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[MCCADS]

Okay..........I started a few days ago with the 'target' training, using a small stick. She has mastered this, on top of her cage and inside her cage. However, if I bring the target stick anywhere near my arm or leg, she will not come to it. I'm assuming I might be expecting too much too soon? She's pretty smart, for as soon as she sees the stick, she follows me to where it is, knowing darn well there's a reward. So, now my next question - do I try the 'step-up' with a hand held perch next? I don't want to overwhelm her.

When I first got her, I would try having her step-up on a perch, she just gets upset and growls and opens her beak and attacks the perch. I know you mentioned not letting her come out of her cage on her own, but right now its the least stressful way for her. I'm afraid if I put a perch in the cage and ask her to step-up, she will fly around the cage and get extremely upset. I did get a couple of 'good' pinches from her that broke the skin this past weekend. She flew off her cage, and I picked her up from behind - she grabbed my hand - wasn't too bad - but it hurt!

HELP!!! Thanks!

[Michael]

Can't hurt to try. The bird either will or won't step onto it. But the beauty of target training is that the bird makes the choices itself and does not feel forced to do it. Therefore there isn't any biting and it can't push the bird too hard. If you can't target bird to hand, try just targeting closer to hand. Lay your hand some place and target the bird to within 12 inches, then 10, etc. Just keep requesting closer and closer with progressive trials or sessions. You'll get there.

[MCCADS]

I added some to my previous remarks...........

I have been trying to incorporate my hands around her as much as possible - to ease her into knowing I'm not going to hurt her. I will lay my hand on top of her cage - just inches from her - and she growls at me - but I do not move it - just leave it there -

With the target training, she gets very close to my hand - is this just something I really have to have alot of patience for? I have had her only two weeks now, and think I might be expecting this dramatic change right away.

She is quite funny - she has already picked up mimicking my dogs when they bark. So now when I walk in the door, both my dogs bark as well as my bird - it's hilarious!!!

[liz]

My BF Myrtle is about a year and a half now. She was mentaly stunted by the environment she was in before me. She now barks with the dogs also. She has a limited vocabulary but already understand the words she can say. Of course I have learned some birdy language. It is kind of like she speaks a different language and the two of us are learning each others.

You said you picked her up from behind. That would be the scariest for her. That is how a preditor would pick her up. Before she would "step up" I would slide my hand palm up under her feet. I always pick them up from the front. At first I showed her my other hand was going behind her to make her step forward. That way she had a hand to step on and a hand to step away from.

[MCCADS]

I only picked her up from behind as she was headed down some stairs and towards a higher landing area that I would not have been able to retrieve her from. If she sees your hands from the front, she growls and opens her beak and lunges towards them - she must have been really traumatized by hands in her prior environment. I think this is going to take quite a bit of time before she actually is okay with hands. She will take treats from my hands though - will even take a nut from my mouth if I hold it in there - I'm trying REALLY hard to get her to feel safe - that's why I'm posting on here - because I need and appreciate all the advice!

[liz]

That growl and open beak thing is a fake. She is just trying to scare you. Don't let her win.

I can just see you in my mind trying to catch up with the bird headed in the wrong direction. LOL

[MCCADS]

I don't know.........she got a couple of good pinches in this past weekend that broke the skin. They weren't full fledged bites.....yes, it was a funny sight for sure! Me, a 50 yr old woman afraid of this little bird.....hahaha!

[liz]

She is young. Ignore the little bites now and she will stop before she is old enough to know that she can hurt. Don't give a response excet to say no.

50 is just a baby. I'm the old timer at 61 in this forum. Can you imagine me trying to get Myrtle off the living room curtain. She thought she was out of my reach until I got the step stool out. SURPRISE!!

[MCCADS]

I do tell her "no" in a firm voice, or make a 'no-no gesture' and she seems to know what I'm getting at.

[Michael]

I do tell her "no" in a firm voice, or make a 'no-no gesture' and she seems to know what I'm getting at.

Positive Reinforcement