When birds push you away

[Pajarita]

Well, that's because amazons don't normally like their bodies touched, my dear. As far as they are concerned, riding your shoulder, preening your hair and consenting to your scratching their head is more than enough

[Wolf]

Not to mention that most of their body is an erogenous zone and gets them sexually excited. I only scratch my birds head, neck, and beaks.

[bean]

Yes he is finally letting me scratch his head, riding on my shoulder has before we have been getting along much better, has resulted in several bloody ears, and a face scar. Now my wife he would let do most anything. But we are taking it slow, and I am ready to venture into shouldering him again (when I do get bit now, it much less severe than before). But he does not always get up on my hand when I go to his cage, especially since the vet. So I have to get past this trust issue. It sometimes interferes with getting him to his outdoor cage for sun/air. If I approach quickly and catch him a little unexpectedly, he listens to and repeats "up". But hes so smart, and if he senses im coming for him, he makes himself unavailable, by hiding. I am struggling to find a treat as reward, that both he will love, and is healthy enough for his ill body. Suggestions in treats would help. Thank you.

[Wolf]

I think that I would look into a firm fruit or a crunchy vegetable for a treat. The thing is that I don't use a lot of treats for my birds. I have and do spend hours upon hours just talking to my birds and letting them decide that I am their best friend and I rely on head scratches and verbal praise more than anything to reward their good behavior. If Bean likes nuts then perhaps you can break one almond into little pieces and use that one nut for treats for the day.
If you will get him on some milk thistle and dandelion extract ( no alcohol) for his liver, I don't think that one nut per day or less would hurt him, but I would ask Pajarita about that to be sure. But I know that fruits and veggies are really good for him especially now.
I think that he responds to you in the manner that he does firstly because your wife is his person of choice and secondly because he doesn't fully trust you. As long as you approach quickly and catch him unexpectedly this will never change and in time will probably get worse as you are acting like a predator. A predator sneaks up until it is close enough and then rushes in to grab and kill the bird. You really need to work at the slower way and earn his trust by allowing him to come to you. If he doesn't step up for you, walk away and return in a minute and try again. Do not grab him suddenly or unexpectedly ever, unless it is an emergency situation and his life would be in danger unless you grab him. Be patient and if that means he gets a little less time outside, then he will notice this and will eventually change it. But you must never force him, you need him to want to come to you willingly.

[bean]

I too spend many hours a conversing with Bean, and I am his main entertainment. So I will go with no treats, and try that. If needed, I asked Pajarita for a treat tip, I will try not to use it. He is starting to love head scratches from ME !!(but sometimes he unexpectedly pulls away and threatens to bite, regardless of how careful not to bump a new feather) . I will stop with sudden movements and go sloooow!! I will let you know how I am making out. Thanks.

[Pajarita]

Try a birdy cookie (or a piece of one). Mine love them (they know what 'Cookies!' mean and you should see them react to the word, you would think you are offering them getting into heaven! ). They are healthy for them and quite easy to make because all it takes is some whole grain flour, oat groats and raisins, currant, chopped figs and/or dates, a bit of cinnamon and honey and some fruit juice to form a loose dough, drop by spoonfuls and bake until done.

[Wolf]

Treats are a good thing and I do give them on a regular basis but my birds mostly will not train or otherwise perform for a treat. They will train and all but won't take the treat after, but they will accept a head scratch and praise. They are happy to take a treat for free just not as a reward.

[shiraartain]

Wolf, I would love to update you all more often, but the only reason I've been able to be post as often as I have this week is because I'm on break.

I just observed this week that Fajr is more likely to hop around my parents than me. With my dad, he will go and roll over on his own, but rarely with anybody else. He and my dad would play like this when he first came, but I wasn't aware that it was still going on.With me, it is rare that he will tolerate being on his back more than a few seconds. It's interesting that he reserves certain body language for certain people.

[Wolf]

Interesting, but not unexpected. they are individuals and the appear to relate to us as individuals as well. You would not consider just walking up to everybody and giving them a big hug or a kiss, and neither would they.
Fully understanding their individuality and thus their individual actions and reactions to different people may take some of the surprise out of it, but for me, by no means reduces my astonishment and amazement at the sheer range of their responses. I am utterly captivated by my birds, they have me fascinated totally. I am definitely under their spell.