Yoshi, and update and some thoughts

[Hannes]

Hey all!

We have now had our budgie Yoshi around 3 months, he has settled in to our lifestyle and our house. We put up a nice branch which he spends alot of time sitting on, and playing with some toys we have hung there.

We have the branch by the window, so from time to time he yells, we guess that he notifies us when he sees bigger birds outside the window (right or wrong?).

Now, i'd like to ask you about where he ranks himself in the family, here are a few things:
- in the morning when we've woken up and pass by his cage in the living room, he yells at us to come take him.
- If one of us, or both leave the room he is currently in, he does the same yell, "come back" "come get me" "i'm still here" "where the hell are you going"..
-he has no problem sitting on our shoulders, and we can use our face near him, eg. talk to him, kiss him on the back etc.
- he comes to our finger when we stick it out for him to climb up on, he likes to be near us when we are working, eg. sitting on the computer screren, on our hands when we are typing, walking around on our desktops.

WHEN HE NIPS, IS GOING TO BITE, BITES:
- any form of finger/hand interaction on him, e.g try to pat him on his belly, head. If we say no he stops, but opens his beak, and is very uncomfortable. However having our hands near him is no problem, and he can sit on them etc.

So, ranking?
And,
any suggestions to get him more comfortable to our hands, petting him even grabbing him, is it just to keep at it, eventhough he is not comfortable.

Ideas and tips on these matters are more than welcome, and some general thoughts on how we are doing with him would be very appreciated.

Cheers birdlovers!

/Hannes

[meowingaround]

WHEN HE NIPS, IS GOING TO BITE, BITES:
- any form of finger/hand interaction on him, e.g try to pat him on his belly, head. If we say no he stops, but opens his beak, and is very uncomfortable. However having our hands near him is no problem, and he can sit on them etc.

/Hannes

I think the most important thing I've learned from this forum is to IGNORE the nipping/biting. Any response will teach your bird that biting gets a response from you. Praise/reward positive behaviors as much as possible.

Are you clicker training?

I swear we're still on our first week and Windy is much less nippy. He always loved a good scritch but it was on his terms and he'd not bite but nip if my hands weren't were he wanted them.

[Hannes]

I think the most important thing I've learned from this forum is to IGNORE the nipping/biting. Any response will teach your bird that biting gets a response from you. Praise/reward positive behaviors as much as possible

So, when we are petting him ignore the behavior, check!
but when to reward him? after he tries to nip at me, and calms down? cause he gets agitated when we get close and start with our hands...so it could be a while before he settles down...

/Hannes