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He just doesn't want to be touched

Discuss the methods and techniques of clicker training, target training and bonding. These are usually the first steps in training a young parrot.

He just doesn't want to be touched

Postby Crystalmcp » Sun Nov 16, 2014 3:54 pm

I just purchased a 20 year old blue front... He was not necessarily a " family pet " with the guy I bought him from! I have had him only 2 day and he will quickly come over and take food from my hand already . I tried today to reach in and just see if he would attempt to step up but he moved away from me and climbs the cage! I want to him enjoy him and not just but his food in a bowl and walk away!! How should I start with him so he let's me at least touch him? U have only had him for 2 days, maybe I'm asking to much to soon!??
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Re: He just doesn't want to be touched

Postby liz » Sun Nov 16, 2014 6:36 pm

Yes, too much too soon.
Don't reach in to get him. Invite him out to step up. Maybe he will or maybe it will take longer but don't go in after him.
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Re: He just doesn't want to be touched

Postby Wolf » Sun Nov 16, 2014 7:20 pm

Be patient with him and don't ask anything of him as of yet, he needs some time to adjust to a new home and to you. Just spend a lot of time talking to him and offering him to occasional treat, try apples, or other fruits and veggies for treats as he is accustomed to too much protein right now and that needs to be lowered. For a parrot eating is a social event so when you eat do it at the same time that you feed him and sit down and talk to him while you eat and have a few pieces especially for him to offer while you eat. Give him at least a month to adjust.
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Re: He just doesn't want to be touched

Postby Crystalmcp » Mon Nov 17, 2014 3:39 pm

He is acting really sad today... Kinda quite and sleepy ! He is eating but I was wondering if he was getting sick ? I would like to open the cage and see if he wants to come out, but thinking ahead sunce I can't touch him, I have no clue how I will get him back in... What do you think , let him out or keep him in?
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Re: He just doesn't want to be touched

Postby Crystalmcp » Mon Nov 17, 2014 4:50 pm

Worse case scenerio , what if he has gone his entire life and never been handled ?
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Re: He just doesn't want to be touched

Postby Wolf » Mon Nov 17, 2014 4:57 pm

If you let him out will he have the run of the house or is he in a room that can be closed off? Or if he is not in a separate room can you move him to a room that can be closed off if you let him out? Now, if you can allow him to be out in a separate room, you can let him out about 2 or 2:30 in the afternoon and then put his seed mix in his cage about 4pm and he will probably go back in all on his own by dark.
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Re: He just doesn't want to be touched

Postby Crystalmcp » Mon Nov 17, 2014 6:02 pm

He would pretty much have the run of the house.. I have his cage in the living room, I wanted him to be near us
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Re: He just doesn't want to be touched

Postby liz » Mon Nov 17, 2014 8:06 pm

Let him out. He might just want to stand on the top of the cage. If he does not go back into his cage for food sometimes they will take a helping hand when they have been out for awhile.
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Re: He just doesn't want to be touched

Postby Wolf » Mon Nov 17, 2014 8:54 pm

Well, you can let him out but you may have to turn off all of your lights and give him time to roost and then put him back in his cage or just let him stat out. If you let him stay out you must be sure that there are no dogs or cats in the house that can get to him. If you feed him all of his meals in his cage he will learn to return to it to eat all on his own.
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Re: He just doesn't want to be touched

Postby Pajarita » Tue Nov 18, 2014 12:07 pm

You also need to bird proof all the rooms he will have access to.

But (and I don't mean to put down your observations or anything like that) he might not be sad and depressed. Amazons are not cheery birds from day one and are all couch potatoes which would much rather just perch there doing nothing than moving around -especially in an unfamiliar environment which might hold all kinds of dangers! They do open up and become little clowns but these are highly intelligent animals that take their own time to figure things out - and one of the things they figure out is whether you are worthy of their trust (and, if you are lucky, their love later on). So, give him time - would you like it if a stranger wanted to touch you? He hasn't been well treated and he has been completely neglected so why would he trust another human being implicitly and from day one? They are not dogs, they don't have the brain connections that make them want to please anybody so you need to show him that you can be trusted and that means showing respect for his needs AND wishes. Bird proof the room, turn off the artificial lights and open his cage at around 2:30 pm and just stand back and observe him. Give him the benefit of the doubt, he might just want to come out of his cage and perch on top of it. Don't stare at him (that's a predator behavior -look at him from the corner of your eye), talk and sing to him (amazons LOVE songs), give him lots and lots of praise in a high, soft, baby-talk kind of voice, say things like good boy! pretty bird, I love you, these are phrases that we all use so he will recognize them. Offer him a treat (just one and see if he will take it from your hand). Sit a distance from him (watch his body language and see when he reacts to your proximity and, when he does, take a single step back and sit there) and either busy yourself or pretend to busy yourself with something so he relaxes. And, at 3:30 pm, put his seed dinner in his cage and take a few steps back, turn your body sideways and watch him from the corner of your eye and, as soon as he goes into his cage to eat his dinner, close the door.
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