Hand taming a BFA

[DeguMom]

As you know, I have recently started the adventure of adding a 4 year old BFA to the family. Cosmo is an absolute delight! My goal is to hand tame him, so that we will be able to have a closer relationship, and so he'll be able to spend lots of time outside his cage playing.

I have read different ideas about hand taming, so wanted to get some advice here too. I am used to hand taming Degus, which are generally not considered super tame, and am wondering if some of the same techniques would apply to taming a bird.

Cosmo is very friendly in his cage. When anyone goes near him to talk or look at him, he comes right over to visit. He takes food from our hands through the cage bars, but is sometimes wary of an empty hand coming real close. I often put my face very close to him (I love his Amazon smell) and make kissy faces and noises in his face and call him a kissy face. He seems to like that a lot, and never gets aggressive or anything. Sometimes he makes kissy noises back, or just chirps, or just says hello.

When we have to reach our hands into his cage (for dishes or toys) he usually backs away to the opposite corner. He'll often make a kind of squeaking noise - the sound reminds me of what my Degus do when they're upset with me. So I wonder if he's upset with the hand being in his cage. One time, he was coming close to my arm, and I wasn't sure what he was going to do, so I used a perch between my arm and him to make me feel more confident, and help him back away a little. Nothing bad happened.

With Degus, it is recommended that you sit by their cage, and put your hand close to it. After they're ok with that, you open the cage and put your hand in the doorway. After they're ok with that, you open the cage and put your hand inside (preferrably with a treat). And so on it goes. Would that work for a parrot?

One place I read said that will work with a parrot, while another place recommended you let them out of their cage in a safe room to tame them out of their cage.

We've only had him just 1 week, and I am thinking it might be best to give him at least 2 or 3 weeks to settle in here and get used to us. Is that reasonable? I must say, he's super friendly, so I wonder if I could go ahead and start hand taming right away - but I don't want to push him. I feel like if he bites me right away I might get scared, so I'd like to wait until he's really comfy here and trusts me before we start the process. (Or maybe until I really trust him?)

[seagem]

I too am having a similar problem and see no one has given their opinions. Perhaps if this thread is resurrected someone will give advice. Thanks.

[Sprecker]

You should be patient. Very patient. It may take months before you can put your hand in his cage. Remeber that his cage is HIS cage and unless he invites you in you are intruding. Think about it like this, the only time an empty hand has ever gone into his cage was to grab him, change the water, food or toys (ie. take something away). Never for fun and certainly nothing he would consider helpful.
I have a few birds that won't go near me unless I have food. It's just the way it is and because of all they went through before I was able to love them. A few have really made progress and are starting to come around. My eastern rosella was terrified of everything for the longest time. It took her almost 6 months before she wouldn't freak out with us just being near her cage. She now will take food from my hand if I hold it thorugh the bars and stay still.
With your BFA I would just give him time. He sounds pretty good from the description you gave. He just needs to learn to trust you. I suggest just keep doing what you are doing. Just don't push too hard or it may have negative affects. Continue talking and giving treats to him. Hang out near the cage and offer treats with the door open. With the door open offer a treat and when/if he takes it leave your emplty hand in the cage. Continue to do this as often as possible even when changing food and water dishes. In other words, no hand goes in the cage with out a treat being offered and recieved first.
After awhile you will notice he will be excited to see your hand and you. Then you will see him starting to play with your hand and you can work on scritches and step ups.
Again this may take a long, long time and depending on his past it may never happen. Some days will be super and you may see the light at the end of the tunnel and the very next day he may treat you like a stranger. This is normal and if you think that will deter you then you are in for a long fusterating battle. Even the tamest of parrots will have their bad days and want nothing to do with anyone else.
This is all the advice I have. I know it's all over the place but I am kind of sick right now. I just thought I could help with the little bit of knowledge that I had.

[seagem]

Thanks Sprecker.

Boy do you have a full-house

Please feel better!

[DeguMom]

How funny to see this thread back up and running! :)

Well, here is an update on our situation. Our little BFA turns out to be a girl, not a boy! She's making absolutely wonderful progress. She's quite sweet, and is a real clown.

She has allowed me to stroke her beak many times, gives out lots of nice kisses, and is easily transported between cage and play gym. She is a very well-adjusted little bird, and we are so fortunate everything has gone as smoothly as it has.

I have gotten some good chomps, but only 1 was bad, and it healed up nicely. We love our little Zon!

We still have work to do in the real hand taming department, but she is progressing so nicely at her own pace, that we intend to allow her to continue to set the pace. She is getting used to us so quickly, we have been very plesantly surprised!

[seagem]

That's good news.