Hello From VENEZUELA

[ijtorresg]

Ok, im going to throw the towel with this one, she bit me so hard i got 3 stitches on my finger. maybe its because i bought her when she was old and not a pigeon...well, im not gonna be bitten again...at least i triedhehehe thanks for the help anyways

You're expecting results overnight, it doesn't work that way. I like to say that for ever unit of mistrust, a bird needs AT LEAST that much more good time to make up for it. So if a parrot is 3 months old, then I think you could bond with it in 3 months. If it is 3 years old then it may well take 3 years to undo all the damage and distrust. Giving up is not the answer. Someone is going to have to take care of that bird. How will giving up and giving it to someone else solve the problem?

Well, thinking about it, you're right. that little thingy needs my help. perhaps is just my reaction to his natural behavior. You made me feel bad in a good way. From now on im gonna put my trust in the thingy (she doesnt have a name). Thanks!

[Cockatielsongs]

First and foremost welcome!

I'd say start from square one. Just do stuff near its cage so it will get use to you. Then when its calm around you move onto clicker training, mind you this may take a week or two or more before you move on. Take it slowly and give the little one time to adjust before you do anything.

[Eric&Rebecca]

You will get bitten because you're going to make mistakes. I've had soooo many bites in fact my cockatiel once bit right through my finger nail. It was totally my own fault. I had my hand in the cage trying to move something in the first day we had him. I forgot to move slowly on the way out and he latched on.

Now he's the tamest little thing but it takes a lot of work to get there and you still get nipped every now and then. There's some training perches you can buy with a protective shield against the bird. It's like a little umbrella over the hand. I'm not sure what the opinions are on these or if they even work but its seems like a good idea. I've just hardened my hands up the natural way. I think the worst injury was when my cockatiel Edmund bit the skin between my thumb and first finger... it went nearly all the way through. Again it was my own fault. I was trying to remove him from my head and he was very hormonal at the time.

I've not been bitten for a while now as they both tamed down nicely but I still get the odd nip and beaking here and there. It's what birds do.

[Eric&Rebecca]

Also chasing it with your hands won't help you can't force train/tame them that will just ruin it altogether. You have to be prepared it will take days, weeks or even months of slow progress..maybe or maybe not. You've got to get the bird used to being around you first. This should take a while before you even go near the bird with your hands. I mean no wonder you got bit!

Just sit in the room and be very slow and cautious. Don't make any form of sudden movement. Gradually over days/week go closer to the cage in stages. Then follow Michael's guides from there, they are extremely useful and yes its going to take some time but that's part of owning a bird and what makes it so rewarding.

You need to go right back to the beginning and start again until you can rebuild the trust. You have such a valueable source and valueable learning experience here so don't waste it with impatience. Parrots are birds and living creatures not play things.

[janetafloat]

Hey Eric&Rebecca, you should check out the original date of this thread.....

[Eric&Rebecca]

DOH!

Thanks! I've had a problem with old threads reappearing! Anyway maybe the advice will help someone else