"I want what you're having"

[GreenWing]

^^Tiki doesn't say the subject quote, but I wouldn't be surprised if she did.

Tiki is flighted... and she flies to my shoulder often for cuddles and chatter.

Well, the problem is that Tiki wants whatever I'm eating/drinking, even if I gave her her own portion (e.g., I'm having fruit, she gets a bit, too).

This is a bad behavior I want to discourage, but with a flighted bird it's a little more challenging. Setting her on her perch doesn't work, she flies right back on me. Is my only other option to put her in her cage?

[Payton Leeroy]

The day after I took Little Dragon in he fluttered over to my shoulder to try and sample my string cheese and give me kisses. He's not so brave about it anymore, though he certainly still thinks about it. I think he was just so starved at that point that his hunger overcame his wariness! He almost did it again just before I left for my week of vacation, but changed his mind at the last minute and turned to fly back to his cage.

[GreenWing]

Thanks for your reply... Tiki is just bold and wants what I have, even if she has her own. It seems like this is a common thing. I don't want to share with her and encourage this behavior, because of the saliva thing (which I'm VERY careful about).

[liz]

Myrtle was deprived. Now she wants everything. Sometimes it is something she should not have but will play cutie and beg for it. She has learned that when I say "this is mine" she just isn't going to get it.

[marie83]

If the birds are out (they are usually away at meal times)when I want to eat then they get a little of it in their cages if it is suitable. Harlie couldn't care less but Ollie will fly to get his share. If whatever I'm having isn't suitable for him and I don't share then Ollie will try to steal, he will get more and more devious about it until he realises I'm not going to give in. Generally though I do try to give them something, even if it is just a couple of extra pellets, when we eat but they have to go to their cages for it.

[cml]

Stitch always want what Ive having, even if he in most cases cannot . Sometimes because what Im eating is toxic to them, but mainly because I dont want him to think he can have something everytime I eat. He manage to look very hurt from everytime though ^^.

[pfinarffle]

Oh, God yes! Same exact problem with our Senegal parrot here! He was really trying to have a go at my banana bread with chocolate chips last night. Obviously that was not happening. But he wouldn't leave me! I'm dying to hear what solutions others have found because, thus far, all we can do is re-cage him until our meal is over.

[Wayne361]

My is caged during main meal times because that is our family social time, but flighted and out during smaller snack times. I think that it is like having a dog, in that if you start giving parts of your snacks while you are eating they learn to beg. Better words would be YOU taught them how to beg. Oscar doesnt beg for food or go after it while he out of cage cause I have NEVER fed him outside of his cage with the exception of training treats. He doesnt expect me to give him any cause I never have. If you do give them treats outside of the cage then you are training them to beg IMHO (with the exception of training treats). I would think this behaviour would be very hard to reverse once trained.....

Wayne

[Grey_Moon]

*nods*

Nothing I eat or want is truly mine if I eat it or have something near her---its hers. I get the flighted divebomb and the chicken-waddle run right to me, she will climb on me or crane her neck and stand up as tall as she can to check it out and steal some.

[GreenWing]

Thanks everyone for the reply; all were helpful and gave me a chuckle, too I could use quotes but I'm too lazy for now...

Grey_Moon: Tiki does that same "chicken waddle" In her mind, what's mine, is hers, too.

CML: Exactly, you feel my pain! lol it doesn't help when I put her in her cage to stop it, and Tiki keeps saying "love you" too, which melts my heart... I am such a sucker

Finarffle: Thank you! I rest my case. Senegals can be... how do you say? Entitled?

Liz: I think Tiki is like Myrtle, while Tiki wasn't deprived (aw), she BEGS. Or, in a more sennie-appropriate term, GRABS it

Marie: Good advice. I will try that with Tiki and see how it works.

My is caged during main meal times because that is our family social time, but flighted and out during smaller snack times. I think that it is like having a dog, in that if you start giving parts of your snacks while you are eating they learn to beg. Better words would be YOU taught them how to beg. Oscar doesnt beg for food or go after it while he out of cage cause I have NEVER fed him outside of his cage with the exception of training treats. He doesnt expect me to give him any cause I never have.

Thank you, well put, I need to prevent this begging! It's a sweet moment to eat with her, but I don't want her thinking that everything is HERS.