...



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