New to the Parrot ownership world!

[Wolf]

what are you thinking of as far as perches go? Something that is free standing like on the floor or a table top perch?

[Pajarita]

Well, I have found that, when it comes to getting them to come to you, it's much better not to ask them too much and just let them take their own sweet time. There is really no peremptory need to 'make' parrots come to us because they will do it on their own even when they are not hand-tamed. They are highly social animals and, literally, NEED to be close to people because they imprint to humans when they are hand-fed so, once they feel comfortable with the situation, they approach you on their own. It might take longer this way but I think it's better for the human/bird relationship in the long term because:
a) it's a process completely stress-free
b) you are showing complete respect for their wishes which, in turn, creates trust
c) this is the 'natural' way for them.

Parrots are not hard-wired for obedience or even submission of any kind (which asking for something and expecting a specific action/response implies). In the wild, they 'hook up' with whoever they please so allowing them the choice IS part of their psychological make-up. And, in my personal experience, this works very well.

[Wolf]

Is the only time that she flies to you is when you are late with the meals? While I am pretty much in agreement that when the bird trusts you enough it will step up for you on its own at which time you can easily start using the verbal cue of " step up", I also think that recall is important and you could benefit by knowing that the bird is going to fly to you and as soon as it is airborne calling the bird by name to come to you. Once the bird makes the mental connection and will come to you when you request it to, this recall could be used to call the bird to you from many places such as those that are higher than you can reach or for times when the bird goes someplace where it could get into trouble or any number of other reasons. Being able to call your bird and have it come to you can be very useful and just as useful as being able to send it to a perch or to its cage instead of having to take it there.

[Pajarita]

Yes, recall is hugely useful, no doubt about it, but I think that it only really works when the parrot 'wants' to please you (well, it also works when the parrot feels afraid or insecure in his surroundings but that won't happen inside its own home). Just in case, keep a couple of seeds or pieces of nuts with you so if and when she flies to you and you manage to give the command midway, you can 'reward' her.

[Wolf]

By all means give a treat if you are able to give the cue or even if all you manage to say is " come" or the birds name. But don't worry about it if you miss it, you are working with the times that the bird wants to come to you for whatever reason. A treat, praise and/ or a head scratch will help the bird to want to come to you and because these things all tell the bird that it is doing something you want it will also help to foster a more trusting attitude in the bird. Sometimes bribery works wonders.

[Jesscat]

Well she is trusting me! She asks me to come here all the time. When I go to her she asks me to scratch her neck. I usually do with a feather or a small wash cloth. She lets me and loves it. I want to do it with my finger so bad but she will bite me because it has become a game. She calls me to come here and does a woop woooo whistle for me and I am with her often enough I know it's my call. I lean over sometimes and let her walk on my shoulder. That is were the flying on my shoulder is coming from. I just happened to have her favorite treat in hand when she did it. I told her she can't fly to me though. I am still scared of her and not ready to let her fly to me like that.
Lately she is flying all over the place. I let her and when she is scared on the ground she will say pick me up, pick me up. Lol I have a phone appointment with a parrot behavioralist to give me advice.


For the perch I really want a stand one. The problem is when I got her two family members where ready to make her one and very excited. Now she still doesn't have one because they didn't make it yet! Lol
I am going to buy her one. I have maybe around $50 to spend though. I like the counter one so I can put it different places. I think a stand would be best but she doesn't like being perched on the chair much.
Then I am not sure about wood or if the pipe ones would be better.

[Wolf]

I would check the pawn shops and camera stores for a tripod camera stand and cut a branch from a lilac bush or other bird safe wood and screw it to the camera mount and have an adjustable free standing perch. And it could save you a lot of money depending on what price you can find the tripod for. Pipes and dowels are completely round and are not good for your birds feet. Hope this will help with that. I ordered from Drs. Foster and Smith, a table top perch called the percher that you would probably like. It is about 12 inches tall and can be put together in several ways, one of which is a T type perch with a guard for your hand. I don't recall the cost but I believe it was less than 20 dollars US.

I understand your fear of being bitten by your bird. When Kiki, Senegal first came here she first chose my Lady as her special human, then she changed her mind and wanted me. She spent the entire first year of our relationship holding me accountable for the wrongs done to her in her previous home, so both of my hands and arms were covered by her bites and these were the bites where she tore the flesh out of me. Then she had the gall to demand proof that I would trust her to not bite me, when she finally asked for a head scratch. She would bow her head to ask then meet my fingers with a wide open beak. Well I gave her the trust and she grabbed my finger quickly, but she did not bite, she was very gentle. She has rarely bitten me since that time and even then she seldom draws blood any more. It is hard but trust is a two way street and if you trust her you might get bitten, but you may not. We say we ask then to trust us enough to step up without biting and to trust us to handle then without hurting them, The truth is that we actually demand it of them and they know this. They do an incredible job of trusting us, but how much do we trust them?

[Jesscat]

Perfect idea! I do have two perches attached to the outside of her cage now. I had toys hanging but she is to smart and loosened them all so I took them done. She is enjoying a radish out of the garden now. She still asks me to come here and shows that she wants my shoulder. I took her in the next room and held her on my finger for 10 minutes. She gets a little persistent to return to my shoulder. I talk her into staying and keep positioning her on my finger. She bit 5 or 6 times. They were very gentle bites though! I will show her more trust though. She deserves that. Like you said they are very trusting to us. She is content munch on that radish for now. I will post more pics soon on my blog:)

[Wolf]

Sounds great to me. They really like riding on shoulders and heads, Kiki always tries to fly to my head and I have to get her to move to mu shoulder, unless I duck fast enough so that she misses my head and needs to climb onto my shoulder herself. Once she is on my shoulder she is happy and will spend hours there.

[Jesscat]

Yayayayayaya! I am not scared of Joes bite:) My tooth has been hurting like crazy. This morning I asked her if I could pet her and I just went for it. She was quit surprised. I let her bite me. She did it a lot just little very much not painful. I feel so good about her now! This is huge. I have been watching her and playing with her all day. She steps up no problem now! I am so excited at this new level of trust we have reached!