2 bits of advice for Loki

[NICrosis]

I've been working with Loki for a while now, but I'm a bit worried about a few things.

Loki does not like hands. He'll step up, fist bump, and sit on my shoulder. But he literally jerks away if my hand moves even slowly near his neck, chest, wings, or back. I'd like to cuddle him, scratch his neck, and all that. But he just doesn't seem to want me to. Any advice for making him more "cuddleable"?

Also, about trick training. Either loki is too smart for his own good, or he's a punk. I've been training him on point, wave, and step up (he doesn't have grown out wings yet, so no recall training). Problem is, he'll only do a trick about 2-4 times before looking at me like "are you retarded?" I'm just wondering if anyone's had this happen, and how they solved it.

[Pajarita]

Lots and lots of birds don't like to be touched, some like to have their head scratched and nothing else, some like the head, neck, cheeks and under beak and a few don't mind if you touch their entire body (mostly the smaller species but this is something that should not be done anyway). I have coaxed a few of the ones that did not like to be touched to enjoy head scritches but it has never gone beyond that because I don't like to impose on them, I think it's disrespectful (I would not touch a person who doesn't like to be touched so I don't do it to any of my animals which don't like it). My grays are not touchy-feeling birds AT ALL. They like their head scratched, to ride my shoulder, preen my hair, etc but that's it. What I do to get them to accept head scritches is start with 'Piquito' (means little beak in Spanish). When the bird is perching at my eye level, I start talking to it and slowly move my right hand closer while I say: "Piquito, piquito, piquito" over and over. I start by, very gently and very slowly, caressing the top of the beak with the tip of my index finger in a downward motion (start at the lores and down to almost the tip). This allows you to control the situation and not get bit even if the bird is super aggressive because, in order for the bird to grab your finger, it needs to move its head back and look up as parrots, like us, cannot move their top jaw, only the lower one. Once they start accepting this (and they do like it), you start caressing also the sides of the beak by putting your index and thumb together and gently and slowly moving them on the sides (you put your fingers as if you were going to pinch it only you don't put any pressure). Once they let you do this without an issue (they also like this caress), you start putting your fingers a bit higher so, when the movement starts, you are touching where the top beak joins the face. After this is accepted all the time, you can start by sneaking your left hand up and scratch the top of the head with one single finger. Just a touch or two at the beginning because the bird will, most likely, lift his head fast or move. At this point, I stop and ask if they want the 'Pica pica' (means 'itchy, itchy' in Spanish). I put my hand at their eye level with the palm facing down and make a scratching motion with all my fingers - kind of like waving them slowly keeping the nails all in a row. All my birds know what this means and, if they feel like getting a head scratch, immediately lower their head for it - if they don't, it's fine, I don't insist. Even the Senegal from Hell has learned it!

As to trick training, I don't believe in it so I can't help you with that but, if you ask me, he's smart enough to realize they are useless actions with no other purpose than entertain you -and he doesn't feel like obliging you

[Wolf]

Kookooloo, my Grey is also not much for touchy/ feely either. She wants to give me kisses and sit on my shoulder part of the time, but she lets me know when she is in the mood for head scratches or any other place like neck or cheeks. Other than that she does not want to be touched.
I was able to teach her how to play with some toys but she does seem to know if it is a trick that is useless to her and she to will look at you as if you are totally nuts, if you try to get her to do one of them. I think it is wonderful.

[liz]

A friend of mine inherited his mother's two grays. They would not even eat. They just sat looking.
He rehomed them to an uncle with a big sun room. They started eating but would not talk or play.
The uncle set up a video camera. Sure enough the smarty pants birds were waiting to be alone and held conversations in the mother's voice.

[Wolf]

Closet talkers !

[Victor]

Closet talkers !

Not at all. They just want a A B talk and R Seeing to it. That it stays a AB talk.

[GMV]

I've been working with Loki for a while now, but I'm a bit worried about a few things.

Loki does not like hands. He'll step up, fist bump, and sit on my shoulder. But he literally jerks away if my hand moves even slowly near his neck, chest, wings, or back. I'd like to cuddle him, scratch his neck, and all that. But he just doesn't seem to want me to. Any advice for making him more "cuddleable"?

Also, about trick training. Either loki is too smart for his own good, or he's a punk. I've been training him on point, wave, and step up (he doesn't have grown out wings yet, so no recall training). Problem is, he'll only do a trick about 2-4 times before looking at me like "are you retarded?" I'm just wondering if anyone's had this happen, and how they solved it.

Lily is the same way with the tricks, I bet loki is just bored of doing them. Some birds never like to cuddle, and greys are not known for being cuddly, but keep trying, the longer you have him the more he will let you try new things with him.how old is loki?

[GMV]

And if it helps it works better with Lily if you don't pay any attention to her if she gives you the " are you retarded? " look or stops trying to do tricks. I just turn my back to her and then she is more likely to do tricks to earn my attention. Good luck!