Goffin scared of me

[jacaudullo]

Hi there,

I'm Jane and my goffin is Jo. She is a girl, 11 years old and I have had her since she was weaned. Husband and I got divorced and when I go out of town, I take the bird to his house. She is now scared to death of my hands in the cage as she thinks I am going to take her.

any advice?

[GlassOnion]

My guess is that she hasn't been properly socialized as a youngster, that's why she is showing this phobic behavior. Lure her into a travel cage and take here anyway. Then on a harness or a travel cage, take her outside and have many people handle her so she is used to being handled.

[liz]

You may be right. She may be afraid that you are going to take her away.

Rambo came from a woman who loved him and cared for him. She could not keep him so I took him. The first time she came to visit - he disappeared. I found him hiding in a cardboard box on the floor in a corner. He thought she came to take him home.

She came to visit many times before he realized that he was really going to stay here. He started greeting her at the door but would not walk her to the door when she was ready to go home.